Uncertain About Lab Results. What Next? 3Rd World.

[WhatShouldIDo]

I live in a country where medical care is not good and self diagnosis based on test results is your best chance of overcoming or coping with any illness you might have.

 

I've had digestive problems for the last 20+ years.  All juice/veggie/fruit diets correct this.

 

After reading about Celiac I was convinced I had it.  I ordered a full celiac panel from a local lab hoping to have this confirmed so I know where to go from here.  Knowing > Guessing.

 

However, the results do not clearly indicate Celiac.

 

They are as follows.

 

Immunoglobulin A, Qn, Serum  (result: 451, ref range 91-414)

Deamidated Gliadin Abs, IgA (result: 11, ref range negative 0-19)

Deamidated Gliadin Abs, IgG (result: 4, ref range negative 0-19)

t-Transglutaminase (tTG) IgA, result: <2, ref range negative 0-3)

Note: Tissue Transglutaminase (tTG) has been identified as the endomysial antigen.

t-Transglutaminase (tTG) IgG (result: 2, ref range negative 0-5)

 

Whats that note mean? 

 

Seeing as Immunoglobulin A, Qn, Serum  is high, should I be concerned?  What would this indicate?

 

What should I do from here?

 

[ravenwoodglass]

Were you eating a regular gluten filled diet when you got the tests done? Being gluten free or gluten light can cause false negatives with testing. If you were gluten free or gluten light you may want to go back on gluten for a couple of months and then get tested again. You could also just do the diet strictly for at least  a couple months and see if your symptoms resolve.

[nvsmom]

That all looks negative to me too.  As long as you were still consuming gluten (over the last 2-3 months) when you were tested, then it should be accurate.  If you are a celiac who has been eating gluten-free, or even gluten-light, for some time, it could cause false negative tests.   If in doubt, you could still request an endoscopic biopsy. Occasionally people will have a positive biopsy even with negative test results; it is not common but it can happen.

 

The note you mentioned just states that tTG tests looks for antibodies that would damage the endomysial layer of the intestines.  It is just describing the test.

 

You could also have non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS).  Those with NCGS feel the same symptoms as a celiac but they will never have positive tests.  The only way to diagnose it is with a positive response to the gluten-free diet.  The gluten-free diet may be worth trying.

 

Best wishes.