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Possible Newbie Here--Can Anyone Interpret These Labs?

AmyM

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AmyM Newbie
AmyM
Posted

Hello all!  I was just told 2 days ago that I "may" have celiac's disease.  Awesome.

 

My doctor just now put these labs into my online folder and I won't be able to talk w/her til next week, but am DYING to know what they mean!!  Can anyone help??  I'll be forever grateful! :P

 

Total Salivary SIgA    11 Normal

Endomysial Antibody IgA  <2 Negative

Gliadin Ab, SIgA (Saliva)    >32 Positive

 

What does all this mean??  Do I or don't I have to start shopping in the gluten-free sections?

 

If it matters, I was diagnosed w/Graves Disease in 2011, had RAI therapy on my thyroid in 2013, went hypothyroid, and after trying many things, am currently on Armour to treat my now hypo-thyroid. 

 

I also have absolutely NONE of the celiac disease symptoms.  Never have.  I have always been able to eat anything I want and am really never sick.

 

Thank you for any wisdom you can shed so I don't have to wonder all weekend.

--AmyM

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cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

I am not knowledgeable about saliva tests. The standard is a blood panel followed with an endoscopy to obtain intestinal tissue samples.

In any case, keep eating gluten as the doctor may go forward with the endoscopy or do other tests.

Oh, anemia was my only symptom at the time I was diagnosed. Some folks have none! But you already have one autoimmune disorder (Graves) and when you have one autoimmune disorder you can develop more.

Read the University of Chicago's celiac website. It lists testing and the 300 possible symptoms associated with celiac disease.

nvsmom Community Regular
nvsmom
Posted

I don't know much about salivary tests either. I don't think they are wisely accepted so you may want to do the blood tests.  Do as many as possible (before going gluten-free) as these tests can miss some celiacs:

tTG IgA and tTG IgG (tissue transglutamnase) - most common tests

  • DGP IgA and DGP IgG (deaminated gliadin pepides) - newer tests that are often good for detecting early celiac disease
  • EMA IgA (endomusial antibody) - similar to the tTG IgA but detects more advanced celiac disease - you had a version of this done
  • AGA IgA and AGA IgG (ant-gliadin antibodies) an older and less reliable test that has largely been replaced by the DGP tests - you had a version of this done
  • total serum IgA (immunoglobulin A) - a control test to make sure you make enough IgA for reliable IgA based tests (ex. tTG IgA)
  • endoscopic biopsy - ensure 6+ samples are taken

 

Do more testing if you want to be sure.Otherwise, good luck with the gluten-free diet, I'll bet you will be surprised how it helps. With a history of Graves, I wouldn't be surprised if your diagnosis is correct and you do have celiac disease.  If that is the case, I bet you notice health improvements.  Many celiac disease symptoms are the same as thyroid issues: headaches, fatigue, constipation or diarrhea, joint pain, neuropathy, low B12, D, A, Cu, K, Mg, Fe, and ataxia are all celiac disease symptoms.  There are over 300 of them.

 

Best wishes.

AmyM Newbie
AmyM
Posted
  • Author

Thank you!  I'll  check out the Univ. of Chicago site.  I wasn't aware the norm was to check levels via a bloodtest.  I also had bloodwork done and will ask my doc what, if anything, that revealed.  The only thing I was low in was a couple of the B vitamins.  I've been taking Vit D3 supp for years due to thyroid anyway.  My doc has started me on a gluten-free diet, but now I feel I should know for certain whether or not I actually HAVE to do this. 

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