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Are There Less Expensive Ways Of Getting Tested?

sneaky-flute

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sneaky-flute Rookie
sneaky-flute
Posted

I suspect I have celiac disease and would like to have it confirmed before committing to a lifelong diet. The problem is that the blood test and biopsy cost thousands. Is there a way to get a definitive diagnosis without paying an arm and a leg? 

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bartfull Rising Star
bartfull
Posted

The only thing you could do would be to go completely and strictly gluten-free for a few months and see if your symptoms improve. Then go back to eating gluten for a while and see if your symptoms get worse.

 

If you see and improvement on a gluten-free diet and find your symptoms getting worse again when you challenge, you won't have a diagnosis but you will know you either have celiac or NCGI. The treatment for both is the same - strictly gluten-free for life.

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Knot sure where you live. Some of the Celiac Centers have free blood testing. You could also see if you qualify for any help? State? County? Public hospital?

LauraTX Rising Star
LauraTX
Posted

If you are trying to do it and can't afford the whole diagnostic workup, Karen's suggestions of a public clinic or research hospital are good.  If you can't find something like that, you could do one blood test at a time to let the results trickle in, and you may get something indicative enough of Celiac disease that you are comfortable calling it that without an endoscopy.  However, if you can manage any way to get the full diagnostic workup and endoscopy, that really can help you know if other things are going on, especially if it turns out to not be Celiac disease.

 

You could also just trial a gluten-free diet now like Bartfull said.  If you are really itching to know and your financial situation allows in the future, it will be a 12 week period of eating gluten.  There are a good number of people here on the forum that did that, and feel no need to go get formally diagnosed.  Just try to weigh the benefits and decide what is best for yourself.

sneaky-flute Rookie
sneaky-flute
Posted
  • Author

What is this "new" celiac test and how do I request it? 

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

What is this "new" celiac test and how do I request it?

What are you referring to?

mamaw Community Regular
mamaw
Posted

No "new" celiac test.. I'm guessing you have no insurance? But if you have symptoms you can go to a free clinic like Bartful said...some states provide a GP doctor for people with needing medical help....Public welfare also has medical programs ...

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sneaky-flute Rookie
sneaky-flute
Posted
  • Author

I have insurance but from my understanding, these tests can set a person back a grand or two even with insurance. 

 

This test I'm referring to can identify celiac markers with greater specificity and you don't have to eat gluten before undergoing the process. Maybe it's not publicly available yet. 

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

I have insurance but from my understanding, these tests can set a person back a grand or two even with insurance.

This test I'm referring to can identify celiac markers with greater specificity and you don't have to eat gluten before undergoing the process. Maybe it's not publicly available yet.

You can get a genetic test for about $300. It will tell you if you have a possibility of having Celiac. but 30% of people have a gene for Celiac and only about 1% actually develope Celiac. so just having the gene does not mean you have Celiac.

If you just want a basic Celiac panel, call Quest diagnostics and ask for the cost.

Edited to add: I am talking about legitimate, currently available medical testing.

LauraTX Rising Star
LauraTX
Posted

There are no scientifically valid tests (aside from the genetic test) that are accurate when one is not consuming gluten.  Getting something like that is a top priority for Celiac researchers but they are not there yet.  While I understand it is easy to assume something is not affordable, why don't you contact your lab of choice and ask about pricing before you assume as such?  Any money you spend on a diagnosis is an investment in your health for the rest of your life and well worth it in my opinion.  Also, unless your insurance plan has a stacked deductible, you are not going to be paying 100% out of pocket for lab costs.  You can get information on what your portion would be from your insurance company so you can estimate costs and save up to get them done if that is needed.

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    • knitty kitty
      My only proof

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      You're right, doctors usually only test Vitamin D and B12.  Both are really important, but they're not good indicators of deficiencies in the other B vitamins.  Our bodies are able to store Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D in the liver for up to a year or longer.  The other B vitamins can only be stored for much shorter periods of time.  Pyridoxine B 6 can be stored for several months, but the others only a month or two at the longest.  Thiamine stores can be depleted in as little as three days.  There's no correlation between B12 levels and the other B vitamins' levels.  Blood tests can't measure the amount of vitamins stored inside cells where they are used.  There's disagreement as to what optimal vitamin levels are.  The Recommended Daily Allowance is based on the minimum daily amount needed to prevent disease set back in the forties when people ate a totally different diet and gruesome experiments were done on people.  Folate  requirements had to be updated in the nineties after spina bifida increased and synthetic folic acid was mandated to be added to grain products.  Vitamin D requirements have been updated only in the past few years.   Doctors aren't required to take as many hours of nutritional education as in the past.  They're educated in learning institutions funded by pharmaceutical corporations.  Natural substances like vitamins can't be patented, so there's more money to be made prescribing pharmaceuticals than vitamins.   Also, look into the Autoimmune Protocol Diet, developed by Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, a Celiac herself.  Her book The Paleo Approach has been most helpful to me.  You're very welcome.  I'm glad I can help you around some stumbling blocks while on this journey.    Keep me posted on your progress!  Best wishes! P.S.  interesting reading: Thiamine, gastrointestinal beriberi and acetylcholine signaling https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12014454/
    • NanceK
      My only proof

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      So interesting that you stated you had sub clinical vitamin deficiencies. When I was first diagnosed with celiac disease (silent), the vitamin levels my doctor did test for were mostly within normal range (lower end) with the exception of vitamin D. I believe he tested D, B12, magnesium, and iron.  I wondered how it was possible that I had celiac disease without being deficient in everything!  I’m wondering now if I have subclinical vitamin deficiencies as well, because even though I remain gluten free, I struggle with insomnia, low energy, body aches, etc.  It’s truly frustrating when you stay true to the gluten-free diet, yet feel fatigued most days. I’ll definitely try the B-complex, and the Benfotiamine again, and will keep you posted. Thanks once again!
    • knitty kitty
      Has anyone had terrible TMJ/ Jaw Pain from undiagnosed Celiac?

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Segments of the protein Casein are the same as segments of the protein strands of gluten, the 33-mer segment.   The cow's body builds that Casein protein.  It doesn't come from wheat.   Casein can trigger the same reaction as being exposed to gluten in some people.   This is not a dairy allergy (IGE mediated response).  It is not lactose intolerance.  
    • trents
      Has anyone had terrible TMJ/ Jaw Pain from undiagnosed Celiac?

      By trents · Posted

      Wheatwacked, what exactly did you intend when you stated that wheat is incorporated into the milk of cows fed wheat? Obviously, the gluten would be broken down by digestion and is too large a molecule anyway to cross the intestinal membrane and get into the bloodstream of the cow. What is it from the wheat that you are saying becomes incorporated into the milk protein?
    • Scott Adams
      Has anyone had terrible TMJ/ Jaw Pain from undiagnosed Celiac?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Wheat in cow feed would not equal gluten in the milk, @Wheatwacked, please back up extraordinary claims like this with some scientific backing, as I've never heard that cow's milk could contain gluten due to what the cow eats.
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