Positive Antibodies After 2 years

[SueOba]

I was diagnosed with celiac two years ago.  I feel like I am diligent avoiding gluten and cross contamination.  For the most part I feel good with the exception of very recent heartburn.  My celiac antibodies have not yet normalized though.   My results are:

Antibody    Diagnosis   6 months     18 months   2yrs

IgA              >162           29                  22                  20

IgG              92               38                  13                  15

tTG IgA       >100           9                     4                    5

My nutritionist wants me to have the SIBO test to see if that accounts for the continued positive antibodies.

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated!

Thanks.

[Gemini]

Are the 2 top tests the AGA IgA/IgG, to test for your reaction to gluten that you are consuming?  What are the reference ranges on each test you listed for the normal ranges?  It would help to know the answer on both.

Looking at this without knowing the above, I would say you have been doing a good job of avoiding gluten overall.  Your Ttg looks like it might be in the normal range at a 5, after an initial diagnosis at >100.  Remember, your Ttg could have been much, much higher but they only report up to 100.  I hate that.  They did that to me also so I had no idea exactly how high it was beyond 100. So, to bring it down to a 5 in 2 years is good.  I do see that your numbers bumped up by a couple of points but that is such a slight difference, I am not sure it is worth worrying about it right now.

Most labs use ranges for normal as follows.......<20 or < 10 will get you a normal reading, so you are not far off. You have brought your numbers down from pretty high values and it can take 2-3 years, depending on age and other factors. I would have her test for SIBO anyway if you have had a problem with heartburn. Then I would re-test your panel in 6 months and if those numbers are still slightly elevated, you'll have to go over your routine to see if you are ingesting gluten anywhere. Could they run the DGP test? That is a more sensitive version of the AGA Iga/IgG tests.

Overall, I would not say this panel is something to freak out about but doing the DGP would be better to gauge dietary compliance and getting tested for other possibilities is a good idea.

[RMJ]

I thought I was gluten free, but  I had to do the Gluten Contamination Elimination Diet to get my levels down that last little bit.

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[SueOba]

Thanks for your responses!  

I think the tests are DGP - reported as Deamidated Gliadin ABS.  The normal ranges listed on the report are 0-19 for DGP IGA;  0-19 for DGP IGG; and 0-3 for TTG IGA.  I'm going to do the SIBO test.

RMJ - What led you to do the GCED?  Was it just elevated antibodies or were you symptomatic?

[RMJ]

I've never had obvious symptoms so it was the antibody levels.  

[ahearnsberger]

On November 21, 2015 at 1:31:57 PM, RMJ said:

I've never had obvious symptoms so it was the antibody levels.  

What type of Dr is helping you with this? I'm not getting any help, even with a gastroenterologist. 

[RMJ]

Gastroenterologist.  Although she is not a lot of help.  She didn't suggest the GCED, I did that on my own.  She does order the antibody tests when I ask for them.

[ahearnsberger]

Just now, RMJ said:

Gastroenterologist.  Although she is not a lot of help.  She didn't suggest the GCED, I did that on my own.  She does order the antibody tests when I ask for them.

thank you. it's so tiring to always have to ask my Dr to do what he should already be doing.

 

[pippylongstocking]

On 11/20/2015, 8:25:27, SueOba said:

I was diagnosed with celiac two years ago.  I feel like I am diligent avoiding gluten and cross contamination.  For the most part I feel good with the exception of very recent heartburn.  My celiac antibodies have not yet normalized though.   My results are:

Antibody    Diagnosis   6 months     18 months   2yrs

IgA              >162           29                  22                  20

IgG              92               38                  13                  15

tTG IgA       >100           9                     4                    5

My nutritionist wants me to have the SIBO test to see if that accounts for the continued positive antibodies.

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated!

Thanks.

I also had horrid heartburn and was tested positive for H-pylori as well as celiacs.  The heartburn was wretched, but a friend suggested I eat some pot (yes, marijuana) leaves because of the acid content; the acid in the leaves made the heartburn go away. Now I seldom need them.  I was using gluten-free antacids and that made things worse.  

Best of medicine and luck.

Pip