Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Possible to get a FULL Celiac serum panel in CANADA?

winjer

Recommended Posts

winjer Newbie
winjer
Posted

It seems the only blood test I have access to here in British Columbia (beyond privately ordering genetic testing) is the TTG. I'm dealing with one negative biopsy despite 4 (geez) positive TTG tests. (firs three "low-positive", now just "positive" since I've been on more gluten & more plagued with symptoms).

Would really love some more bloodwork to help confirm here as I don't have the time to wait/fight for another endoscopy. Is it possible to get the EMA or anything else in BC/Canada? I'm severely underweight and need to gain immediately, thinking a strict gluten-free (casein free too?) diet change is essential ASAP... hence unwilling to play the Canadian-waiting-game for another scope. Doctors have so far labeled me as anorexic and are now willing to consider me celiac, but I of course would like some kind of confirmation before I make the lifelong hardcore-gluten-free commitment. Financial support would be nice as well, sigh.

  • 2 weeks later...
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


SiandAshs Mom Apprentice
SiandAshs Mom
Posted

Hi winjer. I am far from an expert but can maybe help a little... Do you have the results of the biopsy? Could you get them? Do you know how many samples were taken and from where? If the gastro is not really educated on celiac they may have missed the damage or not taken enough samples to get an accurate picture of your intestinal health. I would think that 4 positive Ttg tests is a pretty strong indicator that you have celiac but I can understand wanting confirmation on that. I am in Alberta and here they run the EMA test if you're tTg is positive. Could you come here for bloodwork?

Are you in the Vancouver area? If you're close to the U.S. border you could drive into the US and order your own celiac blood tests there. Open Original Shared Link. That is what I plan on doing in a couple of weeks. You would have to pay for them out of pocket but it is an option. Oh, you have to be eating gluten for the results of any blood test to be accurate so don't go gluten-free until you are satisfied with your diagnosis and testing is complete. 

I totally understand how frustrating our health care system is. There are so many uneducated doctors out there that it makes it really hard to get an appropriate diagnosis. Good luck to you :)

winjer Newbie
winjer
Posted
  • Author

Gee, thanks a ton for replying!! You've given me some great ideas to work with, but after being gluten free for about the past month... I think I'm willing to accept the celiac diagnosis at this point, at least for the time being. My health is simply too compromised to persist in eating wheat right now (I'm majorly underweight and having difficulty recovering from major colorectal surgery 1 year ago... that colorectal damage may have been driven by the undiagnosed celiac [or whatever else is making my TTG response so high... most of my history can be seen here: https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/113356-positive-increasing-ttg-questions-re-testing-history/]). Considering my health history & TTG results, I've had a number of specialists now tell me to consider myself as celiac from here on out, rather than going through the physical/mental stress of trying to find "confirmation" that may be tricky to get, as... Canadian wait times, but above all... endoscopies often missing the damage. *shrug* -- thanks so much for your ideas (and I'm actually originally from Calgary), which I may pursue in the future... but gluten has been out of the diet for a month, I'm feeling a bit better, have gained some weight, and am just in such dire need of gaining more weight & restoring better bowel function. Tough decisions! Best of luck with your journey stateside; I'd love to hear how it goes. Also best of luck with your continued struggles in the Canadian medical system... I deffffinitely get ya! <_<

Positron Newbie
Positron
Posted
5 hours ago, winjer said:

Gee, thanks a ton for replying!! You've given me some great ideas to work with, but after being gluten free for about the past month... I think I'm willing to accept the celiac diagnosis at this point, at least for the time being. My health is simply too compromised to persist in eating wheat right now (I'm majorly underweight and having difficulty recovering from major colorectal surgery 1 year ago... that colorectal damage may have been driven by the undiagnosed celiac [or whatever else is making my TTG response so high... most of my history can be seen here: https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/113356-positive-increasing-ttg-questions-re-testing-history/]). Considering my health history & TTG results, I've had a number of specialists now tell me to consider myself as celiac from here on out, rather than going through the physical/mental stress of trying to find "confirmation" that may be tricky to get, as... Canadian wait times, but above all... endoscopies often missing the damage. *shrug* -- thanks so much for your ideas (and I'm actually originally from Calgary), which I may pursue in the future... but gluten has been out of the diet for a month, I'm feeling a bit better, have gained some weight, and am just in such dire need of gaining more weight & restoring better bowel function. Tough decisions! Best of luck with your journey stateside; I'd love to hear how it goes. Also best of luck with your continued struggles in the Canadian medical system... I deffffinitely get ya! <_<

Or you may have had celiac disease, and your doctors prescribed surgery, thus they are guilty of malpractice and you need a lawyer.   This has happened before.  I hope that is not the case here, but with 4 positive test it seems that the doctors may see that something is wrong, and that thing might well be THEM. Good luck

squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted
2 hours ago, Kashmir said:

Or you may have had celiac disease, and your doctors prescribed surgery, thus they are guilty of malpractice and you need a lawyer.   This has happened before.  I hope that is not the case here, but with 4 positive test it seems that the doctors may see that something is wrong, and that thing might well be THEM. Good luck

Okay Positron.. uh, er, Kashmir, you're pushing it AGAIN! The OP is in Canada and their health system is different than the US. You need to QUIT  harassing  posters about hiring lawyers & suing doctors. 

I've had enough of you. You didn't learn the first time. I'm reporting you.

winjer Newbie
winjer
Posted
  • Author

:| ... I have been very frustrated with my medical system (and doctors, somewhat), but I *did* have clear colorectal dysfunciton for which surgery is often reccomended (although these colorectal surgeries for obstructed defectation do have  rather spotty outcomes, and it seems many people choose to live with the dysfunction-- I wish I had). I agree I was rushed into surgery without a thorough enough workup/diagnosis (and that I shouldn't have been operated on at such a low weight), although I must take the blame for that at the time, as I was anxious for resolution to my issues and had finally found "the problem", so I thought. I was told my negative endoscopy (I believe with only one biopsy; after a weakly-followed gluten challenge) ruled out celiac disease and that the colorectal issue must be primary. I now see that was wrong, but as I'm in Canada I don't believe legal action is even possible, regardless of whether I truly feel it would be demanded in this situation.

squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted

We do what we have to do at the time based upon the information given us and considering how we are feeling & what we are going through at the time winjer. Hindsight is 20/20. We do the best we can. After that, the best we can do is move forward.

{{{{{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


1desperateladysaved Proficient
1desperateladysaved
Posted

Currently I am looking for the full  list of celiac tests.

Dee

Nolev Newbie
Nolev
Posted

Open Original Shared Link

this is my favourite document showing how to test and diagnose celiac

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,913
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    patanddiane
    Newest Member
    patanddiane
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Rogol72
      Help I’m cross contaminating myself,

      By Rogol72 · Posted

      @klmgarland, My dermatitis herpetiformis didn't clear up until I became meticulous about cross contamination. I cut out gluten-free oats and all gluten-free foods, dairy and gluten-free rice. Additionally, getting the right amount of protein for my body weight helped significantly in my body's healing process ... along with supplementing with enough of all the vitamins and minerals ... especially Zinc and Magnesium. I went from 70kg to 82kg in a year. Protein with each meal 3 times daily, especially eggs at breakfast made the difference. I'm not sure whether iodine was a problem for me, but I can tolerate iodine no problem now. I'm off Dapsone and feel great. Not a sign of an itch. So there is hope. I'm not advocating for the use of Dapsone, but it can bring a huge amount of relief despite it's effect on red blood cells. The itch is so distracting and debilitating. I tried many times to get off it, it wasn't until I implemented the changes above and was consistent that I got off it. Dermatitis Herpetiformis is horrible, I wouldn't wish it on anyone.  
    • klmgarland
      Help I’m cross contaminating myself,

      By klmgarland · Posted

      Thank you so very much Scott.  Just having someone understand my situation is so very helpful.  If I have one more family member ask me how my little itchy skin thing is going and can't you just take a pill and it will go away and just a little bit of gluten can't hurt you!!!! I think I will scream!!
    • Scott Adams
      Help I’m cross contaminating myself,

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      It is difficult to do the detective work of tracking down hidden sources of cross-contamination. The scenarios you described—the kiss, the dish towel, the toaster, the grandbaby's fingers—are all classic ways those with dermatitis herpetiformis might get glutened, and it's a brutal learning curve that the medical world rarely prepares you for. It is difficult to have to deal with such hyper-vigilance. The fact that you have made your entire home environment, from makeup to cleaners, gluten-free is a big achievement, but it's clear the external world and shared spaces remain a minefield. Considering Dapsone is a logical and often necessary step for many with DH to break the cycle of itching and allow the skin to heal while you continue your detective work; it is a powerful tool to give you back your quality of life and sleep. You are not failing; you are fighting an incredibly steep battle. For a more specific direction, connecting with a dedicated celiac support group (online or locally) can be invaluable, as members exchange the most current, real-world tips for avoiding cross-contamination that you simply won't find in a pamphlet. You have already done the hardest part by getting a correct diagnosis. Now, the community can help you navigate the rest. If you have DH you will likely also want to avoid iodine, which is common in seafoods and dairy products, as it can exacerbate symptoms in some people. This article may also be helpful as it offers various ways to relieve the itch:  
    • Scott Adams
      My only proof

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      It's very frustrating to be dismissed by medical professionals, especially when you are the one living with the reality of your condition every day. Having to be your own advocate and "fight" for a doctor who will listen is an exhausting burden that no one should have to carry. While that 1998 brochure is a crucial piece of your personal history, it's infuriating that the medical system often requires more contemporary, formal documentation to take a condition seriously. It's a common and deeply unfair situation for those who were diagnosed decades ago, before current record-keeping and testing were standard. You are not alone in this struggle.
    • Scott Adams
      Methylprednisone treatment for inflammation?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Methylprednisolone is sometimes prescribed for significant inflammation of the stomach and intestines, particularly for conditions like Crohn's disease, certain types of severe colitis, or autoimmune-related gastrointestinal inflammation. As a corticosteroid, it works by powerfully and quickly suppressing the immune system's inflammatory response. For many people, it can be very effective at reducing inflammation and providing rapid relief from symptoms like pain, diarrhea, and bleeding, often serving as a short-term "rescue" treatment to bring a severe flare under control. However, experiences can vary, and its effectiveness depends heavily on the specific cause of the inflammation. It's also important to be aware that while it can work well, it comes with potential side effects, especially with longer-term use, so it's typically used for the shortest duration possible under close medical supervision. It's always best to discuss the potential benefits and risks specific to your situation with your gastroenterologist.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.