Help..I have no clue as what anything means

[EricaBrown]

Hello everyone...

Until about two days ago I didn't know what Celiac was, and I just thought that gluten-free was a new fad like Atkins. I have been seeing my doctor every two weeks because I thought I had thyroid problems, but my TSH is 0.98. I always knew my stomach was funky, but I thought it was my normal. For the past 4-5 months I have been alternating between diarrhea and constipation, but mostly diarrhea. I've lost 25 pounds and have muscle cramps, ADHD, anxiety, migraines, along with other issues. So my doctor ran tons of blood tests and one stool sample. What do these results mean?

Stool Sample for electrolytes

Sodium was 95.2 (normal is 0-199)

Potassium was 25.2 (normal 0-199)

Chloride was 57.2 (normal 0-39) HIGH

Glaidine Antibody IgA/IgG Profile EIA

Glaidine Peptide AB IgA was 23 (normal 0-19) HIGH

Glaidine Peptide AB IgG was 2 (normal 0-19)

The doctor told me to stop eating gluten and referred me to a GI. Should I stop gluten now or wait for the GI opinion? I also have massive amounts of pelvic adhesions with an unknown reason; no previous surgeries, no infections, etc. Could this be tied to that? Thanks for helping me understand me!!!

[Karen Lynn]

So, I know very little about all this, but I do know that you'll probably be scheduled for an endoscopy, in which case you should CONTINUE to eat gluten so you have an accurate test results. What you tested positive for is a pretty good indicator that you have celiac disease, though. 

[EricaBrown]

Thanks! Do you know if an intense intestinal burning is related to celiac? I don't have heartburn, it is only slightly above my belly button and down.

[GFinDC]

Hi Erica,

Karen Lynn is right, don't stop eating gluten before all testing is completed.  We have even had posters who completed all testing and then started on the gluten-free diet.  And then the doctor or lab lost the test results and they had to start all over eating gluten and getting re-tested.  Starting back on gluten after you have quit for a while can be very unpleasant.

Symptoms can vary widely in celiac disease patients.  People report vary degrees of pain and even no pain sometimes.  We are all individuals and react as such.  Symptoms don't even have to be GI system specific, but can include skin reactions, joint pain, irritability etc, etc.  Bloating in the gut and pain is fairly common though I think, along with alternating constipation and diahhrea.  All in all it's lots of fun.

Do take some time to check out the Newbie 101 thread, it has some info that could help.  And feel free to ask questions about anything.