I don't know if I'm celiac/gluten intolerant?

[Mavis123]

hello everyone. Um, my doctor ordered the igA and igG tests last year when I reported having stomach issues. The results were something like this: igA was in the normal range but igG was 80 something. (Normal range <18) and he said he was 95% sure it was celiac disease and wanted to do an endoscopy. Um, my parents were against all that so I continued eating gluten right up til the previous week, which is when I got my lab results after getting a test done again. The results were: IgA again within the range, and IgG was down to 40 something. Does anyone know why it dropped like that, despite my eating gluten? Anyway, I went gluten free after that. I felt hungry and looked that up, and read about people's hunger subsiding within a few months, but mine lessed within a week of me going gluten free! I have no idea why. Also, I had no major symptoms, besides the fact that when I was eating gluten I was almost never hungry, experienced more flatulence and diarrhoea than I should. Also, I am underweight. Have been for five years now. And am stick-thin. But now after going gluten-free I feel increased constipation! I don't know what's goinf in with me. Do I even have gluten intolerance/celiac???

[GFinDC]

44 minutes ago, Mavis123 said:

hello everyone. Um, my doctor ordered the igA and igG tests last year when I reported having stomach issues. The results were something like this: igA was in the normal range but igG was 80 something. (Normal range <18) and he said he was 95% sure it was celiac disease and wanted to do an endoscopy. Um, my parents were against all that so I continued eating gluten right up til the previous week, which is when I got my lab results after getting a test done again. The results were: IgA again within the range, and IgG was down to 40 something. Does anyone know why it dropped like that, despite my eating gluten? Anyway, I went gluten free after that. I felt hungry and looked that up, and read about people's hunger subsiding within a few months, but mine lessed within a week of me going gluten free! I have no idea why. Also, I had no major symptoms, besides the fact that when I was eating gluten I was almost never hungry, experienced more flatulence and diarrhoea than I should. Also, I am underweight. Have been for five years now. And am stick-thin. But now after going gluten-free I feel increased constipation! I don't know what's goinf in with me. Do I even have gluten intolerance/celiac???

Hi Mavis,

A doctor might say you don't have celiac disease because you didn't get the endoscopy and therefore don't have proof of villi damage.  But a little common sense would say that if you are having digestive symptoms like yours, and your symptoms changed when you went gluten-free, then there has to be some connection there.  Also, being skinny is a classic symptom of celiac disease.  Did you have a check of your vitamins and minerals done?   Celiac damage impairs our ability to absorb nutrients so we may become low on them.

Having one antibody test positive is enough to have celiac disease.  Why your antibody levels vary is a good question.  But our bodies are not machines and as organic things they are not made to stay constantly at war with themselves.  So I wouldn't make too much of a change like that.

[Mavis123]

Thank you for the reply! No, I haven't gotten my minerals and all checked. But you're right, it's probably a good idea to get them checked. Ah, I never expected I'd end up having problems with gluten. Wheat is like the staple food of my country, and most people have not even heard of celiac disease here.

[GFinDC]

Hi Mavis,

Celiacs are often low on Vitamin D, vitamin B-12, and sometimes iron, and selenium.

Wheat is pretty popular here too.  But there are other options like rice and buckwheat, quinoa, etc.