Celiac Panel Results + high CRP?

[bscott1122]

For about a year I have been having chest pressure and chest tightness, specifically when laying down. I am 26. I have been to every doc and specialist I can think of to no avail, everyone said everything was normal except what I will describe. Most have pegged it on anxiety and stress. Well one of the specialists was a gastro, he did HIDA scan, endoscopy, colonoscopy, ultrasound, blood work, etc. I was never experiencing stomach pain, or any symptoms directly related to gastro stuff but went to him just in case (I require no referrals) and thought maybe the positional aspect of the chest tightness could be related to gastro? Everything was considered normal except for the last test which just came back and it was a celiac panel and I requested it be done since I had a buddy with celiac. My results are as follows:

Immunoglobin A - 368 mg/dL.......range: 81- 463 mg/dL 

Gliadin Ab IgA - 83 units.........range: <20 antibody not detected, >=20 antibody detected

Gliadin Ab IgG - 56 units........range: <20 antibody not detected, >=20 antibody detected

Tissue Transglutaminase Ab, IgG - 15 U/mL........range: <6 antibody not detected, >=6 antibody detected

Tissue Transglutaminase Ab, IgA - 28 U/mL........range: <4 antibody not detected, >=4 antibody detected

My gastro's nurse just told me based on this I have celiacs. However, when I had my endoscopy, the biopsy and endoscopy itself he said was totally normal. At the time however, he was not looking for Celiacs. This "normal" endoscopy and biopsy combined with the fact I don't feel stomach pains or have diarrhea make me wonder if I do have Celiacs? However, the one twist is that my cardiologist had done CRP and high sensitivity CRP and both were high. Not alarmingly so but above normal range but no one could ever tell me why. 

Is there any connection between high CRP and celiacs? 

Why do I not have stomach pains?

Could this Celiacs be responsible for chest tightness and chest pressure? 

I haven't been able to speak to the doc because a nurse called me and all they say is "you have Celiacs, bye". 

Any help or thoughts would be much appreciated as I'm kind of freaking out. ?

[cyclinglady]

1 hour ago, bscott1122 said:

For about a year I have been having chest pressure and chest tightness, specifically when laying down. I am 26. I have been to every doc and specialist I can think of to no avail, everyone said everything was normal except what I will describe. Most have pegged it on anxiety and stress. Well one of the specialists was a gastro, he did HIDA scan, endoscopy, colonoscopy, ultrasound, blood work, etc. I was never experiencing stomach pain, or any symptoms directly related to gastro stuff but went to him just in case (I require no referrals) and thought maybe the positional aspect of the chest tightness could be related to gastro? Everything was considered normal except for the last test which just came back and it was a celiac panel and I requested it be done since I had a buddy with celiac. My results are as follows:

Immunoglobin A - 368 mg/dL.......range: 81- 463 mg/dL 

Gliadin Ab IgA - 83 units.........range: <20 antibody not detected, >=20 antibody detected

Gliadin Ab IgG - 56 units........range: <20 antibody not detected, >=20 antibody detected

Tissue Transglutaminase Ab, IgG - 15 U/mL........range: <6 antibody not detected, >=6 antibody detected

Tissue Transglutaminase Ab, IgA - 28 U/mL........range: <4 antibody not detected, >=4 antibody detected

My gastro's nurse just told me based on this I have celiacs. However, when I had my endoscopy, the biopsy and endoscopy itself he said was totally normal. At the time however, he was not looking for Celiacs. This "normal" endoscopy and biopsy combined with the fact I don't feel stomach pains or have diarrhea make me wonder if I do have Celiacs? However, the one twist is that my cardiologist had done CRP and high sensitivity CRP and both were high. Not alarmingly so but above normal range but no one could ever tell me why. 

Is there any connection between high CRP and celiacs? 

Why do I not have stomach pains?

Could this Celiacs be responsible for chest tightness and chest pressure? 

I haven't been able to speak to the doc because a nurse called me and all they say is "you have Celiacs, bye". 

Any help or thoughts would be much appreciated as I'm kind of freaking out. ?

Welcome!  

Please do not freak out.  It is a lot to take in.  

First, you probably do have celiac disease.  You tested positive on four celiac blood tests.  The small intestine is vast.  Like bigger than a tennis court.  If you had had the blood test done prior to your endoscopy, he had been looking for celiac disease by taking biopsies from several locations within reach of the scope.  It sounds like he just took one.  His scope might not have been the “latest and greatest” either.  So, visually he might not have seen any damage (my first GI who diagnosed me could not visually see anything wrong, but the pathologist caught the damage).  

Celiac disease can be systemic.  Some celiacs are considered “silent” and others like yourself have weird symptoms that doctors can not figure out.  I had anemia, but then I have a genetic anemia.  I did not realize that you can have more than one anemia.  When I was diagnosed I was shocked like you because I did not have GI problems.  My GI saw me before getting a routine colonoscopy because I am in the “over 50 club”.  He took one look at my chart and ordered a celiac panel and an endoscopy in addition to the colonoscopy.   I am so fortunate he did because now I am doing great and my small intestine has healed (based on follow-up biopsies).  Celiac disease symptoms can change over the years too.  It is like a chameleon.  So, on a gluten free diet with lots of time, your chest pains should go away.  

The CRP?  It can be elevated for many reasons and one of them is autoimmune.  Yes, celiac disease is one of 80 or more autoimmune disorders.  Heal from celiac disease and I bet your CRP goes down so will your antibodies for celiac disease.

Read through the forum.  Read all you can about the gluten-free diet.  Start it today.  Expect set backs because you will make mistakes, but this forum is here to help you. 

Be happy your diagnosis was caught early in life.  I have lots of residual damage for a late diagnosis.  Encourage others in your family to get tested.  This is a genetic disorder.  

Hang in there!  ?

 

[GFinDC]

Hi BScott,

There are some people who have "silent celiac" which means that don't notice any symptoms.  You might be one of those people.  Not having symptoms doesn't mean damage to your body isn't happening though.  You still need to avoid gluten to avoid the immune system attack on your body.

There are many possible symptoms of celiac disease besides gut pain.  Hair loss, itchy, dry skin, thyroid problems, joint pain, fatigue, insomnia, nerve damage, lactose intolerance, muscle tremors, depression, anger, anxiety etc, etc...

Your chest pressure could be caused by gas.

Celiac disease is the one auto-immune condition where we know what triggers the immune response ie gluten.  We also know how to prevent the immune response, by following the gluten-free diet.  So we can treat ourselves without lots of $$$ drugs.

It can be hard to adjust to a gluten-free diet, but it is the only treatment that works.  Also, going gluten-free is not an instant cure, it may take months or years for some people to feel better.  While others may feel better very quickly.  You may notice that things you didn't think were symptoms improve.

[RMJ]

In addition to seeing if the gluten free diet eases your chest tightness and pain, after 6 months or so on the strict diet you could have your antibody levels retested and see if they go down.  I had high levels on those 4 tests but no obvious symptoms.  I say no obvious symptoms because I feel better on the gluten free diet.