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Positive ttg IGA but negative EMA


Jayl

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Jayl Rookie

I'm confused. Is it still possible to have Celiac with the EMA being negative? I'm still waiting to be scheduled for biopsy but the waiting is driving me crazy! My ttg IGA was 23.38 normal being  less than 3.99.


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tessa25 Rising Star

You only need a high on one test to have celiac (confirmed with biopsy).

cyclinglady Grand Master

I have had the EMA many times and never had a positive on it, yet I have confirmed celiac disease (positive DGP IgA and biopsies).  

OregonDonna Rookie

The process can be very confusing. So can the results. I had a TTG IgA of 218, negative biopsy, positive for one of two genetic markers. No official diagnosis of Celiac, but the nutritionist I saw said I could never eat gluten again. It's been almost one year being gluten free and have only been 'glutened' once. It made me so sick that I knew then she was right. Even if your biopsy comes back negative (statistics show it's pretty hard to find in the multiple feet of intestines you have) your immune response shows you are at least gluten sensitive. There is a ton of information here on the web about the effects of gluten and how to live your life without it. Good luck.

Jayl Rookie

Thank you all. Yes, it is so confusing. In all honesty, I just want to feel better. If there is something I could do to feel better, I will do it. It will just be nice to finally have an answer! Not sure when my biopsy will be scheduled, but I am hoping soon!

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    • xxnonamexx
      What about digestive enzymes that I hear help? I take align 5x probiotics daily.
    • Samanthaeileen1
      thank you RMJ! That is very helpful advice. Good to know we aren’t crazy if we don’t do the endoscopy. We are going to try the gluten free and see how symptoms and levels improve.    thank you Wheatwacked (love the username lol) that is also reassuring. Thankfully she has an amazing and experienced pediatrician. And yesss I forgot to mention the poop! She has the weirdest poop issues.    How long did it take y'all to start seeing improvement in symptoms? 
    • Wheatwacked
      My son was diagnosed when he was weaned in 1976 after several endoscopies.  Given your two year old's symptoms and your family history and your pediatrition advocating for the dx, I would agree.  Whether an endoscopy is positive or negative is irrelevant.   That may happen even with endoscopy.  Pick your doctors with that in mind. In the end you save the potential trauma of the endoscopy for your baby.   Mine also had really nasty poop.  His doctor started him on Nutramigen Infant because at the time it was the only product that was hypo allergenic and had complete nutrition. The improvement was immediate.
    • RMJ
      So her tissue transglutaminase antibody is almost 4x the upper end of the normal range - likely a real result. The other things you can do besides an endoscopy would be: 1.  Genetic testing.  Unfortunately a large proportion of the population has genes permissive for celiac disease, but only a small proportion of those with the genes have it. With family history it is likely she has the genes. 2.  Try a gluten free diet and see if the symptoms go away AND the antibody levels return to normal. (This is what I would do). Endoscopies aren’t always accurate in patients as young as your daughter. Unfortunately, without an endoscopy, some doctor later in her life may question whether she really has celiac disease or not, and you’ll need to be a fierce mama bear to defend the diagnosis! Be sure you have a good written record of her current pediatrician’s diagnosis. Doing a gluten challenge for an endoscopy later in life could cause a very uncomfortable level of symptoms.   Having yourself, your husband and your son tested would be a great idea.  
    • Samanthaeileen1
      here are the lab ranges.  Normal ranges for tissue transglutaminase are: <15.0 Antibody not detected > or = 15.0 Antibody detected normal for endomysial antibody is < 1.5. So she is barely positive but still positive. 
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