Need Help with Lab/Biopsy Results

[Erin987]

Hello! First time poster here.

I'm 22 years old and having a really hard time interpreting my results wanted to know if anyone had any insight on my lab results (of course I am speaking to my doctor too but just wanted to see what was out there!)

A very brief summary of everything:

I've had GI problems since I was 12 but over the past 2 years they have progressively gotten worse to the point where I have lost 15+ kilos (I normally weigh 135 lbs and now I weigh 114 lbs) with no diet change whatsoever, increased nausea causing an inability to eat despite hunger, and vomiting spells at random (not pregnancy), on top of the symptoms from before including crippling GI pain after meals/eating small amounts at random, very visible bloating after eating, gas, the urgency to defecate and feeling of not fully defecating, intense reflux when having an "attack" (usually a few hours after eating anything from a bite to a meal, bloating, increasing pain, reflux, diarrhea, vomiting, inability to stand) feeling of fullness after one bite, intense diarrhea (normally with the vomiting spells) or constipation, anal fissures.. etc. The list goes on. 

The tough part about the diagnosis is that I'm selective IgA deficient (<6 mg/dL), hence IgA tTG test was useless. They did show: 
-An increase in the AST-GOT liver enzyme of 75 U/L (normal is below 35 U/L) and from what I have read, it's not specific to just the liver but it points a bit at liver abnormalities and it's strange to have in someone who doesn't drink at all or have any hepatitis. 

-Slight anemia, hematocrit 33.4% (which is guess is normal for a young female)

-Negative calprotectin, parasites/giardia (fecal test)

I also had a duodenal biopsy which showed a normal morphology/structure of the small intestine, but an increased amount of interstitial lympho-plasmacytic infiltrate in lamina propria.

-Abdominal ultrasound showed no masses/etc.

I'm just frustrated that there are no clear answers and needed some advice! Could it be celiac or something else? Any and all input is appreciated.

Thanks

[cyclinglady]

Hey Erin!  Welcome!

I can provide a couple of things, but I am not a medical doctor — just a mom who has autoimmune issues al9ng with other family members.  

What was the lab range for the IgA test?  For the TTG to fail, the result must be pretty much zero and not just below range.  Did you get the rest of the celiac tests (DGP IgA, DGP IgG and EMA)?  If you are still consuming gluten ask for them.  Why?  I test positive to the DGP IgA even on many follow-up tests.  The TTG is good for screening, but does not catch all celiacs.  Then some celiacs are seronegative (about 10%).  

I can not really comment on the biopsies.  Maybe you are just starting to develop celiac disease or you may have IBD like Crohn’s.  My niece has it and she was diagnosed when she started college.  She did have problems for years too.  She was diagnosed via pill camera.  Her damage was beyond the reach of both scopes.  

Do not accept the “you are a menstruating young women and that is the cause of your anemia”.  I was told that for decades.  It was celiac disease all along!  Find out what kind of anemia you have (many types).  

Elevated liver enzymes can be attributed to celiac disease and other illnesses.  

If your doctor can not help you, it might be worth getting a second opinion for a really celiac-savvy GI.