Jump to content
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Advice - Blood Test Results & Tropic Sprue?


yunalesca

Recommended Posts

yunalesca Newbie

Hi everyone,

I'm a 22 year old from Australia, I've been reading this message board for a few months now. I've had stomach problems since late 2003, I had been quite bad for a few months and had gone to my doctor so many times but with no real diagnosis or positive outcome. I recently came down with Glandular Fever in September last year and had a few blood tests carried out. My iron levels were low and I think a further test was conducted, my doctor told me I had a positive result for Celiac's Disease and referred me to a specialist who I have just seen this week.

I hadn't seen my test results until my specialist appointment. Two of my levels were positive (although one was only slightly so) and another was negative. My levels in order were 200 (which he said was quite high, and I think this was for tissue transglutamide?? Not sure of the name - but it was supposed to be between 0 and 19 I think), my second level was 21 (where normal was 0 - 19/20) and my last level was within the normal range, a 5.

Does this sound indicative of Celiac's? I'm also wondering if my results could have been affected by the Glandular Fever at all, I hadn't been eating properly for a few weeks and when I was having blood tests I was really only eating jelly and icecream.

Also, the specialist said that there was something called Tropic Sprue that is seen in people who have lived overseas? He thought this was unlikely as I had lived overseas for two years, but I was 6 & 7 years old so it was a long time ago.

I'm booked in for an endoscopy on April 24th, any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm also interested to know about people with similar results (positive & negative) and their outcomes after endoscopy.


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - Ginger38 replied to Xravith's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      2

      Challenges eating gluten before biopsy

    2. - Scott Adams replied to Xravith's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      2

      Challenges eating gluten before biopsy

    3. - Scott Adams replied to emzie's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      2

      Stomach hurts with movement

    4. - knitty kitty replied to Jmartes71's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      17

      My only proof

    5. - Xravith posted a topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      2

      Challenges eating gluten before biopsy


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,463
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    The Yellow Rose
    Newest Member
    The Yellow Rose
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):




  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Ginger38
      I refused to do the gluten challenge for a long time because I knew how sick I would be: I have always had and still have positive antibodies and have so many symptoms my  GI was 💯 sure I would have a positive biopsy. I didn’t want to make myself sick to get a negative biopsy and be more confused by all this.  He couldn’t guarantee me a negative biopsy meant no celiac bc there may not be damage yet or it’s possible to miss biopsies where there’s damage but he was so sure and convinced me I needed that biopsy I went back on gluten. It was a terrible experience! I took pictures of the bloating and swelling and weight gain during the challenge. I gained 9 pounds, looked pregnant, was in pain , couldn’t work or function without long naps and the brain fog was debilitating. And in the end he didn’t get a positive biopsy… so I wish I had never wasted my time or health going through it. I haven’t been truly straightened  out since and I am currently battling a shingles infection at 43 and I can’t help but wonder if the stress I put my body under to try and get an official diagnosis has caused all this. Best of luck to you - whatever you decide. It’s not a fun thing to go through and I still don’t have the answers I was looking for 
    • Scott Adams
      It's completely understandable to struggle with the gluten challenge, especially when it impacts your health and studies so significantly. Your experience of feeling dramatically better without gluten is a powerful clue, whether it points to celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. It's very wise of you and your doctor to pause the challenge until your holidays, prioritizing your immediate well-being and exams. To answer your questions, yes, it is possible for blood tests to be negative initially and become positive later as the disease progresses, which is why the biopsy remains the gold standard. Many, many people find the gluten challenge incredibly difficult due to the return of debilitating symptoms, so you are certainly not alone in that struggle. Wishing you the best for your exams and for obtaining clearer answers when you're able to proceed.
    • Scott Adams
      It's smart that you're seeing the gastroenterologist tomorrow. While it's possible this is a severe and persistent inflammatory reaction to gluten, the fact that the pain is movement-dependent and localized with tenderness is important for your specialist to hear. It could indeed be significant inflammation, but it's also worth ruling out other overlapping issues that can affect those with celiac disease. Is it possible you got some gluten in your diet somehow? This could be a possible trigger. Hopefully, tomorrow's appointment will provide clearer answers and a path to relief so you can get back to your lectures and enjoy your weekend. Wishing you all the best for the consultation.
    • knitty kitty
      What exactly are you taking from doterra? 
    • Xravith
      Hello, I'm back with a second post. The first time I wrote, I mentioned the possibility that my symptoms were related to gluten. I did a genetic test in which I resulted to have the predisposition, but the results of my blood test were all negative without IgA deficiency. My doctor suggested that it was necessary to do a biopsy to rule out Celiac Disease. However, he said, because of my family history and my symptoms were strongly related to gluten, it was very possible that my Celiac Disease is developing and my antibodies may become positive in the future.  I tried to continue the gluten challenge for the biopsy, around 2-3 g of gluten per day, but it was enough to make me feel worse each passing day. I started developing anemia and other mild nutritional deficiencies, and it was really affecting my daily life. I'm a student and exams are coming up, so my doctor suggests me to strictly remove gluten until I feel better so I could study without problems until I could do the gluten challenge when I come back home for holidays. Since going gluten free, I feel like a completely different person. My mind is clearer, I have no stomach pain during the day, and even my nails improved within just two weeks. It could also be Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity, but of course I’ll need the biopsy to know for sure. I was wondering, has anyone else had negative blood tests at first and later tested positive? And has anyone struggled with the gluten challenge because of symptoms?
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.