High Serum IgA

[agentace]

Hello All, first time poster here. I have been going through the process of getting tested, and get my biopsy results from the Doctor on Monday (I called - but they wouldn't give them to me over the phone ?). 

This whole time I've been really curious about one of my blood test results, because from my amateur research it doesn't appear to be correlated with Celiac, but maybe I'm wrong. I was weak positive for tTg (6), but my serum IgA was elevated at 392. From everything I've read they only test that just to be sure you aren't IgA deficient. Do any of you know if Celiac can cause high serum IgA? 

Thanks in advance! 

[cyclinglady]

Hi!  

An elevated (usually very) can be attributed to autoimmune or types of cancers like multiple myeloma.  I do not know your lab range, but your IgA result does not seem very elevated based on national lab ranges.  So, no worries.  My IgA is very elevated, but stable.  I have a couple of other autoimmune disorders and probably have some that are brewing.  I have no cancer.  

The TTG (6) test is not commonly ordered during a celiac disease screening.  Elevated levels are associated with the brain (gluten ataxia). Are you having  brain or neurological symptoms too?  

Even if your intestinal biopsies are negative, consider a gluten free diet if you have symptoms related to gluten ataxia.  Gluten can impact the small intestine (most common, but is systemic), the skin (Dermatitis Herpetiformis rash) and the brain (gluten ataxia which is pretty new in the medical world).  You do not want to mess around with your brain.  It does not have the capability of healing like your gut or skin.  

 

[agentace]

Thanks for your reply - it is very helpful. I have Hashimoto's, and a strong family history of autoimmune disease, so it will come as no surprise to me if I end up developing another autoimmune condition. In fact, the past year I have been extremely inflamed and suspect another condition has come on, which is how I ended up here on the path getting checked out for Celiac. 

I think maybe I wasn't clear my tTg IgA was a weak positive and the value was 6. But I have been having neuropathy symptoms in the last year (even had an MRI and was told that I have a small brain tumor, that wasn't stressful at all :/). Monday can't come soon enough so I can get the results from the biopsy.  I do plan to go gluten free either way once I get my results, because when I experimented with it a few months ago my joint pain went away within three days and also seems to get worse the more gluten I consume. 

[cyclinglady]

Ah, thanks for the clarification.  

I also have Hashimoto’s.  Be on the lookout for Chronic Autoimmune Gastritis which I developed after my celiac disease diagnosis.  A repeat endoscopy revealed a healed small intestine, but gastritis.  CAG is commonly linked to Hashimoto’s.  I wish medical would stop compartmentalizing autoimmune disorders. 

Keep us posted!