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

One Test Positive, The Other Negative

SuzieQ

Recommended Posts

SuzieQ Rookie
SuzieQ
Posted

Hello All!

I am new to the thought of Celiac Disease and this forum. I found out today that my IGA test results were normal and my IGG results were somewhat high - 43. These were both for antigliadin. Does this mean I have Celiac Disease? I talked to the office manager at the doctor's office and she couldn't tell me much. She said these were the only two tests he ordered. She said they were referring me to a Gastroenterologist who might just want to "watch" the levels.

I have had Dermatitis Herpetiformis when I eat lots of grains - Sun Chips brings it on really strong, so I thought it was just a given I had Celiac.

Any Insight is appreciated!

Thanks.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Guest stef 4 dogs
Guest stef 4 dogs
Posted
Hello All!

I am new to the thought of Celiac Disease and this forum. I found out today that my IGA test results were normal and my IGG results were somewhat high - 43. These were both for antigliadin. Does this mean I have Celiac Disease? I talked to the office manager at the doctor's office and she couldn't tell me much. She said these were the only two tests he ordered. She said they were referring me to a Gastroenterologist who might just want to "watch" the levels.

I have had Dermatitis Herpetiformis when I eat lots of grains - Sun Chips brings it on really strong, so I thought it was just a given I had Celiac.

Any Insight is appreciated!

Thanks.

Hi there! To my understanding, it's not confirmed without the endoscopy and biopsy. I beleive the blood test are part of the process but not all of the process. Be careful if you do go to the endcrinologist and you have started a gluten free diet, you may in fact skew the results. Be sure to inform your doctor of your dietary changes and when you started. I believe it would be helpful to you to have that peice of the puzzle!

stef 4 dogs

jenvan Collaborator
jenvan
Posted

So you have not been gluten-free at all? When did the DH and or other syptoms begin? IgGs typically take longer to rise in response to gluten and take longer to return to normal on a gluten-free diet, whereas IgA's go up and come down quick. Hence my question on your diet.

aikiducky Apprentice
aikiducky
Posted
I have had Dermatitis Herpetiformis when I eat lots of grains - Sun Chips brings it on really strong, so I thought it was just a given I had Celiac.

Do you mean you've been diagnosed with DH, or that you have a rash that appears when you eat grains and that you suspect is DH? AFAIK it can be diagnosed by a biopsy of your skin (when you're having the rash) and if you have DH, yes you definitively have celiac and need to be gluten free.

Pauliina

SuzieQ Rookie
SuzieQ
Posted
  • Author

Thanks for the help everyone. The Friday before last when I had the blistery rash that I believed to be DH, I was in my doctor's office for another problem. I have been having problems with what is probably heartburn, so I was including everything I could think of that is related. I had been eating a lot of whole grains (lots of yummy Sun Chips) and had this blistery rash on the back of my knees and in the folds of my elbows. I told the doctor about the bloating problem I have - I look 9 months pregnant most of the time. He started asking me "Celiac" type questions, so I asked him if he thought it was a possibility. I had read about the symptoms a couple of years ago when I started getting the rash in my elbows and behind my knees. I showed him my arm and he said he thought that might be what it is. He ordered blood tests to test for it.

The DH type rash started showing up about 2 years ago, and only when I "overdose" on grains.

I immediately started eliminating as much gluten as possible to see if I felt better. The lethargy and brain fog left right away. Four days after the doctor's visit, I was to have the blood test, so the day before- on Monday I ate a bowl of Raisin Bran for breakfast and had a sandwich on whole wheat for lunch. I don't know if I had been eating enough gluten for the IgA part of the test to register properly.

I picked up a fax of my test results a little while ago, and those two tests IgA and IgG to antigliadin were the only two he ordered. From what I understand there are two other tests that are also very important.

I had someone advise me that an endoscopy will be unnecessary since I have what appears to be DH. Having that, I am definitely positive they said.

I am confused right now. I don't really want to have an endoscopy or biopsy. Can't I just go gluten free and not have it?

Ursa Major Collaborator
Ursa Major
Posted

SuzieQ, you can have a skin biopsy next to one of the blisters of your rash, and if you're definitely diagnosed with DH, you obviously have Celiac disease and won't need the intestinal biopsy. For you, that would be the best and easiest way to go.

I would suggest you go to a dermatologist, unless your regular family doctor is willing to do the skin biopsy and understands what it means.

tiredofdoctors Enthusiast
tiredofdoctors
Posted

SuzieQ: If your IgG antigliadin antibodies were that high, you obviously have gluten intolerance -- an autoimmune disease. Antitransglutaminase antibody and Antiendomysial antibody testing are more specific for Celiac. The most definitive diagnosis comes from the small intestine biopsy.

I have high IgG antigliadin antibodies, but have had all the other tests and they are negative for celiac. I do, however, have Gluten Ataxia -- the antigliadin antibodies are cross-reacting with anti-perkinje cells in my body and destroying the perkinje cells in my cerebellum, retinas and peripheral nerves. It is an autoimmune disease, and most recent studies are calling it the "silent celiac".

I agree with Ursula -- I would have the lesion biopsied to find out if it is DH. After that, if necessary, I would push for the additional blood tests, and possibly the small intestine biopsy.

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.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,547
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    gizmo1jazz2
    Newest Member
    gizmo1jazz2
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Taken Seriously

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Your post demonstrates the profound frustration and isolation that so many in the Celiac community feel, and I want to thank you for channeling that experience into advocacy. The medical gaslighting you endured for decades is an unacceptable and, sadly, a common story, and the fact that you now have to "school" your own GI specialist speaks volumes about the critical lack of consistent and updated education. Your idea to make Celiac Disease a reportable condition to public health authorities is a compelling and strategic one. This single action would force the system to formally acknowledge the prevalence and seriousness of the disease, creating a concrete dataset that could drive better research funding, shape medical school curricula, and validate the patient experience in a way that individual stories alone often cannot. It is an uphill battle, but contacting representatives, as you have done with Adam Gray, is exactly how change begins. By framing it as a public health necessity—a matter of patient safety and protection from misdiagnosis and neglect—you are building a powerful case. Your voice and your perseverance, forged through thirty years of struggle, are exactly what this community needs to ensure that no one else has to fight so hard just to be believed and properly cared for.
    • Scott Adams
      Looking for a gluten-free roomie in Denver CO

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I had no idea there is a "Louisville" in Colorado!😉 I thought it was a typo because I always think of the Kentucky city--but good luck!
    • Scott Adams
      Allergy medication: cetirizine by the HealthA2Z is it gluten free?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Navigating medication safety with Celiac disease can be incredibly stressful, especially when dealing with asthma and severe allergies on top of it. While I don't have personal experience with the HealthA2Z brand of cetirizine, your caution is absolutely warranted. The inactive ingredients in pills, known as excipients, are often where gluten can be hidden, and since the FDA does not require gluten-free labeling for prescription or over-the-counter drugs, the manufacturer's word is essential. The fact that you cannot get a clear answer from Allegiant Health is a significant red flag; a company that is confident its product is gluten-free will typically have a customer service protocol to answer that exact question. In situations like this, the safest course of action is to consider this product "guilty until proven innocent" and avoid it. A better alternative would be to ask your pharmacist or doctor to help you identify a major national brand of cetirizine (like Zyrtec) whose manufacturer has a verified, publicly stated gluten-free policy for that specific medication. It's not worth the risk to your health when reliable, verifiable options are almost certainly available to you. You can search this site for USA prescriptions medications, but will need to know the manufacturer/maker if there is more than one, especially if you use a generic version of the medication: To see the ingredients you will need to click on the correct version of the medication and maker in the results, then scroll down to "Ingredients and Appearance" and click it, and then look at "Inactive Ingredients," as any gluten ingredients would likely appear there, rather than in the Active Ingredients area. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/   
    • Scott Adams
      Protein or fat?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      What you're describing is indeed familiar to many in the Celiac community, especially in the early stages of healing. When the intestinal villi are damaged from Celiac disease, they struggle to properly digest and absorb fats, a condition known as bile acid malabsorption. This can cause exactly the kind of cramping and spasms you're seeing, as undigested fats can irritate the sensitive gut lining. It is highly plausible that her reactions to dairy and eggs are linked to their higher fat content rather than the proteins, especially since she tolerates lean chicken breast. The great news is that for many, this does improve with time. As her gut continues to heal on a strict gluten-free diet, her ability to produce the necessary enzymes and bile to break down fats should gradually return, allowing her to slowly tolerate a wider variety of foods. It's a slow process of healing, but your careful approach of focusing on low-fat, nutrient-dense foods like seeds and avocado is providing her system the best possible environment to recover. Many people with celiac disease, especially those who are in the 0-2 year range of their recovery, have additional food intolerance issues which could be temporary. To figure this out you may need to keep a food diary and do an elimination diet over a few months. Some common food intolerance issues are dairy/casein, eggs, corn, oats, and soy. The good news is that after your gut heals (for most people who are 100% gluten-free this will take several months to two years) you may be able to slowly add some these items back into your diet after the damaged villi heal. This article may be helpful: Thank you for sharing your story—it's a valuable insight for other parents navigating similar challenges.
    • Beverage
      Diagnosed celiac for 1-2 months ago and everything makes me bloated.

      By Beverage · Posted

      I had a very rough month after diagnosis. No exaggeration, lost so much inflammatory weight, I looked like a bag of bones, underneath i had been literally starving to death. I did start feeling noticeably better after a month of very strict control of my kitchen and home. What are you eating for breakfast and lunch? I ignored my doc and ate oats, yes they were gluten free, but some brands are at the higher end of gluten free. Lots of celics can eat Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oats, but not me. I can now eat them, but they have to be grown and processed according to the "purity protocol" methods. I mail order them, Montana Gluten-Free brand. A food and symptoms and activities log can be helpful in tracking down issues. You might be totally aware, but I have to mention about the risk of airborne gluten. As the doc that diagnosed me warned . . Remember eyes, ears, nose, and mouth all lead to your stomach and intestines.  Are you getting any cross contamination? Airborne gluten? Any pets eating gluten (they eat it, lick themselves, you pet them...)? Any house remodeling? We live in an older home, always fixing something. I've gotten glutened from the dust from cutting into plaster walls, possibly also plywood (glues). The suggestions by many here on vitamin supplements also really helped me. I had some lingering allergies and asthma, which are now 99% gone. I was taking Albuterol inhaler every hour just to breathe, but thiamine in form of benfotiamine kicked that down to 1-2 times a day within a few days of starting it. Also, since cutting out inflammatory seed oils (canola, sunflower, grapeseed, etc) and cooking with real olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, and coconut oil, I have noticed even greater improvement overall and haven't used the inhaler in months! It takes time to weed out everything in your life that contains gluten, and it takes awhile to heal and rebuild your health. At first it's mentally exhausting, overwhelming, even obsessive, but it gets better and second nature.
×
×
  • 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.