Blood Test Results Help

[kbial]

I had a endoscopy done due to random stomach pains every so often and my doctor said everything looks fine but said the biopsy is showing some minor problems with the lining in my small intestine. He asked that I get a celiac blood test done and I got the results back today and am very overwhelmed/ confused.

both the IgA immunoglobulin and Deamidated Gliadin are within normal range but my Transglutaminase antibodies are very high.

IgA Immunoglobulin: 2.55 g/L. Normal Range: 0.69-3.82

Deamidated Gliadin IgG Antibodies: 6.5 u/ml. Negative: <15 u/ml, Positive >=15 u/ml

Transglutaminase IgA Antibodies: 80 u/ml. Negative: <15 u/ml, Positive >=15 u/ml

 

Has anyone had similar results? My follow up with my doctor is in 2 weeks and these results have been making me incredibly anxious. Is this for sure celiac or could it be something else? Any insight would be appreciated.

[trents]

"The finding of tissue transglutaminase (tTG)-IgA antibodies is specific for celiac disease and possibly for dermatitis herpetiformis. For individuals with moderately to strongly positive results, a diagnosis of celiac disease is likely and the patient should undergo biopsy to confirm the diagnosis."  https://www.mayocliniclabs.com/test-catalog/Overview/82587

Biopsy results can be affected by the skill and thoroughness of the one doing the biopsy in that some practitioners don't take the samples from the right areas. They can also be affected by the length of time you have been eating gluten sense the Celiac Disease was triggered and became active. And if someone was already eating gluten free beforehand there may have been a degree of healing.

Edited December 9, 2020 by trents

[DJFL77I]

80 is most probably celiac..

mine was 100+...

now its down to 13 after going gluten free for like 4.5 months an getting checked again for the first time...

my Dr said how high the number is at diagnosis doesn't really matter..  only that it begins dropping once starting gluten free 

[kbial]

5 hours ago, DJFL77I said:

80 is most probably celiac..

mine was 100+...

now its down to 13 after going gluten free for like 4.5 months an getting checked again for the first time...

my Dr said how high the number is at diagnosis doesn't really matter..  only that it begins dropping once starting gluten free 

Thanks for the response. Was your DGP IGg also negative?

[DJFL77I]

Dunno.. never had that tested . It's not in my latest panel results either

[Kate333]

Hi kbial.  Only your GI doc can give you a definitive diagnosis. 

My test results were similar to yours.  At its highest (last fall, at the time of my first blood test and endoscopy) my TTG level was 224.  My DGP level has always been in "normal" range.   My scope was negative for celiac sprue.

But don't panic because the good news is that your TTG blood level should rapidly plunge back down to "normal range" once you adopt and stick to a STRICT gluten-free diet and, hopefully, you will feel much better as you heal.  It took me about 6 months for my TTG test result numbers to decline from over 200+ to .50 (nearly zero), from March '20 to Sept. '20.   I say "strict gluten-free" because IMO continuing to eat packaged foods, even those labeled "gluten-free" or "certified gluten-free" still carries an unreasonably high risk of gluten exposure, esp. for newly-diagnosed patients in early stages of healing.     And you cannot "cheat" on the gluten-free diet (even "only a little bit") and expect to heal or your blood level to return to normal.  

After my first blood test, I just assumed I could safely continue eating packaged foods, as long as I checked (and believed) food manuf. labels/claims.  But then I noticed my TTG numbers didn't completely return to normal until AFTER I began buying, cooking, and eating 100% strictly fresh, unpackaged foods and avoiding eat out altogether (even carryout). 

I wanted to hasten my healing/recovery and I was tired of reading/stressing about labels, worrying about the possibility of cross-contamination, or suspect food manuf. claims etc.   I also don't like the taste or contents of gluten-free-labeled foods, which also tend to be very expensive and full of sugar, artificial color, flavors etc.  But to each his/her own.

 

 

 

[DJFL77I]

9 hours ago, Kate333 said:

 My scope was negative for celiac sprue.

 

 

 

celiac sprue is just another name for celiac disease.....

and there's no way you can't have damage to your gut.. with a 224 ttg......   if they didn't see it.. they simply missed it with the biopsies

 

[MADMOM]

i agree - i’ve been  gluten free 6 weeks almost and have been learning from trial and error - in my 2-3 week i had some seeded veggies - night shades that just did not agree with me / i also eat very min dairy and more lactose free yogurts and milk since i don’t really get a reaction - i also started cooking more fresh veggies and meats and so far thank god have been improving - weeks 4-now are so much better - ofc i still have sore tummy from time to times but no GI issues as i didn’t really have much to start with - my GI says it takes time and you will have good and bad days- so far i’m learning what not to have and that’s less packaged foods more fresh - i also got great feedback from a lot of ppl on this site which i appreciate so much - puts my mind at ease when i’m stressing out