Test interpretation

[Caitlin P]

Okay so about 3 years ago I got tested for celiacs disease with a blood test after having all the symptoms. My doctor didn’t understand the results and sent me to a GI doctor for a biopsy. Life happened and I never ended up going to the GI doctor. However, my symptoms have gotten worse and I developed anemia and my routine bloodwork shows malnutrition. I’m getting blood tested again for celiacs in about a week before I go to the GI doc in January. I was wondering if anyone had negative antibody tests but had an IgA deficiency and if that means I could still have it. I’m aware the biopsy is the only way to truly know if you have it. Just stressing out a bit haha. Here are those blood results from 2018; 

Gliadin (Deamidated Peptide)IgG Ab:

<0.4 (<=14.9 U/mL)

Gliadin (Deamidated Peptide)IgA Ab:
1.0 (<=14.9 U/mL)

TTG IgG: <0.8 (<=14.9 U/mL)

Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Antibody IgA:  <0.5 (<=14.9 U/mL)

IgA:  44.0 L (68.0-378.0 mg/dL)

[trents]

Whatever you do, don't start in on a gluten free diet until your testing is complete, regardless of whether it is the blood antibody testing or the endoscop/biopsy. It will likely invalidate the testing if your do. Continue to eat regular amounts of gluten until all testing for celiac disease is complete.

[Caitlin P]

Ah darn, okay thank you!

[trents]

The official recommendations for the pre-testing gluten challenge are:

For the blood antibody test: Daily consumption of an amount of gluten equivalent to 2 slices of wheat bread for 6-8 weeks.

For the endoscopy/biopsy: Daily consumption of an amount of gluten equivalent to 2 slices of wheat bread for at least 2 weeks.

 

I take it from your reaction in the post above that you had already gone off gluten previous to the testing.

[Caitlin P]

Yes I had been. Well that makes sense. I haven’t been off it for about a year so I should be good for my next test next week. Thank you

[trents]

If you stop and think about it, both the antibody test and the biopsy are looking for damage to the villi, just in different ways. If you  go off gluten pre test then the damage stops and healing begins. Unfortunately, many physicians fail to caution their patients about not quitting gluten before the testing is complete. We get this same report from new members on the forum constantly.

[Caitlin P]

I literally had no idea. It seems common sense now but im so new to this 😅 my doctor was extremely unhelpful and the one GI doctor I did go to told me “You are too young to be here. Just eat healthy and drink more water.” Basically he didn’t believe me. Which sucked. But I’m trying a new doctor so hopefully they will and listen to me. I’ve learned more on the internet than I did at the doctors office. Seems backwards. It’s taken so long for me to have a doctor actually listen to me.