Based on these bloodwork this would indicate celiac disease?

[Tabater]

Hello,

I recently got some blood work done and it is as follows: 

tissue transglutaminase IgA: 24.0 U/mL (range <7.0 U/mL)

tissue transglutaminase IgA interpretation: positive.

i have seen my dr, and he does day it is very likely celiac disease and has referred me to get biopsy but the wait times here can be long. I asked him how likely it would be having this blood work be this but biopsy be negative and he said that could happen but the blood work would still indicate celiac. I am in the dark on this condition and would be grateful for some advice! Thank you! 

[trents]

I agree with your doctor's interpretation. Specifically, what advice are you seeking? The one piece of advice you do need to hear is not to begin a gluten free diet until the biopsy is complete. Be sure to eat plenty of gluten containing foods until the biopsy is done or you risk invalidating the biopsy.

[Tabater]

 

3 minutes ago, trents said:

I agree with your doctor's interpretation. Specifically, what advice are you seeking? The one piece of advice you do need to hear is not to begin a gluten free diet until the biopsy is complete. Be sure to eat plenty of gluten containing foods until the biopsy is done or you risk invalidating the biopsy.

Thank you for responding! I guess the advice I was seeking that if the biopsy did for some reason come back negative, that I should still be under the assumption that I do have celiac disease?

[trents]

Biopsies do indeed come back negative sometimes for those who actually do have celiac disease and for three chief reasons:

1. The damage is patchy and the sampling was not thorough enough.

2. The celiac disease is in the very early stages and has not produced sufficient damage to show on the biopsy.

3. The gluten free diet was begun ahead of the biopsy

Yes, if the biopsy comes back negative, if I were you I would operate under the assumption that you do have celiac disease and begin the gluten free diet. If symptoms improve after going gluten free, well . . . the proof is in the pudding.