Celiac or not?

[Dc91]

Hi all, I’m new here and completely new to celiac. 

last week I went to my doctors for acid reflux issues, she also took bloods and sent them off. Last Thursday I got my TTG IgA Antibodies test come back as >100u/ML which the doctor has referred me to the celiac team at my local hospital. I have stopped eating gluten since Friday morning. (I’m guessing this will take weeks or months to be seen)
 

earlier this evening I got a new result through for Endomysial IgA antibody = Weak positive. 
 

I’m guessing this gives me the difinitive answer I’ve been looking for? A positive is a positive.

any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Dc91]

4 minutes ago, Dc91 said:

 

earlier this evening I got a new result through for Endomysial IgA antibody = Weak positive. 
 

 

 

Sorry I should have said these bloods were taken Friday morning, a week after the first initial bloods. So I hadn’t starved myself of gluten before these bloods were taken. 

[cristiana]

Hello Dc91 and welcome to the forum!

Could you first just add the lab ranges for us for your TTG IgA Antibodies as they vary?  

Cristiana

 

[Dc91]

Just now, cristiana said:

Hello Dc91 and welcome to the forum!

Could you first just add the lab ranges for us for your TTG IgA Antibodies as they vary?  

Cristiana

 

Hi Cristina,

0-6.9 is normal range and I’m >100

[trents]

The tTG-IGA is considered the centerpiece of celiac disease blood antibody testing. Your test results exceed 10x normal range so you could be officially declared to have celiac disease without going through an endoscopy/biopsy of the small bowel lining. As you used the term "bloods" to refer to your antibody testing, I am assuming you live in the UK and it has become common practice there since the COVID pandemic years to dispense with the endoscopy/biopsy when the tTG-IGA score reaches 10x normal. Though I would not go so far as to say it is yet a universal practice to do so. So, I would hold off on the gluten free diet until you find out if you will be required to undergo an endoscopy/biopsy of the small bowel. If you quit gluten now, healing of the small bowel lining will commence and it may generate a false negative biopsy by the time you get to the procedure. So, ask that question of your doctor. That is, if he feels a need to refer you to a GI doc for an endoscopy/biopsy.

Edited February 24 by trents

[Dc91]

Perfect, I guess I won’t know for certain until I know if I need a endoscopy/biopsy.

My father is also celiac so I’m guessing that’s where I’ve got it from. My doctors has told me to start a gluten free diet which I’m 4 days into but it would be nice if I could have my last hurrah at eating gluten again. I’ll ring in the morning and ask if she’s referred me for an endoscopy/biopsy. 

[cristiana]

Hi Dc91

Excellent advice there from Trents.  He is right, not eating gluten now could generate a negative result if you do end up having an endoscopy especially as NHS waiting lists can be quite long.   

I'd definitely double check with the doc.

Cristiana

 

[Dc91]

Just had a letter through from the Celiac team, they’ve diagnosed me through my bloods, no endoscopy/biopsy needed.

I guess I’ll be sticking around on this forum and I’m sure I’ll be back soon.

thanks for all your help 

[cristiana]

Thank you for the update.  So interesting to know how things are changing, when I was diagnosed I had very similar blood results but still had to have the endoscopy.  Glad you know where you stand.  As your father has celiac disease you probably already know a lot about it, but do contact us if we can help further.

[trents]

This might be helpful to you at this point: