Everything Fits For Celiac But The Genes

[Jennifer Cook-Chrysos]

I was diagnosed with celiac as a child without a biopsy. My three-year old son has high IGA-antigliadin and tTG antibodies by stool analysis, and my father has been diagnosed with Sjogren's disease. Our family picture seems to confirm my celiac diagnosis, except that my son and I have had gene analysis which shows neither of the main two celiac genes. In the books, it always says that you can rule out celiac if you don't have the genes. I am confused, because I want to take a preventative approach with my son (take him off gluten before he has intestinal damage worth biopsying). But is it possible to have celiac without the genes?

Jen

[Guest nini]

yes it is possible to have it without the KNOWN genes, because they have not mapped all of them and there are documented cases of biopsy confirmed celiac without the known genes.

my personal opinion is that gluten is not healthy for anyone, and keeping your family off of gluten is not only healthy, but smart. The gluten free diet can be a very healthy diet when done correctly, and by eating gluten-free, you also usually end up eating less processed food that is not good for you anyway.

Keep your family on a diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats and fish, alternative grains like Quinoa, and Brown Rice, Buckwheat, Millet, Tapioca, Teff, Potatoes, Legumes, nuts and seeds... there really is a lot of healthy options that are naturally gluten-free and it's just smart.

[tarnalberry]

ditto what nini said - the two known genes cover about 95% of current biopsy-diagnosed celiac cases, not all celiac cases in the world. you can still have celiac, or just be gluten intoleranct. follow your gut, pun intended. :-)

[Jennifer Cook-Chrysos]

Thanks for your replies. Do you trust the Enterolab stool testing approach? My son also had anticasein antibodies. I didn't. Do you think he needs to go off milk, or could this disappear if he goes off gluten? Is casein sensitivity as dangerous as gluten sensitivity?

[Guest nini]

I don't have any personal experience with Enterolab, but the science seems to be pretty sound. A renouned Celiac expert that spoke at our last support group meeting, said that Dr. Kenneth Fine's research and science was sound, and that while the medical community currently doesn't recognize it's validity, she sees that changing.

initially many celiacs are lactose intolerant until the villi heal, some are always intolerant to dairy, that seems to be a personal issue for everyone, seems everyone is different when it comes to that. Although if you think about it, the human body is not designed to digest cows milk. Cows milk is for baby cows and nothing else... there is a reason why mammals wean off of milk after infancy. Sure it tastes good, and I'm not personally willing to give up dairy, but if you think about it, it makes sense that we aren't supposed to consume dairy

[mommida]

Thanks for your replies. Do you trust the Enterolab stool testing approach? My son also had anticasein antibodies. I didn't. Do you think he needs to go off milk, or could this disappear if he goes off gluten? Is casein sensitivity as dangerous as gluten sensitivity?

Take him off casein. That means milk, whey, and the whole casein list.

As far as the gene testing... I supposedly don't have the known genes either, but my biological daughter has both DQ2 and DQ8. We have the same reactions to the same gluten foods. You have to follow your gut reaction on this, and someday science will catch up.

L.

[Nancym]

If you've been off gluten for 8 months or more even Enterolab might not find the antibodies.

[TCA]

I talked to a lady who lives near me who has the same issue. She was diagnosed as a child and doesn't have the gene, but her daughter has celiac and they have the same symptoms. I guess y'all fall in that 5%. Listen to your body!

[Mango04]

I was diagnosed with celiac as a child without a biopsy. My three-year old son has high IGA-antigliadin and tTG antibodies by stool analysis, and my father has been diagnosed with Sjogren's disease. Our family picture seems to confirm my celiac diagnosis, except that my son and I have had gene analysis which shows neither of the main two celiac genes. In the books, it always says that you can rule out celiac if you don't have the genes. I am confused, because I want to take a preventative approach with my son (take him off gluten before he has intestinal damage worth biopsying). But is it possible to have celiac without the genes?

Jen

It's very possible to have non-celiac gluten intolerance, in which case a strict gluten-free diet still needs to be followed.

[lonewolf]

I also have symptoms that point to Celiac, as did my father, but don't have either of the two genes. I know I can't eat gluten, no matter what any gene test tells me, so I stay gluten-free.

[key]

My doctor wouldn't even do the gene test on me. HE says that it wouldn't tell you anything, because they haven't identified all the genes for celiac disease. SO just because you don't have the gene doesn't mean you don't have the it. Sounds like you have your answers.

Monica

[Jennifer Cook-Chrysos]

Thanks everyone. No, I don't plan to go back to gluten! But I know from experience that it is hard for kids socially to have food issues, so I don't want to take it lightly for my kids. However, if Enterolab can be trusted, it does seem that he does have immune reactions to these foods, and I am just glad we could catch it early before he gets sick.

My pediatrician thinks I am a little loopy because I went to enterolab against the advice of the enterologist she found for me. My son's symptoms were very subtle, and he already had bloodwork that came back negative. But I really believe medicine hasn't caught up with this yet, and most doctors are definitely not thinking in terms of prevention.

Jen

[Guest nini]

I have to agree with you 100% that most Dr's are not thinking in terms of prevention. They are only taught to dx Celiac once it's reached the point of severe damage. Why not listen to patients and look for the clues BEFORE it develops into full blown Celiac?