Please Help Me With Meaning Of My Enterolab Results

[Sarah8793]

Hi Everyone,

Well my head is spinning! I have been suspecting gluten intolerance and have been gluten free for 6 weeks now and just got my lab results. I was approximately 5 weeks gluten free when they did my tests.

I need some more info. on what my genes mean and what the alleles are and mean. Also what does the statement

"You have an autoimmune reaction to the human enzyme tissue transglutaminase, secondary to dietary gluten sensitivity mean????

Here are my results:

A) Gluten Sensitivity Stool and Gene Panel Complete *Best test/best value

Fecal Antigliadin IgA 38 (Normal Range <10 Units)

Fecal Antitissue Transglutaminase IgA 30 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

Quantitative Microscopic Fecal Fat Score 671 Units (Normal Range <300 Units)

Fecal anti-casein (cow’s milk) IgA antibody 27 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

HLA-DQB1 Molecular analysis, Allele 1 0201

HLA-DQB1 Molecular analysis, Allele 2 0302

Serologic equivalent: HLA-DQ 2,3 (Subtype 2,8)

Interpretation of Fecal Antigliadin IgA: Intestinal antigliadin IgA antibody was elevated, indicating that you have active dietary gluten sensitivity. For optimal health, resolution of symptoms (if you have them), and prevention of small intestinal damage and malnutrition, osteoporosis, and damage to other tissues (like nerves, brain, joints, muscles, thyroid, pancreas, other glands, skin, liver, spleen, among others), it is recommended that you follow a strict and permanent gluten free diet. As gluten sensitivity is a genetic syndrome, you may want to have your relatives screened as well.

Interpretation of Fecal Antitissue Transglutaminase IgA: You have an autoimmune reaction to the human enzyme tissue transglutaminase, secondary to dietary gluten sensitivity.

Sarah

[Ursa Major]

Well, you obviously are at the least gluten and casein intolerant and need to be gluten-free and casein free (meaning, no more dairy of any kind). You have fat malabsorption, which shows that your villi are likely blunted, and you probably actually have celiac disease already. You have two genes that predispose you to either gluten intolerance or celiac disease (I am not sure which are which). Somebody else will know more.

The bottom line is, that you need to be gluten-free and casein free immediately and for life, or you will get very sick in the end or will get other illnesses.

Welcome to the club!

[AndreaB]

Here are my results:

A) Gluten Sensitivity Stool and Gene Panel Complete *Best test/best value

Fecal Antigliadin IgA 38 (Normal Range <10 Units)

Fecal Antitissue Transglutaminase IgA 30 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

Quantitative Microscopic Fecal Fat Score 671 Units (Normal Range <300 Units)

Fecal anti-casein (cow’s milk) IgA antibody 27 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

HLA-DQB1 Molecular analysis, Allele 1 0201

HLA-DQB1 Molecular analysis, Allele 2 0302

Serologic equivalent: HLA-DQ 2,3 (Subtype 2,8)

Sarah

As Ursula said, you have an active intolerance to gluten and casein which means gluten and casien free. The fecal fat score means you have moderate damage to the intestines and your genes being subtype 2 & 8 mean you have two genes that predispose to celiac. With your scores I would assume you have celiac but at least you know for sure you are gluten intolerant and need to be gluten-free for life. What I'm not sure about is if the casein is the same (for life) or if that will change once your villi heals. CarlaB will probably know more about that since she is casein intolerant (I think).

[GlutenWrangler]

Sarah,

Alleles are specific copies of a gene. In other words, you receive one allele from your mother and one allele from your father. I hope this makes sense.

-Brian

[aikiducky]

Casein is also for life. What you are thinking of is lactose intolerance, that can go away after a while when the intestines heal.

Pauliina

[Sarah8793]

Thanks Ursula, AndreaB, and Pauliina.

Thanks Brian for explaining the alleles. That makes sense now. But I still don't understand what the numbers after the alleles mean and what the suptype after the genes mean?

Also does anyone know what this statement mean?

You have an autoimmune reaction to the human enzyme tissue transglutaminase, secondary to dietary gluten sensitivity.

Sarah

[CarlaB]

As Ursula said, you have an active intolerance to gluten and casein which means gluten and casien free. The fecal fat score means you have moderate damage to the intestines and your genes being subtype 2 & 8 mean you have two genes that predispose to celiac. With your scores I would assume you have celiac but at least you know for sure you are gluten intolerant and need to be gluten-free for life. What I'm not sure about is if the casein is the same (for life) or if that will change once your villi heals. CarlaB will probably know more about that since she is casein intolerant (I think).

Casein is for life ... It's tough, too. In many ways it's more difficult for me to give up than the gluten.

Thanks Ursula, AndreaB, and Pauliina.

Thanks Brian for explaining the alleles. That makes sense now. But I still don't understand what the numbers after the alleles mean and what the suptype after the genes mean?

Also does anyone know what this statement mean?

You have an autoimmune reaction to the human enzyme tissue transglutaminase, secondary to dietary gluten sensitivity.

Sarah

It means you are having an autoimmune reaction in addition to being sensitive to gluten. Autoimmune basically means your body's immune system is attacking your body due to the gluten.

[Rachel--24]

Also does anyone know what this statement mean?

You have an autoimmune reaction to the human enzyme tissue transglutaminase, secondary to dietary gluten sensitivity.

It means that your gluten sensitivity has resulted in an autoimmune response that is now actively causing damage everytime you eat gluten. A positive tTG indicates damage is occurring and your malabsorption score is also representing that fact.

[Mia H]

I had similar results except I did not have fat malaborption yet.

The gluten part was pretty easy for me, the casein has been tough! I found a product at the health food store (or you can make it) called clarified butter (or ghee). This has been a life saver for baked potatoes and popcorn and corn on the cob, etc. it is cf

I found a web site about living casein free : Open Original Shared Link

It even has gluten-free/cf (gluten free/casein free) chocolates! mmmm

Sorbet is a good sub for ice cream. Almond milk is good in cereal.

Don't forget to get your calcium, green leafy veggies, broccoli, parsley.

If anyone else knows of any cf websites I would love to hear of them.

Good luck! and let us know how it's going.

Mia

[Sarah8793]

I had similar results except I did not have fat malaborption yet.

The gluten part was pretty easy for me, the casein has been tough! I found a product at the health food store (or you can make it) called clarified butter (or ghee). This has been a life saver for baked potatoes and popcorn and corn on the cob, etc. it is cf

I found a web site about living casein free : Open Original Shared Link

It even has gluten-free/cf (gluten free/casein free) chocolates! mmmm

Sorbet is a good sub for ice cream. Almond milk is good in cereal.

Don't forget to get your calcium, green leafy veggies, broccoli, parsley.

If anyone else knows of any cf websites I would love to hear of them.

Good luck! and let us know how it's going.

Mia

Hi Mia,

Thank you for all of the tips! I've bookmarked the site you gave and will definitely be getting some gluten-free/cf chocolate! I was a chocolate lover in the days before all of this. I'm going to look for the ghee. Right now I am using the organic Smart Balance spreadable butter- It is gluten-free and cf. I'll be trying the almond milk and sorbet also.

Sarah

Thank you CarlaB and Rachel for helping me to understand the transglutaminase statement. Things are beginning to make sense now. Does anyone know the significance of the sub types in the genes. also I'm trying to get an idea of where I fall genetically along the scale of glucose intolerant to celiac disease.

Thanks,

Sarah

[Lymetoo]

Sarah, Could you tell what that battery of tests cost you?? Is there any way that insurance will pay some of it??

When I went to their site, I had to first give my name, address, everything before finding out how much the tests were. So I didn't "order".....If I fill that out, can I still cancel the order??

I'm not even sure which tests to order, but I think I need to take the ones you did.

Thanks so much!

Gayle

[AndreaB]

Sarah, Could you tell what that battery of tests cost you?? Is there any way that insurance will pay some of it??

When I went to their site, I had to first give my name, address, everything before finding out how much the tests were. So I didn't "order".....If I fill that out, can I still cancel the order??

I'm not even sure which tests to order, but I think I need to take the ones you did.

Thanks so much!

Gayle

If you go to the Information About Tests page you will see a breakdown of the costs. We didn't even approach insurance.

[Lymetoo]

Thanks, Andrea....I'll go check!

Sarah....So is it $369 or did you have to add a few tests on top of that??

thanks!

[AndreaB]

Thanks, Andrea....I'll go check!

Sarah....So is it $369 or did you have to add a few tests on top of that??

thanks!

I'm not Sarah but we got the main one for $369 that included the dairy and we also got the soy/egg/yeast for $199. That's all the tests they offer as the $369 includes everything else since they are doing a special on the dairy.

[Lymetoo]

Thanks, Andrea. I think I'll do the $369 for now. That'll be enough to depress me!!

[AndreaB]

Thanks, Andrea. I think I'll do the $369 for now. That'll be enough to depress me!!

Your welcome.

It is depressing to shell out all the money but it is a relief to find out where you stand. At least I think so.

[Mia H]

Sarah, Could you tell what that battery of tests cost you?? Is there any way that insurance will pay some of it??

When I went to their site, I had to first give my name, address, everything before finding out how much the tests were. So I didn't "order".....If I fill that out, can I still cancel the order??

I'm not even sure which tests to order, but I think I need to take the ones you did.

Thanks so much!

Gayle

I don't know what kind of insurance you have but I submitted mine (Enterolab provides the icd9 codes) and my insurance reimbursed me about 80%. I was soooo happy. I thought they would not, either way, it was so worth it to have that information. Never in a million years would I have gone off dairy until I saw the casein intolerance on paper. Now I am gradually improving finally.

Mia

[Sarah8793]

Thanks, Andrea. I think I'll do the $369 for now. That'll be enough to depress me!!

Hi Gayle,

My tests came to a total of $569. I did the gene panel, the egg, soy and yeast, and the gluten sensitivity. I asked others on this board a while back if anyone had insurance cover it and lo and behold some had. They told me to go through my doctor. So I called my insurance company and they told me they would cover pretty much anything if I had a letter from my doctor stating the test were neccessary. I called my GI and told him about all of this and he agreed to write the letter. I faxed him the information I wanted in the letter and he mailed me one. I sent the letter along with a claim form and a coded invoice from EnteroLab (make sure you tell them in the special instructions on the online order form that you need a *coded* invoice-they are happy to do this) to my insurance company and now I will wait and see. I'm pretty sure though it will be reimbursed. Good Luck and if you have any questions feel free to ask. I will help you anyway I can.

Sarah