Blood Tests Negative

[tboss]

Well, my blood tests came back and are negative. They included TTG Antibody, IGA;

IGA Serum; and Gliadin Antibody (IGA).

Did they miss any other blood tests I should have had?

I'm thinking about doing the Enterolab. I'm just wondering why, if this test is so accurate and good,

doesn't the medical community use it? Does anyone know why it is not used by most doctors? Is there any research (besides Dr. Fine's who has commercial interest in this) that substantiates his claims?

So confusing. I thought about just doing the Gluten Free diet, but that wouldn't tell me if I had celiac. It seems to me that a gluten free diet would also "cure" most IBS since IBS reacts badly to most of the things that also contain gluten.

Any thoughts?

[Chelle15]

So confusing. I thought about just doing the Gluten Free diet, but that wouldn't tell me if I had celiac. It seems to me that a gluten free diet would also "cure" most IBS since IBS reacts badly to most of the things that also contain gluten.

Any thoughts?

I have never heard that IBS reacts badly to anything containing gluten. Where did you research that?

[par18]

I have never heard that IBS reacts badly to anything containing gluten. Where did you research that?

Are you saying you don't think gluten causes IBS type symptoms?

Tom

[Chelle15]

Are you saying you don't think gluten causes IBS type symptoms?

Tom

No, I am not saying that at all. I just have never heard that it makes them worse or that not eating them makes the symptoms better. In fact I have never heard that there is any effect on it. I was just curious. I am by no means saying that is wrong.

[Ursa Major]

Really, there are thousands of celiacs out there who have beein misdiagnosed with IBS, which really is a junk diagnosis. Because, if you think about it, if you have an irritable bowel, SOMETHING must be irritating it! Many doctors will give that 'diagnosis' when they are clueless, but won't admit it, or else are too lazy to keep looking for the cause.

Plus, of course, pharmaceutical companies have a vested interest in doctors prescribing their pills, which will cover up symptoms, but never cure. A diet change won't make them any money. Since drug companies are controlling medical schools to a great extent, doctors aren't taught about diet cures, they are only taught which drugs to use.

It seriously has been found by many, many studies that ALL bowel diseases, including Crohn's, IBS (assuming here that it really is a disease) and others I can't think of right now, will be helped by a gluten-free diet. In fact, I have read a lot of research that shows that most autoimmune diseases will be helped to a degree by a gluten-free diet.

[par18]

No, I am not saying that at all. I just have never heard that it makes them worse or that not eating them makes the symptoms better. In fact I have never heard that there is any effect on it. I was just curious. I am by no means saying that is wrong.

I can tell you firsthand that not eating gluten can make IBS symptoms go away. I had chronic diarrhea for years before positive Dx for Celiac Disease. As a matter of fact my condition was diagnosed as IBS shortly before testing positive for Celiac. This is why Celiac Disease is misdiagnosed for so long as it is similiar to IBS. If you were the type of person who would respond in a positive way to a gluten free diet it would be one of the easiest places to start. It took me less than 2 days on the diet to see a positive response. As a matter of fact I have not had "any" of the IBS symptoms since going gluten-free last year.

Tom

[tboss]

So, does anyone know why the medical establishment isn't using the same type

of fecal test as Enterolab?

[par18]

So, does anyone know why the medical establishment isn't using the same type

of fecal test as Enterolab?

I do recall having stool tests during the IBS phase of my Dx. Not sure what tests were requested from the lab but at that time Celiac Disease was not brought up. My thinking is that the doctor was looking for some type of infection or virus as the problem with my irritated bowel. I had no problem with that. Last year was the first time I had ever sought medical treatment for my IBS type symptoms. I had no idea that my chronic diarrhea was that abnormal. Trust me it was definitely "abnormal". My physical condition dictated that something must really be wrong. Now knowing what I know I would specifically request things like a Celiac gene test to see if I were a candidate.

I had my first blood test for Celiac a couple of weeks ago. Because I have been gluten free for over a year with no symptoms I would expect to see negative anti-body levels (which I had) but the presence of at least one of the genes (DQ2) which I also had.

I have no idea what the stool test at Entrolab does. I would think if I had one of the genes and Celiac type symptoms it would be enough to at least try the diet.

The funny thing about Celiac Disease is that if a person ate very little gluten simply because they did not like the food in which it is contained, they might never develop symptoms or they may experience the coming and going of symptoms with no apparent explanation. This would make the diagnosis almost impossible. The way the presence of the trigger of this disease was discovered was during the grain shortages of WWII. According to Dr. Fasano in a meeting I attended the mortality rate was 40% before WWII, 0% during WWII, and 40% after WWII. As you can see there was not a lot of science involved in the discovery. Also according to Dr. Fasano the fact that the trigger for Celiac Disease is known make it possible that one day a cure may be found.

Tom

[Chelle15]

Oh, I do get the idea, that if Celiac disease is causing your "IBS" that not eating gluten would help. I have come to start believing IBS is not a diagnosis, but a symptom of something else. So if my biopsy comes back negative I may still try a gluten free diet, but couldn't something else be causing the symptoms if I do not have a gluten sensitivity?

[chrissy]

our ped gi said the gluten free diet is a healthy diet and that they use it for other conditions, such as irritable bowel.

[par18]

Oh, I do get the idea, that if Celiac disease is causing your "IBS" that not eating gluten would help. I have come to start believing IBS is not a diagnosis, but a symptom of something else. So if my biopsy comes back negative I may still try a gluten free diet, but couldn't something else be causing the symptoms if I do not have a gluten sensitivity?

Sure it could. I just think going gluten-free is easier and it doesn't require medicine or anyone's permission to do so. If it works fine. I won't hurt you if it does not work. That's the beauty of the diet. It either helps or it doesn't. The main thing is to give it an honest effort and see what happens. If you do decide to do the diet and then get the test the results may not show up. As a matter of fact if you do respond to the diet I would expect the anit-body tests to be low or negative.

I think for most people the hardest part is not going on the diet. I think the hardest part is staying on the diet if it works and convincing yourself that this will become part of the rest of your life.

IBS may be a catch-all phrase for a lot of unexplained issues. That doesn't mean the doctor is not trying just that there is not a definitive explanation. I'm sure a lot of trial and error goes on just like diagnosing anything else. How many times has a doctor given someone a prescription and said take this and see what happens.

Tom

[penguin]

IBS = I Be Stumped

Syndrome usually means that you have symptoms that go into the same barrel as other people's symptoms that are similar, but they don't know why either of you have them.