Is This Where I Ask?

[Adelle]

So my doc said the blood test isn't affected by my not eating gluten. Is that true? I quit nearly a week b4 the test. Just wanted to ask. Thanx!

[Carriefaith]

You can get a false negative result if you are gluten-free before the blood test. The blood test checks for antibodies and if you have been gluten-free for awhile the antibodies may no longer be present.

[happygirl]

Your doctor is WRONG. Unfortunately, many doctors (including GIs!) are horribly mis-educated about Celiac.

Your blood tests WILL be affected if you are eating gluten/not eating gluten. If you have Celiac, and are eating gluten, then you (should) have positive antibodies. If you are a Celiac and are NOT eating gluten, you should NOT have gluten antibodies. That is why before the gluten-free diet, many (at the time) undiagnosed Celiacs score positive. They start eating gluten free, and their scores are lowered. This means the still have Celiac, but it is not being activated....because the activator, gluten, is not in their system.

If you have the tests done, make sure that they run the FULL panel. Many only run one or two tests. MAKE SURE that you get the right ones done!

From Dr. Fassano's Celiac Research Center (www.celiaccenter.org):

There is a particular series of blood tests called the ‘Celiac Panel”. These tests measure your immune system’s response to gluten in the food you eat.

tTG-IgA or tissue transglutaminase-IgA

AGA-IgG or Antigliadin IgG

AGA-IgA or Antigliadin IGA

Total IGA

Hope this helps!

[Fiddle-Faddle]

What does it mean if you've been gluten-free for a month and your IgG is still off the charts?

[Ursa Major]

What does it mean if you've been gluten-free for a month and your IgG is still off the charts?

Maybe that there are other intolerances (besides gluten) that cause an immune response? That would be my first thought.