Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Results Are In---confused!

*Donna*

Recommended Posts

*Donna* Newbie
*Donna*
Posted

I posted a couple weeks back wondering how long blood tests take...well I went to see my dr. today and I was told my bloodwork was negative for Celiac. He said something about my number was 17 and anything below 20 was normal. From what I read on here anything below 10 is normal??!! I am in Canada and I am assuming it is different here than the states? Anyone from Canada have the bloodwork done and what are the ranges? I was so sure it would be positive as I have almost every symptom possible! I am thinking of trying the gluten-free diet anyways to see if it helps. Are there any other diseases that would have all the celiac symptoms the same? I had my thyroid checked and it was normal. The only other thing I can think of is lactose intollerance. My dr. is telling me it is IBS--but I'm not buying that! <_<

~Donna

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted

Donna,

Each lab is different. Enterolab, Prometheus, LabCorp, etc etc etc. Each has different ways and different scores. You'll need to get the full copy of the tests (not just have them read them...physically go pick them up!). That will help, because you'll see the reference ranges. Plus, if you have questions, you can post your results/ranges here and we can help. Definitely get a hold of them ASAP!

You may not have Celiac and may be gluten intolerant. Or it could be a host of other things (including other food intolerances). I would suggest trying the gluten free diet and seeing what happens.

As soon as you get your tests, let us know!

Laura

2kids4me Contributor
2kids4me
Posted

Symptoms for celiac are extensive and yes they can mimic other diseases, food allergies and intolerances. You can be gluten intolerant and/or have lactose intolerance, or food allergies that would create malabsorbtion.

Each lab has its own set of normal values - it varies from lab to lab depending on the type of test and equipment used.

My daughter was borderline for her blood results - yet positive on endoscopy for damage.

Try the gluten-free diet if you would like and see how your symptoms respond. If they persist - then eliminate casein or lactose..... experiment to see which elimination results in the most improvement.

Ask your doctor about testing for food allergies as a possible cause for your symptoms

LKelly8 Rookie
LKelly8
Posted
...well I went to see my dr. today and I was told my bloodwork was negative for Celiac. He said something about my number was 17 and anything below 20 was normal. From what I read on here anything below 10 is normal??!! ~Donna

Just to echo what others have said - ranges differ lab to lab, there are so many (over 200) possible symptoms with celiac that it's been called "the great chameleon", and get a copy of that bloodwork.

I had negative bloodwork twice, years apart, before being dx by biopsy. <_<

celiacgirls Apprentice
celiacgirls
Posted

My daughter had negative blood tests 3 or 4 times over the years but responds positively to the diet. I did have her tested by Enterolab which was positive but dietary response is just as definitive.

Terch Apprentice
Terch
Posted

Hi Donna,

My doctor didn't even do the bloodwork he just did an endoscopy. By the way I am Canadian as well. I know that our cholesteral numbers are very different than The United States so I think maybe that these tests might be as well.

I am going to see my GI on friday and I am terrified that it won't be celiacs, that it will be negative or worse that it will be something much more serious. Who ever thought I would want to have this illness...it seems that if it isn't celiacs they will go back to the ibs diagnosis and quite frankly I know it's not what I have.

Anyway after Friday depending on what I hear I will likely being going the enterolab route, you may want to think of that.

Good Luck

Helena Contributor
Helena
Posted

Hi Donna, well, I can't tell you much about the numbers . . .but I'm Canadian and I was tested in Toronto. It would matter too which test you are talking about---there is the EMA one and the tTG one and tests for antigliadin antibodies. My GI doctor ran all of them for me, but my sister was tested for EMA antibodies only. If you only had one test, you might want to ask about getting others done.

My doctor told me that my anti tTG antibody test was "slightly positive" so I guess that confirms what you've said---it isn't a black and white test. There's a range that is considered "normal" apparently.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Terch Apprentice
Terch
Posted
Hi Donna, well, I can't tell you much about the numbers . . .but I'm Canadian and I was tested in Toronto. It would matter too which test you are talking about---there is the EMA one and the tTG one and tests for antigliadin antibodies. My GI doctor ran all of them for me, but my sister was tested for EMA antibodies only. If you only had one test, you might want to ask about getting others done.

My doctor told me that my anti tTG antibody test was "slightly positive" so I guess that confirms what you've said---it isn't a black and white test. There's a range that is considered "normal" apparently.

Hi,

I was wondering when you started to feel better on your gluten free diet. I have been 4 weeks without any real improvement.

Many thanks.

Helena Contributor
Helena
Posted

Well, it's hard to say because I've been on a "gluten light" diet for several years. (For the past couple of years, all the gluten I was getting was in oats which I ate on the rare occasion. I did have barley and rye a few times too.) But I did have to go back on gluten for the purposes of the biopsy (until my doctor suggested we cancel for various reasons) . . . I don't react as severely as a lot of people on these boards do. I have mild GI symptoms. Plus I feel kind of tired after eating gluten---I'm over that in about a day I'd say, so I noticed a difference right away. But I've heard that it takes some people awhile. Maybe you should start a new thread on this topic---I'm probably not the best person to ask.

KarenLee Rookie
KarenLee
Posted
Just to echo what others have said - ranges differ lab to lab, there are so many (over 200) possible symptoms with celiac that it's been called "the great chameleon", and get a copy of that bloodwork.

I had negative bloodwork twice, years apart, before being dx by biopsy. <_<

My GI Dr. said that if my Prometheus blood test comes back normal(I hope to get results back tomorrow), then there's no need for a biopsy, that we will assume that I don't have Celiac. If it comes back normal should I insist on a biopsy, too? I have read that so many people have neg. blood tests, but had pos. biopsy results. Oh, I also sent in the test to Enterolab a few weeks ago...

Thanks

Mayflowers Contributor
Mayflowers
Posted
You may not have Celiac and may be gluten intolerant. Or it could be a host of other things (including other food intolerances). I would suggest trying the gluten free diet and seeing what happens.

According to Dr Fine at Enterolab, it's all celiac disease. If you're gluten intolerant, you have celiac disease. There are just varying degrees of gluten intolerance.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,180
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Eldret419
    Newest Member
    Eldret419
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • RMJ
      Do Gluten Enzymes actually work?

      By RMJ · Posted

      If you successfully digest gluten with enzyme supplements so it won’t give you side effects, your challenge won’t be worthwhile because the digested fragments of gluten also won’t stimulate antibody production or cause intestinal damage.  
    • FannyRD
      Gluten free phosphate binders for dialysis patients

      By FannyRD · Posted

      Thanks for the resource! I will check it out!
    • Scott Adams
      Gluten free phosphate binders for dialysis patients

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      You can search this site for prescriptions medications, but will need to know the manufacturer/maker if there is more than one, especially if you use a generic version of the medication: To see the ingredients you will need to click on the correct version of the medication and maker in the results, then scroll down to "Ingredients and Appearance" and click it, and then look at "Inactive Ingredients," as any gluten ingredients would likely appear there, rather than in the Active Ingredients area. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/   
    • Scott Adams
      Symptoms

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Living with celiac disease can be especially hard when you’re in a smaller town and don’t have many people around who truly understand it, so you’re definitely not alone in feeling this way. Ongoing fatigue, joint pain, and headaches are unfortunately common in people with celiac disease, even years after diagnosis, and they aren’t always caused by gluten exposure alone. Many people find that issues like low iron, low vitamin D, thyroid problems, other autoimmune conditions, or lingering inflammation can contribute to that deep exhaustion, so it’s reasonable to push your doctor for more thorough blood work beyond just vitamin B. As for eggs, it’s also not unusual for people with celiac disease to develop additional food intolerances over time; tolerating eggs as an ingredient but not on their own can point to sensitivity to the proteins when they’re concentrated. Some people do better avoiding eggs for a while, then carefully testing them again later. Most importantly, trust your body—if something consistently makes you feel awful, it’s okay to avoid it even if it’s technically “allowed.” Many of us have had to advocate hard for ourselves medically, and connecting with other people with celiac disease, even online, can make a huge difference in feeling supported and less isolated.
    • trents
      Symptoms

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the celiac.com community, @Cecile! It is common for those with celiac disease to develop sensitivity/intolerance to non-gluten containing foods. There is a high incidence of this with particularly with regard to dairy products and oats but soy, eggs and corn are also fairy common offenders. Like you eggs give me problems depending on how they are cooked. I don't do well with them when fried or scrambled but they don't give me an issue when included in baked and cooked food dishes or when poached. I have done some research on this strange phenomenon and it seems that when eggs are cooked with water, there is a hydrolysis process that occurs which alters the egg protein such that it does not trigger the sensitivity/intolerance reaction. Same thing happens when eggs are included in baked goods or other cooked dishes since those recipes provide moisture.  So, let me encourage you to try poaching your eggs when you have them for breakfast. You can buy inexpensive egg poacher devices that make this easy in the microwave. For instance:  https://www.amazon.com/Poacher-Microwave-Nonstick-Specialty-Cookware/dp/B0D72VLFJR/ Crack the eggs into the cups of the poacher and then "spritz" some water on top of them after getting your fingers wet under the faucet. About 1/4 teaspoon on each side seems to work. Sprinkle some salt and pepper on top and then snap the poacher shut. I find that with a 1000 watt microwave, cooking for about 2 minutes or slightly more is about right. I give them about 130 seconds. Fatigue and joint pain are well-established health problems related to celiac disease.  Are you diligent to eat gluten-free? Have you been checked recently for vitamin and mineral deficiencies? Especially iron stores, B12 and D3. Have you had your thyroid enzyme levels checked? Are you taking any vitamin and mineral supplements? If not, you probably should be. Celiac disease is also a nutrient deficiency disease because it reduces the efficiency of nutrient absorption by the small bowel. We routinely recommend celiacs to supplement with a high potency B-complex vitamin, D3, Magnesium glycinate (the "glycinate" is important) and Zinc. Make sure all supplements are gluten-free. Finally, don't rule out other medical problems that may or may be associated with your celiac disease. We celiacs often focus on our celaic disease and assume it is the reason for all other ailments and it may not be. What about chronic fatigue syndrome for instance?
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.