Results Are In...

[Haleigh]

Hello:

I just got my results. Can someone help me interpret the interpretations? Thank you in advance,

Haleigh

<<

Gluten sensitivity Stool Panel Complete

Fecal Antigliadin IgA 168 (Normal Range <10 Units)

Fecal Antitissue Transglutaminase IgA 43 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

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

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.

Interpretation of Quantitative Microscopic Fecal Fat Score: A fecal fat score less than 300 indicates there is no malabsorbed dietary fat in stool indicating that digestion and absorption of nutrients is currently normal.

For more information about result interpretation, please see Open Original Shared Link

>>

[CarlaB]

You are having a reaction to gluten, and an autoimmune reaction as well. However, your absorption is fine, so there is most likely not much intestinal damage.

[Haleigh]

You are having a reaction to gluten, and an autoimmune reaction as well. However, your absorption is fine, so there is most likely not much intestinal damage.

Thank you so much for your response. Does this mean that I have celiac? Does being gluten free, mean wheat free? Also, I do know that there are other grains that have gluten, because my son had a problem with it as a baby ( a clue pertaining to my own situation).

What does the auto-immune aspect mean?

Thanks AGAIN!

Haleigh

[Ursa Major]

Haleigh, you're having an immune reaction to gluten, which suggests celiac disease. You're obviously gluten intolerant, and need to be gluten-free for life.

No, gluten is in more grains than just wheat. Gluten is in wheat, rye and barley. Oats in America are usually contaminated by wheat, and most people with celiac disease react to them.

You will need to watch out for hidden ingredients in food, as well as the obvious sources like bread, cookies and cakes. Soy sauce for instance usually contains wheat. So do most sauces, canned soups, and a lot of other processed foods. Obviously, you will need to buy pasta made from something other than wheat flour (Tinkyada is a good brand).

It is essential that you buy a new toaster for your gluten-free bread, as it isn't possible to clean a toaster well enough to be safe. The same goes for plastic colanders, wooden cutting boards, wooden cooking spoons and scratched non-stick cookware.

Check all your personal care items for gluten, and replace the ones that do with gluten-free ones. Like lipstick, makeup, chapstick, soap, lotion, shampoo, conditioner. You need to look for things like wheat germ oil, barley extract, oat bran. Also, vitamin E is often derived from wheat germ oil, and could cause reaction.

Here is a link to Nini's 'newbie survival kit', which she put together to help people new to the gluten-free diet: Open Original Shared Link. Scroll down to the bottom to find the links to the newbie survival kit. It will help you a lot.

[CarlaB]

Thank you so much for your response. Does this mean that I have celiac? Does being gluten free, mean wheat free? Also, I do know that there are other grains that have gluten, because my son had a problem with it as a baby ( a clue pertaining to my own situation).

What does the auto-immune aspect mean?

Thanks AGAIN!

Haleigh

Enterolab tests for gluten sensitivity only, so you cannot tell from their tests whether you have celiac, only whether you're intolerant to gluten.

Autoimmune means that your body is doing some kind of damage to itself in response to gluten.

I actually find it puzzling how high your IgA is, but that you do not have any problem with malabsoption!!

[CarlaB]

I do know that there are other grains that have gluten, because my son had a problem with it as a baby

Was your son diagnosed with celiac? If so, then you are likely to have it, too, given your numbers. Also, if he had celiac as a baby, he still has it as you do not outgrow it ... his symptoms may have changed, but it's still doing the damage to the intestine if he's eating it and has celiac.

[Haleigh]

Was your son diagnosed with celiac? If so, then you are likely to have it, too, given your numbers. Also, if he had celiac as a baby, he still has it as you do not outgrow it ... his symptoms may have changed, but it's still doing the damage to the intestine if he's eating it and has celiac.

First of all, thank you ALL for your help. I have so many of the symptoms for Celiac, but it was dismissed due to negative blood tests. I am so relieved that I will be feeling better soon.

My son was never dignosed with celiac. The pediatrician gave me anti-biotic creams for his diaper rash. The algergist, dermatologist said it was not related to food. On my own, before internet days, I took away all his foods, and reintroduced them one by one, and reallized that wheat and gluten were the culprit. He would have huge welts on his behind if he had consumed even one cherio. When he became potty trained, it didn't appear to be an issue. (I know better now) He's a teen now, and with the help of his peditrician (new one), I will have him tested as well.

Are there any other tests I should have?

Again, thank you so much. You've all been more help than many of the "so called" specialists that I have turned to.

Haleigh