Blood Test Confusion

[tummyache]

I am really confused at the moment. Two years ago I suspected that I was gluten intolerant. I would have gas, diarrhea, bloating, tiredness, aches, and sometimes small blistery looking rashes on my body. I decided to get of the gluten and try living a gluten free life. Anyway, I procrastinated on getting the blood work done. I went in two weeks ago and talked to an internist. Keep in mind that I had been gluten free for a long time, but I did eat a heavy breakfast of gluten containing foods before I went. So, she ran the panels and called me a week later to give me my results. She said that I had suspected celiac. All of this is based on the fact that my Anti-gliadin Iga was positive. The Igg was negative as was the endomysial test. She also noticed that I was borderline anemic. She showed my results to a gastroenterologist and he said that I needed to be scoped. So, I'm not sure what is going on. From everything that I've read I can't make sense of the elevated Iga. Does this really warrant an endoscope? Would the gastroenterologist want to do an endoscope if he felt that I didn't have the disease? I really wished she had called and said that I was ok. I would love to eat whatever I want! Gluten-free is not the most appetizing thing in the world!!! Also, do I need to be off or on my gluten free diet? I have a consultation visit with the GI doc in 6 weeks, then I guess they will schedule a biopsy. I don't know what to do or think at this point. Did the internist make a mistake and should I forget all of this nonsense??

[MySuicidalTurtle]

I am on the side that if being on a gluten-free diet makes you feel better then why go through the tests and the gluten challenge? In the end it is up to you and I wish you the best, TummyAche! Oh, and gluten-free can be mouth watering.

[tummyache]

I am on the side that if being on a gluten-free diet makes you feel better then why go through the tests and the gluten challenge? In the end it is up to you and I wish you the best, TummyAche! Oh, and gluten-free can be mouth watering.

Thanks for replying. Yeh, some of the gluten-free stuff can be really good. I'm just wondering why this doctor diagnosed me with Celiac and then came back a week later and said that my test was "inconclusive." I just don't know what I should be eating....I guess I'm just sick of all the hoops I have to jumps through. I wish my doc was more informed. I wonder if I should go to another doctor and have them run the blood panels again....just a thought.

[e&j0304]

I'm not sure what to make of your tests. I am actually wondering the same thing about an elevated gliadin IgA....

From all of the reading on this I have done, however, it seems as though the IgA and the IgG are the first things to normalize when a person goes on the gluten free diet. It seems as though your IgA should not be elevated if you're gluten free. In fact, doctors often check the IgA levels (along with other tests) to determine if a person following the diet strictly like they should be. Also, NONE of your blood tests should be considered accurate since you were eating gluten. A big gluten-filled breakfast for a day just isn't going to cut it. If you want reliable results you're going to have to do a gluten challenge.

Were you very strict with the gluten-free diet when you were on it? How long were you gluten free? I would definitely not go in for an endo now (unless you have other things going on like relfux or something that needs to be checked out) because that will also be negative unless you do a gluten challenge first.

Good luck!

[tummyache]

I'm not sure what to make of your tests. I am actually wondering the same thing about an elevated gliadin IgA....

From all of the reading on this I have done, however, it seems as though the IgA and the IgG are the first things to normalize when a person goes on the gluten free diet. It seems as though your IgA should not be elevated if you're gluten free. In fact, doctors often check the IgA levels (along with other tests) to determine if a person following the diet strictly like they should be. Also, NONE of your blood tests should be considered accurate since you were eating gluten. A big gluten-filled breakfast for a day just isn't going to cut it. If you want reliable results you're going to have to do a gluten challenge.

Were you very strict with the gluten-free diet when you were on it? How long were you gluten free? I would definitely not go in for an endo now (unless you have other things going on like relfux or something that needs to be checked out) because that will also be negative unless you do a gluten challenge first.

Good luck!

Thanks for your response. I kind of thought that I should be eating a steady gluten filled diet before testing. The funny thing is that I told my doc that I had been on a gluten-free diet for 2 years. The only time I ingested anything gluten was by mistake (placed into something without my prior knowledge). She went ahead and tested me anyway. I had had a high gluten breakfast that morning and that was it. I guess I have to be retested. I'll find out more of what I'm supposed to do when I meet with the GI doc. Hopefully, I can explain the circumstances to her, get retested, and not have to have the scope done right away. I'm dreading this whole scope business! I wish the referring doctor was more knowledgeable in the first place, then I wouldn't be in this predicament!!!