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Canadian Lab Doing Genetic Testing?

MurrayM

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MurrayM Rookie
MurrayM
Posted

Hi there,

Does anybody know if there's a lab in Canada doing genetic testing to see if a person is vulnerable to develop Celiac Disease? I'm in BC.

Thanks,

Murray

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Felidae Enthusiast
Felidae
Posted

I haven't heard of any. But, maybe someone else knows of one.

Michi8 Contributor
Michi8
Posted

Yes, you can get genetic testing done in Canada. Not sure how many labs do it though...and the testing is expensive, so you may find a doctor is reluctant to make a request for it without a good reason to do so (ie, if no one in your family has previously been diagnosed with celiac, then genetic testing would not be ordered for you.) Of course, YMMV, so you may find a doctor willing to back you up on it.

Michelle

MurrayM Rookie
MurrayM
Posted
  • Author
...and the testing is expensive, so you may find a doctor is reluctant to make a request for it...

Hi Michelle,

Yes, that's what happened. He's almost 100% sure I'm Celiac based on the description of my symptoms, and how they went away after going gluten free.

What I can't figure out is, in this case, having a USD $150.00(ish) genetic test is far cheaper than having me on a gluten challenge, then having me in a hospital day surgery suite, with a surgeon and a nurse, getting an endoscopy done, then having a medical lab process the biopsy. Weird crazyness!!???!!

I've been gluten free for several years now so I'm not too crazy about how 'crappy' my life will be back on gluten for over a month. I do want to find out for sure though as it really impacts our lives, and I have a 5 year old daughter who should know to watch out for this in the future.

Murray

Michi8 Contributor
Michi8
Posted
What I can't figure out is, in this case, having a USD $150.00(ish) genetic test is far cheaper than having me on a gluten challenge, then having me in a hospital day surgery suite, with a surgeon and a nurse, getting an endoscopy done, then having a medical lab process the biopsy. Weird crazyness!!???!!

Except that there is value in endoscopy beyond doing a biopsy for celiac. Visual inspection of the stomach & duodenum may give clues to other issues that are impacting your health, and can guide the doctor in proper treatment. A genetic test, however, may not give you the answers you want...especially if there is a celiac or gluten intolerant gene at play that hasn't yet been "discovered" through research.

Michelle

MurrayM Rookie
MurrayM
Posted
  • Author
Except that there is value in endoscopy beyond doing a biopsy for celiac. Visual inspection of the stomach & duodenum may give clues to other issues that are impacting your health, and can guide the doctor in proper treatment. A genetic test, however, may not give you the answers you want...especially if there is a celiac or gluten intolerant gene at play that hasn't yet been "discovered" through research.

Thanks Michelle, you've raised a couple really good points there. I'll have to look into things further and see if the positives of endoscopy outweigh the negatives of a gluten challenge. I want to feel convinced I'm doing the right thing before putting my body through all that grief.

I'm a letter carrier, so all those trips to the bathroom while I'm sorting mail in the morning to 'completely drain the system' before walking my route is a royal pain!!!

Although...hmmm...pizza and beer for the hockey playoffs?

Murray

aikiducky Apprentice
aikiducky
Posted

On the other hand you should be aware that if you've been gluten free for several years, it might take much much longer than a month to see any damage in the intestines, so all you might end up doing is making yourself sick and still get a negative diagnosis.

I'm not saying you shouldn't do it, but be aware of all the pros and cons.

Pauliina

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2kids4me Contributor
2kids4me
Posted

There is a genetics lab at the University of Alberta in Edmonton and a genetics clinic at Alberta Children's Hospital in Calgary. Although the lab is based at a Children's hospital - they do genetic testing on any age. You need a referral - you can check with your doctor and discuss why you would prefer it over endoscopy or gluten challenge etc.

Michi8 made excellent points about genetic testing and not to rely soley on those results.

Sandy

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      You're right, doctors usually only test Vitamin D and B12.  Both are really important, but they're not good indicators of deficiencies in the other B vitamins.  Our bodies are able to store Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D in the liver for up to a year or longer.  The other B vitamins can only be stored for much shorter periods of time.  Pyridoxine B 6 can be stored for several months, but the others only a month or two at the longest.  Thiamine stores can be depleted in as little as three days.  There's no correlation between B12 levels and the other B vitamins' levels.  Blood tests can't measure the amount of vitamins stored inside cells where they are used.  There's disagreement as to what optimal vitamin levels are.  The Recommended Daily Allowance is based on the minimum daily amount needed to prevent disease set back in the forties when people ate a totally different diet and gruesome experiments were done on people.  Folate  requirements had to be updated in the nineties after spina bifida increased and synthetic folic acid was mandated to be added to grain products.  Vitamin D requirements have been updated only in the past few years.   Doctors aren't required to take as many hours of nutritional education as in the past.  They're educated in learning institutions funded by pharmaceutical corporations.  Natural substances like vitamins can't be patented, so there's more money to be made prescribing pharmaceuticals than vitamins.   Also, look into the Autoimmune Protocol Diet, developed by Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, a Celiac herself.  Her book The Paleo Approach has been most helpful to me.  You're very welcome.  I'm glad I can help you around some stumbling blocks while on this journey.    Keep me posted on your progress!  Best wishes! P.S.  interesting reading: Thiamine, gastrointestinal beriberi and acetylcholine signaling https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12014454/
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