Positive Anti-gliadin Iga

[tulsagal]

This is my first post, and I'm hoping someone can clarify my daughter's results as I am thoroughly confused after reading all the different opinions on various websites regarding celiac testing.

My daughter is 15 and while at the doctor this week, I asked him to run a celiac panel on her as my own IGA results came back highly elevated, although my IGG was normal. We were in there to check for mono, and sure enough, her monospot test came back positive, and he gave me the results of her celiac panel:

IGA: 114 (Range 0-19)

IGG: 4 (Range 0-19)

tTG: 8 (Range 0-19)

She doesn't really have any symptoms of celiac disease other than an occasional skin rash (eczema), and her diet is really poor as she only eats carbs, protein and dairy - no fruit or vegetables. Obviously, we both have an immune response to gluten, but what exactly do these results mean? I read where a positive IGA is a poor indicator for Celiac and her doctor just said we may want to follow up with a GI doc.

Limiting gluten containing foods isn't a problem for myself, but she's freaking out!

[Pacer]

Tulsa,

Welcome. I am also new. I am not super eloquent about writing out feelings either but I'll try.

Since she is asymptomatic (that you can tell now), why not approach it as an 'experiment". Something must be off or else you wouldn't be testing her for mono. Rather than a life sentence, why not just present it as an experiment, to see if she feels better in ways she didn't even know was possible. Give it -- 2 weeks? Then reassess?

(sigh - that is what I'm doing with my 8 year old -- today was our first gluten-free day).

Does she eat meat & fish? We have previously kept a vegetarian household and grains were the mainstay of our diet. When I think about regular omnivores going gluten-free, it seems pretty simple comparatively.

I can't really assess those number values so I am assuming they come across as borderline?

You could also offer to go gluten-free in solidarity. I am not a mom of a teen, but that might or might not mean something to her. HTH

Heidi

[tulsagal]

Heidi,

Thanks for replying! I have no doubt that going gluten free would benefit her (and me, too), but before we try and experiment, I don't want to change her diet too much in case we need further testing. Also, I wouldn't be able to tell if she felt better going gluten free right now as she does, in fact, have mono so that could keep her feeling fatigued for weeks to months.

She's reading up on celiac disease & gluten sensitivity and is trying to learn about it so she may be receptive to changes in her diet . . . . somewhat. Yes, she does eat meat (loves steak!), but absolutely no fish. She's also very athletic and plays competitive soccer so carbs have been a necessity in her diet.

I hope that someone else will chime in here regarding the test results. I'd just like to know if she's having an immune response because her diet is soooo full of gluten, or will she be okay if we limit gluten somewhat and can she still enjoy the occasional pizza and hamburger?

Also, I read that a positive IGA can be high due to a wheat allergy and other things, but I haven't found out what those other things might be. Anyone?

[Pacer]

Well, hmm.

Another thing you could do is, try the gluten-free diet now while she is recovering. This is kind of a "live for the moment" sort of philosophy, to get her better first, then pinpoint exactly what was making her ill later. Maybe you could do a gluten challenge in the summer once she is feeling better. That might be OK timing since she won't be in school.

From what I understand, official gluten sensitivity/celiac is pretty much non negotiable.

No cheating. :-/

On the up side, sounds like your DD is heading for college soon -- maybe she can become a researcher and find us all a solution :-)

Definitely others can analyze the test values better than I. I am still waffling back and forth on testing - hence my presence here.

As far as carbs for an athlete, though....... you rang? I am an Ironman finisher and my (celiac) DH runs at least one marathon every year. Although I am not a celiac I am pretty hip to carbs, their relationship to endurance, and how to get them with or without gluten. Ask me anything here or feel free to email or backchannel.

You guys are so lucky she likes meat. I am trying all sorts of things to get my kids to try new foods. Risotto for breakfast.....I am desperate to get the to eat, anything , anytime. We have about a 10% acceptance rate for around here. My guys are pretty open to tasting new stuff but they will totally spit it back out if it's substandard, which most of the gluten free starch substitutes are. We have gone through tons of different nutrition bars...I am even ordering some crab legs (OMG I find them to be utterly bizarre - like bug legs! ) in hope that we will find something my kids like. They literally LIVED on pasta, pizza, grilled cheese, and sandwiches.

Hope you get some more replies -- consider this post bumped...HEIDI