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

Negative Blood/ Positive Biopsy?


tmk

Recommended Posts

tmk Explorer

Hello! This may have already been a topic, but I wanted to ask how many people out there have had negative blood results but went on to get a biopsy and it was positive? I keep going back & forth w/ the biopsy thing -- if I really want to deal w/ it all. Whoever wants to share, it would be greatly appreciated!!!!

Thank You! :D


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



nikki-uk Enthusiast

My husband had negative bloods - and went on to have a positive biopsy (total villous atrophy :blink: ) ...so it came as quite a suprise!!!

Whether you go on to have the biopsy is completely up to you.

For some people, they try the gluten-free diet - feel much better - never look back :)

In a way, I'm glad my hubby had the biopsy as when he started the gluten-free diet he didn't feel any better (he was very ill)

If he hadn't of had proof - he would of abandoned the diet!! :o ...as it turned out, it took around 6 months to feel the benefit of the diet :)

Good luck in what you choose to do :)

GeoffCJ Enthusiast

Me. I was negative on the blood test, but the biopsy showed damage even after having eaten gluten free for 4-6 weeks before biopsy. (no one told me that I needed to keep eating gluten)

Geoff

Nancym Enthusiast
Hello! This may have already been a topic, but I wanted to ask how many people out there have had negative blood results but went on to get a biopsy and it was positive? I keep going back & forth w/ the biopsy thing -- if I really want to deal w/ it all. Whoever wants to share, it would be greatly appreciated!!!!

Thank You! :D

Someone posted something recently that unless you have total villious atrophy there's a 33% chance your blood work will be negative for EMA and TTG.

tmk Explorer
In a way, I'm glad my hubby had the biopsy as when he started the gluten-free he didn't feel any better (he was very ill)

If he hadn't of had proof - he would of abandoned the diet!! :o ...as it turned out, it took around 6 months to feel the benefit of the diet :)

that's kind of what i'm worried about -- that if i just try the diet and don't see some improvement right away that i would just abandon the thought and go w/ -- well, i must not of been celiac. i'm leaning towards just going and getting the biopsy done -- i've just never had much luck w/ doctors!

Thanks to all of you for your replies!!!!!!!!!!

tom Contributor

It happens all the time.

Following link goes to a summary of a study by the esteemed Dr. Green at Columbia U.

https://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodid=1023

laurie1067 Contributor
Hello! This may have already been a topic, but I wanted to ask how many people out there have had negative blood results but went on to get a biopsy and it was positive? I keep going back & forth w/ the biopsy thing -- if I really want to deal w/ it all. Whoever wants to share, it would be greatly appreciated!!!!

Thank You! :D

I'm a seronegative celiac. I had an endoscopy done for GERD to see if I have a hernia. The gastro did random biopsies while he had the scope in, and imagine my surprise when they called me with the results! We weren't even looking for celiac disease! My symptoms have been 1) weight loss of 35 lbs in 5 months, 2) peripheral neuropathy, 3) GERD, 4) a "lump" feeling in my chest when I swallow, 5) a bout of fainting and/or seizure, and 6) a persistent cough for a year that didn't respond to allergy or asthma meds. Even the gastro hadn't suspected celiac disease although I had/have a lot of the symptoms. Even now he's still testing me since my blood tests came back negative. (I go back on 6/18...I'm guessing for genetic testing next.) I can tell you that I have noticed a difference since going gluten-free. My GERD is better, the ulcers in my mouth are gone, and my cough is getting better. The endoscopy was no big deal...I rolled on my side & the next thing I knew I was waking up in recovery. I definitely recommend having one done if you are concerned.


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



cyberprof Enthusiast

This Laura had similar results as Laurie.

I had an endoscopy for acid reflux and suspected ulcer. GI did biopsies as a matter of course, not suspecting anything. I had a lot of other symptoms but no-one suspected celiac: D, gas, stomach noises constantly, mouth ulcers routinely, anxiety, low-level depression. All of these have gone on the gluten free diet, except for accidental glutening, which brings them back. Blood tests done after the biopsy were negative.

Good luck to you.

I'm a seronegative celiac. I had an endoscopy done for GERD to see if I have a hernia. The gastro did random biopsies while he had the scope in, and imagine my surprise when they called me with the results! We weren't even looking for celiac disease! My symptoms have been 1) weight loss of 35 lbs in 5 months, 2) peripheral neuropathy, 3) GERD, 4) a "lump" feeling in my chest when I swallow, 5) a bout of fainting and/or seizure, and 6) a persistent cough for a year that didn't respond to allergy or asthma meds. Even the gastro hadn't suspected celiac disease although I had/have a lot of the symptoms. Even now he's still testing me since my blood tests came back negative. (I go back on 6/18...I'm guessing for genetic testing next.) I can tell you that I have noticed a difference since going gluten-free. My GERD is better, the ulcers in my mouth are gone, and my cough is getting better. The endoscopy was no big deal...I rolled on my side & the next thing I knew I was waking up in recovery. I definitely recommend having one done if you are concerned.
newlyfree Rookie
It happens all the time.

Following link goes to a summary of a study by the esteemed Dr. Green at Columbia U.

https://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodid=1023

Hey - my brother's getting tested right now (because I am positive and he has many GI/'classic' symptoms), and I'm wondering if anyone knows if the tests have gotten better since this summary (dated 2004)? I'm afraid if he tests negative he'll give up on further exploration of the possibility of celiac disease :(

Archived

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

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - lizzie42 replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      5

      Son's legs shaking

    2. - knitty kitty replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      5

      Son's legs shaking

    3. - lizzie42 replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      5

      Son's legs shaking

    4. - Scott Adams replied to Russ H's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      1

      Anti-endomysial Antibody (EMA) Testing

    5. - knitty kitty replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      5

      Son's legs shaking

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,869
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    MaryannHall
    Newest Member
    MaryannHall
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):
  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • lizzie42
      Neither of them were anemic 6 months after the Celiac diagnosis. His other vitamin levels (d, B12) were never low. My daughters levels were normal after the first 6 months. Is the thiamine test just called thiamine? 
    • knitty kitty
      Yes, I do think they need a Thiamine supplement at least. Especially since they eat red meat only occasionally. Most fruits and vegetables are not good sources of Thiamine.  Legumes (beans) do contain thiamine.  Fruits and veggies do have some of the other B vitamins, but thiamine B 1 and  Cobalamine B12 are mostly found in meats.  Meat, especially organ meats like liver, are the best sources of Thiamine, B12, and the six other B vitamins and important minerals like iron.   Thiamine has antibacterial and antiviral properties.  Thiamine is important to our immune systems.  We need more thiamine when we're physically ill or injured, when we're under stress emotionally, and when we exercise, especially outside in hot weather.  We need thiamine and other B vitamins like Niacin B 3 to keep our gastrointestinal tract healthy.  We can't store thiamine for very long.  We can get low in thiamine within three days.  Symptoms can appear suddenly when a high carbohydrate diet is consumed.  (Rice and beans are high in carbohydrates.)  A twenty percent increase in dietary thiamine causes an eighty percent increase in brain function, so symptoms can wax and wane depending on what one eats.  The earliest symptoms like fatigue and anxiety are easily contributed to other things or life events and dismissed.   Correcting nutritional deficiencies needs to be done quickly, especially in children, so their growth isn't stunted.  Nutritional deficiencies can affect intelligence.  Vitamin D deficiency can cause short stature and poor bone formation.   Is your son taking anything for the anemia?  Is the anemia caused by B12 or iron deficiency?  
    • lizzie42
      Thank you! That's helpful. My kids eat very little processed food. Tons of fruit, vegetables, cheese, eggs and occasional red meat. We do a lot of rice and bean bowls, stir fry, etc.  Do you think with all the fruits and vegetables they need a vitamin supplement? I feel like their diet is pretty healthy and balanced with very limited processed food. The only processed food they eat regularly is a bowl of Cheerios here and there.  Could shaking legs be a symptom of just a one-time gluten exposure? I guess there's no way to know for sure if they're getting absolutely zero exposure because they do go to school a couple times a week. We do homeschool but my son does a shared school 2x a week and my daughter does a morning Pre-K 3 x a week.  At home our entire house is strictly gluten free and it is extremely rare for us to eat out. If we eat at someone else's house I usually just bring their food. When we have play dates we bring all the snacks, etc. I try to be really careful since they're still growing. They also, of course, catch kids viruses all the time so I  want to make sure I know whether they're just sick or they've had gluten. It can be pretty confusing when they're pretty young to even be explaining their symptoms! 
    • Scott Adams
      That is interesting, and it's the first time I heard about the umbilical cord beings used for that test. Thanks for sharing!
    • knitty kitty
      @lizzie42, You're being a good mom, seeking answers for your son.  Cheers! Subclinical thiamine deficiency commonly occurs with anemia.  An outright Thiamine deficiency can be precipitated by the consumption of a high carbohydrate meal.   Symptoms of Thiamine deficiency include feeling shakey or wobbly in the legs, muscle weakness or cramps, as well as aggression and irritability, confusion, mood swings and behavior changes.  Thiamine is essential to the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine which keep us calm and rational.   @Jsingh, histamine intolerance is also a symptom of Thiamine deficiency.  Thiamine is needed to prevent mast cells from releasing histamine at the slightest provocation as is seen in histamine intolerance.  Thiamine and the other B vitamins and Vitamin C are needed to clear histamine from the body.  Without sufficient thiamine and other B vitamins to clear it, the histamine builds up.  High histamine levels can change behavior, too.  High histamine levels are found in the brains of patients with schizophrenia.  Thiamine deficiency can also cause extreme hunger or conversely anorexia.   High carbohydrate meals can precipitate thiamine deficiency because additional thiamine is required to process carbohydrates for the body to use as fuel.  The more carbohydrates one eats daily, the more one needs additional thiamine above the RDA.  Thiamine is water soluble, safe and nontoxic even in high doses. Keep in mind that gluten-free processed foods like cookies and such are not required to be fortified and enriched with vitamins and minerals like their gluten containing counterparts are.  Limit processed gluten-free foods.  They are often full of empty calories and unhealthy saturated fats and additives, and are high in histamine or histamine release triggers.  It's time you bought your own vitamins to supplement what is not being absorbed due to malabsorption of Celiac disease.  Benfotiamine is a form of Thiamine that has been shown to improve intestinal health as well as brain function. Do talk to your doctors and dieticians about supplementing with the essential vitamins and minerals while your children are growing up gluten free.  Serve nutritionally dense foods.  Meats and liver are great sources of B vitamins and minerals. Hope this helps!  Keep us posted on your progress!
×
×
  • 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.