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

Blood Work Questions

kalikohl

Recommended Posts

kalikohl Rookie
kalikohl
Posted

Hi

I'm new to the forums. I've been having stomach problems for as long as I can remember. In 2005 I had my 1st colonoscopy due to bleeding. I was diagnosised with colitis. I was put on Asacol. I went back 6 months later and they did an endoscopy and a colonscopy. In the endscopy they found some damage to my small intestines and the colonscopy showed signs of crohns. I went back recently for another colonscopy and had more bloodwork done. My doctor keeps testing me for celiac. After this current colonscopy I was told I am IGA deficent (not really sure what that means) and that my large intestine is now showing signs of scaring. I went and had another panel of blood work done checking my TTG and my IGG.

If someone could explain waht exactly this means I'd be really greatful.

Thanks!

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


NY547 Newbie
NY547
Posted

If damage was found in the intestines with the endoscopy then chances are, it is celiac. Crohn's usually only affects the lower portions of the GI tract from what I understand. It is not uncommon for people to have IgA deficiency with celiac. Many labs only check the TTg (tissue transglutaminase) for IgA as an initial screen. If suspicion for celiac is still high, they will perform the TTg IgG level after determining if a person is total IgA deficient.

Due to your IgA deficiency, the doctor is mostly checking to see if you have antibodies to TTg by using the IgG class of antibodies. He may also be checking your total IgG level to be sure you are producing enough of those to begin with.

Since the antibodies correlate to the amount of damage in your intestines, I would think that the TtG IgG should come back positive in your case, since you have already had a positive biopsy, however, keep in mind that some people never produce the routine celiac antibodies at all. There have been studies where even people with total villous atrophy test negative to the antibodies! Only 77% show antibodies and roughly 29% of people with partial villous atrophy had positive antibody tests.

The endoscopy results still remain the "gold standard" of diagnosing celiac disease. Since you have already had a positive biopsy, and have had blood work drawn, you may want to immediately embark on a gluten free diet.

There are links on this board regarding the studies I referred to, sorry, I can't remember the links. If you search for seronegative celiac you will find more information

I hope this helps. Welcome to the boards, and Good Luck!

Archived

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

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,196
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Jen Fleming
    Newest Member
    Jen Fleming
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • xxnonamexx
      FDA looking for input on Celiac Gluten sensitivity labeling PLEASE READ and submit your suggestions

      By xxnonamexx · Posted

      Please read: https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-takes-steps-improve-gluten-ingredient-disclosure-foods?fbclid=IwY2xjawPeXhJleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFzaDc3NWRaYzlJOFJ4R0Fic3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHrwuSsw8Be7VNGOrKKWFVbrjmf59SGht05nIALwnjQ0DoGkDDK1doRBDzeeX_aem_GZcRcbhisMTyFUp3YMUU9Q
    • cristiana
      Increased intraepithelial lymphocytes after 10 yrs gluten-free

      By cristiana · Posted

      Hi @Atl222 As @trents points out, there could be many reasons for this biopsy result.  I am interested to know, is your gastroenterologist concerned?  Also, are your blood tests showing steady improvement over the years? I remember when I had my last biopsy, several years after diagnosis, mine came back with with raised lymphocytes but no villous damage, too! In my own case, my consultant wasn't remotely concerned - in fact, he said I might still get this result even if all I ever did was eat nothing but rice and water.   My coeliac blood tests were still steadily improving, albeit slowly, which was reassuring.
    • trents
      Increased intraepithelial lymphocytes after 10 yrs gluten-free

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the celiac.com community, @Atl222! Yes, your increased lymphocytes could be in response to oats or it could possibly be cross contamination from gluten that is getting into your diet from some unexpected source but not enough to damage the villi. And I'm certain that increased lymphocytes can be caused by other things besides celiac disease or gluten/oats exposure. See attachment. But you might try eliminating oats to start with and possibly dairy for a few months and then seek another endoscopy/biopsy to see if there was a reduction in lymphocyte counts. 
    • Scott Adams
      Brown Rice Vinegar (organic) from Eden Foods is likely gluten free

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      This is a solid, well-reasoned approach. You’re right that “koji” by itself doesn’t indicate gluten status, and the risk really does come down to which grain is used to culture it. The fact that you directly contacted Eden Foods and received a clear statement that their koji is made from rice only, with no wheat or barley, is meaningful due diligence—especially since Eden has a long-standing reputation for transparency. While the lack of gluten labeling can understandably give pause, manufacturer confirmation like this is often what people rely on for traditionally fermented products. As always, trusting your body after trying it is reasonable, but based on the information you gathered, your conclusion makes sense.
    • Scott Adams
      nothing has changed

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Seven months can still be early in celiac healing, especially if you were mostly asymptomatic to begin with—symptoms like low iron, vitamin D deficiency, nail changes, and hair issues often take much longer to improve because the gut needs time to recover before absorption normalizes. A tTG-IgA of 69 is not “low” in terms of immune activity, and it can take 12–24 months (sometimes longer) for antibodies and the intestinal lining to fully heal, particularly in teens and young adults. Eating gluten again to “test” things isn’t recommended and won’t give you clear answers—it’s far more likely to cause harm than clarity. Weight not changing is also very common in celiac and doesn’t rule anything out. Please know that your frustration and sadness matter; this adjustment is hard, and feeling stuck can really affect mental health. You deserve support, and if you can, reaching out to a GI dietitian or mental health professional familiar with chronic illness could really help you through this phase. This study indicates that a majority of celiacs don't recover until 5 years after diagnosis and starting a gluten-free diet: Mucosal recovery and mortality in adults with celiac disease after treatment with a gluten-free diet However, it's also possible that what the study really shows is the difficulty in maintaining a 100% gluten-free diet. I suspect that if you looked closely at the diets of those who did not recover within 2 years might be that their diets were not 100% gluten-free. Perhaps they ate out more often, or didn't understand all of the hidden ingredients where gluten can hide. Either way, it shows how difficult recovery from celiac disease can be for most people. According to this study: This article explores other causes of flattened villi:    
×
×
  • 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.