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

Elevated Ana?

Lisa Ann

By Lisa Ann
in Related Issues & Disorders

Recommended Posts

Lisa Ann Apprentice
Lisa Ann
Posted

Is it normal for someone with Celiac Disease to have an elevated ANA? The Dr. checked mine and it was 1:320 - he is suspecting Lupus. I really have not had many symptoms other than minimal arm pain. I'm just wondering if this is something that celiac disease would elevate?

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


loraleena Contributor
loraleena
Posted

Before I was gluten free I had an elevated ANA. This is just an indicator that something autoimmune is happening. Lupus is possible, but so is arthritis and many other conditions including celiac. There is a second test they need to do to prove Lupus. I had this and it was negative. At the time I had Fibromyalgia symptoms. Can't remember the test, but ask your doctor.

Lisa Ann Apprentice
Lisa Ann
Posted
  • Author

I guess my real ? is - if I'm following a strict gluten-free diet could the ANA still be elevated just because of Celiac? I'm guessing the elevated ANA is coming from another autoimmune disease - but which one? I really don't have many symptoms so I'm hoping for the best!

2kids4me Contributor
2kids4me
Posted

An elevated ANA is not indicative of Lupus, it depends on the pattern they see (rim, speckled etc). It is seen with lupus as well as other markers for the disease. ANA alone is not diagnostic of anything but is combined with other results and special immune tests. (like an ENA profile - extractable nuclear antigens)

Elevated ANA is common in older (+30) women and those suffering from autoimmune disease. My daughter is 14 and has an ANA of 1:640 Lupus and a number of other immune mediated diseases have been ruled out.

It is presumed to be due to celiac +the hypothyroidism that she has...

Wouldnt be too concerned unless you were symptomatic of something.

Sandy

Lisa Ann Apprentice
Lisa Ann
Posted
  • Author

Thanks very much! It really threw me for a loop. I will go and see the Rheumatologist but now I won't worry so much. :rolleyes:

  • 2 weeks later...
hapy4dolphins Contributor
hapy4dolphins
Posted

HI, I've had a high ana for 14 years plus and the docs and rheumatologist could never figure out why. ALl of the other panels and autoimmunie tests would come back negative. I've had as high as the 1000's before. Well, last week, I got it taken again after about a year or so and some how, they came back NEGATIVE for the ana. I asked if that was correct and they must have made a mistake.

I've been gluten-free for a year 1/2 now.

Nicole in Michigan

  • 3 months later...
hapy4dolphins Contributor
hapy4dolphins
Posted

I am replying again. I did have a neg. ana for the first time this month. My rheumatolgist applies it to taking vit. d since I was deficient.

Nicole

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Gemini Experienced
Gemini
Posted
An elevated ANA is not indicative of Lupus, it depends on the pattern they see (rim, speckled etc). It is seen with lupus as well as other markers for the disease. ANA alone is not diagnostic of anything but is combined with other results and special immune tests. (like an ENA profile - extractable nuclear antigens)

Elevated ANA is common in older (+30) women and those suffering from autoimmune disease. My daughter is 14 and has an ANA of 1:640 Lupus and a number of other immune mediated diseases have been ruled out.

It is presumed to be due to celiac +the hypothyroidism that she has...

Wouldnt be too concerned unless you were symptomatic of something.

Sandy

What an excellent post and the information given is spot on! Like your daughter, I have celiac disease and Hashimoto's (from undetected celiac disease) and I recently had my ANA and Rheumatoid Factor come back very high. After discussing this with more than one physician and doing some of my own research, I have learned that these 2 tests are very general tests for inflammation and other autoimmune conditions can trigger a high result also, notably Hashimoto's. That can easily be backed up with a complete thyroid panel, unlike the usual TSH that most doctors perform only.

My thyroid antibody is still in the abnormal zone, after 2 1/2 years gluten-free. I have brought it down by leaps and bounds BUT it has reached a stubborn point and won't go any lower. I am 48 years old and this is where I am beginning to think that for some people, even following a strict gluten-free diet won't make things normal again. Not that I am suffering any because I'm not....I actually am completely asymptomatic of anything right now. My PCP wants me to see a rheumatologist but I think, for now, I will choose not to.

With absolutely no symptoms of either Lupus or RA, I am convinced it's my thyroid that's throwing my numbers off. When you have autoimmune disease, it's very "normal" to have wonky numbers for inflammation. I have also learned that once you present to a doctor with these health issues, they'll keep testing till the cows come home. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! ;)

loraleena Contributor
loraleena
Posted

Any autoimmune disease can cause an elevated ANA. I have it, but my lupus tests were all normal.

loraleena Contributor
loraleena
Posted

I also have celiac, hashimotos, interticial cystitis, and fibromyalgia. All autoimmune!

Rivergirl Apprentice
Rivergirl
Posted

This is a very helpful post - Thank you. I went 15 years thinking I had Lupus. The diagnosis came because I had so many autoimmunie whacky things going on and a positve ANA (some years high some years low). I kind of felt like I had a death sentence, because with Lupus there is not much you can do. About one year ago, I decided to change doctors. My new doctor questioned my Lupus diagnosis and started the detective work. After about two months of tests, the evidence came in- Celiac. Now after 6 months of being glutenfree= all those other quirky symptoms that were Lupus-like went away. My doctor said Lupus is still possible but highly suspect. We are still watching for Lupus and we will rerun some test this spring and see what happens. But for now I have never felt so good in my entire life.

Archived

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

Go to topic listing

  • 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. cristiana
      - cristiana posted a topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      0

      Healthy diet leading to terrible bloating

      Hello fellow coeliacs and a Happy New Year I'd appreciate some advice. In December I gave up junk food and ate a new healthy diet, which had a lot of gluten-free oats, nuts, oranges in it, and a quite a lot of black coffee, rather than my usual lattes etc. After a week or so I felt awful bubbling and bloating in the area which I would say is the...
    2. TheDHhurts
      - TheDHhurts posted a topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      0

      Prana Organics no longer GFCO-certified

      I've been buying my seeds and nuts from Prana Organics for a number of years because the products have been GFCO-certified. I just got a new order delivered of their flax and sunflower seeds, and it turns out that they are no longer GFCO-certified. Instead, it just has a generic "Gluten Free" symbol on the package. I reached out to them to ask what...
    3. cristiana
      - cristiana replied to Dizzyma's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      2

      Newly diagnosed mam to coeliac 11 year old

      Hi @Dizzyma I note what @trents has commented about you possibly posting from the UK. Just to let you know that am a coeliac based in the UK, so if that is the case, do let me know if can help you with any questions on the NHS provision for coeliacs. If you are indeed based in the UK, and coeliac disease is confirmed, I would thoroughly recommend...
    4. trents
      - trents replied to Dizzyma's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      2

      Newly diagnosed mam to coeliac 11 year old

      Welcome to the celic.com community @Dizzyma! I'm assuming you are in the U.K. since you speak of your daughter's celiac disease blood tests as "her bloods". Has her physician officially diagnosed her has having celiac disease on the results of her blood tests alone? Normally, if the ttg-iga blood test results are positive, a follow-up endoscopy...
    5. Dizzyma
      - Dizzyma posted a topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      2

      Newly diagnosed mam to coeliac 11 year old

      Hi all, I have so many questions and feel like google is giving me very different information. Hoping I may get some more definite answers here. ok, my daughter has been diagnosed as a coeliac as her bloods show anti TTG antibodies are over 128. We have started her on a full gluten free diet. my concerns are that she wasn’t actually physically s...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,929
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    KayTag
    Newest Member
    KayTag
    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

    • cristiana
      Healthy diet leading to terrible bloating

      By cristiana · Posted

      Hello fellow coeliacs and a Happy New Year I'd appreciate some advice. In December I gave up junk food and ate a new healthy diet, which had a lot of gluten-free oats, nuts, oranges in it, and a quite a lot of black coffee, rather than my usual lattes etc.  After a week or so I felt awful bubbling and bloating in the area which I would say is the ascending and transverse colon.  Earlier in the day it might start with stabbing pain, maybe just two or three 'stabs', or a bit of an ache in my pelvis area, and then by the evening replaced with this awful bloated feeling.   I can still fit into all my clothes, there isn't any visible bloating but a feeling of bloating builds from early afternoon onwards.  The pain and bloating has always gone by the morning.  BMs normal.   I went back to my normal diet over Christmas, for a couple of days things improved, but the bubbling and bloating then came back with a vengeance.  I'm having an ultrasound in a couple of weeks to check my pelvic area and if that is clear I suspect may have to have a colonoscopy, but is there anything anyone can recommend to calm this bloating down.  I have been given an additional diagnosis of IBS in the past but it has never been this severe.   I have to confess that I might have had some gluten over Christmas, I ate a lot of Belgium chocolates which were meant to be gluten free but the small print reveals that they were made in a shared facility, so I have probably brought this all on myself!
    • TheDHhurts
      Prana Organics no longer GFCO-certified

      By TheDHhurts · Posted

      I've been buying my seeds and nuts from Prana Organics for a number of years because the products have been GFCO-certified. I just got a new order delivered of their flax and sunflower seeds, and it turns out that they are no longer GFCO-certified. Instead, it just has a generic "Gluten Free" symbol on the package. I reached out to them to ask what protocols/standards/testing they have in place. The person that wrote back said that they are now certifying their gluten free status in-house, but that she couldn't answer my questions related to standards because the person with that info was on vacation. Not very impressed, especially since it still says on their website that they are GFCO-certified. Buyer beware!
    • cristiana
      Newly diagnosed mam to coeliac 11 year old

      By cristiana · Posted

      Hi @Dizzyma I note what @trents has commented about you possibly posting from the UK.  Just to let you know that am a coeliac based in the UK, so if that is the case, do let me know if can help you with any questions on the NHS provision for coeliacs.    If you are indeed based in the UK, and coeliac disease is confirmed, I would thoroughly recommend you join Coeliac UK, as they provide a printed food and drink guide and also a phone app which you can take shopping with you so you can find out if a product is gluten free or not. But one thing I would like to say to you, no matter where you live, is you mention that your daughter is anxious.  I was always a bit of a nervous, anxious child but before my diagnosis in mid-life my anxiety levels were through the roof.   My anxiety got steadily better when I followed the gluten-free diet and vitamin and mineral deficiencies were addressed.  Anxiety is very common at diagnosis, you may well find that her anxiety will improve once your daughter follows a strict gluten-free diet. Cristiana 
    • trents
      Newly diagnosed mam to coeliac 11 year old

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the celic.com community @Dizzyma! I'm assuming you are in the U.K. since you speak of your daughter's celiac disease blood tests as "her bloods".  Has her physician officially diagnosed her has having celiac disease on the results of her blood tests alone? Normally, if the ttg-iga blood test results are positive, a follow-up endoscopy with biopsy of the small bowel lining to check for damage would be ordered to confirm the results of "the bloods". However if the ttg-iga test score is 10x normal or greater, some physicians, particularly in the U.K., will dispense with the endoscopy/biopsy. If there is to be an endoscopy/biopsy, your daughter should not yet begin the gluten free diet as doing so would allow healing of the small bowel lining to commence which may result in a biopsy finding having results that conflict with the blood work. Do you know if an endoscopy/biopsy is planned? Celiac disease can have onset at any stage of life, from infancy to old age. It has a genetic base but the genes remain dormant until and unless triggered by some stress event. The stress event can be many things but it is often a viral infection. About 40% of the general population have the genetic potential to develop celiac disease but only about 1% actually develop celiac disease. So, for most, the genes remain dormant.  Celiac disease is by nature an autoimmune disorder. That is to say, gluten ingestion triggers an immune response that causes the body to attack its own tissues. In this case, the attack happens in he lining of the small bowel, at least classically, though we now know there are other body systems that can sometimes be affected. So, for a person with celiac disease, when they ingest gluten, the body sends attacking cells to battle the gluten which causes inflammation as the gluten is being absorbed into the cells that make up the lining of the small bowel. This causes damage to the cells and over time, wears them down. This lining is composed of billions of tiny finger-like projections and which creates a tremendous surface area for absorbing nutrients from the food we eat. This area of the intestinal track is where all of our nutrition is absorbed. As these finger-like projections get worn down by the constant inflammation from continued gluten consumption before diagnosis (or after diagnosis in the case of those who are noncompliant) the efficiency of nutrient absorption from what we eat can be drastically reduced. This is why iron deficiency anemia and other nutrient deficiency related medical problems are so common in the celiac population. So, to answer your question about the wisdom of allowing your daughter to consume gluten on a limited basis to retain some tolerance to it, that would not be a sound approach because it would prevent healing of the lining of her small bowel. It would keep the fires of inflammation smoldering. The only wise course is strict adherence to a gluten free diet, once all tests to confirm celiac disease are complete.
    • Dizzyma
      Newly diagnosed mam to coeliac 11 year old

      By Dizzyma · Posted

      Hi all, I have so many questions and feel like google is giving me very different information. Hoping I may get some more definite answers here. ok, my daughter has been diagnosed as a coeliac as her bloods show anti TTG antibodies are over 128. We have started her  on a full gluten free diet. my concerns are that she wasn’t actually physically sick on her regular diet, she had tummy issues and skin sores. My fear is that she will build up a complete intolerance to gluten and become physically sick if she has gluten. Is there anything to be said for keeping a small bit of gluten in the diet to stop her from developing a total intolerance?  also, she would be an anxious type of person, is it possible that stress is the reason she has become coeliac? I read that diagnosis later in childhood could be following a sickness or stress. How can she have been fine for the first 10 years and then become coeliac? sorry, I’m just very confused and really want to do right by her. I know a coeliac and she has a terrible time after she gets gluttened so just want to make sure going down a total gluten free road is the right choice. thank you for any help or advise xx 
×
×
  • 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.