Accuracy Of Fecal Anti-gliadin Slga Testing

[artsy67]

I have lived with debilitating fatigue, intestinal symptoms, depression, and insomnia, for 30 years. I have Crohn's disease, but it's been in remission for nearly two decades.

I am currently seeing a registered dietician, clinical certified nutritionist, and she uses Metametrix labs, for her testing. Recently, I got a considerably high reading to a fecal Anti-gliadin slgA test. She thinks that I have Celiacs, based on a collection of old lab tests, my present symptoms, and the current test results. She is doing further blood tests to confirm this diagnosis, but I'm wondering how accurate the stool test that she requisitioned, was in the first place.

Anyone out there who knows anything about Metametrix labs, or about this specific test? I would totally appreciate any feedback that I get!

[ravenwoodglass]

I have not used that lab but I used enterolab for the soy and casien. The stool testing actually tends to be more accurate than blood testing. No matter what the blood test results you should get on the diet unless you plan to have an endoscopy. Welcome to the boards and ask any questions you need to. You may have now found the key to recovering your health and life. Read as much as you can here and feel free to vent if you need to. It can be frustrating at first.

[artsy67]

I have not used that lab but I used enterolab for the soy and casien. The stool testing actually tends to be more accurate than blood testing. No matter what the blood test results you should get on the diet unless you plan to have an endoscopy. Welcome to the boards and ask any questions you need to. You may have now found the key to recovering your health and life. Read as much as you can here and feel free to vent if you need to. It can be frustrating at first.

Thanks for the info. I'm so sorry that you suffered so long with incorrect diagnoses and debilitating symptoms. I am on a gluten-free diet now. This is the second day. My nutritionist said that even if I don't have Celiac disease, I do have a sensitivity to gluten. How long did it take you on this diet, before you started feeling better?

Wendy

[ravenwoodglass]

My stomach problems and migraines ceased almost immediately, within 2 weeks. My nerve issues slowly repaired and the difference was noticeable within 6 months with some repair still going on after 5 years, but remember my nerve damage started at 4 so 5 years is not a lot compaired to the 40 years it took for me to get to the point I was at. My DH resolved with outbreaks lessening in the first 6 months to a year and after 2 years was pretty much gone. My depression and anxiety issues were gone in about 2 months, unless glutened.

After the first 3 months I got smart and dropped almost all processed mainstream foods from my diet and removed gluten from my nonfood items and that sped the healing up a great deal because I no longer had CC issues to deal with.

In some ways I do not regret the amount of time I spent undiagnosed, not for my sake but for others. Being undiagnosed for so long and having so many of my systems effected made it really clear to what extent gluten can damage folks long before the GI stuff sets up residence. If I had not been so very, very sick and had the turn around I did I don't know if my family ever would have been tested and then done the diet. So many rely on doctors and blood tests, my tests were always negative so my family realized that a trial of the diet was needed even though their results were low positives. The turn around in all of us has been amazing.

[artsy67]

My stomach problems and migraines ceased almost immediately, within 2 weeks. My nerve issues slowly repaired and the difference was noticeable within 6 months with some repair still going on after 5 years, but remember my nerve damage started at 4 so 5 years is not a lot compaired to the 40 years it took for me to get to the point I was at. My DH resolved with outbreaks lessening in the first 6 months to a year and after 2 years was pretty much gone. My depression and anxiety issues were gone in about 2 months, unless glutened.

After the first 3 months I got smart and dropped almost all processed mainstream foods from my diet and removed gluten from my nonfood items and that sped the healing up a great deal because I no longer had CC issues to deal with.

In some ways I do not regret the amount of time I spent undiagnosed, not for my sake but for others. Being undiagnosed for so long and having so many of my systems effected made it really clear to what extent gluten can damage folks long before the GI stuff sets up residence. If I had not been so very, very sick and had the turn around I did I don't know if my family ever would have been tested and then done the diet. So many rely on doctors and blood tests, my tests were always negative so my family realized that a trial of the diet was needed even though their results were low positives. The turn around in all of us has been amazing.

It's interesting to know that you didn't test positive for the blood testing, although you have the Celiac disease. You must have gone through so much frustration, anger, and depression, while you were untreated. I know that I certainly have. I've been on the gluten-free diet for 3 days now, and it's not as hard as I thought it would be. I even brought up Celiac disease with my gastro-enterologist, and she didn't take me seriously. It's very encouraging to hear how dramatic your improvements in health have been, and how little time it took you to begin feeling better. I know that it's sort of strange to hope for confirmation of Celiac disease, but I've been feeling so crappy for so long now, that an answer to what is causing my symptoms, would be greatly appreciated!