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

Celiac Screening - Where Should I Go

HenryT07

Recommended Posts

HenryT07 Newbie
HenryT07
Posted

Hi,

Glad I found this forum. Thanks in advance for the help :).. I suspect I may have celiacs and am wondering where I should go for testing. I live in Ontario and celiac screening is not covered. I don't have a problem paying the fee for the test but I've read that many labs aren't really familiar with celiac testing and could come up with false negatives. I'm wondering if I shoudl just get the test done at a local lab or order an online test like many of you have done. Thanks for the help :).

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


blueeyedmanda Community Regular
blueeyedmanda
Posted

Is there a way you could talk to your dr about it. Maybe he could point you to a lab which does the testing. Also entrolabs does celiac screening. I am not familiar with it but many of our members are.

Good Luck and Welcome to the Board.

HenryT07 Newbie
HenryT07
Posted
  • Author

thanks for the reply blueeyedmanda. My doctor is the one who perscribed the test but didn't mention that some labs might not be skillied at running it; I read that online. Anyone else know if I should go with a local lab or with entrolabs? Thanks

Ursa Major Collaborator
Ursa Major
Posted

It seems to me that here in Ontario doctors in general are very ignorant about celiac disease, and therefore don't order the tests very often. My doctor had no clue what to order when I asked for Susie to be tested a year ago, she copied from the brochure I brought in.

And since our all-wise government doesn't appear to think celiac disease screening is an essential service and so government insurance won't cover celiac disease testing, many people may not be able to afford paying for it, and would be hesitant to ask. So, labs won't have to do it very often, and lack the experience as a result.

Still, you do have the requisition, and might as well give it a try. You might actually get an accurate result, and could end up positive, which would save you the expense of ordering the tests from Enterolab.

Only if your test comes up negative would I advise you to go with Enterolab. Because, including shipping back to them by courier, it will end up costing you nearly Can $500.00. Not cheap, but worth it if you can afford it.

I am glad we had it done for Susie, our youngest daughter (16), because with seeing the proof that she is indeed gluten intolerant (just my own observations weren't good enough, of course), she is now on the gluten-free diet, and quite determined to stick with it.

I hope you figure it out.

Oh, and just to let you know, DO NOT go on the gluten-free diet until AFTER you've had the official testing done, if that is what you will opt for. Otherwise you will be guaranteed a negative result.

On the other hand, Enterolab testing will be accurate up to a year after eliminating gluten, if that is the route you decide to take.

Archived

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

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


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,690
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Aless25
    Newest Member
    Aless25
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Draft gluten-free ciders… can they be trusted ?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I'd go with a vodka tonic, but that's just me😉
    • Rejoicephd
      Draft gluten-free ciders… can they be trusted ?

      By Rejoicephd · Posted

      That and my nutritionist also said that drinking cider is one of the worst drink choices for me, given that I have candida overgrowth.  She said the combination of the alcohol and sugar would be very likely to worsen my candida problem.  She suggested that if I drink, I go for clear vodka, either neat or with a splash of cranberry.   So in summary, I am giving ciders a rest.  Whether it's a gluten risk or sugars and yeast overgrowth, its just not worth it.
    • Inkie
      Tea Bags and Gluten

      By Inkie · Posted

      Thank you for the information ill will definitely bring it into practice .
    • Scott Adams
      Tea Bags and Gluten

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      While plain, pure tea leaves (black, green, or white) are naturally gluten-free, the issue often lies not with the tea itself but with other ingredients or processing. Many flavored teas use barley malt or other gluten-containing grains as a flavoring agent, which would be clearly listed on the ingredient label. Cross-contamination is another possibility, either in the facility where the tea is processed or, surprisingly, from the tea bag material itself—some tea bags are sealed with a wheat-based glue. Furthermore, it's important to consider that your reaction could be to other substances in tea, such as high levels of tannins, which can be hard on the stomach, or to natural histamines or other compounds that can cause a non-celiac immune response. The best way to investigate is to carefully read labels for hidden ingredients, try switching to a certified gluten-free tea brand that uses whole leaf or pyramid-style bags, and see if the reaction persists.
    • Scott Adams
      Inconclusive results

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      This is a challenging and confusing situation. The combination of a positive EMA—which is a highly specific marker rarely yielding false positives—alongside strongly elevated TTG on two separate occasions, years apart, is profoundly suggestive of celiac disease, even in the absence of biopsy damage. This pattern strongly aligns with what is known as "potential celiac disease," where the immune system is clearly activated, but intestinal damage has not yet become visible under the microscope. Your concern about the long-term risk of continued gluten consumption is valid, especially given your family's experience with the consequences of delayed diagnosis. Since your daughter is now at an age where her buy-in is essential for a gluten-free lifestyle, obtaining a definitive answer is crucial for her long-term adherence and health. Given that she is asymptomatic yet serologically positive, a third biopsy now, after a proper 12-week challenge, offers the best chance to capture any microscopic damage that may have developed, providing the concrete evidence needed to justify the dietary change. This isn't about wanting her to have celiac; it's about wanting to prevent the insidious damage that can occur while waiting for symptoms to appear, and ultimately giving her the unambiguous "why" she needs to accept and commit to the necessary treatment. This article might be helpful. It breaks down each type of test, and what a positive results means in terms of the probability that you might have celiac disease. One test that always needs to be done is the IgA Levels/Deficiency Test (often called "Total IGA") because some people are naturally IGA deficient, and if this is the case, then certain blood tests for celiac disease might be false-negative, and other types of tests need to be done to make an accurate diagnosis. The article includes the "Mayo Clinic Protocol," which is the best overall protocol for results to be ~98% accurate.    
×
×
  • 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.