New Here And Question About Enterolab Results

[lanam80]

Hi everyone

I'm new here. Just today recieved my enterolab results.

I have definite gluten sensitivity (yaay! I seriously felt like celebrating. I feel vindicated.) and my number was quite high :

Gluten Sensitivity Stool Test

Fecal Antigliadin IgA 150 (Normal Range <10 Units)

With a number that high and autoimmune thyroid disorder, would you consider yourself celiac? or "just" gluten sensitive? I've seen lots of posts with WAY lower numbers than that. Has me wondering how much possible damage is done on my intestines.

I really do want a definitive answer. I dont' want to go around saying I'm celiac if I'm not, but I also don't want to minimize it by saying 'sensitive' or 'intolerant' you know?

I am going to stay gluten -free though, just this is sooo new to everyone around me, they act like still it's not a 'big deal'.

Thanks in advance.

M

[GlutenWrangler]

Your high number only indicates that your body responded to gluten by releasing A LOT of antibodies. It could just be the way your body responds to gluten, but it does not indicate how severe your condition is. Personally, I really don't think that there's a difference between Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity. My opinion is that Celiac Disease is just a more advanced case of Gluten Sensitivity. Either way, you have to be gluten-free. So it really doesn't make much of a difference. Good luck,

-Brian

[ravenwoodglass]

Brian put it so well I don't have anything to add other than agreement.

[Panopticism]

Well, I dunno about the similarity between the two... wouldn't gluten sensitivity be more of a... sensitivity, intolerance, inability to digest, etc.

Whereas, Celiac Disease is where your liver goes into fight mode and releases antibodies and tries to fight gluten, thinking it's a seriously harmful intruder?

I always just assumed that, from a scientific standpoint, gluten sensitivity was like lactose intolerance. I haven't heard of too many people dying in their 50s from cancer that was probably related to damage done to the intestines as a result of lactose intolerance...?

This does appear to be happening with Celiac disease.

Please, correct me if I'm wrong.

[mftnchn]

My caution would be that Enterolab does not diagnose celiac. Gluten sensitivity can be caused by other things besides celiac, and could be temporary or not depending on the cause. So I think it is wise to keep that in mind, especially if the gluten-free does not result in a complete resolution of your health concerns. There are some on the board who have discovered other causes and are no longer gluten-free.

I have a clinical diagnosis of celiac, since I didn't have blood tests or biopsy. I have kept my diagnosis tentative in my mind while still being very careful about being gluten-free in every way. 11 months out, my doctors and I are convinced, and I am now confortable about telling people I am celiac.

In my case, with people I was close to, I explained more about the process of discovery and trial of the diet. With others, I just said I was celiac or said that I am very sensitive to gluten and have to strictly avoid it.