Can Low Iron Cause False Results?

[sazzie]

Hi,

Sorry for more questions but now i am more confused than before!

I had a blood test and my ferratin (?) level was quite low (20-120 being normal mine was 10)

I tested weakly positive on my blood test for celiacs:

EMA was weak

ttg level was 5 with anything <5 being neg.

I went and saw the specialist today and he basically told me that there was only a very very small chance that i had celiac, and seemed more concerned about the fact that i had low iron than the results of the above tests.

He commented that it was probably from being pregnant that my iron stores were still low questioned me about how much meat i ate, did i take iron tablets ect... he said that my low iron could have skewed things up. however i didnt think iron had anything to do with the blood tests?

So would my low iron levels cause the above tests to be wrong?

I have no symptoms at all and according to the local hospital i am looking at at least a 10month wait for the biopsy, however if the above test can be wrong i really dont want to do a biopsy.

If the above levels are that low would anything even show up on a biopsy anyway?

if my biopsy is negative why would i have a weak ema test? As from what i have read there is basically no way that test can be wrong?

what do you think?

Thank you for your replys,

Lisa

[dollamasgetceliac?]

I am new at this , but I am reading Dr. Peter Green's book Celiac Disease a hidden epidemic , what I gather from his book that after a pregnancy a n existing predisposition for Celiac can start with varying symptoms: one of which is Anemia, which i had as well. I was told to eat steak and always with orange juice for better absorbtion and was put on Iron suplaments. the symptoms went away. Not untill now I have severe abdominal pain, Migrains you name it ! all seems to be related to Celiacs ,I tested negative a few times and now suddenly it is positive.

[Ursa Major]

First of all, your doctor didn't do the whole celiac disease panel when he did the tests. But your ttg level being so high certainly means something!

Anemia is one of the most common celiac disease symptoms. If your celiac disease was just triggered recently, the damage to your villi may not have progressed to where your blood work would be positive, and neither would a biopsy.

Have you tried the gluten-free diet? If you find an obvious improvement in your health by being on the gluten-free diet, you would really have your answer. Low iron is the result of malabsorption of essential nutrients and won't really be fixed until you fix the cause. Which may be celiac disease.

I wouldn't wait for a biopsy to try the gluten-free diet. But that is me, and you will have to make your own decision. Just know that if it is celiac disease a few months can make a huge difference as to how sick you will get if you keep eating gluten.

Nobody can make you eat gluten, you don't have to do what your doctor says, it is your own decision.