My Sons Labwork

[Joni63]

Heres the story:

For about 2 months my son has complained of stomach aches, dizziness and can't handle when too many things are happening at once around him. He has these totally miserable times when nothing will cause him to behave properly or cooperate, luckily it has always been at home. His grades in school have declined and he is completely frustrated and wants to stay home all the time.

At first we thought there was a problem on the bus or in school with other kids, and then we realized something else must be going on.

Took him to the PCP and had an abdominal x-ray, Celiac panel, and A1C. The last two were agreed upon by the PCP, but he didn't really think they were necessary.

Anyway, here are the numbers:

Antigliadin Abs, AgA 1, normal 0-4

Antigliadin Abs, AgG 16(high), normal 0-9

t-Transglutaminase tTG IgA, 1, normal 0-3

t-transglutminase tTG IgG, Negative

Endomysial Antibody IgA, Negative

The PCP wasn't sure what to make of the results and didn't know if it meant he had Celiac or not. He told me to try the diet and we would retest his blood to see if the results change in a couple months. He would Dx Celiac based on those things.

What do you experts think? Does he have Celiac?

I think I'm in denial and just not quite ready to accept it yet. He's only 8!

I need some major support/advice right now...thanks.

[Lisa]

Hey Joni:

HUGS to YOU!!!!

I am not good with numbers and testing, but here is some information that may help.

Open Original Shared Link

[Lisa]

Open Original Shared Link

Here is some information from a previous thread (2006).

[fedora]

well, everything was negative except the antigliadin IgG test. This can be high for other reasons besides celiac. However a negative test can not rule out celiac.

I know it is hard with a child. I have been dealing with my daughter,7, and this.

I hope the diet helps him, cause then he will feel better. Your lucky his dr would diagnose so easily. The PA who I took my dr to dismissed celiac after running only ONE of the blood tests(I requested them all) and it being negative. Luckily my doctor is not that way. I am taking her to him from now on.

[tipnpat]

Hi,

Was a total IgA included with the lab work? If he has an IgA deficiency then the other tests would be inaccurate. That should be done with the other celiac labs.

Tipton

[AndrewNYC]

"not being able to handle too many things going on around him"

This could be interpreted as a way of self describing a neurological problem caused by celiac disease. I would do everything in my power to keep him on a gluten free diet for awhile to see if this problem improves.

Heres the story:

For about 2 months my son has complained of stomach aches, dizziness and can't handle when too many things are happening at once around him. He has these totally miserable times when nothing will cause him to behave properly or cooperate, luckily it has always been at home. His grades in school have declined and he is completely frustrated and wants to stay home all the time.

At first we thought there was a problem on the bus or in school with other kids, and then we realized something else must be going on.

Took him to the PCP and had an abdominal x-ray, Celiac panel, and A1C. The last two were agreed upon by the PCP, but he didn't really think they were necessary.

Anyway, here are the numbers:

Antigliadin Abs, AgA 1, normal 0-4

Antigliadin Abs, AgG 16(high), normal 0-9

t-Transglutaminase tTG IgA, 1, normal 0-3

t-transglutminase tTG IgG, Negative

Endomysial Antibody IgA, Negative

The PCP wasn't sure what to make of the results and didn't know if it meant he had Celiac or not. He told me to try the diet and we would retest his blood to see if the results change in a couple months. He would Dx Celiac based on those things.

What do you experts think? Does he have Celiac?

I think I'm in denial and just not quite ready to accept it yet. He's only 8!

I need some major support/advice right now...thanks.

[Joni63]

Hey Joni:

HUGS to YOU!!!!

I am not good with numbers and testing, but here is some information that may help.

Open Original Shared Link

Thank you for your hugs and links, Momma Goose. I just can't understand the medical jargon about the Celiac panel. I'm sure in time I will learn.

well, everything was negative except the antigliadin IgG test. This can be high for other reasons besides celiac. However a negative test can not rule out celiac.

I know it is hard with a child. I have been dealing with my daughter,7, and this.

I hope the diet helps him, cause then he will feel better. Your lucky his dr would diagnose so easily. The PA who I took my dr to dismissed celiac after running only ONE of the blood tests(I requested them all) and it being negative. Luckily my doctor is not that way. I am taking her to him from now on.

Do you know what other things the antigliadin IgG test would be positive for? I need to do some research, but honestly the tests and their names confuse me when I try to read about them.

Hi,

Was a total IgA included with the lab work? If he has an IgA deficiency then the other tests would be inaccurate. That should be done with the other celiac labs.

Tipton

No, unfortunately total IgA wasn't included. Would the results be the same if he is on the gluten free diet for a couple months and then retested. Should total IgA be included at that point and would it still show a deficiency after he is gluten free?

"not being able to handle too many things going on around him"

This could be interpreted as a way of self describing a neurological problem caused by celiac disease. I would do everything in my power to keep him on a gluten free diet for awhile to see if this problem improves.

Yes, that is what's happening. If I tell him to get his shoes on a and brush his teeth before school, he tells me that's too many things to do. He also is really sensitive and distracted in school and can't seem to focus on getting his work done.

Most of my symptoms were neurological and now that I think about it he has times when he's just angry. I felt that way also, prior to going gluten free.

He just has so many things coming up, a soccer tournament this weekend and then tryouts for a traveling soccer team. I didn't know when to start the diet, but he insists on doing it tomorrow. Pretty mature since he just found out about it after school Tuesday. So I told him he can stay home from school and we will go shopping to pick out some things he can try.

[tipnpat]

Do you know what other things the antigliadin IgG test would be positive for? I need to do some research, but honestly the tests and their names confuse me when I try to read about them.

IgG is the most common of the immunoglobulins in the blood. I'm not sure exactly what all would make it elevated but my son had elevated IgG's for soy, milk, eggs, corn, and wheat and when we took him off those things his behavior, which was much like your son's, improved.

No, unfortunately total IgA wasn't included. Would the results be the same if he is on the gluten free diet for a couple months and then retested. Should total IgA be included at that point and would it still show a deficiency after he is gluten free?

I think it would still be accurate because unlike the Antigliadin IgA it isn't testing only for IgA to gliadin it's testing for the total amount of IgA in the body. Do a google search on total IgA or IgA deficiency. I found lot's of info that way.

Yes, that is what's happening. If I tell him to get his shoes on a and brush his teeth before school, he tells me that's too many things to do. He also is really sensitive and distracted in school and can't seem to focus on getting his work done.

Most of my symptoms were neurological and now that I think about it he has times when he's just angry. I felt that way also, prior to going gluten free.

Both me and my son have neurological/psyche problems when we ingest gluten and/or casein. I'm so grouchy and become enraged so easily as does my son. So, when I tell people I feel so much better that I would never go back to eating gluten it isn't purely physical. I need to be able to live with my parenting skills.

Focusing on the neurological problems has made me ignore the actual GI problems of my 6 year old. Now I'm like, "Holy cow! Do we all have it or do I have Munchausen By-Proxy?"

[fedora]

Both me and my son have neurological/psyche problems when we ingest gluten and/or casein. I'm so grouchy and become enraged so easily as does my son. So, when I tell people I feel so much better that I would never go back to eating gluten it isn't purely physical. I need to be able to live with my parenting skills.

Me too. The thing I hate about my intolerance is how it made me a worse mother It just breaks my heart. I felt like I was having a fight or flight response often. My dr. said I have an overactive immune response. He was right. Now I feel much better and calmer.

Bellyfat(sorry),

Total IGA should have been run. You can check with the drs and see. Even though they only ran the TtG test on my daughter they also ran the total IGA. It was low but not deficient, but when I talked to the nurse at Enterolab and gave her my daughter's blood total IGA, she said my daughter was a poor producer and it could definately effect her tests. If his IGA is low or nonexistant than only IgG tests can be useful. I don't know if they are effected after be off gluten for awhile.

Gluten IgG results can be high from celiac, gluten "allergy", and leaky gut.

Has he had a gene test?

I also would get easily overwhelmed by too many things and too much noise. I have three kids. I felt like such a weak person, like maybe I wasn't equipped to be a mom. I can't believe how much better I feel. There were so many many times where I felt I was barely on the sane side and only a step or two from crazy. It is so sad to watch my own daughter tweak out at times. She is gluten free again now, only day 2, but we are hopeful.

Good luck, we hope he gets better

[dollamasgetceliac?]

I was just wondering how bad are the stomach aches? Is he doubeled over? Because that will make a huge differance. i also was told by a nurse once that your doctor should have tested you for all the blood work 9 i wound up having Pancratitis and I do not drink) also his liver Enzymes should be tested. The dizziness seems a seriouss thing. i also wonder about food Allergies and Anaphylaxis ( excuse my spelling) There are sooooo many kids becoming Allergic to food ( there are 8 in the USA and 9 in Europe) . The FAAN is a good website to go to about that , and then the Mayoclinic.com is a good one for simptom checker , If I wew you I would demand that an Allergist and GI doc see him now. ( The most common foods that people are allergic to are ( Wheat, Milk , Soy.Fish, Shellfish, Peanuts and tree nuts and sesame seeds in Europe... sorry I am forgetting one?)

Best wishes

[Joni63]

IgG is the most common of the immunoglobulins in the blood. I'm not sure exactly what all would make it elevated but my son had elevated IgG's for soy, milk, eggs, corn, and wheat and when we took him off those things his behavior, which was much like your son's, improved.

I think it would still be accurate because unlike the Antigliadin IgA it isn't testing only for IgA to gliadin it's testing for the total amount of IgA in the body. Do a google search on total IgA or IgA deficiency. I found lot's of info that way.

Both me and my son have neurological/psyche problems when we ingest gluten and/or casein. I'm so grouchy and become enraged so easily as does my son. So, when I tell people I feel so much better that I would never go back to eating gluten it isn't purely physical. I need to be able to live with my parenting skills.

Focusing on the neurological problems has made me ignore the actual GI problems of my 6 year old. Now I'm like, "Holy cow! Do we all have it or do I have Munchausen By-Proxy?"

Thank you for the information about IgG and total IgA. He will be tested again in 3 months and I will make sure these tests are included.

I also have these funky neuro symptoms. As I'm healing I'm figuring out more and more wierd neuro symptoms that are going away or already gone. I just read in another thread about a poster who's eye swells after injesting gluten. That happens to me and my vision becomes doubled. I also get the grouchy, miserable, mean feelings. I totally understand what your saying about it affecting parenting skills, it causes very low tolerance to typical children behavior.

Me too. The thing I hate about my intolerance is how it made me a worse mother It just breaks my heart. I felt like I was having a fight or flight response often. My dr. said I have an overactive immune response. He was right. Now I feel much better and calmer.

Bellyfat(sorry),

Total IGA should have been run. You can check with the drs and see. Even though they only ran the TtG test on my daughter they also ran the total IGA. It was low but not deficient, but when I talked to the nurse at Enterolab and gave her my daughter's blood total IGA, she said my daughter was a poor producer and it could definately effect her tests. If his IGA is low or nonexistant than only IgG tests can be useful. I don't know if they are effected after be off gluten for awhile.

Gluten IgG results can be high from celiac, gluten "allergy", and leaky gut.

Has he had a gene test?

I also would get easily overwhelmed by too many things and too much noise. I have three kids. I felt like such a weak person, like maybe I wasn't equipped to be a mom. I can't believe how much better I feel. There were so many many times where I felt I was barely on the sane side and only a step or two from crazy. It is so sad to watch my own daughter tweak out at times. She is gluten free again now, only day 2, but we are hopeful.

Good luck, we hope he gets better

Thank you fedora. LOL, about the Bellyfat comment. I have felt the same way as you about being a mom. It amazes me how much better and more patient I am now. My kids have even made comments that I'm a lot nicer. It's ashame gluten can mess us up so badly.

No, he didn't have the gene test. My sister and I both have Celiac so I figured trying the diet would be the best option for now.

LOL, about the Bellyfat comment. I was so bloated when I joined this forum it was all I could think of and I totally felt miserable so I picked that name. It's awful and I should get a new user name because it's so negative.

Good luck with your daughter going gluten free again. I think it's hard for them in the beginning. Hopefully it will bring positive results for you.

My son had a couple slip ups today, but I tried not to make a big deal out of it. He had chili and baked potato from Wendy's and ate the cracker they gave him before I realized what he had. (we were eating on the road). Tonight he also reached into a bag of pretzels that my daughter was eating and didn't realize they weren't gluten free. But overall it was a good start because I have to realize he has a huge learning curve to go through. He's used to eating whatever without thinking, that's going to take a while to change.

I was just wondering how bad are the stomach aches? Is he doubeled over? Because that will make a huge differance. i also was told by a nurse once that your doctor should have tested you for all the blood work 9 i wound up having Pancratitis and I do not drink) also his liver Enzymes should be tested. The dizziness seems a seriouss thing. i also wonder about food Allergies and Anaphylaxis ( excuse my spelling) There are sooooo many kids becoming Allergic to food ( there are 8 in the USA and 9 in Europe) . The FAAN is a good website to go to about that , and then the Mayoclinic.com is a good one for simptom checker , If I wew you I would demand that an Allergist and GI doc see him now. ( The most common foods that people are allergic to are ( Wheat, Milk , Soy.Fish, Shellfish, Peanuts and tree nuts and sesame seeds in Europe... sorry I am forgetting one?)

Best wishes

Hi dollamasgetceliac,

His stomach aches are not bad like that. Just annoying, not so bad he will stop activity because he can ignore it. That was exactly what I used to do.

I honestly think the dizziness is the brain fog we get from Celiac. I tried to get him to describe it and he said it's kind of like he has blurry vision, but can still read and do math work. That description is so similar to what I had. His just seems to be happening at a much earlier age.

I will keep all those things in mind and get more tests if he doesn't improve with the diet.

Thank you for the links and things to consider.

[Joni63]

I just realized i didn't post another result:

Immunoglobulin A, Qn, Serum 53, normal 34-305

Is this total IGA? Would this result show a deficiency?

[amimartinez2004]

I have read it is best not to start the diet until after getting a biopsy, but unfortunately i didn tknow that to begin with so my children have never seen a specialist only a pediatrician and they had the blood test once which she says does not say that they do or dont have celiac even though their tests came out abnormal it just says they may have it now and if they dont' they might get it later. She also diagnosed them through the diet although i wish they would have had a biopsy to be sure. Its too late now i believe

[vmlehtonen]

I just realized i didn't post another result:

Immunoglobulin A, Qn, Serum 53, normal 34-305

Is this total IGA? Would this result show a deficiency?

That looks like a total IgA count (I think the Qn is Qunantitative), although he doesn't look deficient, it looks on the low side. I am going through a problem with my daughter, she has a few symptoms, not many, but she is IgA deficient (her IgA Quantitative was <5 and normal is 34-305) She is severely IgA deficient. And when the doctor ordered her tests, he only did IgG AGA, not IgG TtG. They told me that her results were NORMAL and they weren't sure why her IgG AGA came back high (hers was 22 and normal is 0-10 at our lab)! I told them I was worried about this number and the doctor agreed to send me to a gastroenterologist after I pressured him to find out the answers to my questions, so I am sure the gastro will order further testing. Have you ever looked at DS bowel movements? I have been speaking to a woman from a support group, and she suggested I watch those and report them to the doctor when I see the doctor next. I noticed she has some cloudy stuff floating in the water, it didn't look like grease, it was cloudy/whitish fluid; I wonder if it is mucus, it wasn't very thick......anyways, they say that if the BM floats, that is a sign. I hope this helps a bit......we are in the process of all this bloodwork, so we will see what happens!

Vickie

[ShayFL]

His IgA is very low. I always question these ranges 34 all the way up to 305. That is quite a range!! So here is my thinking. Let's say someone has IgA of 250 and they are celiac. They are capable of producing A LOT of antibodies. So they get a celiac panel and it comes back positive.

But then you have a celiac who has IgA of 40. They are reacting to the gluten/gliadin, but their bodies are not capable of producing hardly any antibodies. So they get a (1) on an IgA antibody test which is "normal". Meanwhile, the gluten/gliadin is damaging tissue.

Just my thinking.....