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

Blood Test And No Endoscopy?

hilwacat

Recommended Posts

hilwacat Rookie
hilwacat
Posted

My doctor diagnosed me with Celiac based on positive Endomysial AB and Transglutaminase IGA tests. She told me that the results were virtually 100% accurate and that I do not need further testing, but when I look online it seems like a lot of websites advise endoscopy for diagnosis.

Did anyone else only have blood work and not an endoscopy? I guess I am hoping that it is all a big mistake...

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Rachel--24 Collaborator
Rachel--24
Posted

With both of those tests being positive there is really no reason to go through with a biopsy. The positive EMA and tTG is enough for an official diagnosis.

The biopsy can be false negative because damage can be "patchy".....if samples are taken from an unaffected area you can have a false negative. A negative biopsy does not rule out Celiac Disease.

Since you've got the positive bloodwork a biopsy is not necessary.

S-J-L Apprentice
S-J-L
Posted

I had both positive blood work and biopsies. I have heard the biopsies can be negative because its a patchy disease also. The main reason they do the biopsies is that not too many people want to go gluten free unless they absolutely have to. It changes your whole life style.

disneyfan Apprentice
disneyfan
Posted
My doctor diagnosed me with Celiac based on positive Endomysial AB and Transglutaminase IGA tests. She told me that the results were virtually 100% accurate and that I do not need further testing, but when I look online it seems like a lot of websites advise endoscopy for diagnosis.

Did anyone else only have blood work and not an endoscopy? I guess I am hoping that it is all a big mistake...

I'm so glad you said this because I feel much better now! My endo did the TTG test first since he said that was the screening test. That was positive so he ordered the EMA which came back positive also. I did make an appointment with a Gastro Dr and was disgusted. He did not believe that I had any gluten problems and said I had convinced myself that those foods were bad for me.

I decided that I felt horrible enough to go gluten free without his diagnosis and it was the best decision I made. My blood work now shows I am absorbing my calcium, Vit D, anemia is gone, and my thyroid meds have been lowered as well.

I felt much better within a week of going gluten free. I probably should have pursued an endoscope to be sure but so many reports say if they don't get the right spot in the biopsy, you will get a negative biopsy. I chose not to do this and follow the diet.

It's been a little over a year and you couldn't pay me to eat a piece of bread or cracker!

Leslie-FL Rookie
Leslie-FL
Posted
I'm so glad you said this because I feel much better now! My endo did the TTG test first since he said that was the screening test. That was positive so he ordered the EMA which came back positive also. I did make an appointment with a Gastro Dr and was disgusted. He did not believe that I had any gluten problems and said I had convinced myself that those foods were bad for me.

What a horrible doctor!! Especially with the positive bloodwork having brought you there. It's good that you went forward and tried eating gluten free for your own peace of mind. You're feeling better already and showing documented improvement in your health. Good for you, for doing what is right for you!

Can these blood tests be done with an accurate result after a person is gluten free for a year? I'd like to check into it with my doctor, just because an official diagnosis might be a good thing if, for instance, I were ever hospitalized and needed it noted in my records for the meals to be gluten free, but I don't want a diagnosis badly enough to start eating gluten again.

bakinghomesteader Contributor
bakinghomesteader
Posted

I had positive blood work and with the positive diet response and the positive ttg from enterolab, my doctor gave me the diagnosis without endo. I said, with positive blood work, I really don't want to have to go through an endo. We agreed that the end results would be a gluten free diet anyway. So no endo.

hilwacat Rookie
hilwacat
Posted
  • Author

That makes sense, but I wonder if positive blood tests can mean only gluten sensitivity, not Celiac disease. One is so much more serious than the other.

Does anyone know if these positive blood tests can mean just gluten sensitivity w/o Celiac disease?

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


aikiducky Apprentice
aikiducky
Posted

If you have a positive TTg and EmA, you are making antibodies against your own tissue. That to me spells celiac.

If you want to know whether or not there is damage to your intestine, you should do the endoscopy. No one can stop you from going gluten free after that whether or not it's positive, but then you'd know. I'm not necessarily saying that everybody always should have biopsies done. Just a point to consider I think.

Leslie-FL, no, blood work after a year gluten free would not be reliable at all. Some people do still show antibodies after a year but the chance is not very high I think.

Pauliina

Rachel--24 Collaborator
Rachel--24
Posted
That makes sense, but I wonder if positive blood tests can mean only gluten sensitivity, not Celiac disease.

No, the positive antibodies indicate an autoimmune condition....not a sensitivity.

Archived

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

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


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,916
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    kls888
    Newest Member
    kls888
    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

    • knitty kitty
      Help I’m cross contaminating myself,

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      I followed the Autoimmune Protocol Diet which is really strict for a while, but later other foods can be added back into your diet.  Following the AIP diet strictly allows you digestive system to heal and the inflammation to calm down.  Sort of like feeding a sick baby easy to digest food instead of spicy pizza.   It's important to get the inflammation down because chronic inflammation leads to other health problems.  Histamine is released as part of the autoimmune response to gluten.  High histamine levels make you feel bad and can cause breathing problems (worsening asthma), cardiovascular problems (tachycardia), and other autoimmune diseases (Hashimoto's thyroiditis, diabetes) and even mental health problems. Following the low histamine version of the AIP diet allows the body to clear the histamine from our bodies.  Some foods are high in histamine.  Avoiding these makes it easier for our bodies to clear the histamine released after a gluten exposure.   Vitamin D helps regulate the immune system and calm it down.  Vitamin D is frequently low in Celiacs.  The B Complex vitamins and Vitamin C are needed to clear histamine.   Supplementing with essential vitamins and minerals boosts your intestines' ability to absorb them while healing.   Keep in mind that gluten-free facsimile foods, like gluten-free bread, are not enriched with added vitamins like their gluten containing counterparts are.   They are empty calories, no nutritional value, which use up your B vitamins in order to turn the calories into fuel for the body to function.   Talk to your doctor or nutritionist about supplementing while healing.  Take a good B Complex and extra Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine (shown to promote gut health).  Most B Complex vitamins contain thiamine mononitrate which the body cannot utilize.  Meats and liver are good sources of B vitamins.   Dr. Sarah Ballantyne wrote the book, the Paleo Approach.  She's a Celiac herself.  Her book explains a lot.   I'm so glad you're feeling better and finding your balance!
    • klmgarland
      Help I’m cross contaminating myself,

      By klmgarland · Posted

      So I should not eat my gluten free bread?  I will try the vitamins.  Thank you all so very much for your ideas and understanding.  I'm feeling better today and have gathered back my composure!
    • knitty kitty
      Taking Probiotics but Still Getting Sick After Gluten – Advice?

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Some people prefer eating gluten before bed, then sleeping through the worst symptoms at night.  You might want to try that and see if that makes any difference.   Several slices of toast for breakfast sounds okay.  Just try to work up to the Ten grams of gluten.  Cookies might only have a half of a gram of gluten.  The weight of the whole cookie is not the same as the amount of gluten in it.  So do try to eat bread things with big bubbles, like cinnamon rolls.   Yeah, I'm familiar with the "death warmed over" feeling.  I hope you get the genetic test results quickly.  I despise how we have to make ourselves sick to get a diagnosis.  Hang in there, sweetie, the tribe is supporting you.  
    • Clear2me
      Gluten free nuts

      By Clear2me · Posted

      Thank you, a little expensive but glad to have this source. 
    • Xravith
      Taking Probiotics but Still Getting Sick After Gluten – Advice?

      By Xravith · Posted

      @knitty kitty  Thank you very much for the advice. I did the exam this morning, my doctor actually suggested me to take something called "Celiac duo test" in which I first do the genetic test and if it's positive, then I'll have to do the antigen blood test. I have to attend 1 month until my results are ready, so I have some weeks to increase the amount of gluten I eat daily. It will be hard because my health is not the best right now, but I also did a blood test to cheek my nutritional deficiencies. The results will arrive on Tuesday, so I can ask my doctor what should I do to control my symptoms and blood levels during this month. For now I'm resting and paying attention to what I eat— at least I don’t look like a vampire who just woke up, like I did yesterday. I'm still scared because is the first time I've felt this sick, but this is the right moment to turn things around for the better.  I realized that if I eat gluten at lunch I cannot finish the day properly, I become severely tired and sometimes my stomach hurts a lot - let's not talk about the bloating that starts later. Do you think is it ok to eat gluten just in the morning, like some cookies and slices of bread for breakfast? 
×
×
  • 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.