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How Long Does Blood Testing Take?

Presto

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Presto Rookie
Presto
Posted

I had blood drawn two weeks ago today. No word yet from my doctor. How long do these tests take to come back with some kind of result? I sent one email two days ago asking for an update, but no response...

Darn it! I want to know!

The doc told me she thought we'd know something by the next week, but now it's been two weeks. I couldn't stand how I was feeling so I quit the gluten again. I won't go back on it. So if this is negative I can send off for some Enterolab testing, but it would sure be nice to know before I spend the money myself.

I had the TTg IgA done only. Now I know I should have gone in better informed and asked for at least a total IgA as well.

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Gemini Experienced
Gemini
Posted
I had blood drawn two weeks ago today. No word yet from my doctor. How long do these tests take to come back with some kind of result? I sent one email two days ago asking for an update, but no response...

Darn it! I want to know!

The doc told me she thought we'd know something by the next week, but now it's been two weeks. I couldn't stand how I was feeling so I quit the gluten again. I won't go back on it. So if this is negative I can send off for some Enterolab testing, but it would sure be nice to know before I spend the money myself.

I had the TTg IgA done only. Now I know I should have gone in better informed and asked for at least a total IgA as well.

It only took 3 days for my blood work to come back but my doctor rushed it because I was so sick. Different labs have different processing times but you should definitely have had results by now, especially since you have contacted them. I am afraid, though, that the one test they did is not going to be enough. A FULL Celiac panel needs to be done because sometimes one test will read normal and others will be off. You just cannot diagnose celiac disease with the tTg alone. Plus, an elevated tTg is indicative of other autoimmune problems so if the other tests in the panel are not done, and the tTg comes back elevated, it could be something else besides celiac disease, like Hashimoto's thyroiditis, for one. The other tests in the panel will show more specificity.

My husband's doctor is pulling the same crap with us and I am starting to become a jerk about it. It's pretty pathetic when you have to tell a doctor how to do his job correctly! :angry: If your tTg comes back in the normal range, your doctor will tell you that you don't have celiac disease and that may not be true.

Presto Rookie
Presto
Posted
  • Author

Yes, I requested a full celiac panel, but apparently this particular lab will run these tests individually, perhaps to keep costs down. So she ordered only the one test. She told me we'd run this one and see what the results are and go from there. I went in there asking for an endoscopy, and she didn't believe I knew what it entailed! I wanted a doctor's answer in order to convince the rest of my family. I already know I can't tolerate it anymore, and I couldn't keep poisoning myself waiting for test results which have taken a lot longer than I thought they would anyway.

I am much more well informed than I was when I went in two weeks ago. Yet even then I thought I knew more than this doctor when she said I would need to open my mind to considering that this could just be IBS. Now I know just how underinformed she is. Grrr.

I had terrible brain fog lately and have had anxiety my whole life, yet both of these mysteriously disappeared when I ditched the gluten. Hmmmm.... Yeah, just IBS. /sarcasm

No anxiety!!? I still can't get over it! *happy dance*

Snow Angel Newbie
Snow Angel
Posted

Call the lab - they can fax it, mail it or tell you on the phone (get ranges). I cc myself on all my labs so they get mailed to my house...the quest near me say's I can stop in and pick up a copy of the report, but I haven't needed to do that.

Presto Rookie
Presto
Posted
  • Author
Call the lab - they can fax it, mail it or tell you on the phone (get ranges). I cc myself on all my labs so they get mailed to my house...the quest near me say's I can stop in and pick up a copy of the report, but I haven't needed to do that.

That is a good idea. I have coverage through Group Health Cooperative, so it may take some digging to find out who to contact. They want everyone to go through the proper channels of course.

Thank you!

I'll definitely post here when I know something more.

Presto Rookie
Presto
Posted
  • Author

I bugged the right person, and got my results back today. Finally. With an apology. "Well, it was negative, so no alert was issued..."

I had been inadvertantly gluten free for about a month when I reglutened myself with horrible consequences. With a little googling I found this site and many others that describe everything that was wrong with me, why the particular diet I was on had helped me, and why I felt so sh!tty now.

I immediately quit eating gluten, but then decided I needed some confirmation through testing so I went back on it. I got a surprisingly quick appointment for a blood draw and had only been back on gluten for two days when they took blood. I explained to the doctor that I expected a false negative, and she told me that was impossible. I already knew better, but she didn't want to hear it. An antibody is always there, so it won't go away if you quit eating a food, she says. We know better here, don't we?

Anyway, here's my results after being mostly gluten free for more than a month with two days of reexposure before blood draw:

TISSUE TRANSGLUTAMINASE, IGA

4.93 0 - 20 UNITS Fin

Comment:

Less than 20 units ..... NEGATIVE

20 - 30 units .......... Weak Positive

Greater than 30 units .. Moderate to Strong Posit

There we go. Now I've seen some people on some sites say that ANY reaction is a bad thing, so this confirms in my mind that I don't need the poison in my diet. Plus, my subjective experience on the diet is really all the confirmation I need.

Off to Enterolabs! I do still want something concrete to convince family members with similar symptoms. Because my subjective experience isn't good enough evidence for anyone else to quit eating "all those yummy foods. What a hassle that would be!"

ohsotired Enthusiast
ohsotired
Posted

Presto,

While you're at it, I'd be looking for a new doctor. :blink:

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Snow Angel Newbie
Snow Angel
Posted
I explained to the doctor that I expected a false negative, and she told me that was impossible. I already knew better, but she didn't want to hear it. An antibody is always there, so it won't go away if you quit eating a food, she says. We know better here, don't we?

Anyway, here's my results after being mostly gluten free for more than a month with two days of reexposure before blood draw:

TISSUE TRANSGLUTAMINASE, IGA

4.93 0 - 20 UNITS Fin

We don't know if your IgA deficient, I have 5 IgA & still made 5 antibodies to tTg IgA. I know what all of them are up to...lol

You might have had a shot showing tTG IgG after a month, (it may be still high - idk), but IgA goes down real quick. It is very sad when the patient knows more then the dr. You should find a competent gastro, they can see other things (anemia, nutrient deficiencies) in your past labs. Get more tests if you need too.

lizard00 Enthusiast
lizard00
Posted
I explained to the doctor that I expected a false negative, and she told me that was impossible. I already knew better, but she didn't want to hear it. An antibody is always there, so it won't go away if you quit eating a food, she says. We know better here, don't we?

That's exactly what the PA that took my blood said. "We're checking for antibodies, they're always in your blood." How did I know my panel was going to be negative? B)

Despite that, I go to the same GP (NOT the PA) because I really like her. I just refuse to see the PA. But my GP sent me to a wonderful GI, and that has really made the difference.

And just to echo another poster: I am IgA deficient. Which is why my bloodwork showed up negative. And of course she didn't order the IgG version. It's not uncommon, and to be IgA deficient is no big deal. Unless you want to be tested for Celiac.

My GI ended up doing the gene test and using that with my dietary response to give me a dx. It may be worth checking into.

  • 3 years later...
elf-princess1210 Newbie
elf-princess1210
Posted

It ever hurts to seek a second opinion, but asking for a referral to a GI doctor is always the best idea. GPs are just that: General Practitioners. A good one will refer you to a specialist for accurate diagnosis.

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