Can Someone Interpret My Test Result?

[driedupfish]

I had a free screening at the University of Chicago and here is the result:

Anti- Human Tissue Transglutaminase igA ELISA :

Value: 0.1 U/ml

Reference Range: <4.0 U/ml

The result stated: Less than 4 is negative / Greater than 4 is positive

Since my result is that low, does that mean most likely I am not gluten intolerant?

[Mother of Jibril]

What has your diet been like... lots of gluten, gluten-lite, gluten-free...?

I had exactly the same value on my ttG after being gluten-free for six weeks. I can't say for sure that I have celiac disease (that my intestines were being damaged by an autoimmune reaction to gluten), but I do have one of the genes for celiac and I had a VERY positive response to the diet, including a huge improvement in my GI symptoms. I also have at least two other autoimmune disorders.

[driedupfish]

What has your diet been like... lots of gluten, gluten-lite, gluten-free...?

I had exactly the same value on my ttG after being gluten-free for six weeks. I can't say for sure that I have celiac disease (that my intestines were being damaged by an autoimmune reaction to gluten), but I do have one of the genes for celiac and I had a VERY positive response to the diet, including a huge improvement in my GI symptoms. I also have at least two other autoimmune disorders.

May I ask what symptoms you have been experiencing?

Are you feeling better? More energetic?

[cruelshoes]

The free screening at the U of Chicago only tests the TtG. It really would only be of use if the test result were positive (yours is not). Since they don't run the Total IgA test, you won't know if you are IgA deficient. You may be in one of the following scenarios:

- You do not have celiac

- You do not have celiac, but have another form of gluten intolerance

- You do have celiac, but have not sustained enough damage to register a positive result on the TtG

- You are IgA deficient, and that means all of the IgA tests will show up as negative and you will have to use the IgG tests.

All of this is just a long winded way to say that there is not enough data in the test result you posted to rule celiac out.

Hope this helps!

[Mother of Jibril]

Let's see... I went off gluten about a month after I was diagnosed with autoimmune hypothyroidism, but here are the symptoms that seemed to be most closely connected to my food intolerances...

- lots of pain in my lower abdomen

- bloating, fluid retention

- constant flatulence

- constipation, rectal bleeding

- stinky, oily, floating feces

- headaches

- joint pain (knees, shoulders)

- lost my pregnancy weight (50 lbs) very rapidly without dieting

- long-term rash on my buttocks

Between the thyroid medication; being off gluten, corn, and dairy; and taking some new supplements (vitamin D, fish oil instead of flax oil, two brazil nuts each day for selenium, a packet of Emergen-C with my multivitamin for better iron absorption plus extra C and B-12) I feel like a NEW PERSON I have SO much more energy. I'm not in pain. I feel happy instead of anxious and depressed. If I get glutened the cramps, flatulence and headaches come back, although I've started getting diarrhea instead of constipation. I also had elevated liver enzymes and was borderline anemic (enlarged red blood cells, low iron); both of those problems have disappeared since I cut gluten out of my diet.

[nora-n]

All of these symptoms are very typical for celac.

The rash: If you have DH, and get it diagnosed, it is as good as a celiac diagnosis. Skin biopsy must be taken during outbreak and of healthy skin that never had the outbreaks as IgA has been used up there.

nora