Trying To Make Sense Of Celiac Blood Test

[Keri]

I had the celiac panel done about a week ago. I tested positive for the Gliadin IGG but negative for the Gliadin IGA, I also have iron deficiency and autoimmune thyroid disorder. So I feel like this result confirmed I have Celiac, but after reading a bit more about the tests and what they mean I am feeling unsure. I have been gluten free (almost) for a week, but I only feel slightly better. i don't have a lot of digestive problems fortunately, but often feel fatigue and a kind of brain fog feeling. Should i have the biopsy done? Do i need to start eating wheat again to have the biopsy show anything. Not sure where to go from here, my naturopath wants me to go gluten free for about 3 weeks and then introduce wheat for a day and see how I feel. Anyone have another suggestion?

[Mother of Jibril]

Did you also have your total IgA tested? If that's low, that's could explain the different results on the two different types of anti-gliaden antibodies.

Tissue transglutaminase (Ttg) and endomysial antibodies (EMA) are more specific for celiac disease than anti-gliaden, but a positive result on any of the tests in a celiac panel indicates that you have some kind of problem with gluten. A hypersensitivity to gluten can affect a lot more than just your intestines... thyroid, pancreas, joints, adrenal glands, nervous system, liver, blood cells, etc... Autoimmune disorders tend to cluster together.

I think your naturopath's suggestion was a good one. Give the gluten-free diet a serious try (no cheating!) and see how you feel after a few weeks. Some of my worst symptoms were better within 48 hours, but it takes a while to heal... it depends on a lot of factors like how much damage there was, how well you follow the diet, whether there are more foods (corn, soy, dairy) that your body can't tolerate, etc...

[gfb1]

I had the celiac panel done about a week ago. I tested positive for the Gliadin IGG but negative for the Gliadin IGA, I also have iron deficiency and autoimmune thyroid disorder. So I feel like this result confirmed I have Celiac, but after reading a bit more about the tests and what they mean I am feeling unsure. I have been gluten free (almost) for a week, but I only feel slightly better. i don't have a lot of digestive problems fortunately, but often feel fatigue and a kind of brain fog feeling. Should i have the biopsy done? Do i need to start eating wheat again to have the biopsy show anything. Not sure where to go from here, my naturopath wants me to go gluten free for about 3 weeks and then introduce wheat for a day and see how I feel. Anyone have another suggestion?

i don't want to be mean-spirited... but, go find a real doctor in your area who has an interest/specialty in celiac disease. they exist.

i am assuming that when you say you tested positive for gliadin-igg that this was a blood test. it is not unusual for celiacs to be positive for gliadin-igg and negative for gliadin-iga, as a significant percentage (i forget the #) of celiacs are iga-deficient (there is a blood test for this as well, ask your physician if you want to know).

igg is the major serum immunoglobin; while, in the olden days, it was thought that iga was confined to the mucous membranes. this is not entirely the case; but, a good rule of thumb.

iron deficiency is also common among celiacs, whether due to a direct association with the disease or a byproduct of intestingal damage is not known. i know of several cases where individuals who have been gluten-free for several years still have difficulty absorbing iron from oral supplements -- and needs iron infusions to maintain hemoglobin levels.

one last thing; other autoimmune problems are not uncommon among celiacs (esp when consuming gluten). 'fogginess', decrease mental acuity and fatigue are also not uncommon. while your body repairs intestinal damage rapidly, one week is too short a time to expect much of anything. secondarily, immune issues take even longer to subside (you can always think about it like a vaccination -- with many vaccines you only need one 'shot' for a lifetime of antibodies; similarly, once inocculated with gluten -- you will have those antibodies for a long time.)

[nora-n]

I am in Europe, and here the celiac societies and doctors advise NOT to go gluten-free to see if one gets better.

Get the rest of the tests done, and eat at least 0,3 gram of gluten per kg.

In my case and the bread here, that meant six slices a day.

Get the ttg test done too, both the IgA and IgG version.

If you have a skin rash that itches, that might be DH and then you can have healthy skin close to it biopsied and that would mean you officially are celiac too, and you do not need a positive on teh other tests.

It took me 7 months completely off gluten, and then one day I woke up and was not so awfully fatigued.

If you go back on gluten for one day , you might get symptoms, maybe, maybe not. It maight take a while longer. But I do get symptoms if glutened. Many celiacs do not get huge symptoms so one cannot rely on that.