Lab Results - Please Help

[KarenFe]

Please help me figure out what my lab results mean. The nurse I have been talking too seems out of her element and recommended I call the Semper Fit number or the Diabetes number for help on what my diet should be. I'm dealing with the military system and this is how things go. She also told me I have celiacs because some test said my results were "active." From what I gather, a determination of true celiacs can only be made by some GI testing.

My IgG is 38 and my IgA is above 100.

Today I got my food allergy results and I am in the low range (0.00 - 0.35) of having a food allergy to:

soy

bean

egg white

egg yolk

peanut

pecan

walnut

cashew

almonds

wheat

milk

If I'm in the "low" range, does this mean I can have them sometimes?

What confuses me too is that if I have a "low" allergy to wheat, then why would celiacs be a big possibility.

I'm so confused and can't wait to get out of this confusion and panic state I'm in.

Thanks for your thoughts,

Karen

[lizard00]

It's hard to know without the specific tests they did. Hopefully, they did the complete celiac panel. If you could get the actual results to the tests, that would be very helpful. But, if your doctors are saying celiac because of your blood work, they are probably right. There's not much incidence of false positives. You should still get a copy of your blood work.

As far as the allergy vs. celiac, they are two completely different things. BUT, you can have celiac, AND be allergic to wheat. (Which is what it appears to be in your case.) However, just because you have one doesn't mean you have the other.

[KarenFe]

Thank you! I appreciate the answers to my most basic questions. I know answering newbie questions can become redundant to those of you who have been here a while and i appreciate your time in answering.

I think I get it. An allergy to wheat has nothing to do with the possibility that gluten could be destroying my intestines. As for having a low allergy, does that mean I can sometimes have milk and sometimes have eggs, etc? My girls have low allergies to almonds but I let them have some on occasion in low quantities. Peanuts, walnuts, and pecans are a different story for them.

Thanks!

Karen

[lizard00]

Thank you! I appreciate the answers to my most basic questions. I know answering newbie questions can become redundant to those of you who have been here a while and i appreciate your time in answering.

No problem That's why I stay around here. I had the very same questions and many of the people that are still here helped me out, and I am happy to pass on anything that I know.

I think I get it. An allergy to wheat has nothing to do with the possibility that gluten could be destroying my intestines. As for having a low allergy, does that mean I can sometimes have milk and sometimes have eggs, etc? My girls have low allergies to almonds but I let them have some on occasion in low quantities. Peanuts, walnuts, and pecans are a different story for them.

I am mildly allergic to egg whites, so I rarely eat eggs. However, I can eat them in something if they are down on the list of ingredients. I eat eggs occasionally, but my personal thought is that my body is allergic to them, and if I eat them too often, then my immune system is constantly on alert and being overworked. I probably shouldn't eat them at all, but once or twice a year I really want eggs and bacon.

[ravenwoodglass]

Welcome, you found a great place to learn what you need to. It can be hard at first but you will get the hang of it.

As far as the allergies go you may see a resolution of some of the allergies once you have been gluten free for a while. I was diagnosed with the aid of an allergist who did skin testing before putting me on the elimation diet. I showed at least mild reactions to everything but one tested for out of the ninety- nine. My allergist said my immune system was in hyperdrive, kind of obvious I guess from all the autoimmune stuff I had going on. Out of the 98 positives within 6 months only 3 real allergies remained. Can't say the same will be true for you.

I would be cautious with adding your allergins back in. Do them one at a time so if you do react it will be easier to tell what you are reacting to.

If you have celiac and you are active duty and not a spouse make sure your command knows as they can not safely feed you in the field. They don't yet make gluten free MREs.

[KarenFe]

If you have celiac and you are active duty and not a spouse make sure your command knows as they can not safely feed you in the field. They don't yet make gluten free MREs.

Oh, no. I am the spouse. My husband is the Marine.

Thanks again everyone! I will be eliminating all the allergens too. I really appreciate the comments and support.

[curiousgeorge]

What kind of allergy testing was that? IgG or RAST?

[KarenFe]

What kind of allergy testing was that? IgG or RAST?

I don't know. What would the difference between the two tests mean?

[curiousgeorge]

RAST measures IgE, the same that skin prick testing measures. It is usually used to back up positive skin prick testing

I was just curious.

[nora-n]

I had IgG testing (private) to more than 100 foodstuffs.

IgG is kinda in between allergy and intolerance and autoimmunity, don't know how to explain it.

I children they use IgE testing for true allergies, and in adults they use RAST.

IgE is immediate allergy, IgG for foodstuffs is delayed allergy they say.

( I had high IgG for yeast and then there was less for kiwi and molluscs and the lowest level for green beans and something else, don't remember. I eat greeen beans sometimes, maybe a couple of times a year, but I do not notice much adverse.)

Celiac tests are usually IgA type tests, and the names can be antigliadin, EMA and tisue transglutaminase. Total IgA must be measured too, to see if you make enough IgA for the tests to be valid.

nora