Question About Bloodwork - Please Help

[shoefly21]

This is a long story, but I will keep it short. In 6/04, I finally convinced my GI doctor to test me for celiac disease. I had been diagnosed with IBS in 4/04. And I had figured out that I was probably dairy intolerant. My panel came back and I was simply told that they were negative. Which was mostly true. I recently requested my records. I thought it would be good to have them. So here are my results. I was negative for tissue transglutaminase (6 with <20 being negative). Gliadin Antidody IgG was 7 (again <20) and Gliadin antibody IgA 3 (<20). Finally, my reticulin antibodies were 200 with the reference at <50. The note says that this is outside of the reference range. I am thinking that means I was significantly positive for this test. I have been reading that this Reticulin test is another marker for celiac, so I am wondering if I could be celiac after all.

Should I go back to my GI and ask for a endoscopy with biopsy? My doctor wanted me to go on Atkins. He never explained why except in the reports I just got which say that I might be gluten intolerant. I just am confused and am seeking some support. Thank you so much for any advice. I really want some answers.

I am completely dairy free... which has helped my symptoms about 75%.. I can tolerate my symptoms. My reaction to dairy is violent diahhrea. I usually have alternating diahhrea and constipation. I also have gas, nausea, hemmorhoids, and bloating. I never have gone gluten free.

Thanks!

[gf4life]

Before you try any diet like Atkins (which is generally low in gluten) it might be a good idea to ask the doctor either for the biopsy, or for another round of blood tests. It has been almost a year since your last tests and if even one of them is positive, which is sounds like it was, then it warrants testing again. If the levels have increased in the past 10 months, then your doctor might be more willing to do the biopsy.

Do NOT start the gluten-free diet until you are done testing, and like I said, avoid anything that would cause you to be on a low gluten diet as well. It can mess up your test results and you certainly don't want that when you are trying to get a clear answer about whether or not you are gluten intolerant!

God bless,

Mariann

[Rikki Tikki]

I agree with Mariann

[shoefly21]

Thank you both! I plan to call my doctor Monday. I've been giving this much thought and we'll see what he has to say. I have never even tried the Atkins or gone gluten free. I suspect that even if I am not true celiac, I am probably gluten intolerant. I plan to ask my doctor for some tests (bloodwork, biopsy). And I thought I would ask if he could write an order for the Enterolab tests so that maybe my health insurance will help pay for part of them. I will wait to go gluten free until then and I'll try not to over-react!

[Rikki Tikki]

shoefly21:

I wish you the best of luck. I remember how awful all those years of doctor's telling me it was all in my head was, how I actually started believing that maybe it was. That I was somehow making myself sick and I didn't know why. Well, I was making myself sick from eating. It was such a relief to finally know what was wrong and that I wasn't crazy.