Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Saw My Gastroenterologist Today...

Tabasco

Recommended Posts

Tabasco Apprentice
Tabasco
Posted

I think she might be a keeper. She didn't dismiss my symptoms or make me feel like a hypochondriac. She said that a lot of my symptoms sound like celiac but some may have other causes. She is very thorough. She is testing me for everything. These are the labs that I can remember:

Celiac Panel

Antibodies

B12

Ferritin

Thyroid (TSH)

CBC w/ diff

Cholesterol

A1C (for diabetes)

Hep screen (since I have a tattoo)

U/S for gallbladder

Transit time for chronic constipation (swallow pills with markers in them and follow up with x-rays at intervals)

Diabetes, heart disease, gallbladder, hepatitis, stroke all run in my immediate family. My older sister had a stroke at 23. She has a genetic blood disorder called Factor V deficiency, which causes clotting.

Dr. Jagiella is referring me to an Oncologist to be screened for Factor V deficiency as well. She said that if I have it then that can affect the circulation to my gut thus affecting my transit time due to small clots in the arteries.

She suspects that I may have Metabolic Syndrome as well. That would explain my weight gain. Today I was hypertensive in the office. I guess I have been for my last few dr. visits. And I know that my cholesterol is elevated. Has been for over 20 yrs. Not high enough to treat medically but hangs out around 200. She said my liver felt slightly enlarged too. Ho- hum...I am feeling like a fatty-boom-ba-latty now.

She saw the rash on my back and said "Oh yes...this needs to be biopsied". She seemed suspicious of it. So it's back to the derm too.

She said she isn't going to give me any meds or tell me anything until we get the labs back. If I test positive then she wants to do the biopsy for confirmation.

So that's where I am today. Another step closer to knowing one way or the other.

I'll keep you posted.

Stef

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

She sounds very thorough, Stef--please keep us posted. :)

Tabasco Apprentice
Tabasco
Posted
  • Author

Still waiting on the genetic results but so far everything has come back normal. I haven't seen the numbers, just going by what the nurse said. I guess this is good news but it is a little disappointing. When you have all of these symptoms all of your life and think that maybe they're not all random, that there is really a cause, it's a relief. I feel like a hypochondriac. I don't WANT to be sick. I don't want to have a "syndrome" or a "disease". I don't want to even be allergic or sensitive to anything.

My gallbladder U/S is scheduled for tomorrow but I can't make it. I forgot to tell work about it and it's too late to spring it on them.

My transit time study is next week so I will do that and I will also see the hematologist and the derm. I still need to know if I have Factor 5 deficiency and I need a biopsy of the rash...which is why I started this journey to begin with.

I'm not anemic, or diabetic, or hypothyroid. I don't have hepatitis either...thank God. My B12 is good too.

We'll see what the derm says.

So...can I be positive for DH but not have positive labs?

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

s

Still waiting on the genetic results but so far everything has come back normal. I haven't seen the numbers, just going by what the nurse said. I guess this is good news but it is a little disappointing. When you have all of these symptoms all of your life and think that maybe they're not all random, that there is really a cause, it's a relief. I feel like a hypochondriac. I don't WANT to be sick. I don't want to have a "syndrome" or a "disease". I don't want to even be allergic or sensitive to anything.

My gallbladder U/S is scheduled for tomorrow but I can't make it. I forgot to tell work about it and it's too late to spring it on them.

My transit time study is next week so I will do that and I will also see the hematologist and the derm. I still need to know if I have Factor 5 deficiency and I need a biopsy of the rash...which is why I started this journey to begin with.

I'm not anemic, or diabetic, or hypothyroid. I don't have hepatitis either...thank God. My B12 is good too.

We'll see what the derm says.

So...can I be positive for DH but not have positive labs?

Yes you can have DH and not have positives you can also have celiac and not have positive labs or biopsy. False negatives are not unusual. When your done with all testing for celiac be sure to give the diet a good try no matter what the results. Being gluten free will not effect testing for anything other than celiac so it does not hurt to try the diet while other stuff is being excuded.

OptimisticMom42 Apprentice
OptimisticMom42
Posted

My son had a negative celiac blood test but had DH on the back of his knees, lots of other celiac type symptoms and a positive response to the diet. So I have agree with Ravenwoodglass, try the diet anyhow. Hope you are feeling better soon.

RA

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

One thing I forgot to mention about the DH issue. Make sure the derm is familiar with the process for biopsy. If he biopsies the lesions themselves that will come back negative. The biopsy needs to be tissue beside the lesions.

Tabasco Apprentice
Tabasco
Posted
  • Author

I'm looking at the labs that I've gotten back so far and all I see that that might be specificly part of a celiac panel is

Immunoglobulin A, Qn, Serum - 310 range 70 - 400.

Don't know what this means though. Looks like it's in the normal range but I don't know exactly what it's measuring.

What results, specifically, should I be looking for?

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,540
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Barrie S
    Newest Member
    Barrie S
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Unusual bright yellow but odourless discharge

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Yes, I, too, have osteoporosis from years of malabsorption, too.  Thiamine and magnesium are what keep the calcium in place in the bones.  If one is low in magnesium, boron, selenium, zinc, copper, and other trace minerals, ones bone heath can suffer.  We need more than just calcium and Vitamin D for strong bones.  Riboflavin B 2, Folate B 9 and Pyridoxine B 6 also contribute to bone formation and strength.   Have you had your thyroid checked?  The thyroid is important to bone health as well.  The thyroid uses lots of thiamine, so a poorly functioning thyroid will affect bone heath.  
    • Celiac50
      Unusual bright yellow but odourless discharge

      By Celiac50 · Posted

      That sounds so very likely in my case! I will absolutely ask my doctor on my next bone check coming up in March... Thanks a lot! 
    • trents
      Unusual bright yellow but odourless discharge

      By trents · Posted

      Calcium levels as measured in the blood can be quite deceiving as the body will rob calcium from the bones to meet demands for it by other bodily functions. Also, supplementing with calcium can be counterproductive as it tends to raise gut pH and decrease absorption. More often than not, the problem is poor absorption to begin with rather than deficiency of intake amounts in the diet. Calcium needs an acidic environment to be absorbed. This is why so many people on PPIs develop osteoporosis. The PPIs raise gut pH. And some people have high gut PH for other reasons. Low pH equates to a more acidic environment whereas high pH equates to a more basic (less acidic) environment.
    • Celiac50
      Unusual bright yellow but odourless discharge

      By Celiac50 · Posted

      Kind thanks for all this valuable information! Since my Folate was/is low and also my Calcium, there IS a chance I am low in B vitamins... My doctor only measured the first two, oh and Zinc as I has twisted her arm and guess what, that was mega low too. So who knows, until I get myself tested properly, what else I am deficient in... I did a hair mineral test recently and it said to avoid All sources of Calcium. But this is confusing for me as my Ca is so low and I have osteoporosis because of this. It is my Adjusted Ca that is on the higher side and shouldn't be. So am not sure why the mineral test showed high Ca (well, it was medium in the test but relative to my lowish Magnesium, also via hair sample, it was high I was told). But anyway, thanks again for the VitB download, I will look into this most certainly!
    • ElisaAllergiesgluten
      Allergy medication: cetirizine by the HealthA2Z is it gluten free?

      By ElisaAllergiesgluten · Posted

      Hello good afternoon, I was wondering if anyone has ever brought their anti-allergy pills? I have been wanting to use their Cetirizine HCI 10mg. They are called HealthA2Z and distributed by Allegiant Health.I’m also Asthmatic and these allergies are terrible for me but I also want to be sure they don’t have any sort of gluten compound.    I have tried calling them but to no avail. Has anyone ever used them? If so, did you had any problems or no problems at all?    thank you
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.