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

What Tests Are Recommended For Diagnosis?


carynanne

Recommended Posts

carynanne Rookie

Hey,

I was on here 3 years ago looking for a diagnosis, but when I went to the GI doctor they ran a million GI tests, with only 2 of the tests I know are for celiac -- the gluten antibodies one and an ANA. Gluten antibodies was negative. The ANA came back positive, so they ran several other tests for lupus, diabetes, etc., and they found out I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis. I let the ball drop on celiac, thinking we had found my problem. But now 3 years later I am having a major relapse in nausea, with constant abdominal pain, menstrual irregularities and infertility (all issues I was having before I started on Synthroid), and a new major problem with teeth! I had 8 new cavities since the last dentist visit 8 months earlier. I take impeccable care of my teeth. It's unreal. I want to go back in to be fully tested specifically for celiac, but I can't remember the tests that are recommended that would cover all the bases and ensure a pretty high probability of accurate diagnosis. It does run in my family, but 2nd degree--no diagnosed 1st degree relatives (though several suspected).

Thanks!

Caryn


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



carynanne Rookie

Also, does anyone recommend that MYCeliacID genetic test that is like $369?

jerseyangel Proficient
Hey,

I was on here 3 years ago looking for a diagnosis, but when I went to the GI doctor they ran a million GI tests, with only 2 of the tests I know are for celiac -- the gluten antibodies one and an ANA. Gluten antibodies was negative. The ANA came back positive, so they ran several other tests for lupus, diabetes, etc., and they found out I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis. I let the ball drop on celiac, thinking we had found my problem. But now 3 years later I am having a major relapse in nausea, with constant abdominal pain, menstrual irregularities and infertility (all issues I was having before I started on Synthroid), and a new major problem with teeth! I had 8 new cavities since the last dentist visit 8 months earlier. I take impeccable care of my teeth. It's unreal. I want to go back in to be fully tested specifically for celiac, but I can't remember the tests that are recommended that would cover all the bases and ensure a pretty high probability of accurate diagnosis. It does run in my family, but 2nd degree--no diagnosed 1st degree relatives (though several suspected).

Thanks!

Caryn

Hi Caryn and welcome back! :) Considering all of your symptoms and the family history I think it's a really good idea for you to be tested again. The Celiac Panel consists of these--

Anti-Gliadin (AGA) IgA

Anti-Gliadin (AGA) IgG

Anti-Endomysial (EMA) IgA

Anti-Tissue Transglutaminase (tTG) IgA

Total Serum IgA

Of course, you have to be eating a full on gluten diet to get an accurate result.

Also, does anyone recommend that MYCeliacID genetic test that is like $369?

At this point, assuming that you're still eating a normal diet which includes gluten, it would be better to have the Celiac Panel run. The genetic test is interesting, and can tell you if you have the most common genes associated with Celiac--but it can't diagnose the disease. Somewhere around 30% of the general population posess a Celiac gene, but only a small fraction of those will ever have the disease triggered.

carynanne Rookie

[

Anti-Gliadin (AGA) IgA

Anti-Gliadin (AGA) IgG

Anti-Endomysial (EMA) IgA

Anti-Tissue Transglutaminase (tTG) IgA

Total Serum IgA

happygirl Collaborator

Well, the good news is that the tests they are going to run are the more specific of the Celiac tests (EMA and tTG are Celiac tests, the total IgA helps to understand the accuracy of the other IgA based tests by looking for an IgA deficiency.)

The names listed are the specific names of the test:

Anti-gliadin (AGA) IgA

Anti-gliadin (AGA) IgG

What lab are they using? These are older/more basic tests than the tTG and EMA. Both Quest and LabCorp offer these tests, as well as Prometheus. All of these companies (and, many others) can run all the Celiac bloodwork, as well as the Celiac gene tests.

carynanne Rookie

Anti-gliadin (AGA) IgA

Anti-gliadin (AGA) IgG

I dunno. I went to a Wellstar (they're big in the Atlanta area) physician's clinic, and they use Quest. I wonder if these labs are listed in a different section of the book. Or if they needed to say "antibodies" after them. The doctor was perfectly friendly about it, but he sort of acted like he had never seen these tests before. I understand that Celiac is massively underdiagnosed-- maybe this is 1 reason why....

:D Thanks! I guess I'll hear back about it sometime next week.

Caryn

Lisa Mentor
Also, does anyone recommend that MYCeliacID genetic test that is like $369?

https://www.celiac.com/articles/21853/1/MyC...ting/Page1.html

MyCeliacID is based on proven science. People who have celiac disease are known to have a distinct sequence of genes. By testing DNA isolated from a saliva sample, MyCeliacID can show whether or not a person has that genetic sequence. If they don’t have the genes, they are highly unlikely to develop celiac disease in their lifetime. If they do have the genes, and have symptoms of celiac disease, they should consult a doctor. Only a doctor or other qualified healthcare professional can diagnose celiac disease..

I have no experience with this test and can't recommend.


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



happygirl Collaborator

www.questdiagnostics.com - You can find the test info here. Quest can also run the genetic testing.

MyCeliacId is through Prometheus, a reputable company.

carynanne Rookie
www.questdiagnostics.com - You can find the test info here. Quest can also run the genetic testing.

MyCeliacId is through Prometheus, a reputable company.

Thanks! I didn't think to look at their website (duh). If these tests come back negative, I think I'll come a little more prepared and show them where they can find them. It sounds crazy, bt I really wish I could just get a diagnosis of celiac so I can stop wondering... even tho that means that I have a "disease." At least it would explain things.

Archived

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

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - SamAlvi replied to SamAlvi's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      7

      High TTG-IgG and Normal TTG-IgA

    2. - knitty kitty replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Son's legs shaking

    3. - lizzie42 replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Son's legs shaking

    4. - knitty kitty replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Son's legs shaking

    5. - lizzie42 replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Son's legs shaking

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,872
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Koyanna
    Newest Member
    Koyanna
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):
  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online
  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • SamAlvi
      Thanks again for the detailed explanation. Just to clarify, I actually did have my initial tests done while I was still consuming gluten. I stopped eating gluten only after those tests were completed, and it has now been about 70 days since I went gluten-free. I understand the limitations around diagnosing NCGS and the importance of antibody testing and biopsy for celiac disease. Unfortunately, where I live, access to comprehensive testing (including total IgA and endoscopy with biopsy) is limited, which makes things more complicated. Your explanation about small-bowel damage, nutrient absorption, and iron-deficiency anemia still aligns closely with my history, and it’s been very helpful in understanding what may be going on. I don't wanna get Endoscopy and I can't start eating Gluten again because it's hurt really with severe diarrhea.  I appreciate you taking the time to share such detailed and informative guidance. Thank you so much for this detailed and thoughtful response. I really appreciate you pointing out the relationship between anemia and antibody patterns, and how the high DGP IgG still supports celiac disease in my case. A gluten challenge isn’t something I feel safe attempting due to how severe my reactions were, so your suggestion about genetic testing makes a lot of sense. I’ll look into whether HLA testing is available where I live and discuss it with my doctor. I also appreciate you mentioning gastrointestinal beriberi and thiamine deficiency. This isn’t something any of my doctors have discussed with me, and given my symptoms and nutritional history, it’s definitely worth raising with them. I’ll also ask about correcting deficiencies more comprehensively, including B vitamins alongside iron. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and taking the time to help. I’ll update the forum as I make progress.
    • knitty kitty
      Blood tests for thiamine are unreliable.  The nutrients from your food get absorbed into the bloodstream and travel around the body.  So, a steak dinner can falsely raise thiamine blood levels in the following days.  Besides, thiamine is utilized inside cells where stores of thiamine are impossible to measure. A better test to ask for is the Erythrocyte Transketolace Activity test.  But even that test has been questioned as to accuracy.  It is expensive and takes time to do.   Because of the discrepancies with thiamine tests and urgency with correcting thiamine deficiency, the World Health Organization recommends giving thiamine for several weeks and looking for health improvement.  Thiamine is water soluble, safe and nontoxic even in high doses.   Many doctors are not given sufficient education in nutrition and deficiency symptoms, and may not be familiar with how often they occur in Celiac disease.  B12 and Vitamin D can be stored for as long as a year in the liver, so not having deficiencies in these two vitamins is not a good indicator of the status of the other seven water soluble B vitamins.  It is possible to have deficiency symptoms BEFORE there's changes in the blood levels.   Ask your doctor about Benfotiamine, a form of thiamine that is better absorbed than Thiamine Mononitrate.  Thiamine Mononitrate is used in many vitamins because it is shelf-stable, a form of thiamine that won't break down sitting around on a store shelf.  This form is difficult for the body to turn into a usable form.  Only thirty percent is absorbed in the intestine, and less is actually used.   Thiamine interacts with all of the other B vitamins, so they should all be supplemented together.  Magnesium is needed to make life sustaining enzymes with thiamine, so a magnesium supplement should be added if magnesium levels are low.   Thiamine is water soluble, safe and nontoxic even in high doses.  There's no harm in trying.
    • lizzie42
      Neither of them were anemic 6 months after the Celiac diagnosis. His other vitamin levels (d, B12) were never low. My daughters levels were normal after the first 6 months. Is the thiamine test just called thiamine? 
    • knitty kitty
      Yes, I do think they need a Thiamine supplement at least. Especially since they eat red meat only occasionally. Most fruits and vegetables are not good sources of Thiamine.  Legumes (beans) do contain thiamine.  Fruits and veggies do have some of the other B vitamins, but thiamine B 1 and  Cobalamine B12 are mostly found in meats.  Meat, especially organ meats like liver, are the best sources of Thiamine, B12, and the six other B vitamins and important minerals like iron.   Thiamine has antibacterial and antiviral properties.  Thiamine is important to our immune systems.  We need more thiamine when we're physically ill or injured, when we're under stress emotionally, and when we exercise, especially outside in hot weather.  We need thiamine and other B vitamins like Niacin B 3 to keep our gastrointestinal tract healthy.  We can't store thiamine for very long.  We can get low in thiamine within three days.  Symptoms can appear suddenly when a high carbohydrate diet is consumed.  (Rice and beans are high in carbohydrates.)  A twenty percent increase in dietary thiamine causes an eighty percent increase in brain function, so symptoms can wax and wane depending on what one eats.  The earliest symptoms like fatigue and anxiety are easily contributed to other things or life events and dismissed.   Correcting nutritional deficiencies needs to be done quickly, especially in children, so their growth isn't stunted.  Nutritional deficiencies can affect intelligence.  Vitamin D deficiency can cause short stature and poor bone formation.   Is your son taking anything for the anemia?  Is the anemia caused by B12 or iron deficiency?  
    • lizzie42
      Thank you! That's helpful. My kids eat very little processed food. Tons of fruit, vegetables, cheese, eggs and occasional red meat. We do a lot of rice and bean bowls, stir fry, etc.  Do you think with all the fruits and vegetables they need a vitamin supplement? I feel like their diet is pretty healthy and balanced with very limited processed food. The only processed food they eat regularly is a bowl of Cheerios here and there.  Could shaking legs be a symptom of just a one-time gluten exposure? I guess there's no way to know for sure if they're getting absolutely zero exposure because they do go to school a couple times a week. We do homeschool but my son does a shared school 2x a week and my daughter does a morning Pre-K 3 x a week.  At home our entire house is strictly gluten free and it is extremely rare for us to eat out. If we eat at someone else's house I usually just bring their food. When we have play dates we bring all the snacks, etc. I try to be really careful since they're still growing. They also, of course, catch kids viruses all the time so I  want to make sure I know whether they're just sick or they've had gluten. It can be pretty confusing when they're pretty young to even be explaining their symptoms! 
×
×
  • 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.