Received Enterolab Results

[sunnybabi1986]

I got my enterolab results back today:

Fecal Anti-gliadin IgA: 10 Units

Fecal Anti-tissue Transglutaminase IgA: 10 Units

Quantitative Microscopic Fecal Fat Score: Less than 300 Units

Fecal Anti-casein (cow's milk) IgA: 5 Units

HLA-DQB1 Molecular analysis, Allele 1: 0201

HLA-DQB1 Molecular analysis, Allele 2: 0602

Serologic equivalent: HLA-DQ 2,1 (Subtype 2,6)

I guess the reason I'm not happy with the results is that IgA results for gluten were 10 units. I know this is still a positive, but it doesn't feel very definitive to me. I mean, what makes you non-sensitive at 9 units, but sensitive at 10 units?

I've been gluten free for 4 weeks with little or no results and I'm very frustrated. It also appears that when I go back on dairy, my symptoms that led me to believe that I have a gluten sensitivity come back. I didn't show up as having a dairy sensitivity, but I know I've had problems with lactose intolerance. Can severe lactose intolerance cause fatigue and achiness?

I know I came back with a celiac gene and a gluten sensitivity gene, but that doesn't necessarily mean I have either of them. It just makes it more likely that I do. I'm just tired of being sick and I don't want to keep running down this road if there is something else wrong with me and I'm getting so distracted thinking it's gluten.

I guess I was hoping that I'd come back with really high numbers on my IgA's so I would have no doubt in my mind that I need to go off of gluten. A 10 feels so borderline. Ugh. Any advice? Have any of you scored this low?

[GottaSki]

I was a borderline tTG IgA - endoscopy showed major villa damage and three biopsies confirmed celiac.

Have you had iron, ferritin, B12, D, K, copper or zinc run? I was extremely low in all these nutrients which aided in my diagnosis.

4 weeks isn't that long for healing...I had improvement with digestive issues by about 6-8 weeks and I still have many of my symptoms at nearly 8 months gluten-free.

Since you are already 4 weeks in, I'd suggest staying gluten-free to see if things improve with time. If you should find out down the road that you need to be gluten-free, you will have wasted a lot of time that you could have been healing if you go back on gluten now.

I can't help with the lactose ?s -- I am sure others here can.

[sunnybabi1986]

I was a borderline tTG IgA - endoscopy showed major villa damage and three biopsies confirmed celiac.

Have you had iron, ferritin, B12, D, K, copper or zinc run? I was extremely low in all these nutrients which aided in my diagnosis.

4 weeks isn't that long for healing...I had improvement with digestive issues by about 6-8 weeks and I still have many of my symptoms at nearly 8 months gluten-free.

Since you are already 4 weeks in, I'd suggest staying gluten-free to see if things improve with time. If you should find out down the road that you need to be gluten-free, you will have wasted a lot of time that you could have been healing if you go back on gluten now.

I can't help with the lactose ?s -- I am sure others here can.

Thank you for the reply! My results showed no fat malabsorption, so if I had villa damage, wouldn't that affect my fat absorption? I'm sticking to the gluten free diet and I'm looking into getting my vitamin/nutrient levels checked soon.

[lisa25]

Thank you for the reply! My results showed no fat malabsorption, so if I had villa damage, wouldn't that affect my fat absorption? I'm sticking to the gluten free diet and I'm looking into getting my vitamin/nutrient levels checked soon.

Did you get tested for soy sensitivity? My reactions to soy are just as bad if not worse than gluten. I had no idea I had a problem with soy until I got the test.

[GottaSki]

Thank you for the reply! My results showed no fat malabsorption, so if I had villa damage, wouldn't that affect my fat absorption? I'm sticking to the gluten free diet and I'm looking into getting my vitamin/nutrient levels checked soon.

I can't help with the fat malabsorption/villa damage question. I thought the only way to check for villi damage was endoscopy???

Glad you are sticking gluten-free for now.

Good Luck!

[ravenwoodglass]

Have you ever had your total IGA measured? If you are IGA deficient that would have an impact on the tests. You may want to ask your doctor to test for IGA deficiency.

[sunnybabi1986]

Have you ever had your total IGA measured? If you are IGA deficient that would have an impact on the tests. You may want to ask your doctor to test for IGA deficiency.

I don't have insurance right now and I'm currently applying for coverage, so I'm trying to keep things off the books right now. Eventually, after I have coverage for awhile I might ask to be tested for IGA deficiency, but for now I'm staying gluten free. I'll probably also order a soy and egg sensitivity test through enterolab...I don't want to keep eating other things that are possibly making me sick. Thanks for all the help! I really appreciate it!

[homemaker]

I noticed something on Enterolabs website that might be helpful...

"If my antigliadin antibody levels are only mildly elevated, does that mean I can eat some gluten?

This question is more "wishful thinking" resulting from the mind trying to turn a positive test into what might want to be called "low positive" or even the equivalent of negative. However from our experience, a positive antigliadin antibody of any degree is like a positive pregnancy test. When a pregnancy test is positive, you are not a little pregnant, you are pregnant. The same is true for gluten sensitivity"

My labs are still out ....I am waiting patiently and not so patiently for my own Enterolab results...I will post them soon...

[sunnybabi1986]

I noticed something on Enterolabs website that might be helpful...

"If my antigliadin antibody levels are only mildly elevated, does that mean I can eat some gluten?

This question is more "wishful thinking" resulting from the mind trying to turn a positive test into what might want to be called "low positive" or even the equivalent of negative. However from our experience, a positive antigliadin antibody of any degree is like a positive pregnancy test. When a pregnancy test is positive, you are not a little pregnant, you are pregnant. The same is true for gluten sensitivity"

My labs are still out ....I am waiting patiently and not so patiently for my own Enterolab results...I will post them soon...

I did read that on their site...I was just curious as to why a score of 9 tells you there is no sensitivity, but a score of 10 does. I guess I just don't understand how some people score very high and some very low, all with the same problem. I'm positive that gluten is a problem, as I ate some pie the other day and woke up with nausea and sharp stomach/intestinal pain the next morning...definitely a diagnosis for me. I haven't had those symptoms since I went gluten free.

I was wondering when you'd get your results back, I remember they had to send you a second test. I got my results after just 2 weeks, so hopefully you'll get yours soon!

[homemaker]

I did read that on their site...I was just curious as to why a score of 9 tells you there is no sensitivity, but a score of 10 does. I guess I just don't understand how some people score very high and some very low, all with the same problem. I'm positive that gluten is a problem, as I ate some pie the other day and woke up with nausea and sharp stomach/intestinal pain the next morning...definitely a diagnosis for me. I haven't had those symptoms since I went gluten free.

I was wondering when you'd get your results back, I remember they had to send you a second test. I got my results after just 2 weeks, so hopefully you'll get yours soon!

Yeah I am still waiting ...it will be 2 weeks one day....they say 3 weeks...at least...

I had to wait a week after finally receiving the test because I was on fish oils...and if you are taking over 1000mg of fish oils they want you off of them for at least one week before testing...so I waited the week...and sent them in...now I just wait...

[ksymonds84]

I think any elevation in anitbodies warrants a dietary test. I was I think (2 years ago) a 5 and a positive was an 8 on the blood test. I was only gluten free for a month. had a positive biopsy almost 2 years later. Some people just don't make enough IgA. I did do the Enterolab test too just for curiosity on IgA levels and also for the gene test. I scored a 14 on both the IgA and ttg. On the low side too. Another forum I am joined to 2 people with positive biopsy's scored low positive too on Dr. Fine's test (we were already gluten free though). I think the enterolab site even states that if you scored below a 10 and have symptoms to go ahead and try the diet for at least 6 months to see if it works. My local celiac chapter often refers people to Dr. Fine for negative tests but still symptoms or for very little children. Hope you get your results soon but it pretty much takes almost 3 weeks now.

[mark6556]

I think any elevation in anitbodies warrants a dietary test. I was I think (2 years ago) a 5 and a positive was an 8 on the blood test. I was only gluten free for a month. had a positive biopsy almost 2 years later. Some people just don't make enough IgA. I did do the Enterolab test too just for curiosity on IgA levels and also for the gene test. I scored a 14 on both the IgA and ttg. On the low side too. Another forum I am joined to 2 people with positive biopsy's scored low positive too on Dr. Fine's test (we were already gluten free though). I think the enterolab site even states that if you scored below a 10 and have symptoms to go ahead and try the diet for at least 6 months to see if it works. My local celiac chapter often refers people to Dr. Fine for negative tests but still symptoms or for very little children. Hope you get your results soon but it pretty much takes almost 3 weeks now.

In my experience I found the fecal malabsorbtion test consistent with other test results. Blood work & a biopsy confirmed I have celiac. In addition, I had a pill camera endoscopy. That showed very serious blunted villi throughout the first half of my small intestine. The fecal malabsorbtion test also showed very high malabsorbtion. So in my experience I found the fecal malabsorbtion test very accurate. You should describe your symptoms because it might make it easier for others to pinpoint your problem or suggest other things to look it. Also note that Enterlab's website has some technical slides that indicate on average people that test positive for celiac score around 45 or more I think. But there are always outliers I'm sure. They have to establish a limit at some value... I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule but probably for most cases the value of 10 or more catches almost all cases of it. You might want to look at other things as well such as food allergies or a food elimination diet...

[homemaker]

In my experience I found the fecal malabsorbtion test consistent with other test results. Blood work & a biopsy confirmed I have celiac. In addition, I had a pill camera endoscopy. That showed very serious blunted villi throughout the first half of my small intestine. The fecal malabsorbtion test also showed very high malabsorbtion. So in my experience I found the fecal malabsorbtion test very accurate. You should describe your symptoms because it might make it easier for others to pinpoint your problem or suggest other things to look it. Also note that Enterlab's website has some technical slides that indicate on average people that test positive for celiac score around 45 or more I think. But there are always outliers I'm sure. They have to establish a limit at some value... I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule but probably for most cases the value of 10 or more catches almost all cases of it. You might want to look at other things as well such as food allergies or a food elimination diet...

For me anyway ..... my fecal malabsorption did not match my results thru enterolab...

I was 1 month gluten free when I sent my results off to Enterolab....

Enterolab results 11/23/09 (after one month gluten free)

Fecal Anti-tissue Transglutaminase IgA 10 units

Fecal Anti-gliadin IgA 9 units

Fecal Fat 1267 units

HLA-DQB1 Allele 1: 0201

HLA-DQB1 Allele 2: 0202

Serologic equivalent: HLA-DQ 2,2 (Subtype 2,2)

[jkr]

Did you get tested for soy sensitivity? My reactions to soy are just as bad if not worse than gluten. I had no idea I had a problem with soy until I got the test.

Is there a blood test for soy intolerance or is it just a stool test?

[ksymonds84]

In my experience I found the fecal malabsorbtion test consistent with other test results. Blood work & a biopsy confirmed I have celiac. In addition, I had a pill camera endoscopy. That showed very serious blunted villi throughout the first half of my small intestine. The fecal malabsorbtion test also showed very high malabsorbtion. So in my experience I found the fecal malabsorbtion test very accurate. You should describe your symptoms because it might make it easier for others to pinpoint your problem or suggest other things to look it. Also note that Enterlab's website has some technical slides that indicate on average people that test positive for celiac score around 45 or more I think. But there are always outliers I'm sure. They have to establish a limit at some value... I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule but probably for most cases the value of 10 or more catches almost all cases of it. You might want to look at other things as well such as food allergies or a food elimination diet...

Not sure what you are asking of me. My response was to original poster wondering if her number's were not high enough and giving her some insight. I was officially diagnosed celiac in august after a biopsy, I don't have any symptoms that need to be discussed. sorry if I wasn't clear

[ksymonds84]

Is there a blood test for soy intolerance or is it just a stool test?

Yes, there is the ELISA blood test. Some say accuracy is variable but when I accidentally eat soy, I alway get a hive reaction on my face so it was accurate for me! I also threw in the soy test with enterolab when I was at my whits end (before going to a GI for biopsy ect ) and it also was positive. 10 being positive and me being 31. So it matched up.