Quickest Way To Obtain The Blood Test In Ontario, Canada?

[Panopticism]

Hello,

Quick backstory... I'd been gluten free for about 3 years up until a few weeks ago. Over the three years I saw improvements, but definitely not a complete recovery. I still get occasional flare ups, I'm always bloating with a sense of fullness in the abdomen. One of my primary symptoms has always been a complete inability to digest fats. When I talked to my doctor several years ago, she suggested the gluten free diet and hinted at celiac disease, with malabsorption being a common symptom. At this time I was passing not only undigested fats, but also 100% identifiable foods that looked the same as they had on my plate, as well as oil. I could not gain a pound of weight.

Fast forward 3 years, the gluten free diet definitely resolved my constant, nagging abdominal pain and discomfort. I lost most of the joint pains, brain fog, etc. Still feel extremely fatigued at all times. I have near constant nausea which varies in severity. Food of all kinds makes me sick to my stomach. I associate food with pain and suffering. I experience severe and debilitating pain in my upper left abdomen. Over the counter pain relievers do nothing. When the pain is bad enough, I get sweats, fever, in extreme cases I'll vomit. The higher the fat content of the food that is causing it, the worse the symptoms become. I still cannot gain weight, I'll often lose weight when I get sick/have too much fat. I ultimately came to the conclusion that my pancreas was having some serious issues. I had an ultrasound of my pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts, etc. and was scheduled for an appointment with a GI in AUGUST. Apparently I was put on priority, but the best they could do was August, regardless. Not entirely sure what the ultrasound showed, either. I was never told.

As soon as I got word of this wait time I decided to try gluten again, see if that was in fact a problem for me, or what. It took two weeks of enjoying real foods before I started to feel off. Even now it's intermittent, but I do feel weird on the inside. It took two weeks before I noticed a definite change in "regularity."

Whatever is wrong with me has ruined my entire childhood, most of my teen years. I had to drop out of high school at 14. I completed GED testing(very well) and now I'm trying to prove my worth to the University of Guelph so I can try to do something with my life and become something. I'd like to figure out what is wrong with me before I start there in Sept. assuming they accept me. I basically have to explain to them why I am in the situation that I am. It's kind of hard without actually having names for what's wrong with me.

Anyway, long story short. Does anyone know what the quickest way is to obtain the blood test in Ontario? I know it's $150 or something outrageous, but I want to know if I'm poisoning myself right now!

Thanks,

John

EDIT: Should also add that I had what was considered Autistic tendencies up until I started eating gluten free.

[misskatie]

Hi John,

Sorry to hear about your troubles! I actually attend the University of Guelph and am in the process of getting diagnosed myself. I recently saw a doctor here although she wasn't very good at listening to me and had very little knowledge of celiacs. She gave me a form for a blood test and told me to go whenever and it would cost 80$.

I am actually going back to BC to see the physician I have seen me my whole life and I do know the test there is free.

Unfortunately with the blood test you do need to be eating gluten again, and same for the endoscopy the GI would do. I can't see why you'd have to wait very long for a blood test, although the results will take about a week to get back.

Anyways I hope this helps!!

[Panopticism]

Hi John,

Sorry to hear about your troubles! I actually attend the University of Guelph and am in the process of getting diagnosed myself. I recently saw a doctor here although she wasn't very good at listening to me and had very little knowledge of celiacs. She gave me a form for a blood test and told me to go whenever and it would cost 80$.

I am actually going back to BC to see the physician I have seen me my whole life and I do know the test there is free.

Unfortunately with the blood test you do need to be eating gluten again, and same for the endoscopy the GI would do. I can't see why you'd have to wait very long for a blood test, although the results will take about a week to get back.

Anyways I hope this helps!!

Yeah, I've got it scheduled now for Thursday. They told me it was $120. I have been eating gluten regularly for 2 weeks now. I feel awful, so I am assuming the test should yield accurate results.

Thanks for the reply.

[GeneYouIn]

Hello,

Quick backstory... I'd been gluten free for about 3 years up until a few weeks ago. Over the three years I saw improvements, but definitely not a complete recovery. I still get occasional flare ups, I'm always bloating with a sense of fullness in the abdomen. One of my primary symptoms has always been a complete inability to digest fats. When I talked to my doctor several years ago, she suggested the gluten free diet and hinted at celiac disease, with malabsorption being a common symptom. At this time I was passing not only undigested fats, but also 100% identifiable foods that looked the same as they had on my plate, as well as oil. I could not gain a pound of weight.

Fast forward 3 years, the gluten free diet definitely resolved my constant, nagging abdominal pain and discomfort. I lost most of the joint pains, brain fog, etc. Still feel extremely fatigued at all times. I have near constant nausea which varies in severity. Food of all kinds makes me sick to my stomach. I associate food with pain and suffering. I experience severe and debilitating pain in my upper left abdomen. Over the counter pain relievers do nothing. When the pain is bad enough, I get sweats, fever, in extreme cases I'll vomit. The higher the fat content of the food that is causing it, the worse the symptoms become. I still cannot gain weight, I'll often lose weight when I get sick/have too much fat. I ultimately came to the conclusion that my pancreas was having some serious issues. I had an ultrasound of my pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts, etc. and was scheduled for an appointment with a GI in AUGUST. Apparently I was put on priority, but the best they could do was August, regardless. Not entirely sure what the ultrasound showed, either. I was never told.

As soon as I got word of this wait time I decided to try gluten again, see if that was in fact a problem for me, or what. It took two weeks of enjoying real foods before I started to feel off. Even now it's intermittent, but I do feel weird on the inside. It took two weeks before I noticed a definite change in "regularity."

Whatever is wrong with me has ruined my entire childhood, most of my teen years. I had to drop out of high school at 14. I completed GED testing(very well) and now I'm trying to prove my worth to the University of Guelph so I can try to do something with my life and become something. I'd like to figure out what is wrong with me before I start there in Sept. assuming they accept me. I basically have to explain to them why I am in the situation that I am. It's kind of hard without actually having names for what's wrong with me.

Anyway, long story short. Does anyone know what the quickest way is to obtain the blood test in Ontario? I know it's $150 or something outrageous, but I want to know if I'm poisoning myself right now!

Thanks,

John

EDIT: Should also add that I had what was considered Autistic tendencies up until I started eating gluten free.

 

Hi John,

 

I am very sorry for your constant suffering and pain, but I am not so sure about the celiac diagnosis based on the symptoms you described - the inability to digest fats and severe pain are hallmarks of pancreatitis, or you might have chronic pancreatitis triggered by Celiac. With GI diseases the diagnosis is complicated and autoimmunity tests are unreliable (especially if it is indeed pancreatitis)... Did you consider genetic testing? Your symptoms appeared with teenage years which indicates that the disease has some genetic underlying. There are many markers that have been linked Celiac and others for pancreatitis. Check some literature and think if this knowledge might help your physician to figure out what's going on with you.

 

 

[kareng]

Hi John,

 

I am very sorry for your constant suffering and pain, but I am not so sure about the celiac diagnosis based on the symptoms you described - the inability to digest fats and severe pain are hallmarks of pancreatitis, or you might have chronic pancreatitis triggered by Celiac. With GI diseases the diagnosis is complicated and autoimmunity tests are unreliable (especially if it is indeed pancreatitis)... Did you consider genetic testing? Your symptoms appeared with teenage years which indicates that the disease has some genetic underlying. There are many markers that have been linked Celiac and others for pancreatitis. Check some literature and think if this knowledge might help your physician to figure out what's going on with you.

 

 

Just an FYI - The OP hasn't been on since March 2010.