Confused About Test Results

[Coolclimates]

I'm confused. 2 months ago I was diagnosed with Celiac and started the diet. Not much improvement, so I decided to get blood work to test for other food allergies. Well, it turns out that I don't have any other food allergies, including wheat. I know that gluten intolerance and an allergy to gluten are 2 different things. But I'm still confused. Is it possible to have gluten intolerance (and Celiac) but not wheat allergies? Also, I was tested negative for dairy allergies. But does this still mean that I could have lactose intolerance? Any help would be appreciated.

[ravenwoodglass]

I'm confused. 2 months ago I was diagnosed with Celiac and started the diet. Not much improvement, so I decided to get blood work to test for other food allergies. Well, it turns out that I don't have any other food allergies, including wheat. I know that gluten intolerance and an allergy to gluten are 2 different things. But I'm still confused. Is it possible to have gluten intolerance (and Celiac) but not wheat allergies? Also, I was tested negative for dairy allergies. But does this still mean that I could have lactose intolerance? Any help would be appreciated.

The answer to both is yes. It is quite possible to have gluten intolerance and not have an allergy to wheat. Dairy allergies are also different from intolerances to lactose or casien. It is possible to still have issues with both. With celiac you need to avoid dairy at first because the area that produces the enzyme that helps to digest lactose is damaged, many can add it back in after healing. If you have casien intolerance however that may remain even after the villi repair.

[LMM]

Being Celiac has nothing to do with allergies. The body's response is different. I am lactose intolerent but am not allergic to milk. A celiac will not test positive on an allergy test for wheat unless they are also allergic to it.

[Coolclimates]

I'm gonna see the allergist tomorrow, so I will ask him if he thinks there is a need to check for dairy intolerance (as opposed to dairy allergies). It's weird because when the pollen gets bad outside, I feel bad (sinus and nasal pressure, headaches), yet the results said that I don't have any pollen allergies. I wonder if this is just another symptom of the celiac disease?

I'm also gonna see a 2nd GI next week and get her opinion about this whole thing. I have gained some weight (I was in Iceland, Finland and Estonia for 2 1/2 weeks and ate lots of sweets) so maybe I'm getting better. I'm still having sleep issues, but it's intermentent.

[Skylark]

My understanding is that blood tests aren't very sensitive for inhaled allergens like pollen. Allergists have always done skin pricks on me. It doesn't matter that much with pollen unless you're trying to get allergy shots because about all you can do is take a little antihistamine.

[tarnalberry]

Blood tests for allergies are hit or miss. Even skin tests are so so. And neither is very good for food allergies. (I've had more than one allergist tell me this.)

Celiac disease is entirely different from allergies. Celiac disease is an autoimmune response - wheat triggers the production of antibodies which attack the body. An allergy is the overproduction of antibodies, generally IgE, which cause the release of histamines which cause various symptoms. And a food intolerance is the overproduction of antibodies, generally IgG/IgA, (which do not attack the body) causing various symptoms. And lactose intolerance is none of these, but rather the insufficiency of an enzyme usually produced in the body to break down lactose, allowing it to be broken down in the intestine by bacteria instead.

These are all separate issues, and can present in any combination.

[Coolclimates]

good to know about pollen. I saw the allergist yesterday but he said all my results were negative and have nothing to worry about with allergies. He was not able to help me much further when I asked about getting tested for lactose intolerance. But I KNOW that I feel bad when the pollen count is high. This was my 2nd series of blood tests for airborne allergies. The first one also tested negative. My general doctor says he thinks I have "pseudo allergies." In other words, not true allergies but symptoms of allergies that respond positively to anti allergy medications such as antihistamines and Sudafed. However, I have quit taking both of these drugs because my sleep doctor says that they are contributing to my restless leg syndrome and sudden limb movement. It's so complicated. It seems all interwoven into a complex fabric and one thing affects another, affects another, etc.

I have never gotten skin allergy tests. Since the allergist didn't see any problems, i can see why he would be hesitant to do these. Also, the cost is outrageous. It cost over $3000 just to get all this bloodwork! Fortunately my health insurance covered a lot of it (actually my parent's health insurance. I am diagnosed with a pre existing condition and am denied health insurance outside the state of Illinois and I only work part time).

So I guess I'll just have to wait until I see a 2nd GI this following Tuesday. The first GI I saw was Dr. Nalin Patel (in Champaign, IL) who was the one who performed the stomach biopsy and diagnosed me with Celiac Disease. My sleep doctor also backs up Dr.Patel with the diagnosis. So I thought it would be a good idea to see another GI to get another opinion.

By the way, it was my IgA that was out of whack (on the high side). My IgG was normal.

[Skylark]

"Pseudo allergies" that respond to antihistamines? Boy, that's creative.

One thing that can happen is that ozone and other pollutants tend to increase on high pollen count days. The same atmospheric conditions that trap pollen also trap pollutants. If you have sensitive sinuses and lungs, you may be reacting more generally to respiratory irritants.