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Seeing Doctor Tomorrow- What Tests? Cost?

winter.skadi

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winter.skadi Newbie
winter.skadi
Posted

I was sent this site from a friend, who recently has gone gluten-free. After listening to her, and having a longer talk with some extended family members, I am going to see my doctor tomorrow. I certainly can go into symptoms and whatnot, but I am personally convinced I have hypothroid (mom gma, all 3 aunts on one side, and gma and 3 aunts on the other side are already diagnosed), and at least am gluten sensitive (The amount of auto-immune and GI diseases in my family is staggering). I think the tests will help my husband more than me. He still believes doctors know what they are doing. We've already had the talk about false negatives and such, but I am still going to be tested.

All of that said, I am seeing my doctor tomorrow and I will be having a talk with her about both thyroid and gluten. My head is literally spinning with the alphabet soup of antibodies and test names. I can't even keep straight everything I have read. I am wondering if there is a test that screens for a bunch of things? and what that is called? What I should specifically ask my doctor to test me for...

And, I know no one likes to talk about money, but I have absolutely NO idea what a blood test of any type will cost. They cost somewhere between $65-$140 on average for my dog LOL My insurance says this (to follow) does this mean that diagnostic blood tests are covered, or that they are covered after $1000? (The office is of course closed)

Diagnostic Lab 1

A laboratory test of biological samples, used to assist in the diagnosis of a medical condition.

Additional Information

A diagnostic lab can be either free-standing

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winter.skadi Newbie
winter.skadi
Posted
  • Author

Ok... just to let folks know I made it through the alphabet soup, I think... I found something that was posted in April that said this is what I should ask for

Anti-Gliadin (AGA) IgA

Anti-Gliadin (AGA) IgG

Anti-Endomysial (EMA) IgA

Anti-Tissue Transglutaminase (tTG) IgA

Total Serum IgA

and for the Thyroid a T3 and a T4...

We'll see how it goes today, at least I have been duly warned that my doc will most probably think I am off my rocker.

SaraKat Contributor
SaraKat
Posted

I am not a Dr or anything, but when I was dx'd with celiac they just did the Anti-Tissue Transglutaminase (tTG) IgA and it came back positive (38). Then the Dr told me I needed the endoscopy to confirm, but she told me that the TTG IGA was like 97% or 98% accurate.

So, I made an appt with the GI Dr and he also wanted to run a celiac blood test, but when I got the print out from that test all he tested was the Total Serum IgA- which for me came back normal. I am not sure why he didn't do the TTG IGA, but I already had it done and it was positive and I was on my way to the endoscopy anyway, so I guess it didn't matter in my case.

I am hypothyroid also and had all these tested for:

Free T4

TSH

Free T3

THY PER AB

THYROGLOB AB

Good Luck!

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

It looks to me like your blood tests will be 100% covered. Your doctor should be able to tell you for sure. The $1000 deductible is on scans.

Your celiac list looks good. For thyroid screening, you want TSH, not T3 and T4. TSH changes first and is the most sensitive test. If the TSH is high, your doctor will order additional thryoid tests to see what's going on.

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