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

I'm Self Diagnosing Again But


jasonD2

Recommended Posts

jasonD2 Experienced

Now I am convinced that I have non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. I read that it can be caused by bacterial overgrowth. my liver ALT was a bit high this time last year and interestingly enough it went down 10 points after completing a course of alinia, which probably helped w/ my bacterial overgrowth. all the more reason to address the overgrowth once and for all but does it seem like i may actually have this?


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



burdee Enthusiast

Now I am convinced that I have non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. I read that it can be caused by bacterial overgrowth. my liver ALT was a bit high this time last year and interestingly enough it went down 10 points after completing a course of alinia, which probably helped w/ my bacterial overgrowth. all the more reason to address the overgrowth once and for all but does it seem like i may actually have this?

Obviously something is causing your elevated ALT. Your observation that your ALT decreased after taking Alinia is significant. What does your doc say about your decreased ALT after Alinia treatment? I agree that you need to kill off your bad bacteria ASAP. However your elevated ALT may be a clue to why you keep getting gut infections. So that's worth investigating.

butterfl8 Rookie

NASH is marked by both elevated liver enzymes and fatty deposits.

Open Original Shared Link

The diagnosis is confirmed with a biopsy.

I dealt with this diagnosis with my husband, and in my opinion, it is the diagnosis for alcholics in denial and a way for Drs. to allow them to stay that way. Just like Drs. can tell people "oh, you have IBS" as a generic catch-all term so that they can walk around with a label (diagnosis) and feel better that they "know" what is wrong with them.

NASH is a cheater diagnosis, and unless you have a serious drinking problem that you refuse to acknowledge, I doubt that this is the answer. Oddly enough, my husband's liver tests all came back normal once he stopped drinking.

Sorry Jason, maybe others will have more insight for you, but this comes from my personal experience, and what I researched during that time.

If you do think you have NASH, I do encourage you to stop all drinking, even just if it is 2 drinks a week. Elevated liver enzymes indicate a damaged liver, and putting your liver through more strain with processing liquor is not a good thing.

Best of luck.

-Daisy

jasonD2 Experienced

Thanks but I don't have an alcohol problem..trust me ;)

butterfl8 Rookie

Didn't think so!! But I'm also not one to presume--safer that way! :D

Take care.

-Daisy

Emilushka Contributor

Usually with an alcoholic person, the AST will be elevated more than the ALT. Often the AST will be twice the ALT in an alcoholic.

ravenwoodglass Mentor

How elevated is it and is your doctor concerned? Too much self diagnosis is not always a good thing especially when someone tends to worry a lot. If it is high talk to your doctor about it and see if they can help figure out why. That is what you are paying him/her for.


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



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. - Scott Adams replied to MicG's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      4

      Test interpretations

    2. - trents replied to MicG's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      4

      Test interpretations

    3. - suek54 replied to Kayla S's topic in Dermatitis Herpetiformis
      4

      Need advice for some relief!

    4. - MicG replied to MicG's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      4

      Test interpretations

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

    • Total Members
      133,657
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

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

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):
  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Based on those results alone, it’s not possible to say you have celiac disease. The test that is usually most specific for celiac, tTG-IgA, is negative in your results, and the endomysial antibody (EMA) is also negative, which generally argues against active celiac disease. However, your deamidated gliadin IgA is elevated, and your total IgA level is also high, which can sometimes affect how the other antibody tests behave. Another important factor is that you were reducing gluten before the test, which can lower antibody levels and make the results less reliable. Because of that, many doctors recommend a gluten challenge (eating gluten regularly for several weeks) before repeating blood tests or considering an endoscopy if symptoms and labs raise concern. It would be best to review these results with a gastroenterologist, who can interpret them in context and decide whether further testing is needed.
    • trents
      Since you compromised the validity of the antibody testing by experimenting with gluten withdrawal ahead of the testing, you are faced with two options: 1. Reintroduce significant amounts of gluten into your diet for a period of weeks, i.e., undertake a "gluten challenge". The most recent guidelines are the daily consumption of at least 10g of gluten (about the amount found in 4-6 slices of wheat-based bread) for at least two weeks leading up to the day of testing. Note: I would certainly give it more than two weeks to be sure. 2. Be willing to live with the ambiguity of not knowing whether gluten causes you problems because you have celiac disease or NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity). There is no test for NCGS. Celiac disease must first be ruled out and we have tests for it. Celiac disease has an autoimmune base. NCGS does not. GI symptoms overlap. In the early stages of celiac disease, other body systems may not be showing stress or damage so, symptomatically, it would be difficult to distinguish between celiac disease and NCGS. Both conditions require elimination of gluten from the diet for symptom relief. Some experts feel that NCGS can be a precursor to celiac disease.
    • suek54
      Hi Kayla Huge sympathies. I was diagnosed in December, after 8 months of the most awful rash, literally top to toe. Mine is a work in progress. Im on just 50mg dapsone at the moment but probably need an increased dose to properly put the lid on it. As you have been now glutened, I wondered whether it might be worth asking for a skin biopsy to finally get a proper diagnosis? Sue  
    • MicG
      I had been eating reduced gluten until about 3 days before the test. I did realize that wasn’t ideal, but it was experimental to see if gluten was actually bothering me. One slip up with soy sauce and it was quite clear to me that it was, lol. 
    • trents
      Possibly. Your total IGA (Immunoglobulin A, Qn, Serum) is actually high so you are not IGA deficient. In the absence of IGA deficiency, the most reliable celiac antibody test would be the t-Transglutaminase (tTG) IgA for which your score is within normal range. There are other things besides celiac disease that might cause an elevated DGP-IGA (Deamidated Gliadin Abs, lgA) for which you do have a positive score. It might also be of concern that your total IGA is elevated as that can indicate some other health problems, some of which are serious.  Had you been practicing a gluten free or a reduced gluten free diet prior to the blood draw? Talk to your physician about these things. I would also seek an endoscopy/biopsy of the small bowel to check for damage to the villous lining, which is the gold standard diagnostic test for celiac disease.
×
×
  • 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.