Doctors And Every One Else Who May Know This Answer, Please Help.

[Liveenjoylife]

I had my self tested for celiac disease two days ago, (Friday)through blood work. I think the test was called IgA and have not eaten wheat/gluten for almost a year.(I self diagnosed my self)However, I have recently found out I am allergic to corn, and the day I was to get tested I woke up with a hive on my mouth, a rash on my face, and was having a hard time breathing, my lungs were getting tight. So, my question to you all will my test results have a good chance of showing I have celiac disease now that corn was part of it?

[mushroom]

I have no idea if the corn will make any difference or not, but the fact that you have not eat gluten for a year certainly will. If you really have not eaten gluten your test will be negative.

[T.H.]

Yeah, afraid the test will be negative if you've been gluten free for a year. Since it's not an allergy, the allergic reaction to corn wouldn't affect the test, though.

Was your doctor aware of your gluten free status when the test was ordered?

If they were, and are still trying to diagnose you this way, they are simply very celiac ignorant. A survey study of GI doctors around the world found that over 50% of them would choose this (incorrect) way of trying to diagnose a celiac who has been gluten free for a long time, so your doc wouldn't be alone in this.

Re: the corn allergy, if you haven't yet, i would really recommend checking out a corn allergy site, because that stuff is in an insane amount of things. Especially if you are having a severe reaction like this, I imagine you need to know.

Iodized salt always has corn, citric acid can be corn contaminated, many tomatoes have a corn based spray on them for ripening, even paper plates sometimes have corn starch between them to prevent sticking - it's all over the place, ya know?

[Liveenjoylife]

Yeah, afraid the test will be negative if you've been gluten free for a year. Since it's not an allergy, the allergic reaction to corn wouldn't affect the test, though.

Was your doctor aware of your gluten free status when the test was ordered?

If they were, and are still trying to diagnose you this way, they are simply very celiac ignorant. A survey study of GI doctors around the world found that over 50% of them would choose this (incorrect) way of trying to diagnose a celiac who has been gluten free for a long time, so your doc wouldn't be alone in this.

Re: the corn allergy, if you haven't yet, i would really recommend checking out a corn allergy site, because that stuff is in an insane amount of things. Especially if you are having a severe reaction like this, I imagine you need to know.

Iodized salt always has corn, citric acid can be corn contaminated, many tomatoes have a corn based spray on them for ripening, even paper plates sometimes have corn starch between them to prevent sticking - it's all over the place, ya know?

But here's the thing. Even if I eat a crumb of wheat, my reaction is severe, even life threatening. This is why she still ordered for the test in hopes it may still show up. Even if I breath in flour my throat will start to close let alone eat any wheat for a test to prove it. I'm basically caught in a hard place. And am hopeful my test may turn out positive. Thanks for the help.

[AzizaRivers]

I am aware that celiac reactions vary greatly from one person to another, and some celiacs have reactions similar to this, but I think it's important to mention that you should consider the possibility of having an wheat allergy rather than celiac, particularly since you were self-diagnosed so I'm assuming that means you never had an endoscopy or anything that would indicate intestinal damage. Since you have a severe corn allergy, consider that it may be a wheat allergy.

If you have been gluten free for a year already and feel better that way, by all means keep doing it. If you've been gluten-free for that long there's a high likelihood that your results will be negative for celiac even if that's what it is. You know gluten/wheat makes you extremely ill, so regardless of your results, don't eat it! And see about getting an Epipen if you haven't already. You don't want to go into anaphylactic shock without one of those nearby, and it seems that's where your reactions could be heading.

[psawyer]

The blood tests in the celiac panel will not detect an allergy, no matter how intense. They measure the antibodies produced by the autoimmune reaction to gluten. Those antibodies have a limited life span, and will only be found if you are eating gluten on a regular basis.

An allergic reaction to corn (or anything else) will not affect those antibodies.

[GlutenFreeManna]

But here's the thing. Even if I eat a crumb of wheat, my reaction is severe, even life threatening. This is why she still ordered for the test in hopes it may still show up. Even if I breath in flour my throat will start to close let alone eat any wheat for a test to prove it. I'm basically caught in a hard place. And am hopeful my test may turn out positive. Thanks for the help.

This sounds more like a wheat allergy. Celiac disease or gluten intolerance is not an allergy, it is an autoimmune disease. Have you had IgE testing done for wheat alllergy?

I am currently going through this with milk. I started have anaphylactic reactions to anything with milk. I'm waiting on drs appointments to get offical allergy testing but I have heard it's unreliable. I have one on Monday in which I will ask to get an epipen even though I have not had allergy testing done yet. Other people with life-threatening allergies have told me it is fairly easy to get an epipen after a reaction. If your allergic reactions have been documanted by ER visits or even by your dr you should not have any problem getting some life saving meds. Don't ignore this even if you tests come back negative. You could test yourself with barley to see if your problem is with gluten or with wheat, but don't do that until you have an epipen given your past reactions to wheat. In the end you may have to settle with not knowing if you have celiac or a wheat allergy (some people even have both). The result of having to avoid wheat is pretty much the same no matter what yoru diagnosis is. Only difference is if you are allergic to just wheat you can have the other gluten grains.

[Liveenjoylife]

I am aware that celiac reactions vary greatly from one person to another, and some celiacs have reactions similar to this, but I think it's important to mention that you should consider the possibility of having an wheat allergy rather than celiac, particularly since you were self-diagnosed so I'm assuming that means you never had an endoscopy or anything that would indicate intestinal damage. Since you have a severe corn allergy, consider that it may be a wheat allergy.

If you have been gluten free for a year already and feel better that way, by all means keep doing it. If you've been gluten-free for that long there's a high likelihood that your results will be negative for celiac even if that's what it is. You know gluten/wheat makes you extremely ill, so regardless of your results, don't eat it! And see about getting an Epipen if you haven't already. You don't want to go into anaphylactic shock without one of those nearby, and it seems that's where your reactions could be heading.

I know it's celiac disease because my grandmother has it. Our reactions are the same. It is only genetic, and yes she did get tested..I meant to say I have had celiac for 2 years, but prior to that I have also been lactose intolerant. Thanks for your help I will look into an Epipen.

[Liveenjoylife]

The blood tests in the celiac panel will not detect an allergy, no matter how intense. They measure the antibodies produced by the autoimmune reaction to gluten. Those antibodies have a limited life span, and will only be found if you are eating gluten on a regular basis.

An allergic reaction to corn (or anything else) will not affect those antibodies.

Not something I defiantly did not want to hear, but thanks for being so frank.

[Liveenjoylife]

This sounds more like a wheat allergy. Celiac disease or gluten intolerance is not an allergy, it is an autoimmune disease. Have you had IgE testing done for wheat alllergy?

I am currently going through this with milk. I started have anaphylactic reactions to anything with milk. I'm waiting on drs appointments to get offical allergy testing but I have heard it's unreliable. I have one on Monday in which I will ask to get an epipen even though I have not had allergy testing done yet. Other people with life-threatening allergies have told me it is fairly easy to get an epipen after a reaction. If your allergic reactions have been documanted by ER visits or even by your dr you should not have any problem getting some life saving meds. Don't ignore this even if you tests come back negative. You could test yourself with barley to see if your problem is with gluten or with wheat, but don't do that until you have an epipen given your past reactions to wheat. In the end you may have to settle with not knowing if you have celiac or a wheat allergy (some people even have both). The result of having to avoid wheat is pretty much the same no matter what yoru diagnosis is. Only difference is if you are allergic to just wheat you can have the other gluten grains.

My doctor had two tests done one for wheat allergy the other for celiac disease. I can't have any wheat whether it be barley, rye etc. Thanks, even if/when it does come back negative I will find other ways to prove it. Good luck with your dairy testing.

[GlutenFreeManna]

My doctor had two tests done one for wheat allergy the other for celiac disease. I can't have any wheat whether it be barley, rye etc. Thanks, even if/when it does come back negative I will find other ways to prove it. Good luck with your dairy testing.

Thanks. Just curious is there some reason you need to "prove" it? It sounds like your body has given you all the proof you need. You could look into Enterolab if you really need the piece of paper with a positive test result. They do not diagnose celiac, they only tell you if you are gluten intolerant based on stool samples and they do genetic testing too I think. It's expensive however and insurance usually doesn't cover it.

[Liveenjoylife]

Thanks. Just curious is there some reason you need to "prove" it? It sounds like your body has given you all the proof you need. You could look into Enterolab if you really need the piece of paper with a positive test result. They do not diagnose celiac, they only tell you if you are gluten intolerant based on stool samples and they do genetic testing too I think. It's expensive however and insurance usually doesn't cover it.

You're welcome. I am having to prove it for medical reasons that are personal.

[frieze]

You're welcome. I am having to prove it for medical reasons that are personal.

actually, you may have been gluten free too long for enterolab....good luck