Ana Test And Gluten Intolerance

[AnnieMarie]

Hello everyone,

Hi,My name is Annie, in April I had a colonoscopy done. I had a polyp at 45, so 3 yrs. later I'm back for another test. During my visit I explained to the Dr. that I was having trouble with everything I was eating, after meals my stomach sounded like there was an Alka Seltzer dropped in there. I was consipated all the time and having many, many small bowel movements all day. Fatigue was terrible and joint pain. He ordered 3 test. One came back only slightly positive and told me I should go on a gluten free diet anyway.

I can't believe the difference, my stomach has quieted down even a rash that I have had for years on my chest and back are gone etc. Improvement on fatigue and joint pain. How can someone who only tested slightly sensitive see such a difference so quickly?

Another question, Dr. also ran a test for an ANA, that came back positive at 516. So I was wondering can gluten sensitivity cause a pos. ANA ????

I'm a new so any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Annie

[Carriefaith]

Do you know the name of the test that came back positive? Did the doctor give you a dignosis of celiac? If you got positive bloodwork even slightly positive, you can still have celiac disease. My grandmother had a very slight positive blood test and they went and did a biopsy and found that she had intestinal damage. She was diagnosed with celaic based on those results. If you are noticing improvements on the diet, then that in itself is a positive test result. Hope this helps

[SueC]

Hi Annie,

I also have a high ANA and was sent to a rheumatologist. He tested for Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis as these diseases cause your ANA antibodies to be high....but he also told me that a positive ANA could mean nothing. I was found to have antibodies indicating Sjogrens syndrome so this may be the cause for my high ANA. All other tests came back normal.

My GI doc doesn't think celiac is the cause for a high ANA, but as stated before a high ANA does not mean anything is going on.Lots of healthy people have an increases ANA. I would see a rheumatologist if I were you and get their panel of tests done but don't worry in the meantime.

Sue

[AnnieMarie]

Hello

Thank you for your quick responses. The Dr. did ask if I wanted to do a biopsy but I said no. I had difficult pregnancies,(the last one 12yrs. ago put me in the hos[ital untill I was 5 months pregnant) than 2 yrs. ago I had to have a hysterectomy. No more under the knife unless it's an emergency!

He said go home, there is a lot of info available on the "net" and see how the diet goes. I am just amazed at how soon I saw a difference. There were days I didn't think I could make it to work I was soooooo tired. I am also anemic.and take iron.

Well as far as the ANA goes I did have a bone density test done today and am seeing a rhuemy tommorow(My mom has polymialgia rhuematica) but I wasn't sure if the damage to my bones was done due to gluten or a rhuematic factor? And if gluten could cause a positive ANA, mine is quite high.

So many questions??? I'm sorry I didn't pursue this earlier I was suffering for years and didn't know why. I always mention symptoms to my Dr.(who is also my gyn) on unrelated visits but never really pushed for an answer. He always just said well your anemic because of heavy periods,well your joints hurt because your 40, it was only by chance during the colonoscopy visit that I finally spoke up and said hey, what is going on here!

Sorry this seems so looooong winded , but a lot has been put on my plate in such a short time and I don't want to be stupid about it anymore.

Reguards to all,

Annie

[Carriefaith]

but I wasn't sure if the damage to my bones was done due to gluten or a rhuematic factor?

gluten ingestion can result in bone damage since gluten damages the villi in the intestine that absorb calcium and vitamin D and all the other nutrients involed with bone health.

He always just said well your anemic because of heavy periods,well your joints hurt because your 40, it was only by chance during the colonoscopy visit that I finally spoke up and said hey, what is going on here!

I dislike it when they do that and don't investigate, well at least you know what is causing your problems now. I'm glad that you are feeling better now

[SueC]

If your mom has an autoimmune disease this alone may cause your ANA to be high. Alot of times it is high in family members who have a family history of autoimmune diseases.

Your bone density test will show if your bones are thin and if they are this is definately caused by celiac disease.

Sue

[skbird]

Ditto what Sue said - if a family member has an autoimmune disease, you can have a high ANA just because of that. I just went to a rheumatologist today (my ANA was 1:320) and I have some joint pain, lately my ankles. Anyway, I was surprised how much he knew about gluten intolerance and Celiac. I am not Celiac and told him that much but as we went down the symptom list I filled out for him, he pointed out which symptoms probably had to do with gluten intolerance.

My ANA had the pattern of nucleolar, which when you look on the web indicates scleroderma. But when I asked him how much I should put on that info, he said that the ANA test is best used when the results are negative. When positive, it can mean disease or nothing at all. Patterns can help indicate something but don't necessairly mean anything. It's the follow up testing that means something.

I wondered, too, if it was due to gluten in me, but I have been gluten-free for 8 months - seems like I wouldn't have raised antibodies if there was a connection, but I don't know if there is a direct correlation. Mystery.

I do have arthritis symptoms, IBS, fatigue so it could be I have something else going on. Just had a ton of tests (8 vials of blood!) taken today... plus x-rays.

Stephanie

[Guest jhmom]

Hi Annie,

my stomach sounded like there was an Alka Seltzer dropped in there.

Ironically this is how I found out about lupus, I did a search because of my audible bowel sounds. I went to my GI doc, he ran and ANA and the rest is history.

I too have a positive ANA 1:640 along with some other positive tests and I have been dx with Lupus. I do not believe an ANA has anything to do with Celiac. Take a look at this link:

Open Original Shared Link

I too suffer with joint pain, fatigue, etc and additional GI problems not related to Celiac. In my case the Lupus effects my GI tract and is finally some what under control with the help of meds.

I am not familiar with the new ANA testing but if it high then it usually means something. However Lupus can mimic alot of other things and is very hard to dx. The doctor goes by a criteria and you would need to meet atleast 4 out of the 11 along with other positive blood test other than the ANA, such as Anti-DNA, SED rate, to name a few. See: Open Original Shared Link

Healthy people can have a positive ANA but it's usually a very low number (i.e 1:80) and they usually do not have any symptoms. In order for your doctor to figure thigns out he/she would need to run a full Lupus Panel test. HEre is a link that shows all the Lab tests used in dx lupus: Open Original Shared Link

Here another link that may help you shed some light on all this:

Open Original Shared Link

Take care

[AnnieMarie]

Thanks everyone!!!

What great info. you all provide in a friendly atmosphere. Sometimes it can be very intimidating in the Doctors office. You want to ask a lot of questions, but you don't want to appear stupid or have him sense that you are actually looking for something to be wrong. It is not that I want something to be wrong I simply want to feel better without going back and forth 10 times before I get a dx.

I never even suspected gluten to be a problem I was expexting it to be sugar related. My Dr. said I probably also have a lactose intolerant problem as well but didn't offer any extra advice for that.

What has me concerned now is this. I felt great the first few weeks, now my stomach feels very bloated and hurts again sometimes. I have not tried a lot of new foods because I'm trying to be careful. The fatigue and joint pain is still improved .I am seeing the rhuemy in two weeks for a follow-up maybe some answers are forth coming at that visit.

As for my son I guess I'm moving over to the "parents section" for him.

Thanks Again

Annie

[Kasey'sMom]

Hi Annie,

I just wanted to share that my Rheumy said that some viruses can cause a positive ANA. I had lots of joint pain and back pain last summer and I tested positive for a Rheumatoid Factor and a moderate, speckled ANA. I had the tested repeated and it came back the same. I felt so bad I started on a total body detoxificating and candida program. After six months my ANA titer and Rheumatoid Factor and both negative. I've worried a great deal but have had so many prayers. I really think I had so many health factors that my system was overloaded. I hope you find the answers and peace you need.