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

Gluten Sensitive Or Celiac?


momna

Recommended Posts

momna Newbie

HI, I have been tested for gluten sensitivity via blood test and it came positive. So immediately after the Doctor said I should avoid gluten I removed it from my diet. Then my Doctor scheduled me for an endoscopy two weeks after that. Tests came negative for celiac as she only check my right side ( where I was complaining a twinging pain to right side every after meal). Does this mean I have gluten sensitivity only and not celiac disease? thanks for your insights.


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Mari Contributor

It would be helpful if you posted your test results, just get a copy from your Dr.

A positive test shows that you have elevated autoimmune antibodies so you are sensitive to gluten. Since the small intestine is 28 ft. long it's very likely the biopsy missed the area that was damaged. Even the multiple biopsies will miss damaged areas. If you are still uncertain you could order the DNA test from one of the online labs or have your Dr order the molecular serology test. You do not have to eat gluten foods for these tests.

Skylark Collaborator

HI, I have been tested for gluten sensitivity via blood test and it came positive. So immediately after the Doctor said I should avoid gluten I removed it from my diet. Then my Doctor scheduled me for an endoscopy two weeks after that. Tests came negative for celiac as she only check my right side ( where I was complaining a twinging pain to right side every after meal). Does this mean I have gluten sensitivity only and not celiac disease? thanks for your insights.

Gluten sensitivity and celiac are a disease spectrum, not separate diseases. You are somewhere in the middle, past gluten sensitivity but not full blown celiac. If I were you, I would continue with a strict gluten-free diet as people with positive blood tests can move on to develop villous atrophy.

momna Newbie

HI thanks for the replies...

here are my test results:

Nuclear AB,ser,ql NEGATIVE

Component Your result Standard range Units

TISSUE TRANSGLUTAMINASE IgG 0.98 <0.90 -

Tissue transglutaminase IgA 0.30 <0.90 -

thanks again!

Skylark Collaborator

So you have positive TTG. If you feel better gluten-free you are almost certainly celiac. TTG is an autoimmune antibody; simple gluten sensitivity won't cause it to appear. It's hard to get positive on both blood and biopsy. Damage can be patchy and they have to take a lot of biopsies to find the damage reliably.

momna Newbie

So you have positive TTG. If you feel better gluten-free you are almost certainly celiac. TTG is an autoimmune antibody; simple gluten sensitivity won't cause it to appear. It's hard to get positive on both blood and biopsy. Damage can be patchy and they have to take a lot of biopsies to find the damage reliably.

Thank you so much for the information. I guess I really have to be in the gluten free diet more than ever. I wanted to give it a try for three months since I got an inconclusive diagnosis. But after reading so many things about it ( and your reply) I am convinced. I have been off gluten for more than a month ( except for some occasional slip ups )and I felt good, no more twinging tummy ache after I eat, no more feeling sleepy after every meal and I feel energized and wanting more exercise. Plus My husband and I have been trying for baby 2 for two years of infertility treatments which included injectibles and IUI but nothing happened. I've no problem with egg production and all but I just couldnt get pregnant and the hubby's stat is fine so it's just me. I read somewhere that Celiac disease can cause infertility as well..

the more I think of what has happened to me it all adds up to Celiac. I;ve got Vitamin D/B1-6-12 deficiency, anemia. Again, thanks for the insight.

Mummyto3 Contributor

When my daughters blood was pos we were told to keep her on gluten until the biopsy. Perhaps thats why you biopsy was neg because you were already gluten free and also your dr only took samples from one area, so damaged areas were missed.


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Skylark Collaborator

There's a lot of women on the board who have conceived after going gluten-free. Good luck!!!

momna Newbie

When my daughters blood was pos we were told to keep her on gluten until the biopsy. Perhaps thats why you biopsy was neg because you were already gluten free and also your dr only took samples from one area, so damaged areas were missed.

I am thinking the same thing that's why it was negative.. Since I have to do a repeat biopsy every year now, I'll probably go on the gluten diet months before the biopsy. If I can take it!

momna Newbie

There's a lot of women on the board who have conceived after going gluten-free. Good luck!!!

Thanks a lot! I am keeping my fingers crossed!!

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,547
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    gizmo1jazz2
    Newest Member
    gizmo1jazz2
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Your post demonstrates the profound frustration and isolation that so many in the Celiac community feel, and I want to thank you for channeling that experience into advocacy. The medical gaslighting you endured for decades is an unacceptable and, sadly, a common story, and the fact that you now have to "school" your own GI specialist speaks volumes about the critical lack of consistent and updated education. Your idea to make Celiac Disease a reportable condition to public health authorities is a compelling and strategic one. This single action would force the system to formally acknowledge the prevalence and seriousness of the disease, creating a concrete dataset that could drive better research funding, shape medical school curricula, and validate the patient experience in a way that individual stories alone often cannot. It is an uphill battle, but contacting representatives, as you have done with Adam Gray, is exactly how change begins. By framing it as a public health necessity—a matter of patient safety and protection from misdiagnosis and neglect—you are building a powerful case. Your voice and your perseverance, forged through thirty years of struggle, are exactly what this community needs to ensure that no one else has to fight so hard just to be believed and properly cared for.
    • Scott Adams
      I had no idea there is a "Louisville" in Colorado!😉 I thought it was a typo because I always think of the Kentucky city--but good luck!
    • Scott Adams
      Navigating medication safety with Celiac disease can be incredibly stressful, especially when dealing with asthma and severe allergies on top of it. While I don't have personal experience with the HealthA2Z brand of cetirizine, your caution is absolutely warranted. The inactive ingredients in pills, known as excipients, are often where gluten can be hidden, and since the FDA does not require gluten-free labeling for prescription or over-the-counter drugs, the manufacturer's word is essential. The fact that you cannot get a clear answer from Allegiant Health is a significant red flag; a company that is confident its product is gluten-free will typically have a customer service protocol to answer that exact question. In situations like this, the safest course of action is to consider this product "guilty until proven innocent" and avoid it. A better alternative would be to ask your pharmacist or doctor to help you identify a major national brand of cetirizine (like Zyrtec) whose manufacturer has a verified, publicly stated gluten-free policy for that specific medication. It's not worth the risk to your health when reliable, verifiable options are almost certainly available to you. You can search this site for USA prescriptions medications, but will need to know the manufacturer/maker if there is more than one, especially if you use a generic version of the medication: To see the ingredients you will need to click on the correct version of the medication and maker in the results, then scroll down to "Ingredients and Appearance" and click it, and then look at "Inactive Ingredients," as any gluten ingredients would likely appear there, rather than in the Active Ingredients area. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/   
    • Scott Adams
      What you're describing is indeed familiar to many in the Celiac community, especially in the early stages of healing. When the intestinal villi are damaged from Celiac disease, they struggle to properly digest and absorb fats, a condition known as bile acid malabsorption. This can cause exactly the kind of cramping and spasms you're seeing, as undigested fats can irritate the sensitive gut lining. It is highly plausible that her reactions to dairy and eggs are linked to their higher fat content rather than the proteins, especially since she tolerates lean chicken breast. The great news is that for many, this does improve with time. As her gut continues to heal on a strict gluten-free diet, her ability to produce the necessary enzymes and bile to break down fats should gradually return, allowing her to slowly tolerate a wider variety of foods. It's a slow process of healing, but your careful approach of focusing on low-fat, nutrient-dense foods like seeds and avocado is providing her system the best possible environment to recover. Many people with celiac disease, especially those who are in the 0-2 year range of their recovery, have additional food intolerance issues which could be temporary. To figure this out you may need to keep a food diary and do an elimination diet over a few months. Some common food intolerance issues are dairy/casein, eggs, corn, oats, and soy. The good news is that after your gut heals (for most people who are 100% gluten-free this will take several months to two years) you may be able to slowly add some these items back into your diet after the damaged villi heal. This article may be helpful: Thank you for sharing your story—it's a valuable insight for other parents navigating similar challenges.
    • Beverage
      I had a very rough month after diagnosis. No exaggeration, lost so much inflammatory weight, I looked like a bag of bones, underneath i had been literally starving to death. I did start feeling noticeably better after a month of very strict control of my kitchen and home. What are you eating for breakfast and lunch? I ignored my doc and ate oats, yes they were gluten free, but some brands are at the higher end of gluten free. Lots of celics can eat Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oats, but not me. I can now eat them, but they have to be grown and processed according to the "purity protocol" methods. I mail order them, Montana Gluten-Free brand. A food and symptoms and activities log can be helpful in tracking down issues. You might be totally aware, but I have to mention about the risk of airborne gluten. As the doc that diagnosed me warned . . Remember eyes, ears, nose, and mouth all lead to your stomach and intestines.  Are you getting any cross contamination? Airborne gluten? Any pets eating gluten (they eat it, lick themselves, you pet them...)? Any house remodeling? We live in an older home, always fixing something. I've gotten glutened from the dust from cutting into plaster walls, possibly also plywood (glues). The suggestions by many here on vitamin supplements also really helped me. I had some lingering allergies and asthma, which are now 99% gone. I was taking Albuterol inhaler every hour just to breathe, but thiamine in form of benfotiamine kicked that down to 1-2 times a day within a few days of starting it. Also, since cutting out inflammatory seed oils (canola, sunflower, grapeseed, etc) and cooking with real olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, and coconut oil, I have noticed even greater improvement overall and haven't used the inhaler in months! It takes time to weed out everything in your life that contains gluten, and it takes awhile to heal and rebuild your health. At first it's mentally exhausting, overwhelming, even obsessive, but it gets better and second nature.
×
×
  • 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.