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Blood Test Result Interpretation - Weird Advice From Doc?

Magnilda

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Magnilda Newbie
Magnilda
Posted

Hi all,

Was wondering if I could get some help with this? My sis went to the doctor and after about a year of asking for a blood antibody test (or biopsy) her doctor was doing some OTHER blood work, and my sis was able to piggyback the blood test with the others. Her results were:

IGA was 392, normal range is listed as 68 - 378MG/DLH

TISSUE TRANSGLUTAMINASE, IG A6.88 Normal range 0 - 20UNITS

AST was 23 with a standard range of 6-35

Apparently as a result, the doctor told her "You should stick with a gluten free diet, but a little bit of gluten wont kill you". The doctor seems unconcerned about pursuing further testing.

What do these results mean? Should she get other testing done? She's had a rough time avoiding gluten, and I think more feedback wouldn't hurt?

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Takala Enthusiast
Takala
Posted

"Get another doctor....."

Was she still on gluten when she had the blood tests run, or not ? She should stay on gluten until testing is completed. This incompetent buffoon ("a little bit won't kill you") when one of the tests above showed positive (The IGA) should have then scheduled or referred her for a biopsy of the small intestine. Unless he is diagnosing her celiac with just a blood test and on symptoms. Either way, if someone is celiac they should not be consuming a "little bit" of gluten after the diagnosis. They shouldn't be consuming any, to the best of their abilities and intent.

What was the final decision ? He told her to stick with a gluten free diet. You said she's having trouble with it. Why is that ? If she is off of gluten very long, and then has to wait for a biopsy for weeks, that can throw the test results off. Then the "official" diagnosis by a gastro doc may be "not celiac." Then the person thinks "phew" and goes back to eating gluten, and feels bad anyway. When they shouldn't be.

link explaining what the celiac tests mean:

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The AST is not a celiac test, but checks the enzyme aspartate aminotransferase, which can be elevated in certain diseases which damage the heart or liver, for example. Sometimes celiac, because it is autoimmune and it effects so many different parts of the body, can cause liver problems, but this is not what usually is done to test for celiac.

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