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How Exactly To Word The Celiac Tests On Lab Slip?

MotoMommy

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MotoMommy Newbie
MotoMommy
Posted

Hello!

I'm new to the forum. I'm 46 and have so many of the symptoms of Celiac disease. I've been to tons of different specialty doctors for each different problem. Finally a Family Practice doctor mentioned that she suspects Celiac Disease. She referred me to a Gastroenterologist who seems pretty old school. He diagnosed me with IBS and said all my other problems should be addressed with each specialty doctor. (Um...I've already been doing that over the past 20 years!)

When I mentioned that I was referred to him specifically for Celiac, he seemed anti-Celiac! I finally convinced him to add Celiac testing to my blood test I was going to have. Results came in and I see he only ordered the total Serum IgA and none of the other tests! I'm a cash pay patient and have spent so much money already and I still didn't get the proper tests done. I don't want to go back to him.

Anyway, my husband's friend is a Family Practice doctor (doesn't specialize in Celiac) but he said he would sign a new lab slip for me to go get another blood test. He said he'd write up whatever tests I wanted and for me to just tell him what I wanted. I notice that there are many different names for tests that are actually the same. How EXACTLY should I word the 5 or so different tests that I want?

Thank you in advance! My plan is to go get another blood test, then depending on the result I will take it to another doctor.

Sincerely,

Sonja

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mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

Hi Sonja, and welcome. I am sorry you are being dithered around by the medical professionals. I assume that the total serum IgA test was within the normal range. If so, that means that the IgA versions of all the celiac tests will give accurate antibody readings. The tests you are looking for are:

Anti-Gliadin (AGA) IgA

Anti-Endomysial (EMA) IgA

Anti-Tissue Transglutaminase (tTG) IgA

Deamidated Gliadin Peptide (DGP) IgA

Good luck on your testing :)

Roda Rising Star
Roda
Posted

You also need to have on your lab slip an order for a total IgA. This will validate the other IgA tests. If you are found to be IgA deficient then the IgA test results will be useless. If that happens then ask for the IgG versions of the tests mushroom mentioned. Or have him include them on the origial lab slip and get all of them done at one time.

MotoMommy Newbie
MotoMommy
Posted
  • Author

Thank you so much for this information. This is just what I needed. :)

MotoMommy Newbie
MotoMommy
Posted
  • Author

Hello Roda,

Thank you for your response! Well, the one test he did order was the "Serum IgA". On the test results it says "Immunoglobulin A". That one was negative. Is this the same as the Total IgA you mentioned?

Thanks again,

Sonja

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

It is hard to answer your question. Can you post the results of the test you had and the range the lab used, because with the total serum IgA, if your results are lower than the lab reference range then it means that you are not a normal IgA producer. If the test was an AGA IgA and the test results fell within a normal range then it means that you are probably producing a normal amount of antigliadin IgA. If it was a total serum IgA, not so if it was below normal. So, again, if the only test he ordered was the total serum IgA, and that was below normal, the IgA versions of any other tests would not be valid for you, and your doctor would have to order the IgG versions of the tests I set forth above to get a diagnosis.

It is a very confusing thing, but if you don't produce normal IgA antibodies then no tests which measure IgA antibodies are accurate. If you produce normal amounts of IgA then the tests would be considered accurate by the medical profession, but may not reflect whether or not you are gluten intolerant, since the tests they are administering are testing only for celiac disease specifically, and not for gluten intolerance which exists independent of celiac disease. But disregarding the last statement, you are trying to get a celiac diagnosis and if your tptal serum IgA test was low, then you need different tests from what I stated in my first post. Clear as mud?? Or let me know you understand :)

Di2011 Enthusiast
Di2011
Posted

Hello!

I'm new to the forum. I'm 46 and have so many of the symptoms of Celiac disease. I've been to tons of different specialty doctors for each different problem. Finally a Family Practice doctor mentioned that she suspects Celiac Disease. She referred me to a Gastroenterologist who seems pretty old school. He diagnosed me with IBS and said all my other problems should be addressed with each specialty doctor. (Um...I've already been doing that over the past 20 years!)

When I mentioned that I was referred to him specifically for Celiac, he seemed anti-Celiac! I finally convinced him to add Celiac testing to my blood test I was going to have. Results came in and I see he only ordered the total Serum IgA and none of the other tests! I'm a cash pay patient and have spent so much money already and I still didn't get the proper tests done. I don't want to go back to him.

Anyway, my husband's friend is a Family Practice doctor (doesn't specialize in Celiac) but he said he would sign a new lab slip for me to go get another blood test. He said he'd write up whatever tests I wanted and for me to just tell him what I wanted. I notice that there are many different names for tests that are actually the same. How EXACTLY should I word the 5 or so different tests that I want?

Thank you in advance! My plan is to go get another blood test, then depending on the result I will take it to another doctor.

Sincerely,

Sonja

Hi Sonja,

I can't help with technicalities but I can tell you that this forum may help you with some of the many subtle and unexpected "symptoms" of Celiac/gluten intolerance so make sure you have a good search around on the forum. Ask random or obvious questions or whatever takes your fancy. The members will soon tell you if you need to calm down or take it seriously. Its what I like a about it the most.

Why did you suspect Celiac for so long?

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MotoMommy Newbie
MotoMommy
Posted
  • Author

Hello "Mushroom", :)

Doctor wrote "Serum IgA" on the lab order. I had the test done. On the results, the name of the test just says "Immunoglobulin A".

The result to that one test is 194. The range is [63-498 mg.dL].

So I take it I should now have the tests you listed above done. I hope I got it right! :)

Thanks again.

MotoMommy Newbie
MotoMommy
Posted
  • Author

Ooops, I wrote a whole long paper on my symptoms and it dissapeared! Well, I'll see if it ends up posting. If it posts, then I'll finish it up. ~Sonja

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

Hello "Mushroom", :)

Doctor wrote "Serum IgA" on the lab order. I had the test done. On the results, the name of the test just says "Immunoglobulin A".

The result to that one test is 194. The range is [63-498 mg.dL].

So I take it I should now have the tests you listed above done. I hope I got it right! :)

Thanks again.

Yes, MotoMommy, you got that right :)

MotoMommy Newbie
MotoMommy
Posted
  • Author

Hello Mushroom!

I have another question for you. It turns out the doctor did order "Tissue Transglutam IgA". The result just came back from that...it took longer than the other test. The test was negative. I scored 6.1 and the range was [0.0-19.9].

Should I still get the other 3 tests you've mentioned?

Thanks again!

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

Should I still get the other 3 tests you've mentioned?

that would certainly be my advice to you.

MotoMommy Newbie
MotoMommy
Posted
  • Author

Thank you! I just had my blood drawn again today and all the tests mentioned above are being tested for. Quest Diagnostics is running the tests.

Oh, I hope and pray for an answer to all of this. It's been such a long road! Celiac would make sense and wrap all my many ailments into one cause. Well thanks to all of you again.

Sonja

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