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Celiac Blood Test

eborzecki

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eborzecki Explorer
eborzecki
Posted

My sister was diagnosed with celiac when she was 30, I am 22 and trying to find a reason to my hair falling out. My doctor did a lot of tests and everything came out okey except this one, and I don't see him till next week. Can someone tell me if it may mean I have Celiac?

Gliadin Antiabody IGA - 56 High

Value Explanation Results

<11 Negative

11-17 Equivocal

>17 Positive

TTG IGA Antibody - 111.6 Normal

Value Explanation Results

<20.0

What can this mean?

Please help!!!

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Roda Rising Star
Roda
Posted

My sister was diagnosed with celiac when she was 30, I am 22 and trying to find a reason to my hair falling out. My doctor did a lot of tests and everything came out okey except this one, and I don't see him till next week. Can someone tell me if it may mean I have Celiac?

Gliadin Antiabody IGA - 56 High

Value Explanation Results

<11 Negative

11-17 Equivocal

>17 Positive

TTG IGA Antibody - 111.6 Normal

Value Explanation Results

<20.0

What can this mean?

Please help!!!

It looks as if you have a VERY positive IgA gliadin antibody and TTG. Although I'm not really sure why there is "normal" after your result of 111.6 for the TTG when normal should be less than 20 according to what you posted. The TTG is pretty specific for celiac. If you want to confirm this with a biopsy then stay on a normal diet. Given that you have a sister with celiac and positive blood work a scope really may not be necessary for a diagnosis(it can have around 20% false negative). My youngest son had only a positive IgA tTG and I did not do a scope for him. He is diagnosed based on his symptoms, positive blood work, positive response to the gluten free diet, return of symptoms upon gluten reintroduction and my celiac diagnosis(confirmed blood and biopsy). In my opinion a person should not be producing those antibodies unless they have celiac (barring they don't have another autoimmune disease that could falsly elevate it, but this is not commom). It's really up to you if you want to go through with a scope/biopsy. I had one because I wasn't as educated as I am now and I wanted to rule out other things in addition looking for celiac. My oldest boy is negative on all his blood work and scope/biopsy, but I put him gluten free as a trial. He has had improvement gluten free. So even if someone is negative on testing, they can still have a gluten problem. Welcome to the forum.

domesticactivist Collaborator
domesticactivist
Posted

Roda is right on. That looks like a positive for celiac to me. You have to keep eating gluten for an endoscopy, but my doctor would diagnose without it with positive blood work.

While it can really suck to get a diagnosis that will impact your whole life, it's also great to have something that is managed without drugs!

There are tons of great info on this board about how to be gluten free, other potential things to look out for, and peoples experiences. Happy reading!

Phayah Newbie
Phayah
Posted

I'm 27 and my hair is falling out too. The doctors have done all kinds of blood tests (except Celiac) and they've all come back normal. They are now telling me its just stress?! I have nothing to be stressed about, other than the possibility of going bald lol!

Anyway, I'm still waiting on results from a thyroid ultrasound, upper GI biopsies, and I have a neuro appointment in December. The endoscopy was not bad at all. The place I went to said they do 25 per day and they haven't had a single problem in four years. If you have a positive blood result I wouldn't worry about the endoscopy. I had one because of throat problems so I asked for a Celiac biopsy while they were down there.

I think different types of food have a much bigger impact on our health than doctors would like to believe. They don't know everything. No one does. Scientists are finding new things all the time!

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

Gliadin Antiabody IGA - 56 High

Value Explanation Results

<11 Negative

11-17 Equivocal

>17 Positive

TTG IGA Antibody - 111.6 Normal

Value Explanation Results

<20.0

I don't understand why your TTG was flagged as "Normal" if it's over 20. Lab computers don't generally flag things incorrectly. Did you make a typo and it's 11.6? If you are SURE it is 111.6 and flagged as "Normal" you might need to call the diagnostic lab (or get the Dr. office to call) and ask what happened. You might need to be retested.

Positive anti-gliadin means you're gluten intolerant at the least. It's not a reliable marker for celiac autoimmunity but once you and your Dr. have discussed endoscopy you should go gluten-free.

My hair falls out when I'm hypothyroid. Gluten issues and thyroid trouble go hand in hand so be sure your doctor runs a thyroid panel too.

Phayah Newbie
Phayah
Posted

I don't understand why your TTG was flagged as "Normal" if it's over 20. Lab computers don't generally flag things incorrectly. Did you make a typo and it's 11.6? If you are SURE it is 111.6 and flagged as "Normal" you might need to call the diagnostic lab (or get the Dr. office to call) and ask what happened. You might need to be retested.

Positive anti-gliadin means you're gluten intolerant at the least. It's not a reliable marker for celiac autoimmunity but once you and your Dr. have discussed endoscopy you should go gluten-free.

My hair falls out when I'm hypothyroid. Gluten issues and thyroid trouble go hand in hand so be sure your doctor runs a thyroid panel too.

My thyroid tests keep coming back normal. I had one abnormal (0.25 TSH) a year ago. So confusing! Hopefully, the ultrasound will be definitive.

eborzecki Explorer
eborzecki
Posted
  • Author

I don't understand why your TTG was flagged as "Normal" if it's over 20. Lab computers don't generally flag things incorrectly. Did you make a typo and it's 11.6? If you are SURE it is 111.6 and flagged as "Normal" you might need to call the diagnostic lab (or get the Dr. office to call) and ask what happened. You might need to be retested.

Positive anti-gliadin means you're gluten intolerant at the least. It's not a reliable marker for celiac autoimmunity but once you and your Dr. have discussed endoscopy you should go gluten-free.

My hair falls out when I'm hypothyroid. Gluten issues and thyroid trouble go hand in hand so be sure your doctor runs a thyroid panel too.

I just don't understand because if 20 means over than for iga its under 17 positive and mine is over 17. I typed up the results exactly as they are on my sheet and my doctor is being an ass and not calling me and I am just getting so frustrated. How do I read this?

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Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

I just don't understand because if 20 means over than for iga its under 17 positive and mine is over 17. I typed up the results exactly as they are on my sheet and my doctor is being an ass and not calling me and I am just getting so frustrated. How do I read this?

High results are positive, low are negative. Your anti-gliadin is a very clear positive. It's over 17 and the lab has flagged it as "High". I don't know why they didn't use the word "Positive" but "High" is the same.

Your TTG makes no sense because it should not have been flagged "Normal" if it's really over 100. If 111 is definitely the number, you're probably celiac and the "Normal" flag is an error. Is there a number for the diagnostic lab who ran the test on your sheet?

eborzecki Explorer
eborzecki
Posted
  • Author

High results are positive, low are negative. Your anti-gliadin is a very clear positive. It's over 17 and the lab has flagged it as "High". I don't know why they didn't use the word "Positive" but "High" is the same.

Your TTG makes no sense because it should not have been flagged "Normal" if it's really over 100. If 111 is definitely the number, you're probably celiac and the "Normal" flag is an error. Is there a number for the diagnostic lab who ran the test on your sheet?

Yes there is and they said that anything over 20 is positive but as I said before it wasn't flagged and my doctor didn't call me yet so I am not sure what happened.

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

Yes there is and they said that anything over 20 is positive but as I said before it wasn't flagged and my doctor didn't call me yet so I am not sure what happened.

The "Normal" flag is probably a mistake then and you are celiac. The positive TTG is supported by your high anti-gliadin, and it sounds like the lab believes the >20 number more than the flag. The thing to ask your Dr. when he finally calls back is whether he has seen other flagging errors from that lab on positive TTG tests.

You will likely be referred for an endoscopy and biopsy to see how severe the intestinal damage is. Keep eating gluten until your testing is completed. Then feel free to ask for help going gluten free! I really hope it resolves your hair loss and other symptoms.

eborzecki Explorer
eborzecki
Posted
  • Author

The "Normal" flag is probably a mistake then and you are celiac. The positive TTG is supported by your high anti-gliadin, and it sounds like the lab believes the >20 number more than the flag. The thing to ask your Dr. when he finally calls back is whether he has seen other flagging errors from that lab on positive TTG tests.

You will likely be referred for an endoscopy and biopsy to see how severe the intestinal damage is. Keep eating gluten until your testing is completed. Then feel free to ask for help going gluten free! I really hope it resolves your hair loss and other symptoms.

Thank you so much

Its just so annoying to be waiting and waiting and waiting. I really want to know as this hair loss has been going on for a long time and I am starting to think I might go bald :( I never thought celiac can cause this but I guess now I know it can.

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

Thank you so much

Its just so annoying to be waiting and waiting and waiting. I really want to know as this hair loss has been going on for a long time and I am starting to think I might go bald :( I never thought celiac can cause this but I guess now I know it can.

Celiac can cause a LOT! Nutritional deficiencies from malabsorption can affect your entire body, plus the autoimmune damage can mess up your skin, gut, endocrine, and nervous system. You can have anything from GI problems to neuro damage to psych disorders to infertility and early menopause to eczema, psoriasis, or odd rashes.

I had hair loss when I started on depakote for bipolar (which was also celiac-caused). My Dr. said he had never seen someone in their 30s so deficient in panthenol and zinc that they lost hair on a low dose of depakote. This was before I figured out what was wrong on my own. I wasn't lucky enough to know to ask for testing because it was before celiac was all over the news.

I'm sorry for your diagnosis. The diet is hard. The good news is that once you finish any other testing you want and go gluten-free you will feel better than you probably ever have before.

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