Help Interrpreting Labs

[Patrician]

Sorry, you guys probably get this all the time. I have been gastro sick (extreme abdominal pain and diahrea) off and on for 20+ years. I have had two biopsies-one ten years ago and one 8 months ago-both showed mild gastritis, but no damaged villi. I have gone to several different GI doctors, none of which are helpful. I received the following labs 3 months ago:

Deamidated Gliadin ABs, Iga-Negative

Deamidated Gliadin Abs, IgG-Negative

t-Transglutaminase (tTG) IgA-Negative

T-Transglutaminase (tTG) IgG-Very positive

Endomysial Antibody IgA-Negative

Immunoglobulin A, Qn, Serum-Negative

Is this enough to indicate Celiac Disease? Can something else cause the one positive result? I have discussed the results with three different doctors, one GI and two family type doctors, and have been told three different things. I went off gluten three months ago, I feel minutely better, but not much. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Skylark]

TTG antibodies can show up in Crohn's and microscopic colitis as well as celiac. Anti-DGP can be negative. Have your doctors ruled those out?

Some people require a super-strict diet to recover from celiac. If there is still gluten in your kitchen, you're eating a lot of processed foods, or you're eating out a lot you may be getting too much gluten to heal. eating gluten even occasionally will also keep you from feeling better. There is no room in the diet for an occasional cookie or cracker. Also intolerance to dairy and soy can really slow down healing. Other people with a lot of bowel trouble don't tolerate grains well.

There is an old diet called the Specific Carbohydrate Diet that was designed for people with chronic GI problems back in the '30s and '40s when IBS, celiac, Crohn's, and so forth were all lumped together. It worked for a LOT of people. The SCD is still around, plus there is a new and improved version called GAPS. I'd strongly suggest you have a look at GAPS and see if it looks like something that might help you. Open Original Shared Link and Open Original Shared Link are the websites for the two diets.

[Patrician]

The GI doctor said that I didn't have Crohn's, but did not indicate how she new. I asked her if there was anything else besides Celiac that causes high tTg (IgG) and she said 'no'. I do not know how reliable she is and I have no idea where to go from here. I did stop eating gluten, but don't feel much better. I haven't cheated at all, to my knowledge. I Have a full time job plus four children. I could be getting some from cross contamination, but I have tried to be really careful. It's only been a few months and I understand that it can take time, since I have been sick on and off since my teens (I am in my forties now).

[MissKris2]

The same thing happened to me, Patrician. I had a very positive tTg- IgG. The doctor said I don't have celiac. I asked what could cause the high tTg-IgG and she said that it is associated with celiac. I asked if anything else could cause it since she had just told me I don't have celiac. She said that she had to look into it and would let me know and I never heard from her.

[nora-n]

maybe it only shows on the number of IEL´s on each villi tip:

Open Original Shared Link

here it says that more than 4 IEL´s on a villi tip is abnormal.

The fins have researched positive ttg and negative biopsies, and the conclusion is that this is celiac too.

[Patrician]

I looked through all the lab resuts. It does not mention IELs anywhere. Just "enteric mucosa with intact villi". Frustrating. I have an appointment tomorrow, I will ask, but I doubt she will know anything. I am going to ask for another celiac panel blood test. I have been off gluten for 3 months, if the IgG levels are down, I most likely have my answer. Thanks to those who responded.