Negative Ttg Iga Test

[pinkpandapants]

I went to my doctor last week because I suspected Celiac disease, and she ordered just one test for me, the TTG IgA one. I got my results today and my levels are at 3.42, where less than 20 is negative. So that's a very obvious negative, and I eat gluten like nobody's business (I love bread, it just doesn't love me)!

But I guess that that one test alone isn't very accurate, right? Should I trust that I'm negative with just the one test, or should I pursue more? I already emailed my doctor to see if there are any more tests that she can order for me, but if she doesn't know then I'm not sure what to do. She's going to refer me to a gastroenterologist, but I don't know if they will do any better. I know that I have a problem with gluten somehow , but I don't want to try going gluten-free until I've gotten my testing out of the way!

I'm just kind of disappointed - not that I want Celiac disease, I just want answers and I want them now! I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired, you know?

[beachbirdie]

I went to my doctor last week because I suspected Celiac disease, and she ordered just one test for me, the TTG IgA one. I got my results today and my levels are at 3.42, where less than 20 is negative. So that's a very obvious negative, and I eat gluten like nobody's business (I love bread, it just doesn't love me)!

But I guess that that one test alone isn't very accurate, right? Should I trust that I'm negative with just the one test, or should I pursue more? I already emailed my doctor to see if there are any more tests that she can order for me, but if she doesn't know then I'm not sure what to do. She's going to refer me to a gastroenterologist, but I don't know if they will do any better. I know that I have a problem with gluten somehow , but I don't want to try going gluten-free until I've gotten my testing out of the way!

I'm just kind of disappointed - not that I want Celiac disease, I just want answers and I want them now! I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired, you know?

You guessed correctly. The TtG IgA is not sufficient. They should at least have run a total serum IgA along with your TtG. You might be one of the percentage who are IgA deficient, rendering your test useless.

You should get a full celiac panel:

TtG IgA (if you turn out to be IgA deficient, you will also need the IgG version of this test)

Deamidated Gliadin Peptides (IgG and IgA)

anti-endomysial antibodies (anti-EMA)

Total serum IgA

You could also ask for anti-gliadin antibodies (AGA), both IgG and IgA.

[pain*in*my*gut]

You guessed correctly. The TtG IgA is not sufficient. They should at least have run a total serum IgA along with your TtG. You might be one of the percentage who are IgA deficient, rendering your test useless.

You should get a full celiac panel:

TtG IgA (if you turn out to be IgA deficient, you will also need the IgG version of this test)

Deamidated Gliadin Peptides (IgG and IgA)

anti-endomysial antibodies (anti-EMA)

Total serum IgA

You could also ask for anti-gliadin antibodies (AGA), both IgG and IgA.

This exactly. My ttg was normal, but my DGP was sky high. You need a complete panel done.

[SouthernGirlGlutened]

Now I'm curious as to what I should do. I began having celiac symptoms from Thanksgiving all the way through February (at which point I googled my symptoms and began a gluten-free diet).I was tested a week after starting the gluten-free diet and these are the tests my GP performed on my blood.

Tissue Transglutaminase

IgA,

Total IgA,

Gliadin Antibody IgA,

Then he tested my blood for antibodies to Rye, Barley, Rice, Buckwheat and Gluten.

All of those came back negative.

I was unhappy with these results and I had read in several books that these tests can come back negative and you could still have celiac disease.

I got a referral for a gastroenterologist who drew labs for a HLA-DQ2 which came back positive. My doctor said that 95% of people with Celiac disease test positive for that marker but only 20 - 40 % of people with this marker actually develop celiac disease.

I do not want to do the gluten challenge but that is truly the only way I'll find out. PLease advise what you would do in my situation.

A very sad, frustruated mother,

SoutherGirlGlutened (aka Faith)

[Cara in Boston]

Neither of you got the full panel so neither of you can rule out celiac.

Also, even a week of being gluten free can make the blood tests less reliable.

Cara

[MaryinAz]

On 4/26/2012 at 8:45 PM, pinkpandapants said:

I went to my doctor last week because I suspected Celiac disease, and she ordered just one test for me, the TTG IgA one. I got my results today and my levels are at 3.42, where less than 20 is negative. So that's a very obvious negative, and I eat gluten like nobody's business (I love bread, it just doesn't love me)!

 

But I guess that that one test alone isn't very accurate, right? Should I trust that I'm negative with just the one test, or should I pursue more? I already emailed my doctor to see if there are any more tests that she can order for me, but if she doesn't know then I'm not sure what to do. She's going to refer me to a gastroenterologist, but I don't know if they will do any better. I know that I have a problem with gluten somehow , but I don't want to try going gluten-free until I've gotten my testing out of the way!

 

I'm just kind of disappointed - not that I want Celiac disease, I just want answers and I want them now! I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired, you know?

You might need to go on the low FODMaP elimination diet. it is all about carbohydrate metabolism issues.