Jump to content
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Testing


GlutenFreeAustinite

Recommended Posts

GlutenFreeAustinite Contributor

I know I've been posting a lot, but I wanted to get some opinions here.

I'm 18 years old. All my life I've been very susceptible to infections. I always had ear and eye infections growing up. I had a stubborn staph infection in my junior year that wouldn't go away. I battle yeast infections every month. This year, I was diagnosed with an atypical mycobacterial infection on my leg, that despite nearly four months of doxycycline, still is not fully cleared up.

In 2006, I was diagnosed with gastritis after severe stomach pains landed me in the ER. I've always had a queasy stomach.

In 2009, I began suffering daily migraine headaches. I went gluten free and had great success.

Fast forward to May 2012. I wanted some definitive answers, as definitive as we can get with the testing. Housing at my university will accommodate me if I have a diagnosis. I have a family history of autoimmune diseases, and I'd rather know now if I have one.

A note on my family history--includes Crohn's, rheumatoid arthritis, gallbladder issues, cancer (my aunt recently passed away due to gallbladder cancer), osteoarthritis, gout, etc.

Anyway, I've been on gluten for just over two months. The first time they blood tested me, after one month, none of my tests were positive. They were tTG IGA/IGG, and gliadin IGA/IGG (I haven't a clue whether they were AGA or DGP, but my doctor alluded to the fact that they were unable to use the most up-to-date tests because of cost). The second time, my gliadin IGA and IGG were above the normal levels, and my gastroenterologist called them "weak positive." My tTG were still negative, though I think they increased some. I suspect the fact that I was gluten free for 18 months has something to do with it. None of my doctors seem to factor that in, or seem to see that even though my numbers are low, they are increasing every time I get tested.

I know the gliadin IGA/IGG doesn't specifically indicate celiac, but doesn't that indicate that something that isn't supposed to be in my bloodstream is leaking into my blood? I was reading somewhere that those elevated antibodies mean that gluten protein is getting into my blood, signaling intestinal damage.

I've also been miserable. I've had stomachaches, diarrhea, constipation, mucus in stools, bloating, horrible joint pain (in all my major joints-hips, ankles, wrists, jaw, shoulders), tingling in my fingers, muscle weakness (to the point I can't lift a 24 pack of soda....they also recently blood tested for muscle inflammation or degeneration), and fatigue. I'm scheduled for a biopsy in two weeks, and I'll know for sure. I'm also scheduled for a gallbladder sonogram because of my family history of gallbladder issues. I have a sense in my gut that this is true celiac and not gluten intolerance. Any thoughts on which it could be?

Thanks for listening to me rant. Any thoughts/comments would be appreciated.


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Skylark Collaborator

Remember that the old AGA IgA has a specificity of maybe 80% for celiac (numbers vary between studies). Having both AGA IgG and IgA is somewhat more specific. Doctors prefer the newer DGP with >95% specificity, but AGA IgA isn't as poor a test as you seem to be thinking.

Your symptoms sound progressive and very celiac. Sorry you're feeling so rotten and good luck hanging in there for the biopsy.

Your doctor is not trying to interpret increases in your TTG that are within the reference range because the reference range represents the noise in the assay. If your immune system is basically the same from one test to the next, there is still a 50% chance that the second test would be higher than the first. If you're looking at two tests, both will go up 25% of the time.

By the way, if you have a copy of your lab slip you can call and find out exactly what test was performed.

GlutenFreeAustinite Contributor

That is good to know...my GI doctor says the gliadin IGA/IGG only indicates gluten sensitivity not celiac. He also told me that non celiac gluten sensitive individuals can tolerate small amounts of gluten. I'm not so sure.

It's been very validating to hear that I'm not making this stuff up, or exaggerating. I feel due to the progressive nature and definite systemic problems that it is celiac. We always thought that my grandmother had it...she tested negative on the blood test in the early 1990s, but was never biopsied. She had Crohn's, ankylosing spondylitis, extremely fragile bones due to osteoporosis, IBS, etc.

Skylark Collaborator

Your GI doctor has forgotten that AGA IgA was the major diagnostic test for celiac in the '80s, along with anti-reticulin which was developed in the '70s. I take it he's young?

GlutenFreeAustinite Contributor

Your GI doctor has forgotten that AGA IgA was the major diagnostic test for celiac in the '80s, along with anti-reticulin which was developed in the '70s. I take it he's young?

No, actually, the guy is probably in his mid 70s, and was actually retired but agreed to come back two days a week because he is so popular.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - cristiana replied to Scatterbrain's topic in Sports and Fitness
      5

      Feel like I’m starting over

    2. - knitty kitty replied to Jmartes71's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      8

      My only proof

    3. - Wheatwacked replied to Jmartes71's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      8

      Related issues

    4. - NanceK replied to Jmartes71's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      8

      My only proof


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,297
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Pam PA
    Newest Member
    Pam PA
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • cristiana
      Hi @Scatterbrain Thank you for your reply.   Some of these things could be weaknesses, also triggered by stress, which perhaps have come about as the result of long-term deficiencies which can take a long time to correct.   Some could be completely unrelated. If it is of help, I'll tell you some of the things that started in the first year or two, following my diagnosis - I pinned everything on coeliac disease, but it turns out I wasn't always right!  Dizziness, lightheaded - I was eventually diagnosed with cervical dizziness (worth googling, could be your issue too, also if you have neck pain?)  A few months after diagnosis I put my neck out slightly carrying my seven-year-old above my head, and never assigned any relevance to it as the pain at the time was severe but so short-lived that I'd forgotten the connection. Jaw pain - stress. Tinnitus - I think stress, but perhaps exacerbated by iron/vitamin deficiencies. Painful ribs and sacroiliac joints - no idea, bloating made the pain worse. It got really bad but then got better. Irregular heart rate - could be a coincidence but my sister (not a coeliac) and I both developed this temporarily after our second Astra Zeneca covid jabs.   Subsequent Pfizer jabs didn't affect us. Brain fog - a big thing for people with certain autoimmune issues but in my case I think possibly worse when my iron or B12 are low, but I have no proof of this. Insomnia - stress, menopause. So basically, it isn't always gluten.  It might be worth having your vitamins and mineral levels checked, and if you have deficiencies speak to your Dr about how better to address them?    
    • knitty kitty
      @NanceK, I do have Hypersensitivity Type Four reaction to Sulfa drugs, a sulfa allergy.  Benfotiamine and other forms of Thiamine do not bother me at all.  There's sulfur in all kinds of Thiamine, yet our bodies must have it as an essential nutrient to make life sustaining enzymes.  The sulfur in thiamine is in a ring which does not trigger sulfa allergy like sulfites in a chain found in pharmaceuticals.  Doctors are not given sufficient education in nutrition (nor chemistry in this case).  I studied Nutrition before earning a degree in Microbiology.  I wanted to know what vitamins were doing inside the body.   Thiamine is safe and nontoxic even in high doses.   Not feeling well after starting Benfotiamine is normal.  It's called the "thiamine paradox" and is equivalent to an engine backfiring if it's not been cranked up for a while.  Mine went away in about three days.  I took a B Complex, magnesium and added molybdenum for a few weeks. It's important to add a B Complex with all eight essential B vitamins. Supplementing just one B vitamin can cause lows in some of the others and result in feeling worse, too.  Celiac Disease causes malabsorption of all the B vitamins, not just thiamine.  You need all eight.  Thiamine forms including Benfotiamine interact with each of the other B vitamins in some way.  It's important to add a magnesium glycinate or chelate supplement as well.  Forms of Thiamine including Benfotiamine need magnesium to make those life sustaining enzymes.  (Don't use magnesium oxide.  It's not absorbed well.  It pulls water into the intestines and is used to relieve constipation.)   Molybdenum is a trace mineral that helps the body utilize forms of Thiamine.   Molybdenum supplements are available over the counter.  It's not unusual to be low in molybdenum if low in thiamine.   I do hope you will add the necessary supplements and try Benfotiamine again. Science-y Explanation of Thiamine Paradox: https://hormonesmatter.com/paradoxical-reactions-with-ttfd-the-glutathione-connection/#google_vignette
    • Wheatwacked
      Your goal is not to be a good puppet, there is no gain in that. You might want to restart the ones that helped.  It sounds more like you are suffering from malnutrition.  Gluten free foods are not fortified with things like Thiamine (B1), vitamin D, Iodine, B1,2,3,5,6 and 12 as non-gluten free products are required to be. There is a Catch-22 here.  Malnutrition can cause SIBO, and SIBO can worsen malnutrition. Another possibility is side effects from any medication that are taking.  I was on Metformin 3 months before it turned me into a zombi.  I had crippling side effects from most of the BP meds tried on me, and Losartan has many of the side effects on me from my pre gluten free days. Because you have been gluten free, you can test and talk until you are blue in the face but all of your tests will be negative.  Without gluten, you will not create the antigen against gluten, no antigens to gluten, so no small intestine damage from the antigens.  You will need to do a gluten challange to test positive if you need an official diagnosis, and even then, no guaranty: 10 g of gluten per day for 6 weeks! Then a full panel of Celiac tests and biopsy. At a minimum consider vitamin D, Liquid Iodine (unless you have dermatitis herpetiformis and iodine exasperates the rash), and Liquid Geritol. Push for vitamin D testing and a consult with a nutritionist experienced with Celiack Disease.  Most blood tests don't indicate nutritional deficiencies.  Your thyroid tests can be perfect, yet not indicate iodine deficiency for example.  Thiamine   test fine, but not pick up on beriberi.  Vegans are often B12 deficient because meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy are the primary souces of B12. Here is what I take daily.  10,000 IU vitamin D3 750 mg g a b a [   ] 200 mg CoQ10 [   ] 100 mg DHEA [   ] 250 mg thiamine B1 [   ] 100 mg of B2 [   ] 500 mg B5 pantothenic acid [   ] 100 mg B6 [   ] 1000 micrograms B12 n [   ] 500 mg vitamin c [   ] 500 mg taurine [   ] 200 mg selenium   
    • NanceK
      Hi…Just a note that if you have an allergy to sulfa it’s best not to take Benfotiamine. I bought a bottle and tried one without looking into it first and didn’t feel well.  I checked with my pharmacist and he said not to take it with a known sulfa allergy. I was really bummed because I thought it would help my energy level, but I was thankful I was given this info before taking more of it. 
    • Wheatwacked
      Hello @Scatterbrain, Are you getting enough vitamins and minerals.  Gluten free food is not fortified so you may be starting to run low on B vitamins and vitamin D.   By the way you should get your mom checked for celiac disease.  You got it from your mom or dad.  Some studies show that following a gluten-free diet can stabilize or improve symptoms of dementia.  I know that for the 63 years I was eating gluten I got dumber and dumber until I started GFD and vitamin replenishment and it began to reverse.  Thiamine can get used up in a week or two.  Symptoms can come and go with daily diet.  Symptoms of beriberi due to Thiamine deficiency.   Difficulty walking. Loss of feeling (sensation) in hands and feet. Loss of muscle function or paralysis of the lower legs. Mental confusion. Pain. Speech difficulties. Strange eye movements (nystagmus) Tingling. Any change in medications? Last March I had corotid artery surgery (90 % blockage), and I started taking Losartan for blood pressure, added to the Clonidine I was taking already.  I was not recovering well and many of my pre gluten free symptoms were back  I was getting worse.  At first I thought it was caused a reaction to the anesthesia from the surgery, but that should have improved after two weeks.  Doctor thought I was just being a wimp. After three months I talked to my doctor about a break from the Losartan to see if it was causing it. It had not made any difference in my bp.  Except for clonindine, all of the previous bp meds tried had not worked to lower bp and had crippling side effects. One, I could not stand up straight; one wobbly knees, another spayed feet.  Inguinal hernia from the Lisinopril cough.  Had I contiued on those, I was destined for a wheelchair or walker. She said the symptoms were not from Losartan so I continued taking it.  Two weeks later I did not have the strength in hips and thighs to get up from sitting on the floor (Help, I can't get up😨).  I stopped AMA (not recommended).  Without the Losartan, a) bp did not change, after the 72 hour withdrawal from Losartanon, on clonidine only and b) symptoms started going away.  Improvement started in 72 hours.  After six weeks they were gone and I am getting better.  
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.