False Negative Results?

[Oneiros]

After getting negative blood test results today I am kind of happy, but also wonder what is going on now. I stopped eating gluten last monday, and on wednesday i think had something with minute amounts of gluten in it and felt a little ill. Before this, every day for about a month straight, i had bad pains in my lower abdomen just to the left of my belly button, and diarrhea pretty much every day as well. blood tests were taken last thursday. after being completely gluten free since then my digestive system is happier than it has been in a long time - no pains or diarrhea.

I guess my questions are, is it possible to get false results after not eating gluten for 3 days before the test? Or just false negative results in general? At the time of going gluten free I didnt understand much about it (just thought I'd give it a try) so it would be unlikely that I've convinced myself that that is the problem and the pain relief follows.

The 3 blood results were 5 (<20), 5 (<20), and 4 (<4) but I can't remember which ones those were. Does anyone have any suggestions or advice? Thanks. Luke

[beachbirdie]

After getting negative blood test results today I am kind of happy, but also wonder what is going on now. I stopped eating gluten last monday, and on wednesday i think had something with minute amounts of gluten in it and felt a little ill. Before this, every day for about a month straight, i had bad pains in my lower abdomen just to the left of my belly button, and diarrhea pretty much every day as well. blood tests were taken last thursday. after being completely gluten free since then my digestive system is happier than it has been in a long time - no pains or diarrhea.

I guess my questions are, is it possible to get false results after not eating gluten for 3 days before the test? Or just false negative results in general? At the time of going gluten free I didnt understand much about it (just thought I'd give it a try) so it would be unlikely that I've convinced myself that that is the problem and the pain relief follows.

The 3 blood results were 5 (<20), 5 (<20), and 4 (<4) but I can't remember which ones those were. Does anyone have any suggestions or advice? Thanks. Luke

It would be good to know which tests you had done. Especially the one that gives a range of <4, because you are AT 4. That might be meaningful, depending on which test it is.

If gluten is making you ill, that is a huge answer for you. You may be in the early stages of celiac, and not suffering damage yet.

False negatives are common, somewhere in the range of 20-30%.

[Oneiros]

It would be good to know which tests you had done. Especially the one that gives a range of <4, because you are AT 4. That might be meaningful, depending on which test it is.

If gluten is making you ill, that is a huge answer for you. You may be in the early stages of celiac, and not suffering damage yet.

False negatives are common, somewhere in the range of 20-30%.

Wow that is a high false negative rate. The results I have are:

Anti Gliadin IgA < 5 U/mL (<20)

Anti Gliadin IgG < 5 U/mL (<20)

Anti Tissue Transglutaminase IgA < 4 U/mL (<4)

there were other things they tested too but i don't have the results. Does this suggest anything? I had been on a gluten free diet for a couple of days before the tests...

Thanks. Luke

[beachbirdie]

Wow that is a high false negative rate. The results I have are:

Anti Gliadin IgA < 5 U/mL (<20)

Anti Gliadin IgG < 5 U/mL (<20)

Anti Tissue Transglutaminase IgA < 4 U/mL (<4)

there were other things they tested too but i don't have the results. Does this suggest anything? I had been on a gluten free diet for a couple of days before the tests...

Thanks. Luke

Oh...I see...you were not AT 4 on the TtG, you were below 4. Yeah, you are negative on the tests they did. However, they seem to have left out the total serum IgA. That is important since 2 of the 3 tests are IgA tests. If you are IgA deficient, those other two IgA tests would be invalid.

A couple of days (if only two or three) won't make a difference on these tests.

It is always a good idea to get the paper results of all your labs, if you can get them and find out what else was tested it would tell you a bit about what your doc is thinking.

Also, even with negative blood work, you seem to have gotten a good result with your gluten-free eating. Give it a couple of months and see if it makes big changes for you (unless you are going to pursue further testing!). If you are better after that long, you probably have issues with gluten whether celiac or not. A lot of people do have non-celiac gluten intolerance. If you don't feel better, of course you'll want to keep looking for what might be the cause. In the absence of other disease process, you could have other food intolerances and an elimination diet would tell you that.

[Oneiros]

Oh...I see...you were not AT 4 on the TtG, you were below 4. Yeah, you are negative on the tests they did. However, they seem to have left out the total serum IgA. That is important since 2 of the 3 tests are IgA tests. If you are IgA deficient, those other two IgA tests would be invalid.

A couple of days (if only two or three) won't make a difference on these tests.

It is always a good idea to get the paper results of all your labs, if you can get them and find out what else was tested it would tell you a bit about what your doc is thinking.

Also, even with negative blood work, you seem to have gotten a good result with your gluten-free eating. Give it a couple of months and see if it makes big changes for you (unless you are going to pursue further testing!). If you are better after that long, you probably have issues with gluten whether celiac or not. A lot of people do have non-celiac gluten intolerance. If you don't feel better, of course you'll want to keep looking for what might be the cause. In the absence of other disease process, you could have other food intolerances and an elimination diet would tell you that.

Well a gluten-free diet eliminated my symptoms within a day or two so the negative test results seemed strange. I will continue on it and try gluten in a few months, but even yesterday I seem to have gotten sick from some cross contamination at subway.

I hate the whole clinical process so I'd rather just figure this out with trial and error myself.

Thanks for your advice

[squirmingitch]

And that's exactly why there are so many self dx'd celiacs here. Besides the fact that sooooo many wer misdiagnosed for sooooo long sooooo many times.

This is truly one of those times when you could turn the old phrase & say, "Patient, heal thyself". And we do.

Now you need to start learning how to keep from getting cc'd like you did & learn all the ins & outs of this diet. Read. Read & read on this board & you will learn much. Ask questions anytime.

Welcome to the board!

[MitziG]

Likely you are non-celiac gluten intolerant. No tests are available other than the most reliable one ever- how does gluten make you feel? that is all the answer you need.

Nobody really knows what exactly happens that makes so many respond badly to gluten, yet not develop celiac. But NOT having an autoimmune disorder is a GOOD thing, so don't be dissappointed with not having celiac.

Stick with the diet. Your body will tell you more than any MD can.