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

What Can I Expect?

Kat L

Recommended Posts

Kat L Rookie
Kat L
Posted

I have my first visit to a gastroenterologist in 3 weeks and I'm wondering what to expect?

I saw my GP a little over a week ago and (without boring you with all of my symptoms and history) she said it sure sounded like gluten sensitivity and ran the bloodwork for celiac. The bloodwork came back negative (results below) but she said she still thinks it could be gluten sensitivity and wants me to see a gastroenterologist.

TTG Ab,IgA - 1.3 U/mL

Gliadin DGP Ab IgA - 2.5 U/mL

IgA - 367 mg/dL

With negative bloodwork is she likely to want to do the biopsy? Are there other blood tests they could/should do? If the only treatment for celiac is eating a gluten-free diet what's the point of going through the invasive/expensive/at least somewhat risky biopsy? For those of you who've been diagnosed with celiac, do they do any cancer-screenings or really anything that needs some kind of confirmation?

Sorry, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed and going nutty having to wait another 3 weeks to see the specialist. I'm really frustrated having to keep eating gluten and feeling pretty miserable after having taken a short (~1.5 week) gluten-vacation and having had most of my symptoms go away. Even though I've been feeling terrible for years, it makes it 100 times harder to tolerate my usual malaise.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Skysmom03 Newbie
Skysmom03
Posted

Don't start the diet yet! It can sku the results! Blood test can be unreliable. It is best to see what your GI dr says.

My son and husband both had endoscopes done to confirm diagnosis. The point of having the exams to make sure that you do have it. There is no point in you going gluten free if you don't have to. It is not an easy diet. With that being said, if you have it, you should be fine after you start the diet. Life will go on- you will just have to work a little harder at the grocery store and eating establishments.

Did your dr say why he was sending you to the specialist if he doesn't believe it is celiac?

Archived

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

Go to topic listing

  • 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. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to MicG's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      4

      Test interpretations

      Based on those results alone, it’s not possible to say you have celiac disease. The test that is usually most specific for celiac, tTG-IgA, is negative in your results, and the endomysial antibody (EMA) is also negative, which generally argues against active celiac disease. However, your deamidated gliadin IgA is elevated, and your total IgA level is also h...
    2. trents
      - trents replied to MicG's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      4

      Test interpretations

      Since you compromised the validity of the antibody testing by experimenting with gluten withdrawal ahead of the testing, you are faced with two options: 1. Reintroduce significant amounts of gluten into your diet for a period of weeks, i.e., undertake a "gluten challenge". The most recent guidelines are the daily consumption of at least 10g of gluten...
    3. suek54
      - suek54 replied to Kayla S's topic in Dermatitis Herpetiformis
      4

      Need advice for some relief!

      Hi Kayla Huge sympathies. I was diagnosed in December, after 8 months of the most awful rash, literally top to toe. Mine is a work in progress. Im on just 50mg dapsone at the moment but probably need an increased dose to properly put the lid on it. As you have been now glutened, I wondered whether it might be worth asking for a skin biopsy to finally...
    4. Scott Adams
      0

      Do Air Filters, Vent Hoods, and HEPA Vacuums Reduce Home Gluten Exposure?

    5. MicG
      - MicG replied to MicG's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      4

      Test interpretations

      I had been eating reduced gluten until about 3 days before the test. I did realize that wasn’t ideal, but it was experimental to see if gluten was actually bothering me. One slip up with soy sauce and it was quite clear to me that it was, lol.
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,657
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Mark Bevan
    Newest Member
    Mark Bevan
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Test interpretations

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Based on those results alone, it’s not possible to say you have celiac disease. The test that is usually most specific for celiac, tTG-IgA, is negative in your results, and the endomysial antibody (EMA) is also negative, which generally argues against active celiac disease. However, your deamidated gliadin IgA is elevated, and your total IgA level is also high, which can sometimes affect how the other antibody tests behave. Another important factor is that you were reducing gluten before the test, which can lower antibody levels and make the results less reliable. Because of that, many doctors recommend a gluten challenge (eating gluten regularly for several weeks) before repeating blood tests or considering an endoscopy if symptoms and labs raise concern. It would be best to review these results with a gastroenterologist, who can interpret them in context and decide whether further testing is needed.
    • trents
      Test interpretations

      By trents · Posted

      Since you compromised the validity of the antibody testing by experimenting with gluten withdrawal ahead of the testing, you are faced with two options: 1. Reintroduce significant amounts of gluten into your diet for a period of weeks, i.e., undertake a "gluten challenge". The most recent guidelines are the daily consumption of at least 10g of gluten (about the amount found in 4-6 slices of wheat-based bread) for at least two weeks leading up to the day of testing. Note: I would certainly give it more than two weeks to be sure. 2. Be willing to live with the ambiguity of not knowing whether gluten causes you problems because you have celiac disease or NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity). There is no test for NCGS. Celiac disease must first be ruled out and we have tests for it. Celiac disease has an autoimmune base. NCGS does not. GI symptoms overlap. In the early stages of celiac disease, other body systems may not be showing stress or damage so, symptomatically, it would be difficult to distinguish between celiac disease and NCGS. Both conditions require elimination of gluten from the diet for symptom relief. Some experts feel that NCGS can be a precursor to celiac disease.
    • suek54
      Need advice for some relief!

      By suek54 · Posted

      Hi Kayla Huge sympathies. I was diagnosed in December, after 8 months of the most awful rash, literally top to toe. Mine is a work in progress. Im on just 50mg dapsone at the moment but probably need an increased dose to properly put the lid on it. As you have been now glutened, I wondered whether it might be worth asking for a skin biopsy to finally get a proper diagnosis? Sue  
    • MicG
      Test interpretations

      By MicG · Posted

      I had been eating reduced gluten until about 3 days before the test. I did realize that wasn’t ideal, but it was experimental to see if gluten was actually bothering me. One slip up with soy sauce and it was quite clear to me that it was, lol. 
    • trents
      Test interpretations

      By trents · Posted

      Possibly. Your total IGA (Immunoglobulin A, Qn, Serum) is actually high so you are not IGA deficient. In the absence of IGA deficiency, the most reliable celiac antibody test would be the t-Transglutaminase (tTG) IgA for which your score is within normal range. There are other things besides celiac disease that might cause an elevated DGP-IGA (Deamidated Gliadin Abs, lgA) for which you do have a positive score. It might also be of concern that your total IGA is elevated as that can indicate some other health problems, some of which are serious.  Had you been practicing a gluten free or a reduced gluten free diet prior to the blood draw? Talk to your physician about these things. I would also seek an endoscopy/biopsy of the small bowel to check for damage to the villous lining, which is the gold standard diagnostic test for celiac disease.
×
×
  • 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.