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

Impatient


AmberRS

Recommended Posts

AmberRS Newbie

Hi,

I am new here. A month ago my blood test came back positive for gluten anti-bodies. I have an endoscopy next week, but am wondering if anyone knows what percentage of people who have the endoscopy actually test positive for celiac?? I really want to start going gluten free, to see if I feel better but I know I can't until after the endo. I'm also having doubts about the endoscopy and will be disappointed for putting myself through that if I end up not having celiac. Any thoughts or statistics?

Thanks!


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Lisa Mentor

Hi,

I am new here. A month ago my blood test came back positive for gluten anti-bodies. I have an endoscopy next week, but am wondering if anyone knows what percentage of people who have the endoscopy actually test positive for celiac?? I really want to start going gluten free, to see if I feel better but I know I can't until after the endo. I'm also having doubts about the endoscopy and will be disappointed for putting myself through that if I end up not having celiac. Any thoughts or statistics?

Thanks!

Hi Amber and welcome! Could you post your blood test results here. We have some great peeps who can interpret them for you.

I did everything backwards. I was really sick and my GP sent me to a GI who confirmed my diagnosis as Celiac via Biopsy. I had a blood test several months after being gluten free, which was negative.

If possitive, that alone can be diagnostic. An Endo Exam can confirm the diagnosis, but it can also check for the level of damage due to Celiac, or look for other associated issues, with digestive distress. Ask the GI to take 8-10 samples, as the intestines are long and affectived areas may be missed. If you biopsy is negative, it could be that you were tested prior to significant damage could be identified. A negative test does not necessarily mean that you do not have Celiac. As well, Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity can be RX's by a gluten free diet.

You're only a week away...take this time to get organized, and read here as much as you are able. As soon as you get tested, you can begin the diet. A positive dietary result is also a piece of the diagnostic puzzle.

What are your symtoms?

guest134 Apprentice

You should never feel bad for putting your health as priority. As Lisa said please post up your test results, some are highly unreliable where as others are going to be much more specific in your clinical setting. Also a list of symptoms and what led you to believe celiac, any other medical conditions?

kareng Grand Master

This site has more info on blood tests, etc so you might want to check it out

Open Original Shared Link

Is it possible to have a positive blood test, but not have celiac disease?

Yes, blood work can be falsely positive, as can any test in medicine, especially at low titers. However, it may be that the biopsy was done or read incorrectly or that there’s not yet enough damage in the small intestine to diagnose celiac disease. A second opinion at a celiac center can help clarify a diagnosis.

False positives vary between the tests and also between the populations considered. For instance, tTG is falsely positive in about 2-3% of people in general, but in about 20% of those with Type 1 Diabetes or other autoimmune conditions. EMA, on the other hand, has basically no false positives.

You could consider a genetic and EMA test to assist with your diagnosis. In certain cases these can provide a strong enough indication to diagnose the disease when in conjunction with a positive response to a gluten-free diet.

kareng Grand Master

MOre info on testing

Open Original Shared Link

AmberRS Newbie

My pcp didn't tell me anything except that I tested positive for the antibodies. I'll have to call them. I've had stomach problems for years, was diagnosed with ibs and have been lactose intolerant since birth. The ibs meds never worked so i stopped taking them. My mom was diagnosed with celiac 3 years ago so when I had my physical this year i asked my doc to check for celiac when he did my blood work just to see. And here I am now ;)

AmberRS Newbie

Ok i have my results:

Endomysial Antibody IGA - Positive Abnormal

(tTG) IgA - 10

Immunoglobulin A, Qn, Serum - 74 low

(tTg) IgG - <2

And now i have to postpone my endo because of my asthma, can't get another appointment until late December.


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



shadowicewolf Proficient

out of what?

mine was 1-19 was normal, anything above was positive. I scored a 37 I believe and got a positive for both genes, yet a negative on the endoscopy and the rest of the blood tests outside of the IGA ttg.

AmberRS Newbie

Oh I didn't realize it could be different... Here is exactly what mine says:

Test Result - Flag Units Reference Interval

Celiac Disease Panel

Endomysial Antibody (IgA) - Positive - Abnormal

t-Transglutaminase (tTG) IgA - 10 - High

Units - Reference Interval

U/mL 0-3

Negative 0-3

Weak Positive 4-10

Positive >10

Immunoglobulin A, Qn, Serum - 74 - Low

t-Transglutaminase (tTG) IgC - <2

Units - Reference Interval

mg/dl 91-414

U/mL 0-5

Negative 0-5

Weak Positive 6-9

Positive >9

shadowicewolf Proficient

My serum came out in the high normal.

Get the genetic test done, as it can't hurt at this point. Of course, feel free to go gluten free regardless of the results.

GottaSki Mentor

Hi Amber-

With low Total IgA it is tough to have a positive/abnormal tTG-IgA -- this information together equals a strong positive for Celiac Disease.

The positive/abnormal EMA means there is measurable damage to the endomysial layer of the small intestine.

You have Celiac Disease. I'm not clear which IgG based tests were run, so check that you have had the following tTG-IgG, DGP-IgA and DGP-IgG.

Nutrient testing is important as well - most of us need supplementation of one or more vitamins/minerals until the damage in the small intestine is healed.

An endoscopy is useful to confirm diagnosis and measure the amount of damage to your small intestine. It also takes a look at other parts of your digestive track, so IMO it is very good to have this done. If you and your doctor decide to proceed it is advised to keep gluten in your diet. This will be for you to decide since you have already tested positive. If you decide to keep gluten in - there is no need to overdo it - a slice or two of gluten containing bread per day is sufficient.

Good luck to you :)

DonnaMM Explorer

I don't know why you are doubting the diagnosis, if your mother has it and the blood showed positive then take it and run. You are one of the lucky ones that actually has a doctor that appears to be willing to give you to accurate diagnosis. The blood test has a 95%-99% sensitivity and specificity.

I wish I could only be so lucky and finally get an answer to my problem.

I wrote somewhere else about my years of stomach problems, anemia, blunted villi (in distal duodenum and proximal jejunum) right where celiac hits. But I am seronegative and my biopsy was negative.

I am in ARNP school and have realized how many people are not textbook presentation you appear to be which I assure you will make life much easier for you!

Honestly you don't HAVE to get the biopsy you have the diagnosis but its quick, painless and nice to know how much damage is done some after a few years you can do it again and compare the two

  • 3 weeks later...
AmberRS Newbie

Well my endo came back negative for Celiac. I'm gonna go gluten free anyway and see if I feel better.

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. - trents replied to catnapt's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      9

      how much gluten do I need to eat before blood tests?

    2. - Scott Adams replied to SilkieFairy's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      2

      IBS-D vs Celiac

    3. - Scott Adams replied to Amy Barnett's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      1

      Question

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,323
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    bttyknight83
    Newest Member
    bttyknight83
    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

    • trents
      I might suggest you consider buckwheat groats. https://www.amazon.com/Anthonys-Organic-Hulled-Buckwheat-Groats/dp/B0D15QDVW7/ref=sr_1_4_pp?crid=GOFG11A8ZUMU&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.bk-hCrXgLpHqKS8QJnfKJLKbKzm2BS9tIFv3P9HjJ5swL1-02C3V819UZ845_kAwnxTUM8Qa69hKl0DfHAucO827k_rh7ZclIOPtAA9KjvEEYtaeUV06FJQyCoi5dwcfXRt8dx3cJ6ctEn2VIPaaFd0nOye2TkASgSRtdtKgvXEEXknFVYURBjXen1Nc7EtAlJyJbU8EhB89ElCGFPRavEQkTFHv9V2Zh1EMAPRno7UajBpLCQ-1JfC5jKUyzfgsf7jN5L6yfZSgjhnwEbg6KKwWrKeghga8W_CAhEEw9N0.eDBrhYWsjgEFud6ZE03iun0-AEaGfNS1q4ILLjZz7Fs&dib_tag=se&keywords=buckwheat%2Bgroats&qid=1769980587&s=grocery&sprefix=buchwheat%2Bgroats%2Cgrocery%2C249&sr=1-4&th=1 Takes about 10 minutes to cook. Incidentally, I don't like quinoa either. Reminds me and smells to me like wet grass seed. When its not washed before cooking it makes me ill because of saponins in the seed coat. Yes, it can be difficult to get much dietary calcium without dairy. But in many cases, it's not the amount of calcium in the diet that is the problem but the poor uptake of it. And too much calcium supplementation can interfere with the absorption of vitamins and minerals in general because it raises gut pH.
    • Scott Adams
      What you’re describing really does not read like typical IBS-D. The dramatic, rapid normalization of stool frequency and form after removing wheat, along with improved tolerance of legumes and plant foods, is a classic pattern seen in gluten-driven disease rather than functional IBS. IBS usually worsens with fiber and beans, not improves. The fact that you carry HLA-DQ2.2 means celiac disease is absolutely possible, even if it’s less common than DQ2.5, and many people with DQ2.2 present later and are under-diagnosed. Your hesitation to reintroduce gluten is completely understandable — quality of life matters — and many people in your position choose to remain strictly gluten-free and treat it as medically necessary even without formal biopsy confirmation. If and when you’re ready, a physician can help you weigh options like limited gluten challenge, serology history, or documentation as “probable celiac.” What’s clear is that this wasn’t just random IBS — you identified the trigger, and your body has been very consistent in its response.
    • Scott Adams
      Here are some results from a search: Top Liquid Multivitamin Picks for Celiac Needs MaryRuth's Liquid Morning Multivitamin Essentials+ – Excellent daily choice with a broad vitamin/mineral profile, easy to absorb, gluten-free, vegan, and great overall value. MaryRuth's Liquid Morning Multivitamin – Classic, well-reviewed gluten-free liquid multivitamin with essential nutrients in a readily absorbable form. MaryRuth's Morning Multivitamin w/ Hair Growth – Adds beauty-supporting ingredients (biotin, B vitamins), also gluten-free and easy to take. New Chapter Liquid Multivitamin and New Chapter Liquid Multivitamin Orange Mango – Fermented liquid form with extra nutrients and good tolerability if you prefer a whole-food-based formula. Nature's Plus Source Of Life Gold Liquid – Premium option with a broad spectrum of vitamins and plant-based nutrients. Floradix Epresat Adult Liquid Multivitamin – Highly rated gluten-free German-made liquid, good choice if taste and natural ingredients matter. NOW Foods Liquid Multi Tropical Orange – Budget-friendly liquid multivitamin with solid nutrient coverage.
    • catnapt
      oh that's interesting... it's hard to say for sure but it has *seemed* like oats might be causing me some vague issues in the past few months. It's odd that I never really connect specific symptoms to foods, it's more of an all over feeling of unwellness after  eating them.  If it happens a few times after eating the same foods- I cut back or avoid them. for this reason I avoid dairy and eggs.  So far this has worked well for me.  oh, I have some of Bob's Red Mill Mighty Tasty Hot cereal and I love it! it's hard to find but I will be looking for more.  for the next few weeks I'm going to be concentrating on whole fresh fruits and veggies and beans and nuts and seeds. I'll have to find out if grains are truly necessary in our diet. I buy brown rice pasta but only eat that maybe once a month at most. Never liked quinoa. And all the other exotic sounding grains seem to be time consuming to prepare. Something to look at later. I love beans and to me they provide the heft and calories that make me feel full for a lot longer than a big bowl of broccoli or other veggies. I can't even tolerate the plant milks right now.  I have reached out to the endo for guidance regarding calcium intake - she wants me to consume 1000mgs from food daily and I'm not able to get to more than 600mgs right now.  not supposed to use a supplement until after my next round of testing for hyperparathyroidism.   thanks again- you seem to know quite a bit about celiac.  
    • trents
      Welcome to the celiac.com community, @SilkieFairy! You could also have NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity) as opposed to celiac disease. They share many of the same symptoms, especially the GI ones. There is no test for NCGS. Celiac disease must first be ruled out.
×
×
  • 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.