Need Help With Tests Results Please

[powerofpositivethinking]

I went to a GI last week, and he did order a celiac panel at my request but also wanted to try a sitz marker exam and liver/gallbladder ultrasound. I told him my main complaint was bloating and constipation...i won't list all the other symptoms right now. he was very nice, but he also said that people with celiac have D instead of C, which I know by now is just not true i will be getting the sitz and ultrasounds later this week, but the blood tests results came back today, and any input you can give would be much appreciated. I don't have a follow-up until almost the end of February.

Celiac Disease Comprehensive done by LabCorp

Deamidated Gliadin Abs, IgA 7 units which was negative

Negative 0-19, Weak Positive 20-30, Moderate to Strong Positive >30

Deamidated Gliadin Abs, IgG 43 units which was flagged as high

Negative 0-19, Weak Positive 20-30, Moderate to Strong Positive >30

t-Transglutaminase (tTG) IgA was < 2 which was in the negative range

Negative 0-3, Weak Positive 4-10, Positive >10

t-Transglutaminase (tTG) IgG was < 2 so it was also in the negative range

Negative 0-5, Weak Positive 6-9, Positive >9

Endomysial Antibody IgA Negative

Immunoglobulin A, Qn, Serum 243 mg/dL 91-414 is in their negative range of 91-414

so the only thing that wasn't negative was the IgG which was flagged as high

I've got my follow-up in a few weeks, but until then any insight is much appreciated! would my numbers be indicative of low IgA?

Thanks in advance!

[frieze]

I went to a GI last week, and he did order a celiac panel at my request but also wanted to try a sitz marker exam and liver/gallbladder ultrasound. I told him my main complaint was bloating and constipation...i won't list all the other symptoms right now. he was very nice, but he also said that people with celiac have D instead of C, which I know by now is just not true i will be getting the sitz and ultrasounds later this week, but the blood tests results came back today, and any input you can give would be much appreciated. I don't have a follow-up until almost the end of February.

Celiac Disease Comprehensive done by LabCorp

Deamidated Gliadin Abs, IgA 7 units which was negative

Negative 0-19, Weak Positive 20-30, Moderate to Strong Positive >30

Deamidated Gliadin Abs, IgG 43 units which was flagged as high

Negative 0-19, Weak Positive 20-30, Moderate to Strong Positive >30

t-Transglutaminase (tTG) IgA was < 2 which was in the negative range

Negative 0-3, Weak Positive 4-10, Positive >10

t-Transglutaminase (tTG) IgG was < 2 so it was also in the negative range

Negative 0-5, Weak Positive 6-9, Positive >9

Endomysial Antibody IgA Negative

Immunoglobulin A, Qn, Serum 243 mg/dL 91-414 is in their negative range of 91-414

so the only thing that wasn't negative was the IgG which was flagged as high

I've got my follow-up in a few weeks, but until then any insight is much appreciated! would my numbers be indicative of low IgA?

Thanks in advance!

Maybe, they need to run an total IgA to know...

[mushroom]

Frieze is right; without running the total serum IgA there is no way of knowing if those are valid IgA results, especially when you consider that positive IgG score.

[powerofpositivethinking]

ok I've been trying to make sense of this total IgA with looking online, but I'm still confused.

Here's exactly how it is displayed on my report:

Endomysial Antibody IgA Negative Negative

Immunoglobulin A, Qn, Serum 243 mg/dL 91-414

is the immunoglobulin A test the same as testing for Total serum IgA?

[nvsmom]

ok I've been trying to make sense of this total IgA with looking online, but I'm still confused.

Here's exactly how it is displayed on my report:

Endomysial Antibody IgA Negative Negative

Immunoglobulin A, Qn, Serum 243 mg/dL 91-414

is the immunoglobulin A test the same as testing for Total serum IgA?

I believe that is your total serum IgA, and it looks good to me.

I think you've tested positive... Bloating and constipation, along with stomach aches were my main symptoms ... I thought. A few other things resolved (like my migraines) after going gluten-free. If you start on the gluten-free diet, you might be pleasantly surprised by how your health improves.

Best wishes.

[GottaSki]

I agree with Nicole.

Your Total IgA is within normal range -- the positive DGP IgG is enough reason to remove ALL gluten (IMO). Is there anyway you can move the follow up - up? Is the follow up with Primary or GI?

If you are considering an endoscopy - try to get it done as soon as possible -- blood doesn't always show the whole picture.

Hang in there

[powerofpositivethinking]

thanks for all the feedback! Nicole and Mushroom, you both left me comments regarding my initial doctor's write-up which were extremely helpful!! I put things in bullets, and he did look over it, but when he asked what my biggest complaint was, I said bloating and constipation. At first, he wanted to prescribe a fiber supplement and enemas and send me on, but with that write-up and myself on the verge of tears after his suggestion, he agreed to the celiac panel that I requested, but in addition he also ordered a liver/gallbladder ultrasound and a sitz marker exam. Also, he wants me to work-up to 5 Citrucel, 3 times a day. I've had problems with other fiber supplements, but so far this one seems to be helping with some constipation, but I still feel bloated.

Lisa, unfortunately I don't think I can move the appointment because they told me to schedule my follow-up two weeks after completing the liver/gallbladder ultrasound and the sitz marker exam which puts me around 2/13, but the doctor is out of the office until 2/21, so that was my first available he said that if they didn't find anything from those other tests that a colonoscopy and endoscopy would be needed. my brother asked my GP about gluten at an appointment last week, in which he responded if you were intolerant, you would have a rash needless to say this is one of the few times I'm glad I pay more to have a PPO plan, so I didn't need approval from him to make the GI appointment.

based on what the GI said before that people with celiac have D instead of C, I need to gather some research from journals to persuade him to proceed with an endoscopy regardless of the sitz and ultrasound results since he's not quite in my camp haha if you've got any research or information from credible sources that says high DGP igG is reason enough to do an endoscopy regardless of the igA values, please send it my way. now it's time to start researching to build my case

[mushroom]

Here's one to get you started:

Open Original Shared Link

[nvsmom]

based on what the GI said before that people with celiac have D instead of C, I need to gather some research from journals to persuade him to proceed with an endoscopy regardless of the sitz and ultrasound results since he's not quite in my camp haha if you've got any research or information from credible sources that says high DGP igG is reason enough to do an endoscopy regardless of the igA values, please send it my way. now it's time to start researching to build my case

Shelley Case (Gluten-Free Diet) mentions the symptoms and tests here:

Open Original Shared Link

This article discusses "c" in the clinical presentations, as well as the various tests, but the author is largely pointing out that blood tests can make the endoscopy unnecessary.

Open Original Shared Link

This site discusses lab tests:

Open Original Shared Link

Good luck!!

[powerofpositivethinking]

these article links are definitely helpful and much appreciated! thanks

[powerofpositivethinking]

does anyone have any background info on the University of California San Diego Research Center for Celiac? Open Original Shared LinkOpen Original Shared Link the information on their site is going to be very helpful for me when I visit my GI, and they explain things in simple terms

helpful quotes: "Only a small portion of affected people manifest the typical symptoms of celiac disease."

and my personal favorite, "In adults screened for celiac disease, between 2.6 to 3.8% of patients with constipation, abdominal pain or diarrhea were found to have celiac disease, while only one third of patients with newly diagnosed celiac disease reported chronic diarrhea."

[Ann1231]

*sorry for the extra post. was posting from new phone, didn't realize it sent this one*

[Ann1231]

Thank you for this thread. I have the atypical symptoms and also have elevated liver enzymes. I have been thru ultrasound and it came back ok. I see dr again next Thursday and will ask about celiac

[GottaSki]

does anyone have any background info on the University of California San Diego Research Center for Celiac? Open Original Shared LinkOpen Original Shared Link the information on their site is going to be very helpful for me when I visit my GI, and they explain things in simple terms

helpful quotes: "Only a small portion of affected people manifest the typical symptoms of celiac disease."

and my personal favorite, "In adults screened for celiac disease, between 2.6 to 3.8% of patients with constipation, abdominal pain or diarrhea were found to have celiac disease, while only one third of patients with newly diagnosed celiac disease reported chronic diarrhea."

I'm in San Diego -- Dr. Crowe is my Celiac Doctor -- along with Dr. Harmon at UCLA -- he was the former director at UCSD and was the doc that diagnosed me. Have you seen their youtube from a conference several years ago -- really helped me understand Celiac when first diagnosed.

[powerofpositivethinking]

Lisa, great video!! i'm going to post the link in this thread Open Original Shared Link I love how they explain things in easy to understand terms. very helpful!

[GottaSki]

Lisa, great video!! i'm going to post the link in this thread Open Original Shared Link I love how they explain things in easy to understand terms. very helpful!

Yes, this video was very helpful to me -- Dr. Harmon gave me a DVD of it when diagnosed -- then I found on youtube when I wanted to show others on the forum.

Note for anyone reading along -- the video is over an hour long -- Drs K and H are worth listening to...the dietician -- not so much

[powerofpositivethinking]

i've also been browsing this report from the World Gastroenterology Organisation. IMO, my GI doc should see this report as a very credible source since it's published by his peers! Open Original Shared Link

at the top of p. 7 it discusses Nonclassic symptoms, which have bloating and constipation listed, so I will definitely be highlighting that

on the top of p. 8 it has a great diagram I will be sharing with my doctor at the follow-up which says that since I tested high for DGP igG he should perform a small bowel biopsy

more info to add to my file

[powerofpositivethinking]

so i've completed all my tests for my follow-up GI apt on February 21st, and so far I don't know the results of my gallbladder/liver ultrasound, but I've gotten outcomes on the other two. I've posted already, but for the full celiac panel, I scored high on the DGP igG test only, and I ate gluten at almost every meal in the week leading up to it, but I was eating gluten light before that week, so I bet my score would have been higher. I've been consuming a lot of gluten for my follow-up. I was supposed to be x-rayed three times for my sitz marker exam, but on the second x-ray/4th day, the radiologist said everything had come out so I wouldn't have to come back for the third x-ray

so i may be passing things in a timely fashion according to the medical world, but i've decided I'm continuously bloated, and as I saw in another thread, "always feel a little bit pregnant." this feeling used to only happen before my time of the month, but now it sticks with me constantly

[GottaSki]

so i've completed all my tests for my follow-up GI apt on February 21st, and so far I don't know the results of my gallbladder/liver ultrasound, but I've gotten outcomes on the other two. I've posted already, but for the full celiac panel, I scored high on the DGP igG test only, and I ate gluten at almost every meal in the week leading up to it, but I was eating gluten light before that week, so I bet my score would have been higher. I've been consuming a lot of gluten for my follow-up. I was supposed to be x-rayed three times for my sitz marker exam, but on the second x-ray/4th day, the radiologist said everything had come out so I wouldn't have to come back for the third x-ray

so i may be passing things in a timely fashion according to the medical world, but i've decided I'm continuously bloated, and as I saw in another thread, "always feel a little bit pregnant." this feeling used to only happen before my time of the month, but now it sticks with me constantly

Congratulations on passing the sitz marker exam

I failed miserably -- trust me -- you don't want to get to the stage that nearly all markers were present and accounted for at day five -- xray tech did a double take, asked me if I had waited the full five days and said she never saw that many markers remain.

In my case, the severe bloat was not just my abdomen -- it was more prominent there - I looked between 6-9 months preg each evening the year or two before I was finally dx'd -- but now that my inflammation is finally leaving my body it is obvious that every part of my body had inflammation -- although I failed every blood test for inflammation over the past 30 years.

I'm curious -- What was your Total Serum IgA?

Any nutritional defieciences - have they all been checked -- Vit Bs, D, K, Iron, Ferritin, Copper and Zinc -- Along with a CMP (Complete Metaboloic Panel)?

[powerofpositivethinking]

Congratulations on passing the sitz marker exam

I failed miserably -- trust me -- you don't want to get to the stage that nearly all markers were present and accounted for at day five -- xray tech did a double take, asked me if I had waited the full five days and said she never saw that many markers remain.

In my case, the severe bloat was not just my abdomen -- it was more prominent there - I looked between 6-9 months preg each evening the year or two before I was finally dx'd -- but now that my inflammation is finally leaving my body it is obvious that every part of my body had inflammation -- although I failed every blood test for inflammation over the past 30 years.

I'm curious -- What was your Total Serum IgA?

Any nutritional defieciences - have they all been checked -- Vit Bs, D, K, Iron, Ferritin, Copper and Zinc -- Along with a CMP (Complete Metaboloic Panel)?

Lisa, I'm glad you were diagnosed and are on your way to recovery!! The abdominal bloating frustrates me the most. I do ab exercises, but when you can never pull your stomach in the whole way, it gets frustrating because it never feels like I am doing it the best I can I can also tell when my face bloats because my eyelids get droopy, and I get a lot of water retention above my knees.

My Immunoglobulin A, Qn, Serum was 243 mg/dL which was in their normal range of 91-414. In my first post I have it incorrectly labeled since I realized the negative was referring to the EMA result. I haven't had any nutritional testing done. The only thing I know is my hemoglobin level was 13.0 last year, which meant I was alright to give blood, but that was last March. It was the first time I gave blood and almost fainted. It was not a plesant expierence...

I haven't come across anything about a Complete Metabolic Panel. What does that consist of?

[GottaSki]

Lisa, I'm glad you were diagnosed and are on your way to recovery!! The abdominal bloating frustrates me the most. I do ab exercises, but when you can never pull your stomach in the whole way, it gets frustrating because it never feels like I am doing it the best I can I can also tell when my face bloats because my eyelids get droopy, and I get a lot of water retention above my knees.

My Immunoglobulin A, Qn, Serum was 243 mg/dL which was in their normal range of 91-414. In my first post I have it incorrectly labeled since I realized the negative was referring to the EMA result. I haven't had any nutritional testing done. The only thing I know is my hemoglobin level was 13.0 last year, which meant I was alright to give blood, but that was last March. It was the first time I gave blood and almost fainted. It was not a plesant expierence...

I haven't come across anything about a Complete Metabolic Panel. What does that consist of?

CMP is a simple blood test -- usually one of the first docs run for any health concern. If you have not had a recent CBC, CMP or nutrient testing -- I highly recommend doing so ASAP. These will give a good snapshot of where you stand with regard to absorbing nutrients -- celiac disease prevents proper absorbtion.

[powerofpositivethinking]

CMP is a simple blood test -- usually one of the first docs run for any health concern. If you have not had a recent CBC, CMP or nutrient testing -- I highly recommend doing so ASAP. These will give a good snapshot of where you stand with regard to absorbing nutrients -- celiac disease prevents proper absorbtion.

I will certainly ask for one at my follow-up. Thanks!

[powerofpositivethinking]

CMP is a simple blood test -- usually one of the first docs run for any health concern. If you have not had a recent CBC, CMP or nutrient testing -- I highly recommend doing so ASAP. These will give a good snapshot of where you stand with regard to absorbing nutrients -- celiac disease prevents proper .

i have my lovely ob/gyn appointment this week and thought I would ask that doctor if she would be willing to order the CMP for me. I have to use LabCorp for my insurance, and this is what their CMP covers: Alanine aminotransferase (ALT/SGPT); albumin:globulin (A:G) ratio; albumin, serum; alkaline phosphatase, serum; aspartate aminotransferase (AST/SGOT); bilirubin, total; BUN; BUN:creatinine ratio; calcium, serum; carbon dioxide, total; chloride, serum; creatinine, serum; globulin, total; glucose, serum; potassium, serum; protein, total, serum; sodium, serum

Based on other posts, I also wanted to request Vitamin A, B, D, E, K, iron/ferritin, magnesium, zinc, thyroid with TSH, T3 and T4.

Anything else I should ask for??

Mine as well ask for everything, and see what I get

[GottaSki]

Good List -- Make sure you request Free T3 and Free T4 -- that "free" is important.

CBC - Complete Blood Count

For Vitamin B -- I suggest you request B1,B2, B6 and B12.

I think you have had all your celiac antibodies -- just double check:

Total Serum IgA

tTG - BOTH IgA and IgG

DGP - BOTH IgA and IgG

EMA

AGA - if you have both DGP's that is usually enough, but if you haven't had AGA - BOTH IgA and IgG - it can't hurt.

Oh - Inflammation markers CRP, SED and RF

Good Luck!

PS...I forgot to add Copper to the list

[powerofpositivethinking]

Good List -- Make sure you request Free T3 and Free T4 -- that "free" is important.

CBC - Complete Blood Count

For Vitamin B -- I suggest you request B1,B2, B6 and B12.

I think you have had all your celiac antibodies -- just double check:

Total Serum IgA

tTG - BOTH IgA and IgG

DGP - BOTH IgA and IgG

EMA

AGA - if you have both DGP's that is usually enough, but if you haven't had AGA - BOTH IgA and IgG - it can't hurt.

Oh - Inflammation markers CRP, SED and RF

Good Luck!

PS...I forgot to add Copper to the list

Lisa, thanks for the info! I had my ob/gyn apt today and asked the doctor to order the following:

Complete Metabolic Profile

Complete Blood Count

Vitamins A, B (B1, B2, B6, B12), D, E, K

Ferritin/iron

Magnesium

Folate

Potassium

Calcium

Zinc

Copper (I couldn't get this one, because they didn't have the proper storage equipment required to send it off to the lab, but I thought if they were able to do all the rest, it wasn't so bad )

Thyroid (TSH, Free T3 and Free T4)

Inflammation Markers CRP, SED and RF

I was happy that the doctor had no problem ordering all of these for me, and I will report back with the results when I find out!