adab8ca

Hi I'm new to this board and I am confused about my test results -- and my doc wants me to have an upper endoscopy which I really don't want to do! Here are my abnormal results:

(tTG) Ab, IgA: >100

endomysial AB IgA: Positive

Endomysial AB Titer: 1:160

Is it possible these could mean something ELSE is wrong with me, or are these results specific to celiac? Are false positives a possibility?

How does having the endoscopy "confirm" the diagnosis? I don't want to have this procedure if it's not going to change anything.

I originally went to the doc one month ago (for chronic diarrhea), and he mentioned possibility of celiac, IBS, etc. I got lab work done and started doing the IBS diet and I'm feeling fine now, so I was sure it must be IBS. And now I get these results a month later that say I have celiac? Wouldn't I be getting sick after eating gluten if I had celiac?

I'm confused, I hope someone can answer some of my questions. Thank you!

Well well well, those are some pretty high results. What I ahve been able to find (because my TTG was >200) is that the false positives tend to be low and that there may be a correlation between damage to the villi and the TTG. My villi were totally atrophied and the Dr. could tell I was a celiac without even the biopsy results (although he went and took samples anyway that confirmed it). and The combo of TTG and EMA being positive, I would think you are the real deal. That being said, most Dr's want the biopsy to make a definitive diagnosis. Unfortunately, I don't know what the IBS diet is, so I can't really comment on it.

FWIW, I am a celiac with hardly ANY stomach symptoms, so because your stomach isn't upset doesn't mean that the damage isn't there. The GI Dr. siad I probably had this forever but I only started knowong there was trouble a year ago and I am now 42!

Good luck!

Ada

Hi

Sorry for the diagnosis, especially since you weren't looking for one.I was diagnosed in September with blood test and biopsy. I ONLY started getting symptoms in February which were horrible neuropathy and depression with some weight loss. I am very tall and not skinny, no reason to believe that there was anything wrong with me before Feb.and my diagnosis was a total fluke in ruling out stuff, one of the things they tried to rule out was celiac! I saw a host of specalists and none of them could believe the weird symptoms I had ( i mean, absolutely NO stomach problems) and basically said to call a dietician and good luck, see ya. However, my GI suspects I have had this a LONG time. Too bad I didn't get diagnosed sooner, I am still really suffering from when this all came crashing down in Feb.

Just because you have no symptoms now does not mean that you will be that way forever...My advice? Ditch the gluten. Everyone is different and we can't tell you how long it will take to get sick or what will happen but you are still doing damage to your body every time you ingest gluten. Your body is attacking itself.

I know it isn't what you wanted to hear