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

Can something besides gluten cause a positive biopsy for Celiac?


skc

Recommended Posts

skc Newbie

I've been 100% gluten free for at least 6 years due to "gluten sensitivity".  My bloodwork consistently tests negative for celiac.... in fact my blood work always looks great.  I recently figured out I was iron deficient, and was told to get a colonoscopy and endoscopy.  To my surprise, the biopsy came back as Celiac!!  My question is could there be anything else besides gluten that would damage my small intestine?  I have been gluten free for too long for it to be the reason my intestines are positive for celiac.

 

  • 6 months later...

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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Scott Adams Grand Master

Interesting, and this sounds like a trick question. So if you've been on a gluten-free diet for 6 years, can I assume that the blood tests you did were while you were on the diet? That would explain why they were negative. One must be getting a fair amount of gluten in their diet, and be sensitive to it, to have positive blood tests.

So the hard part is how your biopsy could now be positive if your diet was gluten-free? Was it 100% gluten-free? Are you sure you fully understand the diet and all the hidden ingredients? Do you eat out regularly?

Sorry it took so long to reply!

frieze Community Regular

make sure the results were actually yours..

cyclinglady Grand Master

Many things can cause villi damage besides celiac disease:

https://www.cureceliacdisease.org/faq/what-else-can-cause-damage-to-the-small-intestine-other-than-celiac-disease/

Many celiacs are actually seronegative.  Either you were not diet compliant or something else was causing damage.  Non-compliance is common per this study.  Gluten can be hidden in so many areas.  

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3598839/

Posterboy Mentor

skc,

Cyclinglady has given you good advice.

You might also cut out dairy if you haven't already and see if you feel better... a lot of Celiac's do better at least temporarily getting off dairy for a while.

Here is the research on dairy....

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09540100400003204

If you wan to study more about what else can be causing your villi blunting here is a good  recent study from the Mayo Clinic about this topic.

https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(17)30892-3/fulltext

I also had problem with my BP medicine.

Here is a thread about it.

https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/119462-what-else-can-cause-villi-blunting-has-any-body-had-expereince-with-losartan-and-villi-blunting/

Don't be afraid to re-evaluate any medicines you might be taking. . .it is not well known but NSAIDS can also cause villi blunting in some people.

I hope this is helpful but it is not medical advice.

2 Timothy 2: 7 “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things” this included.

Posterboy by the Grace of God,

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • 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. - Tazfromoz replied to Ginger38's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      14

      Shingles - Could It Be Related to Gluten/ Celiac

    2. - hjayne19 posted a topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      0

      Celiac Screening

    3. - yellowstone posted a topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      0

      Cold/flu or gluten poisoning?

    4. - Churro replied to Churro's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      17

      Celiac disease symptoms

    5. - Wheatwacked replied to Churro's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      17

      Celiac disease symptoms

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

    • Total Members
      133,073
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    amaryliss
    Newest Member
    amaryliss
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):
  • Who's Online (See full list)

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Tazfromoz
      My understanding, and ex I erience is that we coeliacs are likely to suffer more extreme reactions from viruses. Eg we are more likely to be hospitalised with influenza. So, sadly, your shingles may be worse because you are coeliac. So sorry you had to go through this. My mother endured shingles multiple times. She was undiagnosed with coeliac disease until she was 65. Me at 45. I've had the new long lasting vaccine. It knocked me around badly, but worth it to avoid shingles.
    • hjayne19
      Hi all,  Looking for some advice. I started having some symptoms this past summer like night sweats and waking at 4 am and felt quite achy in my joints. I was training heavily for cycling for a few weeks prior to the onset of these symptoms starting. I have had low Ferratin for about 4 years (started at 6) and usually sits around 24 give or take. I was doing some research and questioned either or not I might have celiac disease (since I didn’t have any gastric symptoms really). My family doctor ran blood screening for celiac. And my results came back: Tissue Transglutaminase Ab IgA HI 66.6 U/mL Immunoglobulin IgA 1.73 g/ My doctor then diagnosed me with celiac and I have now been gluten free for 3 months. In this time I no longer get night sweats my joint pain is gone and I’m still having trouble sleeping but could very much be from anxiety. I was since referred to an endoscopy clinic to get a colonoscopy and they said I should be getting a biopsy done to confirm celiac. In this case I have to return to eating gluten for 4-6 weeks before the procedure. Just wanted some advice on this. I seem to be getting different answers from my family physician and from the GI doctor for a diagnosis.    Thanks,  
    • yellowstone
      Cold/flu or gluten poisoning? Hello. I've had another similar episode. I find it very difficult to differentiate between the symptoms of a cold or flu and those caused by gluten poisoning. In fact, I don't know if my current worsening is due to having eaten something that disagreed with me or if the cold I have has caused my body, which is hypersensitive, to produce symptoms similar to those of gluten poisoning.        
    • Churro
      I'm no longer dealing with constipation. I got my liver test last month and it was in normal range. Two years ago I did have a vitamin D deficiency but I'm know taking vitamin D3 pills. Last month I got my vitamin D checked and it was in normal range. I don't believe I've had my choline checked. However, I do drink almond milk eat Greek yogurt on a daily basis. 
    • Wheatwacked
      Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS) can be associated with low ferritin and iron deficiency. Once Celiac Disease (1% of the population affected) has been ruled out by tests the next step is to check for Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (10% of the population affected) by eliminating gluten for a trial period, then re-introduce Gluten Challange. Have you been supplementing Iron? How are your liver enzymes? Low levels of ferritin indicate iron deficiency, while  59% transferrin saturation indicates high iron levels.  Possibly indicating Fatty Liver Disease.  Choline is crucial for liver health, and deficiency is a known trigger for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver.  Some experts say that less than 10% eat the the Food and Nutrition Board established Adequate Intake that are based on the prevention of liver damage. Severe constipation and hemorrhoids may be linked to a bile or choline deficiency.  "Ninety-five percent of phospholipids (PLs) in bile is secreted as phosphatidylcholine or lecithin."  Fatty acid composition of phospholipids in bile in man   Deficiency of these bile salts causes the bile to get thick. Some people with Celiac Disease are misdiagnosed with Gall Bladder bile issues.  Removal of the gallbladder provides only temporary relief. Whether or not celiac disease or NCGS are your issues you need to look at your vitamin D blood level.   
×
×
  • 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.