Test results in the roof?

[Bouhoue]

Hi, I'm just a bit worried about my blood work test result. I've been looking around the forum a little and haven't seen anyone with similar results so I wanted to know how bad it is... Basically my transglutaminase (IgA) is at 238.00 u/ml. How bad is that? Does that mean I have severe Celiac? I'm confused.

Thanks

[GFinDC]

Hi,

Don't worry about the test numbers sounding high.  Whatever the number starts at it should decrease over time on the gluten-free diet.  What a high number means is that your immune system is producing a large number of antibody cells to destroy the gluten you are eating.  Your gut lining tends to be destroyed along with it.  That intestinal damage can cause malabsorption of vitamins and minerals.  So it's a good idea to have a test for those nutrient levels.

The thing is to keep as 100% gluten free as you can because the immune system is very sensitive.  So any slip-ups in your diet can cause a a flare of antibody production and damage.  The antibodies don't go away in a day or two either.  They can stay active for weeks to months.

Doctors use the Marsh scale to rate damage to the small intestine after taking biopsy samples during an endoscopy.  The endoscopy is the 2nd step in celiac diagnosis after the blood tests.  Please don't stop eating gluten until all testing is completed.  If you do the test results won't be accurate.

[cyclinglady]

I would not worry.  Results from the blood tests do not always match the intestinal damage.  My initial test was considered “mildly positive” ny my GI, yet I had some pretty severe damage.  I did not even have a positive (ever, in in follow up testing)  on the TTG or EMA — just the DGP.     Rest assured there are plenty of people on this forum who have had higher results than yours.  Often labs (like mine) cut off at 100.  

Keep consuming gluten daily until you see a Gastroenterologist!