Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×

  • 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

What tests to ask for at GP appointment tomorrow

Kazbo
 Share

Recommended Posts

Kazbo Rookie
Kazbo
Posted

Hi, I have been having issues for a few years, I decided to do my own little experiment and go gluten free. I will be telling the dr of my experience at the appointment tomorrow as it's been a bumpy ride, with rashes, chronic D, and stomach pains.  Other than that I am actually feeling better 😆. 

I was tested for celiac in 2022 but the results were supposedly negative.  I only had a basic Iga which came back at 0.2 u/ml. Which I think maybe borderline deficient??? No other tests were done.  I think I need a total Iga? Or should I be asking for something else?  I was also going to jump straight in and request an endoscopy to check the small intestine. 

I would be interested in any thoughts or suggestions. I'm in the UK. 

Thank you 😊 

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Scott Adams Grand Master
Scott Adams
Posted

For a full panel these tests would be good:

  • Total IgA Test
  • tTG-IgA (tissue transglutaminase IgA) Blood Test for Celiac Disease
  • tTG-IgG (tissue transglutaminase IgG) Blood Test for Celiac Disease
  • DGP-IgA and DGP-IgG (Deamidated Gliadin Peptide) Blood Tests for Celiac Disease

If you have the details of your original test(s), along with the test reference ranges, feel free to share them.

This article might be helpful. It breaks down each type of test, and what a positive results means in terms of the probability that you might have celiac disease.

 

 

Kazbo Rookie
Kazbo
Posted
  • Author

Tissue transglutaminase IgA level < 0.2 U/ml [< 14.9]; No serological evidence of Coeliac Disease Please refer to the joint BSPGHAN and Coeliac UK guidelines (2013) From 01/04/2022 TTG's will be processed at Mid Yorkshire Hospital laboratories.

Note change in method and change in reference range

Note: TTG tests are not currently in our scope of accreditation for ISO 15189

 

This was all the previous test said.  I didn't think much of it at the time as it says no evidence of celiac, but the test doesn't seem extensive unless I've missed something? 

RMJ Mentor
RMJ
Posted

How long have you been gluten free? If you have additional tests done while gluten free you could get false negative results.

Scott Adams Grand Master
Scott Adams
Posted

If your Total IgA Test was deficient, like you mention, then you could have a false negative with your tTG-IgA (tissue transglutaminase IgA) Blood Test for Celiac Disease.

Kazbo Rookie
Kazbo
Posted
  • Author
8 hours ago, RMJ said:

How long have you been gluten free? If you have additional tests done while gluten free you could get false negative results.

A month now,  I am aware of these but I just felt I didn't have much choice but to try it anyway. I'm glad I did because over all I feel better and that is what's most important to me.  🙂

Kazbo Rookie
Kazbo
Posted
  • Author
6 hours ago, Scott Adams said:

If your Total IgA Test was deficient, like you mention, then you could have a false negative with your tTG-IgA (tissue transglutaminase IgA) Blood Test for Celiac Disease.

I'm not 100% if sure if a result of 0.2 is deficient but I think it's closer enough to warrant further exploration considering that giving up gluten has had an impact.  Well see later.  🙂

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


MIsailR Newbie
MIsailR
Posted

Going gluten-free has helped and it is good to learn that. Well done for taking the control over your health! 🙌

On the results of the test, yes, 0. 2 u/ml does look high, but that may be due to the fact that the current has been diluted. You might want to be tested for total IgA level in order to exclude selective IgA deficiency in quest of getting a clearer diagnosis. Further, before any endoscopy, perhaps it may be better to ask your doc regarding a more aggressive panel and gluten challenge to see if it is indeed gluten causing the problem.

Kazbo Rookie
Kazbo
Posted
  • Author

Thank you everyone, I have been referred to gastroenterology, which is great but just more waiting.  In the meantime I'll carry on gluten free. 🙂

Scott Adams Grand Master
Scott Adams
Posted

Approximately 10x more people have non-celiac gluten sensitivity than have celiac disease, but there isn’t yet a test for NCGS. If your symptoms go away on a gluten-free diet it would likely signal NCGS.

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
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      126,096
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    John.B
    Newest Member
    John.B
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      120.9k
    • Total Posts
      69.2k
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Celiac Maybe a Possibility?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Welcome to the forum, and thank you for sharing your story! It sounds like you’ve been through an incredible journey with your health, and it’s no wonder you’re starting to piece things together and wonder about celiac disease. Your experiences—from childhood through adulthood—paint a picture of symptoms that are often associated with celiac disease, though they can overlap with other conditions as well. The recurring sinus infections, being underweight as a child, chronic gastrointestinal issues, nutrient-related symptoms like cramps, and the persistent fatigue and brain fog are all things that many people with undiagnosed celiac report. Your reactions to gluten also stand out. The improvement in symptoms when you reduce or remove gluten, followed by the resurgence of pain and other problems when you reintroduce it, is a common experience for those with celiac or gluten intolerance. While your frustrations and trials with elimination diets might not have given you concrete answers yet, they’ve provided valuable clues. It’s also worth noting that celiac disease doesn’t always present in the classic way. Many people, like yourself, may not experience severe gastrointestinal distress but instead have “atypical” or extraintestinal symptoms like joint pain, menstrual irregularities, fatigue, and more. It’s a condition that can go undiagnosed for years, especially when symptoms are subtle, sporadic, or mistakenly attributed to other issues. The fact that you’ve sought alternative approaches to feel better shows just how determined you’ve been to find relief, even without a definitive diagnosis. Given your history and how your body responds to gluten, it would be worth exploring celiac disease further with a medical professional. Before removing gluten completely, it’s important to get tested while you’re still eating it, as going gluten-free beforehand can affect the accuracy of the results. A blood test for celiac antibodies (like tTG-IgA) is usually the first step, and if positive, an endoscopy may follow to confirm the diagnosis. If the testing process feels daunting, keep in mind that getting answers could give you clarity and help guide your health decisions going forward. Whatever the outcome, you’ve already made significant strides in identifying triggers and managing your symptoms. Your awareness and persistence are key, and this community is here to support you as you continue to seek answers. This article might be helpful. It breaks down each type of blood test, and what a positive results means in terms of the probability that you might have celiac disease. One test that always needs to be done is the IgA Levels/Deficiency Test (often called "Total IGA") because some people are naturally IGA deficient, and if this is the case, then certain blood tests for celiac disease might be false-negative, and other types of tests need to be done to make an accurate diagnosis. The article includes the "Mayo Clinic Protocol," which is the best overall protocol for results to be ~98% accurate.    
    • More2Learn
      Celiac Maybe a Possibility?

      By More2Learn · Posted

      Hi, I am new!  (Although I've used this forum as a reference over the past couple of years.) I'm just looking for some initial reactions to if I actually might possibly have Celiac Disease, or if I'm reaching here.  I have had lifelong health issues and not once has a doctor suggested I look into celiac. I always thought it was basically an extreme allergy that needed an EpiPen, and I know that's not me.  However, I stumbled upon some symptoms, realized I was wrong, and after some research I'm almost shocked at what I have found.  It seems like anything I've ever struggled with has a potential correlation to this disease!  I'm in my 40's, now.  Here is my journey to date... Issues as a Kid: tons of allergies, and had sinus infections all the time... however I didn't have hayfever-like allergies and the scratch tests didn't register much, it was more that when I was exposed to allergens (like say I spent hours with a cat) I was certain to get a sinus infection and it lasted months. was extremely skinny and everyone always said I was anorexic (I wasn't) always getting sick and the illnesses hang on for a long time always cold (my favorite thing to do is sit in front of a space heater or be out in 90 degree weather) intermittent bad constipation (still happens but not as severe) horrible toe cramps that would wake me up in the middle of the night As I got older (teenage/college years): acid reflux diagnosis learned that beer made me EXTREMELY sick, cannot tolerate it horrible issues with menstrual cycle - I wasn't regular, had awful cramps and PMS, sometimes cannot function the first couple of days night terrors/sleep walking more stomach issues - I learned I couldn't have black coffee.  I often had issues especially when traveling.  For example I finally noticed a pattern that I could never, ever eat at a hotel buffet spread - it would always make me sick afterwards. More recent problems: always tired periodic pain on right side that can be so painful I can't stand up straight. Have had all kinds of scans and doctors always say I'm fine.  I was so sure I had gallstones or my liver was failing but... nope. chest pain brain fog not diagnosed but many, many ADHD symptoms lots of inflammation, am overweight now toe cramps evolved into leg/calf cramps None of my symptoms from any era of my life ever really resolved, except I went from being skinny to ~20/30 pounds overweight, and as I got older I got less outright sinus infections.  Largely due to the pain in my right side and the fact that I always, always seem to pick up every illness, especially when traveling, I started pursuing alternative medicine paths... I did the Pritikin lifestyle, I tried an elimination diet, I followed the Root Cause Protocol, I did a Leptin reset.  A lot of these paths recommend removing gluten, and in the past year or so some of my symptoms have gone away!  Specifically less issues with toe cramps, sometimes the side pain would go away for a long time, and my acid reflux got much better.  But, because I was never diagnosed with any specific intolerance, I wasn't militant about the gluten - I had cut out dairy, soy, all kinds of things.  So I would say cross-contamination is ok, or make an exception at a group outing. Then one day, I just got frustrated and ate some normal slices of pizza... and my side pain came back!  I started doing research and now I'm here and wondering... could I have actually had this my whole life??!? Thoughts and observations welcome.           
    • Wheatwacked
      Ground meat absolutely full of gluten?

      By Wheatwacked · Posted

      "grass-fed" meat by definition cannot contain wheat as it means the animal is only fed grass  organic meat can be fed wheat feed
    • Scott Adams
      Weird Symptoms

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Your symptoms would not be typical celiac disease symptoms, but still could be related due to possible nutrient deficiencies.  The most common nutrient deficiencies associated with celiac disease that may lead to testing for the condition include iron, vitamin D, folate (vitamin B9), vitamin B12, calcium, zinc, and magnesium.  Unfortunately many doctors, including my own doctor at the time, don't do extensive follow up testing for a broad range of nutrient deficiencies, nor recommend that those just diagnosed with celiac disease take a broad spectrum vitamin/mineral supplement, which would greatly benefit most, if not all, newly diagnosed celiacs.      
    • Scott Adams
      Everyday life

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      This is a difficult situation, and one that your employer may not take seriously. It's possible that they don't have a way to accommodate your issues, but I don't know much about your work environment. Obviously moving you to another work area would be ideal, but would or could they do that? If not, you might be stuck having to wear a K95-type mask at work to avoid breathing any particles, but they still could end up on your skin. Another alternative is searching for a new job.
×
×
  • Create New...