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 Does This Mean?


Chelle15

Recommended Posts

Chelle15 Apprentice

Hi. I am new to this board. I have had constipation along with other symptoms and have now had diarrhea for the last month. They tested me for Celiac with blood work and they called to inform me "I have two positive markers for Celiac", so now I am getting the biopsy and colonoscopy(sp?). Do any of you know what the probability is that I have Celiac based on the "two positive markers"? Thank you for any help...


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



plantime Contributor

"Two positive markers" means to me that you do have celiac. Even if your biopsy shows no damage, I suggest you start a gluten-free diet. If you see improvement in how you feel, then you will know!

nettiebeads Apprentice

I agree with Plantime. The biopsy has been considered the "gold standard" but too many false negatives abound. Some of the more progressive thinking drs are thinking that the best determination of celiac disease is how one's body reacts when gluten is removed from the diet, then introduced briefly about three weeks later. In other words, the diet challenge. The gluten-free diet is hard and scary at first, but after awhile it'll be second nature - and you'll love having your health back!

Keep us posted and please feel free to ask any questions on this board. There is a wealth of information and experience here.

Annette

Chelle15 Apprentice

Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. You have both been very helpful. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      127,346
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Shazzy88
    Newest Member
    Shazzy88
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121k
    • Total Posts
      70.1k

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      You are welcome! We frequently get similar comments. Knowledge about celiac disease in the medical community at large is, unfortunately, still significantly lacking. Sometimes docs give what are obviously bum steers or just fail to give any steering at all and leave their patients just hanging out there on a limb. GI docs seem to have better knowledge but typically fail to be helpful when it comes to things like assisting their patients in grasping how to get started on gluten free eating. The other thing that, to me at least, seems to be coming to the forefront are the "tweener" cases where someone seems to be on the cusp of developing celiac disease but kind of crossing back and forth over that line. Their testing is inconsistent and inconclusive and their symptoms may come and go. We like to think in definite categorical terms but real life isn't always that way.
    • Rogol72
      Hey @Morgan Tiernan, Sounds just like my experience. I was diagnosed with dermatitis herpetiformis over 10 years ago. It appeared suddenly as a very itchy rash which looked like Eczema. When a steroid cream didn't clear it up, my Dermatologist (who had come across it before) suspected dermatitis herpetiformis and performed a skin biopsy which came back positive for dermatitis herpetiformis. The important thing is to get a definitive diagnosis of dermatitis herpetiformis. What you've described sounds like classic dermatitis herpetiformis though. Hopefully, your Dermatologist has come across dermatitis herpetiformis before and performs the skin biopsy correctly as trents mentioned. I've had the blisters on the knees, hips, forearms/elbows or anywhere that pressure is applied to the skin ... from clothing or otherwise. They itch like nothing on earth, and yes salt from sweat or soaps/shower gels will irritate a lot. I've been on Dapsone and it is very very effective at eliminating the dermatitis herpetiformis itch, and improved my quality of life in the early stages of getting on top of dermatitis herpetiformis while I adjusted to the gluten-free diet. But it does have various side effects as trents said. It can effect the red blood cells, lowering hemoglobin and can cause anemia, and requires regular blood monitoring whilst on it. You would need to consider it carefully with your Dermatologist if you do have dermatitis herpetiformis. Here's a very informative webinar from Coeliac Canada discussing everything dermatitis herpetiformis related.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAdmsNiyfOw I've also found this recent interview with a Dermatologist about dermatitis herpetiformis to be educational.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZnLeKutgUY Keep the chin up and keep advocating for yourself for a proper diagnosis. Though it sounds like you're on top of that already. Are you in the UK or Ireland? I'm curious because your surname is Irish. 
    • Philly224
      Thanks again everyone! Twenty mins on here way more helpful than both Dr's combined 😅
    • trents
    • trents
      I would go for four weeks to ensure a valid test, if you can tolerate it, that is.
×
×
  • Create New...