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

Dx Question - Both Biopsy And Blood Inconclusive?


lkelli

Recommended Posts

lkelli Rookie

I have a question. My son is two and has had feeding issues. He has severe constipation and severe food refusal. After some major improvements he made a back slide and we did a endoscopy expecting problems with the espohogus and stomach (reflux or allergies), instead the lower intestine came back imflamed with some sorta damage to the villi. But for some reason the GI Dr said it did not look like celiac. We did a blood test which came back negative , but not accurate bc of low IGa ?. But, he was positive for the genitic markers for celiac. I have since found out that my mother in law has celiac (she never thought it helpful to tell us) she does not adhere to the diet, she also said that my husband had celiac as a child. My husband has recently had some gi issues, and has developed lactose intolerance. We are in the process of getting all of us tested (including my 4 year old).

My GI dr says he is not convinced it is celiac but we should try the gluten free diet and see if it improves his eating?

Your thoughts! If my husband comes back positive then it is more likely my son has it. I want to make sure I should go gluten free.

Thank you for all your help.

lkelli


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Ursa Major Collaborator

Oh, how is it possible for doctors to be so ignorant!

First, welcome to this board, I hope you get the answers you need here.

People DON'T outgrow celiac disease. Your husband still has it and doesn't need to be tested again. He needs to be gluten-free for life.

Your son obviously has it, too. If there is damage to the villi (in the SMALL intestine, you don't have villi in the large intestine), he has the genes, your husband and his mother have it, then there is no doubt whatsoever that he has celiac disease. Forget about further testing for him and put him on the gluten-free diet immediately! The same goes for your husband.

And since two out of four people in your family will need to be gluten-free (and your mother-in-law should be, too, unless she insists on dying of intestinal cancer ahead of her time), you might as well make your whole house gluten-free. If your older son has issues, they may just go away as well.

I have to get ready for an appointment and need to go. I am sure others will soon come and give you more advice. All the best.

Guest nini

I agree 100% with Ursula, You CANNOT outgrow Celiac, if your husband was dx'ed with it as a child, he still has it. Plain and simple. You do not need any further testing of anyone with that family history, just get your husband AND your son on the gluten-free diet immediately. If you go through testing all you will do is increase their risk of being denied both health insurance coverage AND Life insurance, don't think it can't happen, it happened to me and lot's of others on this board.

Dr.s used to believe that Celiac was only a childhood disease and that people outgrew it, all the new research indicates completely the opposite, It can go into remission like stages throughout your life but eventually it catches up with you if you continue to eat gluten.

Willow5 Rookie

I have a 2 yr old also and she is very sensitive to gluten. We had her off of gluten for a few months then let her have a few meals of pasta and breads and she got so severily constipated that she began rejecting meals and throwing up. Back to gluten-free and after a few enemas and a week of gluten-free, she is now doing well again with regular BM's. I have not gotten her officially tested but - my mom has celiac, I have some high blood results, my son has some high blood results and issues with constipation/encopresis. We are in process with gene testing. All in all, my daughters response to gluten has been the most convincing evidence to the need for gluten-free that I have seen.

Nan

Archived

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


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      127,836
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    RyanOB
    Newest Member
    RyanOB
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121k
    • Total Posts
      70.4k

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      @Manaan2,  I'm so happy to hear you're going to try thiamine and magnesium!  Do let us know the results!   You may want to add a B 50 Complex with two meals of the day to help boost absorption.  Thiamine interacts with each of the other B vitamins which are all water soluble.   When supplementing magnesium, make sure to get sufficient calcium.  Calcium and magnesium need to be kept in balance.  If you choose a calcium supplement, take two hours apart from magnesium as they compete for absorption.  Take Calcium with Vitamin D.  Vitamin D helps calm the immune system.   For pain, I use a combination of thiamine, B12 Cobalamine, and Pyridoxine B6.  These three vitamins together have analgesic effects.  My preferred brand is "GSG 12X Takeda ALINAMIN EX Plus Vitamin B1 B6 B12 Health Supplementary from Japan 120 Tablets".  Alinamin is another form of thiamine.  It really is excellent at relieving my back pain from crushed vertebrae without side effects and no grogginess.   Look into the low histamine version of the Autoimmune Protocol Duet (Dr. Sarah Ballentyne, a Celiac herself, developed it.)  It really helps heal the intestines, too.  It's like a vacation for the digestive system.  Add foods back gradually over several weeks after feeling better.   I'm so happy to have pointed the way on your journey!  Let us know how the journey progresses! P. S. Add a Potassium supplement, too.  Potassium is another electrolyte, like magnessium, that we need.
    • Manaan2
      @knitty kitty I can't thank you enough!  My husband and I already started looking into those supplements.  We definitely plan to give it a try.  We've been against the Miralax since it was originally advised by PCP, but because of the level of pain she experienced on a daily basis, we decided to try it.  We've made many attempts to gradually decrease but due to her pain and related symptoms, we've kept her on it while trying all sorts of other dietary adjustments pre and post diagnosis specific to food; so far none of those efforts have made a significant difference.  I will definitely share how she's doing along the way!
    • BIg Nodge
      Hi, I have recently embarked on the gluten-free journey. I have what to me seems like a somewhat confusing set of test results and symptoms. I have been impressed by the accumulated knowledge and thoughtfulness as I browse this forum, so I figured I'd make a post to see if anyone can offer any insight. I know there are many posts like this from new users, so I have tried to do my baseline research first and not ask super obvious questions.  I'm 43, overall very healthy. No history of gluten sensitivity or really any of the classic GI symptoms. About three years ago I started to experience intermittent bouts of fatigue, chills/cold intolerance, and shortness of breath/air hunger (sometimes feels like a hollowness in my chest, hard to describe). The symptoms over time have become fairly significant, though not debilitating, I am able to exercise regularly and am fairly physically active, continue to perform well at work. But for example I have gone from someone who consistently ran hot, was always cranking the a/c, to someone who wears a down vest inside at work in winter and get chills if the a/c even blows on me in summer. I get tired and lose energy even when getting decent amounts of sleep, and have to have my wife take over on long drives that I could previously handle with no problems. More generally when I am experiencing these symptoms they seem to crowd out space in my mind for focusing on my family, my hobbies/activities etc, I sort of withdraw into myself.   I happened to be experiencing these symptoms during an annual physical with my PCP a few years ago, he observed post nasal drip and suggested it was allergies and that I treat it with claritin. At first it seemed to respond to claritin (though not zyrtex), but over time I became unsatisfied with that answer. There didn't seem to be any seasonal rhyme or reason to my symptoms, and I felt like I was on an endless loop of taking claritin, then stopping, not being sure if it was even making a difference. I did eventually get allergy tests and found modest allergies to dust and pollen, which didn't feel like a smoking gun.  I then started seeing a natural medicine doctor who was much more willing to explore my symptoms via testing. The first thing that came back abnormal was elevated thyroid peroxidase antibodies/TPOs, 137 IU/mL vs a reference range of <9. At the same time my thyroid panel showed normal thyroid hormone levels. So it appears my immune system is attacking my thyroid even though it is working fine. I got a thyroid ultrasound at the time, it was clear, but with some abnormalities such that they suggested I get is scanned again in a year. These are certainly risk factors for a thyroid autoimmune disease, though my thyroid seems to be working fine for now.  From here my doctor considered celiac due to the murky thyroid/celiac links, so we did a panel. Results were as follows: TT IGA <1 U/ml, TT IGG <1 U/ml, deamidated gliadin IGA 24.6 U/ml, deamidated gliadin IGG <1 U/ml, IGAs 170 mg/dL. Readings greater than 15 considered high by my lab for the first four, my IGAs are within reference range. So basically just the deamidated IGA popped, but my IGAs are normal. I also notice on the tests that my thyroglobulin was high, 86.7 ng/ml vs a range of 2.8 - 40.9.  My doctor suggested that it certainly wasn't conclusive for celiac, but it was possible, and likely that I have some sort of gluten sensitivity. She suggested going gluten free and seeing how I felt as opposed to doing a biopsy. The best theory I can come up with is perhaps I am a silent celiac or just have a gluten sensitivity that doesn't produce immediate GI symptoms, but is still doing damage and over time has caused leaky gut. So now gluten is getting into my blood, and my immune system is attacking it but also mistakingly attacking my thyroid.  So that's what I did, went gluten free in October. It's been about four months, and I am really not feeling any difference. I still get the same symptoms that come and go. My bowel movements may be a bit more regular, but it was never a major issue before so I would consider that a minor improvement. I know that it can take a while to see improvements, and I am going to remain gluten-free and see how I feel. But I am definitely questioning whether I really understand what is going on, and am open to any thoughts or suggestions from the forum. Sometimes I wish I just went ahead with the biopsy before going gluten-free. While I would certainly be down to start drinking IPAs again ahead of a biopsy, you know, for science, I feel like at this point I would be throwing away four months of work and am better off staying the course and seeing what happens. But I'm really not sure.  I know there is a lot of thyroid knowledge on these boards, along with the celiac expertise, so I'm curious if this resonates with anyone's experience. And I'm interested in what sort of timelines people have experienced in terms of feeling improvements for some of these non-GI symptoms like chills, SOB, brain fog etc. Thanks in advance. 
    • cameo674
      Does it taste like black licorice?  It said it was chewable.  I do not like that flavor.     Since the burn at the back of my throat is there everyday, I usually only take something when it is unbearable and keeping me from ADL especially sleep.  
    • Scott Adams
      Your concerns about Nando's cross-contamination practices are valid and important for the celiac community. It's disappointing that Nando's does not have stricter protocols for children's portions, especially given the risk of cross-contact with gluten-containing items like garlic bread. Cooking gluten-free items on shared surfaces, even if cleaned, is not safe for individuals with celiac disease, as even trace amounts of gluten can cause harm. While the adult butterfly chicken may be a safer option, the inconsistency in practices for children's meals is concerning. It's frustrating that Nando's headquarters did not take responsibility, but sharing your experience raises awareness and may encourage them to improve their protocols. Consider reaching out to celiac advocacy organizations to amplify your concerns and push for better standards. Always double-check with staff and emphasize the importance of avoiding cross-contamination when dining out.
×
×
  • Create New...