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How To Find Out If Your Gluten Intolerent?

lyndszai

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lyndszai Apprentice
lyndszai
Posted

I know how to find out if you have celiac but I was just wondering sence they're similar how do you do which is which ? Do they do some alergy test for gluten intolerent .I asked my gi doctor if they could find out but sticking the little needles in you and hes like no .So I was just wondering how they find out .thanks lynds

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Alexolua Explorer
Alexolua
Posted

Okay.. this could be wrong, still learning.. so if someone says I am, then I'll bow to them, lol.

But Celiac Disease, by definition I think is when the vili in your small intestines get damaged by gluten. Gluten intolerance is when your body can't tolerant gluten. If you keep eating gluten containning foods while you are intolerant, than you can develope Celiac Disease.

I think that's right. But a lot of people say Celiac Disease for gluten intolerance, since it's basically the same thing sorta. I do so too.

So to more answer your question though, sorry.. I like to think aloud! The way to tell the difference, I think, would be by a biopsy. If it shows damaged, than it's Celiac Disease, if none, than you have a gluten intolerance. Somewhat different, but they have the same treatment, which is a gluten free diet.

Umm.. how to know if you are gluten intolerant? Well, if you stop eating gluten and you get healthy, that's one. Your blood can be tested for gluten anti-bodies, and enterolab can test your stool for anti-bodies, which is more accurate than the blood testing.

Hope this too long post helps! =D

tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

pretty much, if you produce antibodies (IgA and IgG) to gluten, you're gluten intolerant. *technically* you're not celiac unless you've got intestinal damage diagnosed by a biopsy. in the end, we don't treat (think on them) them much differently, since they're treated (dealt with) much the same. ;-)

I should add... just because a blood test doesn't show antibodies, though, doesn't mean you aren't producing them. They simply may not be making it into the bloodstream in high enough quantities for the lab to label you "positive". :-/

GEF Explorer
GEF
Posted

My understanding is that if you had an allergy to wheat, the doctor could prick you for it. The antibody that he/she would be looking for is IGE... which is a different reaction than intolerance (IGG & IGA). They've still got to prick you for that too... but for some reason they want a whole lot more blood. <_<

I believe some doctors are pushing for a more-broad definition of celiac (gluten intolerance that has led to microscopically visual damage to the small intestine)... to include gluten intolerance. It would certainly end a lot of confusion, push treatment an probably get more mainstream products gluten-free!!! Now..... that would be great!

Gretchen

dmbaird1230 Apprentice
dmbaird1230
Posted

what about the skin prick allergy test, where they prick you with small needles and inject the antibody to see if your skin reacts to it? I had this done and they told me I was allergic to wheat. Does that mean I'm gluten intolerant?

GEF Explorer
GEF
Posted
what about the skin prick allergy test, where they prick you with small needles and inject the antibody to see if your skin reacts to it........... Does that mean I'm gluten intolerant?

Not necessarily, but don't rule it out. The tests that your doctor would run to rule in/out celiac are for specific antibodies (example: IGG, IGA), which are different from those (IGE) in an allergy. This would require blood to be drawn in much the same way that you would have done for routine blood tests. Really what it all comes down to is how your body is reacting to the foreign substance (gluten in this case)... exactly what part of your immune system has been fighting it.

Allergy and/or intolerance still means to go without it. (in one way or another)

Does that help?

Gretchen

tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

actually, there is one important difference, functionally, in being gluten intolerant or allergic to wheat. if you are allergic to wheat, you do NOT necessarily have to avoid rye, barley, and oats. (it depends on the extent of the allergy... most people allergic to wheat can at least still have oats.) from my understanding, the IgE response (allergy) is to a different protein than the IgA/IgG response (gluten-intolerance), which is what allows for those allergic to wheat to be able to consume things that those who are gluten-intolerant can not.

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Guest Nukapai
Guest Nukapai
Posted

I hope this is the right place to ask this, but I am faced with the following dilemma:

I now have my first antibody blood test booked for this Friday morning. I managed to stay without my symptoms for 3 days by eating in a very plain way (rice cakes and stuff, no gluten), but yesterday I became "braver" and had some things that I wasn't 100% sure about (chocolate, gluten-free cereal that was still made of various cereals - and salad dressing that listed "flavourings"). This morning I woke up feeling just as awful as I did couple of weeks ago when my symptoms first really flared up. I had a horrible burning sensation in my stomach, diarrhea, burping constantly and felt nauseous. Even water hurt on its way down.

Now - what I'm going through might have nothing to do with celiac disease, but my doctor is entertaining the thought and that's why I have the blood test on Friday.

My question is: what should I eat between now and the blood test? Right now I don't feel like I can eat *anything* and the thought of risking another attack like this morning scares me - I wouldn't be able to return to work from my sick leave if I allowed myself to get like that again. I am due to go back to work on Thursday.

If I just eat non-gluten stuff between now and Friday's test, will it affect the test? How long do the antibodies stay in the system and how likely is it that they'll show up in the blood even if I don't eat gluten right before?

dmbaird1230 Apprentice
dmbaird1230
Posted

The tests that your doctor would run to rule in/out celiac are for specific antibodies (example: IGG, IGA), which are different from those (IGE) in an allergy.

I came out positive for the wheat allergy (skin prick test) and I also was positive for the IGG antibody.

tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

nukapai, you DO need to be eating gluten before your test. hopefully the days you have been gluten-free won't affect the test, but two weeks of being gluten-free did affect mine.

Guest Nukapai
Guest Nukapai
Posted
nukapai, you DO need to be eating gluten before your test. hopefully the days you have been gluten-free won't affect the test, but two weeks of being gluten-free did affect mine.

I was afraid of this... I'm not sure if I can go to work if I've eaten gluten... if that's what's causing this. Whatever I'm going through is pretty debilitating: I've had burning pain and nausea all day, burping even though I haven't eaten anything since last night ... and passing some blood in my stools :(

Well, it remains to be seen. I need to just hold on.

Alexolua Explorer
Alexolua
Posted

Nukapai, the only thing I can think of saying that might offer some help, if you can't bear to stay on gluten.. and it messes up your test results, is try to get tested through enterolab.com.

They check stool for anti-bodies, and check for genetic markers too. And you can be off gluten for awhile, and not mess up the anti-body test. The only problem is insurance most likely won't cover it, and not many doctors would accept their testing.

But some of us here have gone that route, when our doctors didn't seem to be much help, or our tests didn't come out well.

Guest Nukapai
Guest Nukapai
Posted
Nukapai, the only thing I can think of saying that might offer some help, if you can't bear to stay on gluten.. and it messes up your test results, is try to get tested through enterolab.com.

They check stool for anti-bodies, and check for genetic markers too. And you can be off gluten for awhile, and not mess up the anti-body test. The only problem is insurance most likely won't cover it, and not many doctors would accept their testing.

But some of us here have gone that route, when our doctors didn't seem to be much help, or our tests didn't come out well.

Thanks for the tip. I'm in UK though, so I suspect I'd need to find a UK alternative. I am sure there is one. I'll see how Friday's results turn out (although I've been told I have to wait a month for them, which is going to be annoying and awkward) and if they show negative or inconclusive, I will see if I can have tests done privately.

Alexolua Explorer
Alexolua
Posted

Hmm.. not sure then if you could use them then if yer in the UK offhand. You could try emailing them to ask, in my experience they are quick in responding.

Though hopefully your tests come out positive, would make things easier.. umm.. yeah, I'm still not use to wishing positive test results on someone yet, lol.. sorry. =)

ryeanddiet Rookie
ryeanddiet
Posted

Hi Nukapai,

I assume today you're having your tests so this may be late but may offer some consolation if you are concerned about the results.

I was gluten-free for 3 months before my blood tests and still showed positive anti-bodies.

good luck!

Guest Nukapai
Guest Nukapai
Posted
Hi Nukapai,

I assume today you're having your tests so this may be late but may offer some consolation if you are concerned about the results.

I was gluten-free for 3 months before my blood tests and still showed positive anti-bodies.

good luck!

Yeah, had the test today - they took three vials of blood :blink:

Thanks - your story reassures me. :)

I don't really know WHAT to hope for - I guess a positive result would be a mixed bag, on the other hand, I would have to give up my favourite foods, but on the other hand, I would be free from so much .... and my life would improve immensely.

It'll take 10 days for the results, so in the meantime, I am just going to try gluten-free and see how I feel.

Mydnyt Newbie
Mydnyt
Posted
I know how to find out if you have celiac but I was just wondering sence they're similar how do you do which is which ? Do they do some alergy test for gluten intolerent .I asked my gi doctor if they could find out but sticking the little needles in you and hes like no .So I was just wondering how they find out .thanks lynds

He told you it can't be determined by a blood test?! essentially you're testing for the same thing as for celiac

If the antibodies (IgG/IgA) indicate an intolerance to gluten, then how can raised levels of this NOT let you know?

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