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

Diagnosed With Just Celiac Panel?

amarieski

Recommended Posts

amarieski Apprentice
amarieski
Posted

Im newly diagnosed , but as far as I thought the true way to diagnose is through intestinal biopsy correct? I had the celiac panel as far as I know (blood test) and what my doc said was one was normal not sure which, next was above normal and last was abnormally high <_< so what was suggested is gluten free diet, vitamin levels checked next week, referral to gi doc and then retest levels in one month. Im also pregnant so I would assume any internal testing would wait a bit until after the baby arrives. I guess also what I thought was any gluten restraint should wait until after biopsy or internal testing to be accurate so why would they suggest the diet now? and wouldnt that effect a proper diagnosis?

thanks a million

Dee

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


lovegrov Collaborator
lovegrov
Posted

First, I am not a doctor or a medical person.

I don't know which of your blood tests were positive, but celiac blood tests are rarely false positive. There's a good chance you have celiac.

Normally you would indeed stay on gluten until the biopsy but the fact that you're pregnant complicates things. Untreated celiac affects your ability to absorb nutrients and vitamins and so has the potential to cause problems with pregnancies. Many women have perfect pregnancies with untreated celiac, but the chance of problems increases. So even without a biopsy, it would seem to me your doctor has given you prudent advice -- go gluten free. If you want to do a challenge and have a biopsy after the pregnancy you can do that.

richard

Rikki Tikki Explorer
Rikki Tikki
Posted

I believe the blood panel is enough to be positive for celiac. You are right that if you go gluten free the villi will heal, but you are pregnant and to ensure the baby receives nutrients I think you should remain gluten free. I just don't think the biopsy is necessary to prove you have it. If I had known what I do now about celiac I would have just had the blood test and would not believe the endscopy was necessary, but I was not told the blood was positive until after the biopsy confirmed it for the doctor.

amarieski Apprentice
amarieski
Posted
  • Author

Thankyou guys very much, my thoughts exactly that bc I am pregnant is why she told me to go gluten free, considering I wasnt sure if the panel was enough, Im sure now through reading again more info that a biopsy just confirms it more. So that puts me a little at rest that the blood tests are enough, I cant see why then after the baby they would tell me to get back on gluten just so they could do a biopsy lol. I already have a daughter and shes great, ultrasounds so far show this child also is just fine so Im thankful, and luckily the baby is taking what he needs from me eitherway so I know why I feel cruddy! only 10 weeks left also so hopefully this diet will help more if naything:)

Thanks so much again

Dee

Archived

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

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


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      127,842
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Chanwill
    Newest Member
    Chanwill
    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

    • Dawn Meyers
      Vaccines

      By Dawn Meyers · Posted

      Hi I have celiac disease and the dermatitis herpetiformis rash Also other autommune diseases.  I have had bad side effects to all the vaccines I have had and now my Doctor wants me to have the pneumonia vaccine.  I am concerned because of some of the bad side effects I have had in the past example Hep B after shot couldn't  move arm for several months.  Flu shot and COVID was sick right after shot. Told not to get anymore. My lung is inflamed and have a cough I can't seem to get rid of. Very concerned 😟. 
    • knitty kitty
      Hidden Gluten in distilled vinegar

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @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
      Hidden Gluten in distilled vinegar

      By Manaan2 · Posted

      @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
      Opinions on my test results/symptoms

      By BIg Nodge · Posted

      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
      Testing positive for antibodies, are there visible changes to the colon that could be seen without a biopsy?

      By cameo674 · Posted

      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.  
×
×
  • Create New...