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

Greater Los Angeles Area - Need Competent Physician

nanoatzin

By nanoatzin
in Doctors

Recommended Posts

nanoatzin Newbie
nanoatzin
Posted

Looking for a competent gastrointerologist so I can avoid being hospitalized again. Have been to over a dozen physicians in Ventura county, Los Angeles county, and Orange county. All of the gastrointerologists in southern California insist that genetic testing and blood tests are junk science and are useless to diagnose disease. I have brought medical records to gastroenterologists that show elevated immune globuline for gluten and physicians that insist no celiac (DGA, EGA, tissue teansgluramate, ...). An immunologist and a toxicologist told me blood tests show celiac disease and gastrointerologists say this is a lie after being hospitalized when they told me it would be safe to eat wedding cake. There appear to be no competent gastrointerologists within hundreds of square miles, but all the other kinds of doctors appear to be competent.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

If you're willing to drive a bit you might like Warren Celiac Center at UCSD. I'm a little confused by your post, though. If you have positive celiac tests and get sick to the point of being hospitalized eating gluten, what's the issue? You do not need a doctor's help to stick to a gluten-free diet.

You cannot be tested for celiac without eating gluten for about three months, and genetic testing only stratifies risk. There are healthy folks with the so-called celiac genes, and celiacs with no so-called celiac genes at all.

mamaupupup Contributor
mamaupupup
Posted

Dr. Gregory Harmon at UCLA 310-825-1597 (he was at UCSD and opened a Celiac Center at UCLA recently).

Good luck!

nanoatzin Newbie
nanoatzin
Posted
  • Author

The issue is that a toxicologist at UC Irvine said "you might have celiac" after running a broad series immune globuline panel for hundreds of things after I got poisoned at work. Shell fish, dairy, nuts and many other things also showed up. Kind of like telling me "you might be a redneck" after hearing an okie accent. Not her specialty.

Multiple gastrointerologists in ventura refused to do blood tests and told me I had to do an endoscope test, then said I didn't have celiac. Unfortunately, it's not like walking into a doctor and saying saying "I need to know if I'm pregnant" and figuring out what the problem is 9 months later no mater what anyone has to say. My upper GI is not involved, which is probably because I've been on a gluten free diet for 7 years. I know some kind of food substance is making me sick and all the doctors know how to do is prescribe "goof ball pills" when I get sick. I need the name of ONE competent gastrointerologist that will cooperate with a blood panel and gene tests. All of the symptoms say celiac but the biopsy says no. I know I get sick with wheat, barley, rye, and oats so I already avoid them.

My right leg has been paralyzed for a month. I'm getting addicted to strong pain killers that I don't want this week. I've got skin ulcers that go away with steroids and antibiotics. Blood tests say no infection.

If it's celiac, then I'm so sensitive that I'm going off on vapors. I haven't had a crumb of anything with gliadin for years. I'm beginning to think I go off when my wife toasts bread.

The doctors I've gone to so far don't seem to care about anything but the money and what will happen to their medical licenses if the keep giving me narcotics for the pain.

Thanks for the info. I appreciate that. Ow! This really hurts.

I hope this finds everyone well.

mamaupupup Contributor
mamaupupup
Posted

Thinking of you. I'm a newbie--and I think it IS possible to get sick from having any gluten in the house/being around toasted bread. There is a section in the forums for people who are highly sensitive. Perhaps folks in that forum could give you additional support and insight!?! Wishing you better health!

Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

Your doctors are correct to refuse serum testing and only offer endoscopy. You cannot be tested for celiac disease on a gluten-free diet. After seven years the antibodies would be long gone and most people have normal biopsies. An abnormal biopsy after seven years off gluten means you're either being exposed to gluten or have refractory celiac. You could consider getting the panel yourself at Open Original Shared Link but I think you would be wasting your money. It's hard enough to get a positive celiac test while you're eating gluten.

If you had the negative biopsy while you were still eating gluten you may be non-celiac gluten intolerant. It can cause very celiac-like symptoms. There is no diagnostic test for it other than trying the diet and nothing in particular a GI can do.

As far as sensitivity, you may need a gluten-free home. Not everyone can tolerate having wheat around the kitchen.

Archived

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

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


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      127,934
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    MarkD
    Newest Member
    MarkD
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121k
    • Total Posts
      70.5k
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Nicbent35
      3 year old gluten intolerance?

      By Nicbent35 · Posted

      Well I had a moment yesterday morning where I accidentally gave her gluten. She wanted what I was eating and I forgot and let her have a few bites of toast. It was a really bad night last night with her behavior. Will a few bites of bread influence their behavior that much or could it just be a coincidence?
    • Scott Adams
      How many grams is there in one slice of wheat bread?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      The first set of results show two positive results for celiac disease, so at the very least it looks like you could have it, or at the least NCGS.   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.      
    • Scott Adams
      Confused with test results

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Elevated tissue transglutaminase IgA (tTG-IgA) levels are highly specific for celiac disease, and they are a key biomarker used in its diagnosis. However, there are some rare instances where elevated tTG-IgA levels have been reported in conditions other than celiac disease. While these cases are not common, they have been documented in the literature. Below are some examples and references to studies or reviews that discuss these scenarios:  1. Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS)    - NCGS typically does not cause elevated tTG-IgA levels, as it is not an autoimmune condition. However, some individuals with NCGS may have mild elevations in tTG-IgA due to intestinal inflammation or other factors, though this is not well-documented in large studies.    - Reference: Catassi, C., et al. (2013). *Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity: The New Frontier of Gluten-Related Disorders*. Nutrients, 5(10), 3839–3853. [DOI:10.3390/nu5103839](https://doi.org/10.3390/nu5103839)  2. Autoimmune Diseases    - Elevated tTG-IgA levels have been reported in other autoimmune conditions, such as type 1 diabetes, autoimmune hepatitis, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This is thought to be due to cross-reactivity or polyautoimmunity.    - Reference: Sblattero, D., et al. (2000). *The Role of Anti-Tissue Transglutaminase in the Diagnosis and Management of Celiac Disease*. Autoimmunity Reviews, 1(3), 129–135. [DOI:10.1016/S1568-9972(01)00022-3](https://doi.org/10.1016/S1568-9972(01)00022-3)  3. Chronic Liver Disease    - Conditions like chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis can sometimes lead to elevated tTG-IgA levels, possibly due to increased intestinal permeability or immune dysregulation.    - Reference: Vecchi, M., et al. (2003). *High Prevalence of Celiac Disease in Patients with Chronic Liver Disease: A Role for Gluten-Free Diet?* Gastroenterology, 125(5), 1522–1523. [DOI:10.1016/j.gastro.2003.08.031](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gastro.2003.08.031)  4. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)    - Some patients with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis may have elevated tTG-IgA levels due to intestinal inflammation and damage, though this is not common.    - Reference: Walker-Smith, J. A., et al. (1990). *Celiac Disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease*. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, 10(3), 389–391. [DOI:10.1097/00005176-199004000-00020](https://doi.org/10.1097/00005176-199004000-00020)  5. Infections and Parasites    - While infections (e.g., giardiasis) are more commonly associated with false-positive tTG-IgA results, chronic infections or parasitic infestations can sometimes lead to elevated levels due to mucosal damage.    - Reference: Rostami, K., et al. (1999). *The Role of Infections in Celiac Disease*. European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 11(11), 1255–1258. [DOI:10.1097/00042737-199911000-00010](https://doi.org/10.1097/00042737-199911000-00010)  6. Cardiac Conditions    - Rarely, heart failure or severe cardiovascular disease has been associated with elevated tTG-IgA levels, possibly due to gut ischemia and increased intestinal permeability.    - Reference: Ludvigsson, J. F., et al. (2007). *Celiac Disease and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: A Population-Based Cohort Study*. American Heart Journal, 153(6), 972–976. [DOI:10.1016/j.ahj.2007.03.019](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2007.03.019)  Key Points: - Elevated tTG-IgA levels are highly specific for celiac disease, and in most cases, a positive result strongly suggests celiac disease. - Other conditions causing elevated tTG-IgA are rare and often accompanied by additional clinical findings. - If celiac disease is suspected, further testing (e.g., endoscopy with biopsy) is typically required for confirmation. If you’re looking for more specific studies, I recommend searching PubMed or other medical databases using terms like "elevated tTG-IgA non-celiac" or "tTG-IgA in non-celiac conditions." Let me know if you’d like help with that!
    • MaryMJ
      Water filters and gluten

      By MaryMJ · Posted

      I called zero water and they state their filters do not contain gluten or gluten containing ingredients. 
    • trents
      What should I do with these test results?

      By trents · Posted

      I agree. Doesn't look like you have celiac disease. Your elevated DGP-IGG must be due to something else. And it was within normal at that after your gluten challenge so it is erratic and doesn't seem to be tied to gluten consumption.
×
×
  • Create New...