Entero Labs Results

[darcijj]

I got my results from Entero Labs today:

Final Laboratory Report


Date: 4/10/2008


A) Gluten Sensitivity Stool and Gene Panel Complete *Best test/best value
Fecal Antigliadin IgA 9 (Normal Range <10 Units)

Fecal Antitissue Transglutaminase IgA 9 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

Quantitative Microscopic Fecal Fat Score <300 Units (Normal Range <300 Units)

Fecal anti-casein (cow's milk) IgA antibody 7 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

HLA-DQB1 Molecular analysis, Allele 1 0201

HLA-DQB1 Molecular analysis, Allele 2 0501

Serologic equivalent: HLA-DQ 2,1 (Subtype 2,5)

Interpretation of Fecal Antigliadin IgA: Intestinal antigliadin IgA antibody was below the upper limit of normal, and hence there is no direct evidence of active gluten sensitivity from this test. However, because 1 in 500 people cannot make IgA at all, and rarely, and some people can still have clinically significant reactions to a food antigen despite the lack of a significant antibody reaction (because the reactions primarily involve T cells), if you have a syndrome or symptoms known to be associated with gluten sensitivity, a gluten-free diet may help you despite a negative test. If you have no syndrome or symptoms associated with gluten sensitivity, you can follow a gluten-containing healthy diet and retest in 3-5 years; or you may opt to go gluten-free as a purely preventive measure.

Interpretation of Fecal Antitissue Transglutaminase IgA: The level of intestinal IgA antibodies to the human enzyme tissue transglutaminase was below the upper limit of normal, and hence, there is no evidence of a gluten-induced autoimmune reaction.

Interpretation of Quantitative Microscopic Fecal Fat Score: Provided that dietary fat is being ingested, a fecal fat score less than 300 indicates there is no malabsorbed dietary fat in stool indicating that digestion and absorption of nutrients is currently normal.

Interpretation of Fecal anti-casein (cow's milk) IgA antibody: Levels of fecal IgA antibody to a food antigen greater than or equal to 10 are indicative of an immune reaction, and hence immunologic "sensitivity" to that food. For any elevated fecal antibody level, it is recommended to remove that food from your diet. Values less than 10 indicate there currently is minimal or no reaction to that food and hence, no direct evidence of food sensitivity to that specific food.

However, because 1 in 500 people cannot make IgA at all, and rarely, some people can still have clinically significant reactions to a food antigen despite the lack of a significant antibody reaction (because the reactions primarily involve T cells), if you have an immune syndrome or symptoms associated with food sensitivity, it is recommended that you try a strict removal of suspect foods from your diet for up to 12 months despite a negative test.

Interpretation Of HLA-DQ Testing: HLA-DQB1 gene analysis reveals that you have one of the main genes that predisposes to gluten sensitivity and celiac sprue, HLA-DQB1*0201 or HLA-DQB1*0302. Each of your offspring has a 50% chance of receiving this gene from you, and at least one of your parents passed it to you.

You also have a non-celiac gene predisposing to gluten sensitivity (any DQ1, DQ2 not by HLA-DQB1*0201, or DQ3 not by HLA-DQB1*0302). Having one celiac gene and one gluten sensitive gene, means that each of your parents, and all of your children (if you have them) will possess at least one copy of a gluten sensitive gene.

Having two copies also means there is an even stronger predisposition to gluten sensitivity than having one gene and the resultant immunologic gluten sensitivity or celiac disease may be more severe.


So I think good possibility it is gluten sensitivity.. but I can develop Celiacs since I have the gene. What do you think?

Also today.. this came in the mail from the GI office:

It reads:
the following are the pertinent results from your recent lab tests. (Lab Results) Laboratory results show no signs of Celiac disease. Excellent report.


That is all it says, no values or what specific blood tests were used. The results correspond to the Entro labs.. I do not have the anitbodies.. but does not mean I am not gluten sensitive or may develop Celiac!

[The Edifying Conscience]

[darcijj]

I would say my experiments with gluten are what lead me to believe I am sensitive to it.

For 1 week I ate it everyday.. by the end of the week, the symptoms were terrible and I stopped eating so much of it. My symptoms are severe peripheral neuropathy, muscle spasms, headaches & fatigue.

2 weeks later I went completely gluten free. By the end of the second week I was feeling so much better, most of the symptoms were gone.

3 weeks ago I accidentally ate something with gluten. I did not know it until 2 days later when the symptoms returned 100 fold. Some detective work lead me to the culprit.

But I guess what you are saying is.. to hell with what my body tells me.. the tests results are what count and I should keep going in for test after test until I get a positive result?

[The Edifying Conscience]

[aklap]

[celiacmaine-iac]

Darci,
I don't know if you've ever read any of my posts about my "weirdo" diagnosis. I'll give it to you briefly. I went to my docs late last winter with an unbearably itchy rash on my arms. I was also having some gastro issues but they were sporadic. I mentioned to my doc that there was a family hx of CD. She gave me a cortisone cream and sent me on my way. The rash continued unabated. She then ordered bloodwork for CD, although she only ordered one test. Negative. Next they biopsied my arm. Negative. By then I had lesions on my arms, legs, back, buttocks, and abdomen. I was only sleeping about 2 hrs a night because the itching was so severe. I have scars all over me from the scratching. I would scratch until I bled and still not get relief. The docs tried cortisone creams, ointments, anti-histamines, a prednisone taper, all to no avail. The GI sx's were getting worse too. At that point my doc wanted to order an endo. I was heartily sick of it all by that point and suggested a GF trial. She agreed. By the end of 2 weeks GF I was literally "reborn". My rash started subsiding and I had never felt so good in all my life. So we decided to go with the endo to really nail down the dx. Big-time gluten challenge. I have never felt so sick in my life. I'll bet you can guess my biopsy results by now. Negative.

However, my doctor gave me the dx anyway, based on my family hx, sx's and responses to the GF trial and the gluten challenge. Is this the norm? No. However, I believe that if we hadn't done the GF trial I would still be eating gluten and sick as he%# based on my test results. Since then I have had fleeting thoughts about whether I really do have CD or not, but an accidental glutening brings me back to reality real quick!

I guess what I'm saying here is that science isn't always the ultimate final word. Sometimes you have to go on how you feel. I agree with Al and TEC that you might still want to pursue other avenues as to the cause of how you are feeling because it's a definite possibility that other things can be causing your problems, but there's nothing harmful about going GF. It's a pain it the neck diet, but not impossible.

BTW...Once I got on this board I started to realize how many sx's of CD I actually had, but never would have associated them with one single disease because they were so seemingly unrelated.

Good luck Darci,
Steph

[Dan]

Darci,

Don't loss sight of this part or your report. You might be one of the 500 that can't product IgA. The new trend in healthy diets that I saw a couple weeks ago if reducing wheat glutens in your diet. I deliver gluten-free meals in my area, some of the people are now celiac, they saw they are feeling better now too. The only advantage to eating wheat is mainly breads raise better and flour is enriched with vitamin B.

"However, because 1 in 500 people cannot make IgA at all, and rarely, some people can still have clinically significant reactions to a food antigen despite the lack of a significant antibody reaction (because the reactions primarily involve T cells), if you have an immune syndrome or symptoms associated with food sensitivity, it is recommended that you try a strict removal of suspect foods from your diet for up to 12 months despite a negative test."

[cruelshoes]

No matter what the tests say, when the rubber hits the road, the most important thing is what your body is telling you. If you feel better not eating gluten, that's what matters. Our group is made up of people that avoid gluten for myriad reasons. Some have positive test results, some don't. But if not eating gluten helps you feel better, it is probably the right choice for you.

I do agree with TEC, though, that you might want to investigate causes besides celiac for your problems with gluten. I have read on other forums that things like heavy metal toxicity and lyme disease, among other things, can cause gluten intolerance. Maybe discovering problems with gluten are the beginning of a journey for you.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
_________________
-Colleen
Dx 8/05 via bloodwork/biopsy
10-YO son Dx 11/05 via bloodwork/biopsy
Daughters (12 and 2) have neg. bloodwork

A woman is like a tea bag-you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water. - Eleanor Roosevelt

[darcijj]

The Celiac testing was just the most recent ones... I have been Tested for

MS- Brain and Spine MRI, EMG tests
Lyme- blood test
Lupus - blood test
Heavy Metal Toxicity- blood tests
And a bunch of other blood tests, they took 12 vials of blood

All keep coming back normal. I am on Thyroid medicine, those tests are normal too.

The EMG indicated the Main nerves are fine.. its the peripheral nerves.. small nerve fibers that are giving me trouble.

I think the doctors were running out of Ideas...

[nancw]

If you feel better off of gluten then live gluten free. If you have continuing health problems, keep investigating with the help of a good doctor. It is common to have more intolerances than just gluten. You need to keep a log of what you eat and when, and any symptoms you notice. You may see a pattern developing that tells you that dairy or soy or other foods bother you too.

If you decide to go gluten free then it's all or nothing - you will not realize the full effect unless you are completely gluten free. Perhaps by eliminating a systemic "irritant" (gluten), any other symptoms or problems you have may be easier to classify.

Don't be surprised if your thyroid meds need adjustment if/when you go gluten free.

You can always incorporate gluten back into your diet if you feel there are no changes in your health when gluten free. No one needs a definitive diagnosis to drop gluten from their menu.
_________________
Nance

gluten, dairy, soy, rice, yeast and 99% grain-free

[krisnkar]

Darci - I'm new to this forum and am still in the Dx stage. So far I've had a negative blood test from my primary Doc; however, he still believes I'm gluten intollerant after reviewing my medical records and seeing the patterns of my medical issues.

I'm currently eating gluten as I have an appt. with a GI specialist on the 29th, and she wants me eating gluten while I'm being Dx. I went for three weeks gf following my primary's advice...and was starting to feel better. Then the specialist told me to stop the gf. Now I feel like total crap!

I've already told myself that regardless of what comes of the further testing she's going to do...I'm going gf.

I just wanted to say that I understand your frustration. I've had more upper and lower scopes, blood work, and useless prescriptions over the last 15 - 20 years than I can stand. Since learning of CD and finding this forum...I've seen the closest descriptions of my own medical issues as I've ever found. I want to believe that I've finally found the source of my troubles...and if so will gladly go gf to alleviate them. If the tests come back negative I know I will be frustrated...and while I may go gf anyway...I'm not willing to throw my hands up and just deal with it as I've done in the past. Knowing that something like CD could be causing all of the other crazy bodily issues...is enough to encourage me to pursue all avenues.

I don't want to just go gf and take a bunch of meds for my anemia, hypothyroidism, achy joints, and intestinal distress...I want to know what's making my 36 year old body malfunction the way it is.

Just wanted to say that I understand.