Thursday, December 3, 2009

Not What I Was Expecting ...

So remember how early in 2009 I was so happy to get biopsy results from my endoscopy that showed I definitely didn't have celiac disease?

Well, it turns out that thanks to my IgA deficiency, it can't be ruled out. Yet.

I have to admit, I'm starting to wonder who cursed me by wishing me an interesting life!

So, according my gastroenterologist, although in most people evidence of celiac disease starts in the duodenom and then spreads further into the small intestine, for some small minority of people, it can start further down and not be discernible via endoscopy. So the biopsies he did might not be the final answer, he says.



He wants to start again with blood work. When I reminded him my original bloodwork was normal for celiac, he told me it doesn't count now that they have discovered my IgA deficiency because what they search for is IgA antibodies. So he ordered a panel of tests looking at my IgG antibodies (which I'm not deficient in). 

If that's negative, apparently we talk about a procedure to go looking at my small intestine with one of those teensy cameras that you swallow. Here's hoping that if we go to that level, it at least rules out celiac for *sure*!

1 comment:

queenofoptimism said...

Wow! This is interesting info / possible links to treatment. There's never a dull moment in either of our health lives, huh? Keep me posted!!!