Confused over results

[Glaura1012]

Hi I had to have a blood test for coeliac disease due to low ferritin, iron and vitamin b12. Phoned up my GP and the receptionist said the results were "satisfactory" and was only able to tell me that is said "less than 0.5" and that normal range is between 0-20?? I guess this means I don't have coeliac... but don't know what the result means at all, or if it's low that means something else? Confused with what I've read when trying to find out myself... Any advice or info would be much appreciated!

[Hidden]

Hi Glaura1012,im not surprised you're confused. You really need to see your doctor who will tell you everything in much more detail.sounds like the receptionist was not very helpful!

[Glaura1012 in reply to Hidden]

Got a copy of my results. It says coeliac screen anti-tissue transglutnase level is <0.5 ku/l (range is 0.00 - 14.90 ku/l )... still confused

[Hil101]

It sounds like a completely negative test. Rejoice. It is horrible never to be able to put anything in your mouth without knowing the ingredients, to be ill from even tiny traces of gluten (this starts a short time after you take gluten out of your diet if you're a coeliac) and to have problems when travelling as you cannot always know what is in your food. Also, to have to refuse every time someone buys nice cakes at the office or offers communal food. Sorry to be so negative but I'm writing this after several days abroad when I have been a bit ill most days despite eating 'gluten free' food, in a country that has not yet 'got it' about allergens.

Try having a look at B12 deficiency and pernicious anaemia websites. It could be that you have the genetic deficiency that means your body only processes certain forms of folate etc.

I wish you well

[Cooper27]

This level means you have no antibodies, so you're not coeliac.

Did the doctor test you for anything else? Ferritin and B12 can often be low due to other auto-immune conditions, like thyroid disease. Do you have any symptoms?

It could be worth doing a trial without gluten anyway, to see if you feel any better without it.

[Glaura1012]

Hey thanks for the reply. Yeah had a blood test for most things... ferritin was low at 6 ug//L (10.00 - 291.00 ug/L), vitamin b12 at 244 ng/L (211.00 - 911.00 ng/L), iron was 9.9 umol/L (9.00 - 30.00 umol/L). Thyroid function test showed TSH levels at 1.8 mU/L (0.35 - 5.50 mU/L)

[Hidden in reply to Glaura1012]

Something going on there. I would go gluten and dairy free anyway. Were you rating gluten twice a day for 6 weeks before the blood tests?