Q- Jerry & other GFGs who wish to contribute/reply Are there any other blood tests etc:, That would be beneficial & useful for me?

[carona]

Hiya Jerry, you were kind enough to advise me to get my GP to follow up on my concerns about my other health issues & to see if there is an under laying cause/link to the Coeliac Disease.

As have Arthritis, Moderate to Severe Asthma, Continual low hb count _ hovers between 6-10. Ferritin has hovered between 4-8. Impaired Fasting Glucose Tolerance, Chronic Fatigue/Fybromyalgia symptoms. Concentration issues & Anxiety/Depression(this last 1 over the last 2 years)

Was the victim of a serious assault/handbag snatch gone wrong end 2005. Over the 2 years following the fractures to my nose, collapsed airways,cheek bone, eye socket

Have had 4 facial operations to repair damage to Nose. Eye. & extensive dental work done

To replace the 6 teeth I lost- Crowns. Root canal work. Bridge & numerous fillings to repair chipped teeth.

Have nerve damage to face/mouth. Neuralgia type constant pain.

Have had GP councillor support-referred onto Condition Management Programme- who in turn referred me for a Pain Management course.

That was particularly beneficial- as understanding the bodies pain system ; pain gates & pathways. Has helped me cut medication down.

Another factor in all this, was the fact my previous GP, had mismanaged my medication.

New doctor, did a medication review. Taking into account my other health issues. Found out 3 of my meds- shouldn't be taken together. Known warnings. Contra-indications. Combination had stripped my stomach & bowel. How nice eh, Not!

Tests my GP has requested I go for, after Christmas, are:-

PGPC. - is this the- Pernicious anaemia screen?

ANA. - - Antibodies test?

FBC. - know this is a full blood count test

But is it full enough for us CDer's?

Not that I am a hyperchondriac (don't laugh at my spelling!)

Just want to have as much info on my body as I can & hopefully manage my health with a better understanding of what I can do to help myself. Rather than having more pills thrown into the mix.

Carona

[Hidden]

Hi Carona, I have to say how unsettling I find it that you were put through such an horrific ordeal just for money. So I'm really sorry that you had to endure such an horrific attack. And I'd lock them up and throw away the key.

And for you it's a slow recovery and one step at a time and not all strangers are bad, I see it that there are human predators who are roaming the streets looking for us to be in vulnerable situations and sadly they have no concern for their victims.

Now you say your iron levels are low and the first question I would ask is do you eat codex wheat? because you may be a super sensitive coeliac and find that if you avoid all wheat, oats and traces of malt that your iron levels return to normal.

Lastly your Dr does seem to be organising a comprehensive list of tests and you are in the system. I would make sure that they also check your vitamin and mineral levels. And it might be worth you asking to be referred to a dietician regarding super sensitivity to gluten.

I wish I could help more after what you have been though,

Jerry

[NorthernSoul]

I've got no idea what PGPC is. Are you sure you have the right name? There is no blood test that can diagnose pernicious anaemia specifically. In hospitals a test called the Schilling test was previously used but this is now rarely performed because, if your coeliac is under control, by far the most common reason for B12 deficiency is indeed pernicious anaemia.

ANA stands for anti-nuclear antibodies which can occur in many autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis (is this what you mean when you say you have 'arthritis'?) but also classically occurs in lupus and Sjogren's syndrome.

The FBC will help to determine what might be causing your anaemia (sounds odd but the shape and colour of the red blood cells can actually suggest B12 vs. iron deficiency anaemia, for example) after which the doctor may want to perform other tests looking for something more specific.

Your doctor will undoubtedly also be performing U&Es and LFTs to check for kidney and liver function (rightly or wrongly, many doctors do this 'just because'). Thyroid function tests might also be useful if you've not had one in a year or so. Given that you have impaired fasting glucose (i.e. pre-diabetes), a fasting serum glucose measurement is also probably a good idea if you haven't had one recently. Also, taking into account your history of arthritis and the fact they're checking ANAs, you will probably also have your inflammatory markers checked (called CRP and ESR).

Hope this helps!

[carona]

Thank you Tony62, at least I have a few numbers/ results to compare mine against when I get them. Appreciate the time you took to reply, as know how busy everyone is at this time of year.

Carona