Just wondering whether any members have had this test?
I'm not really thinking about those who have had a B12 deficiency (or suspected Pernicious Anaemia) followed up by this test. Rather has anyone had done spontaneously as the link below appears to imply. As I read it, the words say GPC should be positively looked for in those with autoimmune thyroid disease.
Gastric Parietal Cell Antibody
Also known as: GPC
Gastric parietal cell antibodies (GPC) are directed against a parietal cell enzyme, the H+K+ATPase. The auto-antibody is found at high frequency in association with autoimmune gastritis and a proportion of these patients will progress to develop pernicious anaemia. Gastric parietal cell antibodies are present in over 90% of patients with pernicious anaemia (Highly sensitive, but not specific).
GPC antibodies should be looked for in:
Vitamin B12 deficiency
Macrocytic anaemia
Subacute combined degeneration of the cord
Individuals with other autoimmune disease i.e. thyroid disease
Your GP shouldn't be dismissing your positive gastric parietal cell antibody results! Do you post on the Pernicious Anaemia Society on Healthunlocked? If not it may be an idea to post there. Lots of experienced forum members there too regarding all things B12 related.
Apologies Helvella, not trying to sabotage your post! 😊
Sorry, yes we are on helvella's post, so just to say, GP said my results were all ok. Only when I got copy I noticed I was positive. I tested negative for IFAB so nothing to see here as far as GP concerned which I suppose is true.
I am on PA forum and yes I am having my B12 looked into by another Dr surgery. I have appointment this Wednesday.
"Gastric parietal cell antibodies are present in over 90% of patients with pernicious anaemia (Highly sensitive, but not specific)."
Which should then lead to testing B12, and (possibly) Intrinsic Factor antibodies, Methylmalonic acid and Homocysteine. Then, if needed, B12 injections.
And is it logical to conclude that if my B12 tests have been ok over time without any supplements (like- 500-600-ish) that I don’t need to worry about PA?
B12 and Bcomplex is next in my list - but I haven’t prioritized since it hasn’t been dire, I just need a little fine tune.
I do take B12 regularly - and occasionally a B complex or a B6 or whatever. I tried taking a B6 complex regularly and ended up thinking it was providing much more than I needed (of the other B vitamins) and it would be better to avoid taking frequently.
I’ve never heard of it either. The gastroenterologist that did my endoscopy said that there is no such thing as low stomach acid and therefore no test to determine it.
Red Apple there is a test to determine Stomach Acid. I Cannot just remember what the test is called as it's a good few years since I had it. It involves having a copper braided wire threaded through the nose and down into the stomach for 25+ hours. As I understand it as we age the acid content drops, and with PA related Gastro Atrophy you generally stop producing it.
Jonlaur, They may test for high (excess) stomach acid, but they don't recognise low stomach acid, so won't specifically test for it. I was told by the gastro that even if it was low, it didn't matter anyway They just don't understand why low stomach acid matters. That's why they are happy to dish out meds like Omeprazole on a long term basis.
For months I've been dealing with stomach issues. Endoscopy done, gastritis and esophagitis, both mild. PPIs didn't really work, gave me unpleasant effects, so I stopped. Breathing and swallowing issues are still there, but my gastro doctor blamed it on the stress and anxiety. I mentioned about low stomach acid to my gastro, he said that's not it. It's the acid that caused my reflux. No other tests needed, he wanted me to continue with PPIs, but I just can't take it. Been eating bland diets and soft liquid food for months, still I'm unwell.
I think what Hedgeree says is correct. I am hypothyroid and have PA. Even if you are not sympathetic of PA I think it would be prudent for your GP to test for it. Believe me it can become totally dibilitating if left undiagnosed.Good luck.
yes i had it done last year. I didnt ask fot it to be done though. At the time i had recently had an eye test and due to some eye changes the optician had asked if i had been tested for Lupus or whether i had MS - as both diseases in my family i asked the GP to do some tests and they an antibody profile as i had a weak positive ANA result some years ago. As part of the profile GPC was inc and mine was negative……..still got low B12.
Helvella you are a mine of information, for which I am extremely grateful! 😊
I don't think I've ever been offered this test. I'm just off to look at my patient record online. I'm seeing my GP on 12th July 2024 I'll add this to the list.
Update: no, I've not had this test. I searched on both GPC and Gastric.
I've had intrinsic factor antibodies test, which was negative but then it is very inaccurate anyway, only picks up 50% of cases, but nothing else. My doctor kind of diagnosed me with PA as I took prescription B12 tablets for a few weeks before starting on injections.
After blood tests my levels hadnt moved one iota so she concluded I wasnt able to absorb B12 orally. I've had jabs ever since.
Trouble with that approach is that it will leave you deficient in B12 for as long as you are trying oral supplementation. If you start when already seriously deficient, that could be very bad indeed.
But it is rather the ultimate proof. It shows what needed to be shown.
Well my GP, much missed since she retired was my doctor for nearly 30 years and if ever there was an advert for continuity of care and knowing your patients personally, then she was it.
I trusted her implicitly and she wanted to spare me the inconvenience and discomfort of jabs if possible and I'm guessing she also wanted to see if her theory was correct lol. I've had B12 issues since childhood and so I'm assuming she suspected PA.
I was diagnosed by a consultant (not sure if he tested me) and prescribed injections of which the incipients made me ill so I now high dose sublingualy.My B12 levels are always high now and the consultant said don’t take notice of the levels if they are over range it’s ok.
Pernicious anaemia is in my family and others I know make a paste and put it up their nose 👃🏾!
But not to stick up their noses, surely. My 18 year old cat who is in remission from Polycythemia vera (very rare) came up with macrocytic RBCs now. Apparently, like elderly humans, cats and dogs can have low B12 due to not absorbing enough from diet. We are now sharing my 1000 mcg B12 methylcobalamin tablets. Half for me, half for him. Thankfully the tablets are scored. Oddly enough, a weird coincidence, the tech at the pharmacy told me a week before that she has to give B12 shots to her cat once per week.
Usually over here doctors prefer high dose oral B12 but injectible is available at any pharmacy without a prescription. I guess they figure nobody is going to be injecting it for fun.
Actually she just makes it out of the pink sublingual tablets you can get -crushed methylcobalamine B12 and water and don’t answer the door while doing this as people will think you have a nose bleed 🩸😂.
Her own invention and the dr was amazed at how high her blood levels were .
I recently had a gastrocopy test due to stomach pain. They found polyps and gastritis, no hyplori found, given omeprazole and sent on way.
Struggling with severe exhaustion, thyroid addressed with meds & vits - only through help on here.
Went back to Gp to explore B12, he wanted to test me for sleep apnea ! yes I do snore but think this may abate if I can manage to loose weight. My B12 was ‘in range’ so Gp said no. I had a list of 20 ish symptoms of B12. Showed him list & mentioned new NICE guidelines (again advice from here) & that I had autoimmune issues and that my b12 was v low at bottom of range & why not at top? I’m a meat eater. He gave in.
Gp - telephone app - Parietal cell antibodies - positive, given loading dose B12. He did actually say thank you this is an area I know little about!
Yet again self diagnosed via tremendous help from HU.
I would agree, we should be tested but I’m afraid it falls down to ignorance/finance!
Just look at how many replies there have been saying that their gastro told them that low stomach acid doesn't exist! I think we're all now used to stepping carefully around the thyroid rabbit hole when speaking to medics but I certainly fell head first into the gastro rabbit hole! Why do these so called experts appear to know nothing about this? I was told in no uncertain terms that the only cause of gastritis is too much stomach acid and the ONLY treatment is PPI's. Only today I read that PPI's have now been shown, in addition to thinning ones bones, to give you a 30% higher chance of getting dementia too! PPI's are not the answer, especially if you are older and hypothyroid. How can that group possibly have too much stomach acid?
OK, rant over. There's no point in showing my GP the OUH link but I will certainly show it to my (private) endo when I see him soon. If I ever get the long ago promised NHS consultant gastro appointment I'll show him too, although I suspect that would be on my way down another rabbit hole. So thank you for finding and sharing this link, clearly it will be helpful to many of us.
In the mean time I shall have to keep making up my own treatment plan regarding GERD as the 'expert' advice made me worse!
Just a quick comment re low acid. Our very active and sporty daughter developed terrible stomach pain aged 14. GP sent her to hospital +she was admitted +then speedily discharged with no action! (Typical! ). After 2 years of messing about they finally tested her for helicabactor pylori - and she had that in spades. Spent the next 8 years trying to overcome the damage done by the huge doses of antibiotics which was put down as IBS! Finally found Dr Sarah Myhill and her response was that it was low acid that was the cause of the h pylori + all the c**p she went through after! Thank goodness for Dr Myhill. Our daughter is gluten+dairy free - the dairy was the cause of the daily migraines so our appt dealt with two birds with one stone! Thank goodness some doctors don’t just follow the mantra that’s repeated over and over - it’s IBS +you’ll have to live with it!
@helvella you have sparked an interesting discussion, thank you. My Dad had pernicious anaemia and had B12 injections at first monthly then 3 monthly, then they stopped, no reason given!! He also had Crohns disease and then Parkinsons in the final year before he died in 2019.
I try to keep my B12 high as have Hashi's and it's my Dad's Mum who seemed to set off the chain of family hypothyroidism. She was hypo, (diagnosed by raised cholesterol) also her 2 daughters and her youngest son, not my Dad. Of my 8 cousins 5 are hypo and I have 3 sisters and one of them is also hypo like me.
I think I read something recently about Parkisons and dementia and the gut/ brain connection. The scientists seem to be fitting the jigsaw pieces together. Lets hope it leads to some treatment soon. As for the endoscopies, mentioned above, surely it would have been a technician rather thana gastro who did them and they shouldn't have made such a comment. Apologies in advance if I have got that wrong.
Reading these replies and Gastroenterologists saying there is no such thing as low stomach acid, so does anyone know what the Gastrin test measures? This is mentioned in the new B12 NICE Guidelines I believe, as well as the Cobasorb test???
I have a GP appointment this week on the back of testing again for very Low Active B12 and by NHS a high MMA test. I am curious what the next set of tests will be. Dr approached Haematology, so goodness knows what they will come up with, if anything. I won't be holding my breath.
I wondered if homocysteine might be the next test.
It does mention in the new guidelines if someone is suspected (not exact wording) of malabsorption issues to test Gastrin, Cobasorb or Gastroscopy as well as MMA and I think homocysteine. Don't fancy a Gastroscopy unless absolutely necessary to be honest.
I'll be surprised if Cobasorb has reached these shores yet but they mention it so who knows??
I'll soon find out tomorrow when I see GP. I'll do an update.
Unpleasant to be sure. But not painful even with no anaesthetic or sedation (other than whatever they put on the device itself). Said not as a hero but an attempt at reassurance.
My notes got labelled "extreme gag reflex" afterwards.
Yes you are right there a worse things I am sure, but, for the extreme gag reflex reason is why I am not keen. I can't swallow tablets whole for same reason, I have been sick before now. If you or anyone had it without sedation etc then that is very brave in my eyes. Just a throat spray I suppose.
Actually I think the Transnasal Endoscopy might be good idea so the tube doesn't go via the mouth and touch back of the tongue.
What a subject, yuk, none of it pleasant. I'll see what's what tomorrow.
Yes I had the test . My private Endo ordered this, along with others I doubt I’d had over the last 40 years. It was negative and he told me he doubted I’d have issues with pernicious anaemia in the future. Good to know!
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They just don't understand why low stomach acid matters. That's why they are happy to dish out meds like Omeprazole on a long term basis.
Been eating bland diets and soft liquid food for months, still I'm unwell. 
Anti gastric par cell? 
Dr visit after private test results
