selective IgA deficiency test

birdlover3 · Post by **birdlover3** » Thu Jan 31, 2013 4:51 pm

SHould a person who has the MC have the selective IgA deficiency test BEFORE doing the Enterlab tests?? Would that be the protocal?

jgivens · Post by **jgivens** » Thu Jan 31, 2013 5:31 pm

Birdlover,
Having that test BEFORE the Enterolab testing is what Tex recommends in his book. Many people have to pay out of pocket for the lab test and why go to the expense if you are IgA deficient? Leah I think, speaks from the experience of having had the tests only to find out she is IgA deficient.

I am going to ask my Dr. for the IgA and IgG (?) before I do the Enterolab testing.

Doug · Post by **Doug** » Thu Jan 31, 2013 5:46 pm

From everything I have read here and in Tex's book says yes. I called my doctor and I had a test done back in June 2012, I didnt even know I was tested. You may already have the results in some blood work that was done for you.

My results are

Immunoglobulin A Within range

Tissue Transsglutaninase Antibody Iga TTG antibody, IGA

Results <3

Reference Range <5

Immunoglobin A
197 .......... Reference Range 81-463 mg/dl

I appear to be in the normal range, but I am not sure, Can any one read this for me. I really want to get tested by Enterlab

birdlover3 · Post by **birdlover3** » Thu Jan 31, 2013 6:06 pm

Thanks for your comments on this. I will ask my doctor about this.

birdlover3 · Post by **birdlover3** » Thu Jan 31, 2013 6:09 pm

I will take both of your comments to my doctor on my appt. and show him this. I did have blood work but don't understand it.

Post by **tex** » Thu Jan 31, 2013 7:48 pm

Doug,

Yes, your celiac screening test results were both negative, and your immunoglobulin A production appears to be close to mid-range, so your EnteroLab test results should be accurate and reliable.

Tex

Post by **tex** » Thu Jan 31, 2013 7:51 pm

Barb,

Just ask your doctor if you have already been tested for selective IgA deficiency. As Doug said, you may have already been tested. If you've already been tested, your doctor should be able to tell you if you should happen to have the problem.

And if you haven't been tested, just ask your doctor for a blood test to rule out selective IgA deficiency.

Tex

Leni · Post by **Leni** » Sat Feb 02, 2013 10:33 am

My doctor told me I was IgA deficient. I know she didn't include the term "selective". Is there a difference?

Post by **tex** » Sat Feb 02, 2013 12:10 pm

Hi Leni,

She probably just left out the "selective" part of it to make it sound less confusing. I'm sure she was talking about the same condition that we've been discussing here. The "selective" part of the name is just part of the doctorspeak tradition. Sort of like the term "essential tremor".

Why doctors picked the term "essential" is beyond me. Surely there are better options. I'm pretty sure they used that term to imply that the tremors are not associated with an underlying disease. But most of us consider the term "essential" to mean absolutely necessary, or indispensable, and tremors are hardly indispensable.

Why couldn't they just associate the tremors with their old standby favorite, "idiopathic", to make it "idiopathic tremors", meaning tremors with no known cause? Whoever first describes diseases, syndromes, or health issues probably gets extra points if they're able to add a bit of obfuscation to the name.

Sorry, I tend to get sidetracked sometimes.

Tex

Leni · Post by **Leni** » Sat Feb 02, 2013 2:48 pm

Ted, thank you and you're funny. I happen to agree with you. My son was diagnosed 25 years ago with benign essential tremor and I've always thought it was an odd term.