Hi all,
I posted in May or June when I got my diagnosis and was put on budesonide for about 6 weeks. At first, I was fine, then the symptoms came back a few months later. Rather than calling my doctor, I tried going gluten-free and that has done the trick. Which makes a lot of sense in light of the Enterolab results I just got back:
Comprehensive Gluten/Antigenic Food Sensitivity Stool Panel
Fecal Antigliadin IgA 127 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Fecal Anticasein (cow’s milk) IgA 24 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Fecal Antiovalbumin (chicken egg) IgA 21 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Fecal Antisoy IgA 33 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Mean Value 11 Antigenic Foods 29 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
A few questions - this gluten # (antigliadin) seems unusually high based on the few other test results I've seen here... The lab actually emailed me about doing a fat absorption test because of my high numbers. It could mean that I have intestinal malabsorption. Does anyone think this test is worth doing? A little overwhelmed by all of this, but ultimately, eliminating gluten and dairy seems to work.
Thanks!
Update and Enterolab Results
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Hi,
It's good to see that you're doing better as a result of changing your diet. I would guess that you probably do have malabsorption issues because many/most of us have that problem before we recover. It's a common side effect of MC. Here is why there is a good chance that you have intestinal malabsorption:
IgA antibody stool test results are somewhat coordinated with the length of time that antibodies to those foods have been produced. IOW, the longer we produce antibodies to a certain food, the higher that antibody level climbs. If we avoid most foods that cause the production of antibodies, our antibody levels associated with those foods will decline relatively quickly because most food antibodies have a half-life of approximately 6 days. But gluten antibodies (antigliadin antibodies) have a half-life of 120 days. Because of that persistence, it can take years for a high antigliadin antibody level to decay back to normal levels, after a GF diet is adopted. And of course if any gluten is accidentally ingested from time to time (either intentionally, or because of cross-contamination in the diet), the level may remain relatively high.
So because your antigliadin level is high enough to suggest that antibody production may have been occurring for several years, that has probably allowed more than enough time for the inflammation to have caused enough intestinal damage to result in malabsorption issues. But as the damage to the intestines heals as a result of proper diet changes, the malabsorption issues will slowly fade away. This is the reason why most of us take significant supplemental doses of vitamin D and magnesium, because those nutrients are typically the first to be victims of malabsorption problems. If the problem exists for 4 or 5 years or more, then the B vitamins may also become deficient.
Many of us order the test, but a fecal fat absorption test is not essential. It depends on how much information you would like to have about your condition, going forward with your recovery.
Some of us find that avoiding gluten and dairy is often sufficient in the early stages of recovery, but as our gut begins to heal, and our antigliadin antibody levels continue to decline, they will eventually reach a point at which our immune system will no longer be focused primarily on gluten, and at that point it begins to respond to some of the other food sensitivities. If you notice that happening (IOW, if symptoms begin to return) it will become necessary to avoid some or all of the other foods that are causing the production of antibodies, in order to maintain (or return to) remission. Note that you won't find this information in the medical literature, and your doctor would probably laugh at it (because it's not in the medical literature), but we have found it to be the case, during recovery. This phenomenon is discussed in detail in chapter 10 of my book.
You can see more extensive listings of member test results at this link:
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=56
I hope that some of this is helpful.
Thanks for the update.
Tex
It's good to see that you're doing better as a result of changing your diet. I would guess that you probably do have malabsorption issues because many/most of us have that problem before we recover. It's a common side effect of MC. Here is why there is a good chance that you have intestinal malabsorption:
IgA antibody stool test results are somewhat coordinated with the length of time that antibodies to those foods have been produced. IOW, the longer we produce antibodies to a certain food, the higher that antibody level climbs. If we avoid most foods that cause the production of antibodies, our antibody levels associated with those foods will decline relatively quickly because most food antibodies have a half-life of approximately 6 days. But gluten antibodies (antigliadin antibodies) have a half-life of 120 days. Because of that persistence, it can take years for a high antigliadin antibody level to decay back to normal levels, after a GF diet is adopted. And of course if any gluten is accidentally ingested from time to time (either intentionally, or because of cross-contamination in the diet), the level may remain relatively high.
So because your antigliadin level is high enough to suggest that antibody production may have been occurring for several years, that has probably allowed more than enough time for the inflammation to have caused enough intestinal damage to result in malabsorption issues. But as the damage to the intestines heals as a result of proper diet changes, the malabsorption issues will slowly fade away. This is the reason why most of us take significant supplemental doses of vitamin D and magnesium, because those nutrients are typically the first to be victims of malabsorption problems. If the problem exists for 4 or 5 years or more, then the B vitamins may also become deficient.
Many of us order the test, but a fecal fat absorption test is not essential. It depends on how much information you would like to have about your condition, going forward with your recovery.
Some of us find that avoiding gluten and dairy is often sufficient in the early stages of recovery, but as our gut begins to heal, and our antigliadin antibody levels continue to decline, they will eventually reach a point at which our immune system will no longer be focused primarily on gluten, and at that point it begins to respond to some of the other food sensitivities. If you notice that happening (IOW, if symptoms begin to return) it will become necessary to avoid some or all of the other foods that are causing the production of antibodies, in order to maintain (or return to) remission. Note that you won't find this information in the medical literature, and your doctor would probably laugh at it (because it's not in the medical literature), but we have found it to be the case, during recovery. This phenomenon is discussed in detail in chapter 10 of my book.
You can see more extensive listings of member test results at this link:
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=56
I hope that some of this is helpful.
Thanks for the update.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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Gabes-Apg
- Emperor Penguin
- Posts: 8332
- Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2009 3:12 pm
- Location: Hunter Valley NSW Australia
With that Soy result, I would also look to eliminate soy from your environment,
- double check 'gluten free' processed flour type items (cakes, biscuits, pancake mix etc ) as quite a few use Soy flour
- some dairy free margarines /cheeses etc can contain soy
- make up and lip balms - anything with Vit E contains soy.
- buy good quality oils as cheaper oils, like olive oil can have soy in them
the hard part with soy, is that it has multiple names!
I printed this list and carried it with me when shopping etc until I found my safe ingredients/items
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=736
It may be a bit overwhelming and intense at first as you figure out what is safe and not safe. within a few weeks when you have your staples organised things will flow...
hope this helps
- double check 'gluten free' processed flour type items (cakes, biscuits, pancake mix etc ) as quite a few use Soy flour
- some dairy free margarines /cheeses etc can contain soy
- make up and lip balms - anything with Vit E contains soy.
- buy good quality oils as cheaper oils, like olive oil can have soy in them
the hard part with soy, is that it has multiple names!
I printed this list and carried it with me when shopping etc until I found my safe ingredients/items
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=736
It may be a bit overwhelming and intense at first as you figure out what is safe and not safe. within a few weeks when you have your staples organised things will flow...
hope this helps
Gabes Ryan
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
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missbutterfly
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2016 8:19 pm
Your results are very similar to mine in way of their numbers....as an encouragement factor if you don't suffer from any other health issue I am confident if you go cold turkey removing the offenders as soon as you can and continue that path for as long as possible with Gluten being the one that never returns to the diet I am certain you will feel really good very soon and you will begin to heal with proper VitD3 and Elemental Mag (external and internal) 
There are some bumps, but a person just works thru them or around them.....once I plateaued in healing I have had to enlist in the help of cholestyramine to help bind the remaining bile enzyme that just wouldn't allow my system to stop WD 100%. I am doing much much better these last 90 days and have been healing for 19 months now
Cheers
Erica
There are some bumps, but a person just works thru them or around them.....once I plateaued in healing I have had to enlist in the help of cholestyramine to help bind the remaining bile enzyme that just wouldn't allow my system to stop WD 100%. I am doing much much better these last 90 days and have been healing for 19 months now
Cheers
Erica
To Succeed you have to Believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a Reality - Anita Roddick
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
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missbutterfly
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2016 8:19 pm
Thanks Erica!
Relieved that your numbers are similar to mine. The gluten one was a little shocking. What's funny is that I used to be such a carb, starch, bread and pasta person and didn't make the connection with gluten until I found this board. I'm totally fine with gluten free pasta - tastes almost the same to me, but there doesn't seem to be much gluten free bread out there!
Also, since I don't eat red meat or pork, my protein sources are nuts, eggs, and chicken. To find out that I'm sensitive to all of them is a bummer. :/
Relieved that your numbers are similar to mine. The gluten one was a little shocking. What's funny is that I used to be such a carb, starch, bread and pasta person and didn't make the connection with gluten until I found this board. I'm totally fine with gluten free pasta - tastes almost the same to me, but there doesn't seem to be much gluten free bread out there!
Also, since I don't eat red meat or pork, my protein sources are nuts, eggs, and chicken. To find out that I'm sensitive to all of them is a bummer. :/
Quite a few members react to chicken, but virtually every one of them can safely eat turkey, duck, goose, pheasant, quail, or any other wild-type meat. Alligator would be another safe source of white meat.
And close to half of us are sensitive to chicken eggs, but again, most of us in that situation can safely eat duck eggs (which are available at many farmers markets and some supermarkets. Turkey eggs should also be safe, if you can find them.
For GF bread, Canyon Bakehouse is favored by many, and some find Rudi's or Udi's bread to be OK. The problem with commercial GF breads though is that most of them contain so many ingredients that most of us are sensitive to one or more of those ingredients.
Tex
And close to half of us are sensitive to chicken eggs, but again, most of us in that situation can safely eat duck eggs (which are available at many farmers markets and some supermarkets. Turkey eggs should also be safe, if you can find them.
For GF bread, Canyon Bakehouse is favored by many, and some find Rudi's or Udi's bread to be OK. The problem with commercial GF breads though is that most of them contain so many ingredients that most of us are sensitive to one or more of those ingredients.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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missbutterfly
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2016 8:19 pm
I ate a pancake with semi sweet chocolate chips daily, and at work (foodservice education account) there is always something to grab in the deli, bakery, etc....so my supply of gluten was never ending where I work....they do order from a Vegan/Gluten free vendor that makes things from scratch locally so at least I can behave myself now much better than I thought I ever could.
I eat quite a bit of turkey, and I make a Cornish Hen bone broth that I turn into a GF noodle soup with carrot and celery and sea salt...makes for a great hot soup that I eat daily at work. I freeze portions and take them out as needed that last me about 2 weeks at a time.
Good luck finding your balance
I eat quite a bit of turkey, and I make a Cornish Hen bone broth that I turn into a GF noodle soup with carrot and celery and sea salt...makes for a great hot soup that I eat daily at work. I freeze portions and take them out as needed that last me about 2 weeks at a time.
Good luck finding your balance
To Succeed you have to Believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a Reality - Anita Roddick
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007