Hey, I'm wondering what blood tests I can have my doctor take to look for CD. I have an appointment on Thursday and I want to make the most of it. He is just going to refer me to another Gastro doctor that could take weeks before I have my initial appointment, not to mention any actual tests or treatment.
What blood tests to look for CD
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Full Blood Count is always a good starting point- anything unusual in either red or white blood cells can be a clue as to what is going off the in the body.
ESR and CRP are measures of inflammation in the body.
Vitamin levels- in particular iron, folate and b12- because chronic illness can play havoc with these. In particular b12 is telling because it's rare for a healthy person to be deficient.
Unfortunately these blood tests are non specific- they will tell the doctor that something is physically wrong (so not IBS) but doesn't tell the doctor what.
There is a blood test specifically for IBD- the Prometheus IBD serology- but it doesn't have a great accuracy rate (around 90%). So if you're one of the unlucky ones who get a false negative it can make things even more difficult for you!
ESR and CRP are measures of inflammation in the body.
Vitamin levels- in particular iron, folate and b12- because chronic illness can play havoc with these. In particular b12 is telling because it's rare for a healthy person to be deficient.
Unfortunately these blood tests are non specific- they will tell the doctor that something is physically wrong (so not IBS) but doesn't tell the doctor what.
There is a blood test specifically for IBD- the Prometheus IBD serology- but it doesn't have a great accuracy rate (around 90%). So if you're one of the unlucky ones who get a false negative it can make things even more difficult for you!
