Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Quest Vs Prometheus

the2ofus

Recommended Posts

the2ofus Rookie
the2ofus
Posted

I am having a hard time getting my doctor and insurance company together with me on having my blood work done at Prometheus labs in california. I had heard from several people that this was the best lab for this testing.

Does anyone know if Quest is accurate? Quest is covered by my insurance and the other one isn't unless they approve it ahead of time. I don't know if I'm going to fight my insurance company for nothing or should I persue it?

Anyone with a lot of knowledge on the labs please help me. I only want to take the test one time.

Thanks

Robin

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


gf4life Enthusiast
gf4life
Posted

I only know a little about the two labs, but I will share my experience with you.

I had my blood test done at Quest and was negative. My kids had the same tests done at Quest and they came back positive on IgG only. We got the referral to a pediatric GI and he said that he doesn't like to use regular labs for celiac disease testing. He ONLY trusts Prometheus for celiac disease testing. So he ordered the tests. My insurance of course refused to cover the cost, so the children's hosp. lab sent the blood to Quest again. Again they came back IgG positive only. I looked into having the Prometheus tests done and paying out of pocket, but for my 3 kids it was going to cost over $2000. The blood test for Celiac is around $270, but if it is negative then they automatically run the gene test and then the two test together cost over $700! I just couldn't swing that kind of money, so I opted for Enterolab. We go back to the doctor next week and I will show him the positive results from Enterolab for my kids, but he might not accept them.

My personal opinion is that Quest doesn't do enough of the celiac disease tests to know how to do them well, and they also don't do the most specific test (TTG) accurately. See they have to use Human Tissue Transglutaminase when they do the TTG test and most regular labs use Guinea Pig Tissue Transglutaminase and that makes the test not so accurate. I feel using Quest is a waste of money. Just my opinion though. The decision to fight the insurance company or not is yours. I personally chose not to fight, since I had already waited two years for my own testing to be completed and I did not want to waste more time while my kids suffered.

God bless,

Mariann

the2ofus Rookie
the2ofus
Posted
  • Author

Hi Mariann,

Thanks for your information. Half of my battle is seeming to be getting the doctor to call the insurance company. When I spoke with the woman at the insurance company she asked me if there was a local lab that could do this. I told her there is but they don't do it with the same amount of accuracy. I since found out from quest that they don't do the gene panel. I am hoping that this will be my tool to get them to approve it. In the mean time I can't try the gluten free diet because I'll mess up my results.

You must do an awful lot of research. Every section I go in it seems as though you have some really good information. Thank you for all the answers you have given to me all over this board.

Robin

gf4life Enthusiast
gf4life
Posted

Thanks Robin,

I'm glad I could help. I spent over two years researching all aspects of celiac disease, the gluten free diet, the testing and all that and I feel like I hardly know much at all. I can understand a little of why doctors are lost when it comes to diagnosing, but the information is out there. I just hope that more and more doctor will become receptive to learning from us patients! :rolleyes: I hope you have enough information available for your insurance to cover Prometheus. I've heard they are the best for testing for celiac disease.

God bless,

Mariann

jka8168 Newbie
jka8168
Posted

I called a well known Celiac Disease Program and specifically asked whether I should allow my son's dr to use Quest for his bloodwork. I received a firm negative, and Prometheus was highly recommended. This Center also lists Mayo Clinic and Specialty Labs as appropriate.

I also have spoken with a support group leader whose sister got a false negative from Quest and retested positive later.

I called Prometheus directly and spoke with customer service. They will send the transport kits to either the dr or patient, and will process the tests if specimens are returned with a dr's script and direct payment or (accepted) insurance info. They give a discount for cash forms of payment (20-25% I think). I remember that the Panel including Total IGA if needed was around $217 with cash discount.

It is important to call the dr ahead of time. He may not have an account with Prometheus, and some drs don't want to bother in that case because direct payment from the patient does not give their billing system a way to add their cut to the billed office visit amount. In that case, find a dr who has an account with Prometheus or who will work with you regarding payment options.

If you don't call ahead, your specimens will go to a lab with which the dr has an account. Once the blood is drawn, it's too late to specify.

Many regular labs may be licensed to do the test, but the results are very dependent on skilled operator procedures. Many techs haven't run enough tests yet to be that skilled. They may or may not run or read your test correctly. I got this info from a registered dietitian who works with a celiac disease program.

Prometheus Labs # is 888-423-5227.

Hope this helps

the2ofus Rookie
the2ofus
Posted
  • Author

Well, I have my prometheus kit and my authorization number from my insurance company. I can't believe they actually approved it. I can't wait to have my test done. I haven't removed any gluten from my diet yet but I'm going to wait another week to take the test. In this week I'm going to pig out on pasta etc. I just hope the test is accurate.

Thanks for everyones help

Robin

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,668
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    CDR40
    Newest Member
    CDR40
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Rejoicephd
      Draft gluten-free ciders… can they be trusted ?

      By Rejoicephd · Posted

      That and my nutritionist also said that drinking cider is one of the worst drink choices for me, given that I have candida overgrowth.  She said the combination of the alcohol and sugar would be very likely to worsen my candida problem.  She suggested that if I drink, I go for clear vodka, either neat or with a splash of cranberry.   So in summary, I am giving ciders a rest.  Whether it's a gluten risk or sugars and yeast overgrowth, its just not worth it.
    • Inkie
      Tea Bags and Gluten

      By Inkie · Posted

      Thank you for the information ill will definitely bring it into practice .
    • Scott Adams
      Tea Bags and Gluten

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      While plain, pure tea leaves (black, green, or white) are naturally gluten-free, the issue often lies not with the tea itself but with other ingredients or processing. Many flavored teas use barley malt or other gluten-containing grains as a flavoring agent, which would be clearly listed on the ingredient label. Cross-contamination is another possibility, either in the facility where the tea is processed or, surprisingly, from the tea bag material itself—some tea bags are sealed with a wheat-based glue. Furthermore, it's important to consider that your reaction could be to other substances in tea, such as high levels of tannins, which can be hard on the stomach, or to natural histamines or other compounds that can cause a non-celiac immune response. The best way to investigate is to carefully read labels for hidden ingredients, try switching to a certified gluten-free tea brand that uses whole leaf or pyramid-style bags, and see if the reaction persists.
    • Scott Adams
      Inconclusive results

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      This is a challenging and confusing situation. The combination of a positive EMA—which is a highly specific marker rarely yielding false positives—alongside strongly elevated TTG on two separate occasions, years apart, is profoundly suggestive of celiac disease, even in the absence of biopsy damage. This pattern strongly aligns with what is known as "potential celiac disease," where the immune system is clearly activated, but intestinal damage has not yet become visible under the microscope. Your concern about the long-term risk of continued gluten consumption is valid, especially given your family's experience with the consequences of delayed diagnosis. Since your daughter is now at an age where her buy-in is essential for a gluten-free lifestyle, obtaining a definitive answer is crucial for her long-term adherence and health. Given that she is asymptomatic yet serologically positive, a third biopsy now, after a proper 12-week challenge, offers the best chance to capture any microscopic damage that may have developed, providing the concrete evidence needed to justify the dietary change. This isn't about wanting her to have celiac; it's about wanting to prevent the insidious damage that can occur while waiting for symptoms to appear, and ultimately giving her the unambiguous "why" she needs to accept and commit to the necessary treatment. This article might be helpful. It breaks down each type of test, and what a positive results means in terms of the probability that you might have celiac disease. One test that always needs to be done is the IgA Levels/Deficiency Test (often called "Total IGA") because some people are naturally IGA deficient, and if this is the case, then certain blood tests for celiac disease might be false-negative, and other types of tests need to be done to make an accurate diagnosis. The article includes the "Mayo Clinic Protocol," which is the best overall protocol for results to be ~98% accurate.    
    • Scott Adams
      Medication

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Welcome to the community! Generally, for a gluten challenge before celiac disease blood tests, Tylenol (acetaminophen) is considered safe and should not interfere with your antibody results. The medications you typically need to avoid are those like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve) that can cause intestinal irritation, which could potentially complicate the interpretation of an endoscopy if you were to have one. However, it is absolutely crucial that you confirm this with either your gastroenterologist or your surgeon before your procedure. They know the specifics of your case and can give you the definitive green light, ensuring your surgery is comfortable and your celiac testing remains accurate. Best of luck with your surgery tomorrow
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.