Another Enterolab Question...

[kbtoyssni]

I know we just had a million threads about Enterolab, but I can't seem to find any of them. I'm thinking of getting the testing done, but I don't know which ones I need. I can do the gluten sensitivity/gene panel, but I'm already convinced I have celiac so it seems like a waste of money to do the test. Is there any info I'd get from the gluten panel that would be useful to me if I'm going to stay on a gluten-free diet regardless of the results?

I was also looking at the milk test and the egg/yeast/soy test. The question I have about these two is - can I go to my doctor and request an allergy test for these food products instead and get the same info? Does Enterolab test for allergies to these foods or more of a celiac-type auto-immune reaction? It would be way cheaper to get testing done through my doctor. Plus if I do have food allergies, she could test for things like corn, too. Can doctors test for legumes?

I've hit a wall here at 10 months gluten-free. I feel like I'm 90% of the way there, but there's still something that's not quite right. Thanks for the info, everyone!

[mmaccartney]

If you are already convinced you have celiac, then all the test would do is affirm your findings. I got the panel as I was 99.999% sure but still had trouble accepting it. Also, genetics were important to me, what genes did I have and what did I pass on to my children. In my case I have the dq2 gene, and my lucky children both got it to.

What enterolab did tell me that I wasn't prepared for was casein intolerance. I knew milk was an issue, but I thought it was lactose intolerance and that once my guts healed I would have dairy again. Knowing it was casein saved me from having to test myself by ingesting some milk!

An allergy test will tell you about an immune IgE response (Allergic response), not IgG which is the typical food intolerance and celiac reaction. For example, I am intolerant to gluten and milk; however my allergy test showed no allergic response to either allergen. Same immune system, different type of response.

The allergist can test for a myriad of things. I think mine even tested me for hemp allergies. BUT again that won't tell you about intolerances. There are companies that provide food intolerance tests (York labs is one). I've never used them and I've read varying reviews of service.

When I first started getting sick, something told me it was immune related so I started with our family allergist who tested me for everything under the sun and I had no allergies. He eventually told me that he had no clue what was going on and refered me to a gastro doc.

If you think there are other food intolerances (not allergies) that you are suffering from, the best thing is a diary and a food challenge. Start keeping track of everything you eat (also check your cosmetics, soaps, shampoos, pet foods, etc) and your symptoms. Look for patterns, When I found out I couldn't have milk it was my food diary that told me so! When I look back at it I ask myself why it took so long to see the pattern of eating dairy and then getting sick. Once you have a food diary, try eliminating suspect foods and see what happens. If you get better, then try introducing ONE of the foods back into your diet and wait to see what happens!

Good luck!

[kbtoyssni]

Thank you! I hate doing food diaries so much. I'd rather do almost anything else than have to write everything down...

It looks like I should do both allergy testing and enterolab. I'll probably get the milk and the egg/yeast/soy panels.

Speaking of allergies vs. intolerances - can this occur with things other than food like dust, too? I've been allergy tested for dust and it came up negative, but I KNOW I have problems with it. When I start to feel sick in the mornings and my eyes itch I do a good bedroom cleaning and I'm all better. Is it possible that I have an intolerance to dust rather than a straight-up allergy?

[kbtoyssni]

I also meant to ask about intolerances to legumes, nightshades, etc. Can these be tested for or do you have to figure it out on your own through a food diary or elimination diets?

[AndreaB]

I had allergy testing done before I went through enterolab. From what a friend told me, who is also a doctor, IgG is your long term reaction, and IgE is the immediate reaction. Of my allergies, the only thing I had and IgE reaction to was dairy (there were a couple others that were real minimal). Keep in mind that I had only had dairy on a very rare occasion and that was if I couldn't find anything else to eat at potlucks. We were on a vegan diet at the time. Everything else was IgG reactions. I had my family tested through enterolab, everything they offer. We all have at least one celiac predisposing gene and the ones that don't have two of those have one gluten sensitivity gene. My husband and I found out we were soy intolerant and my daughter, oldest son and myself are all gluten intolerant. My oldest son also has mild malabsorption. Enterolab will give you indications on whether you are intolerant to the foods they test for. Allergy testing is completely different. It really depends on what you are looking for.

[Rachel--24]

Enterolab tests for IgA reactions which your doctor cannot test you for with a standard allergy test. Allergy tests are IgE mediated which is a completely different immune response from IgA....which is the reaction that causes Celiac. This is why Celiac cannot be diagnosed in an allergy test....its not an allergy.

[AndreaB]

Allergy tests can test for pretty much anything. You'd have to make sure your doctor used a lab panel that included everything you wanted. What I found out about mine is that it tested for some legumes, grains etc but not all. I'm allergic to kidney,soy and navy beans according to the tests for instance but don't know about black beans, white beans, garbanzo beans. If you decide to go through both enterolab and allergy testing you would need to decide which is most important to you to have done first. As Rachel said it is two entirely different things. The allergy test told me that I was allergic wheat, spelt, rye, gluten and gliadin for instance, but not allergic to oats and barley. I cut out gluten products except for oats and barley and my son was still responding via eczema. When I got my enterolab results back I found out I was gluten intolerant as well as allergic. I am also soy allergic and intolerant. Both tests will probably give you some answers you are looking for.

[mom2two]

If you are already convinced you have celiac, then all the test would do is affirm your findings. I got the panel as I was 99.999% sure but still had trouble accepting it. Also, genetics were important to me, what genes did I have and what did I pass on to my children. In my case I have the dq2 gene, and my lucky children both got it to.

What enterolab did tell me that I wasn't prepared for was casein intolerance. I knew milk was an issue, but I thought it was lactose intolerance and that once my guts healed I would have dairy again. Knowing it was casein saved me from having to test myself by ingesting some milk!

An allergy test will tell you about an immune IgE response (Allergic response), not IgG which is the typical food intolerance and celiac reaction. For example, I am intolerant to gluten and milk; however my allergy test showed no allergic response to either allergen. Same immune system, different type of response.

The allergist can test for a myriad of things. I think mine even tested me for hemp allergies. BUT again that won't tell you about intolerances. There are companies that provide food intolerance tests (York labs is one). I've never used them and I've read varying reviews of service.

When I first started getting sick, something told me it was immune related so I started with our family allergist who tested me for everything under the sun and I had no allergies. He eventually told me that he had no clue what was going on and refered me to a gastro doc.

If you think there are other food intolerances (not allergies) that you are suffering from, the best thing is a diary and a food challenge. Start keeping track of everything you eat (also check your cosmetics, soaps, shampoos, pet foods, etc) and your symptoms. Look for patterns, When I found out I couldn't have milk it was my food diary that told me so! When I look back at it I ask myself why it took so long to see the pattern of eating dairy and then getting sick. Once you have a food diary, try eliminating suspect foods and see what happens. If you get better, then try introducing ONE of the foods back into your diet and wait to see what happens!

Good luck!