How Does The Enterol Lab Work?

[mom2two]

How does the Enterol Lab work? Do you just self refer or can Dr.'s refer you?

Do they take insurance?

We have been going through tests and "wait and see" with my four year old for almost two years and I am tired and want some answers (needless to say all she has been through!). The symptoms for celiac seem so varied and broad that it is confusing. Are the tests at Enterol accurate for young children? I could really use some guidance. I am in the process of waiting for yet another consult with a GI specialist at Children's Hospital. MY husband doesn't want to "try" a gluten free diet because we've been told that it will mess up any repeat tests that will be done. She already has had a positive blood test and neg. scope. PLus we can't take her off of all the meds she's on for her extreme constipation to do a gluten free diet so it couldn't be a "real" test of the diet anyway could it? I'm confused by all the conflicting info I'm getting and that's with a masters degree in a medical related field!!!!

[Ursa Major]

Hi, and welcome to this board. Enterolab Open Original Shared Link is very reliable for young children. Now, if your daughter had a blood test that was positive for celiac disease, then there is absolutely NO DOUBT whatsoever that she has celiac disease! Most doctors are so very clueless on that. The scope is very unreliable in children under five, and there are a LOT of false negatives (but never false positives, so, if her blood test was positive, she should have been on the gluten-free diet immediately after getting the results!).

With young children the very best test is the gluten-free diet. The constipation is very likely caused by celiac disease, and is a common symptom. Taking your daughter off gluten will likely fix the constipation! Mind you, it might not happen instantly. But the meds are just addressing a symptom, not the cause, of the problem.

She won't have to be on gluten for the enterolab testing. They will test her stool, so, it's non-invasive and easy.

No, you don't need a doctor's referral to go to Enterolab. Some insurance companies will pay for the tests, and others will not. You would need to check with your insurance company on that one. Mind you, after a positive blood test, I wouldn't bother spending the money, but just put her on the diet. No need to worry about any additional testing, it's not necessary.

Most people with celiac disease are intolerant to dairy in addition to gluten, at least initially. It is possibly the dairy that causes the severe constipation (in combination with the gluten). So, once you put her on the gluten-free diet, you should also eliminate dairy for at least a few months, until the villi get a chance to heal. You can try dairy again in about six months, to see if she can tolerate it then. Some celiacs can eventually tolerate dairy again (but many cannot).

[AndreaB]

Enterolab does self referral mostly, although I've read some posts that doctors have referred to them. They do not bill insurance. That's up to the client to bill their own insurance to see if they will cover it. We didn't bother. Enterolab is accurate for all ages since it is a stool test. Your poor daughter. If she tested positive with blood work, she shouldn't need any other scopes. Get the enterolab tests done, get her gluten free on her diet and start searching for meds that can be subbed for the ones you have or check into a compounding pharmacy to have them do meds for you that are free of gluten and anything else you think she may be allergic to. Getting her off gluten is critical for her long term health and well being. If she has a positive blood test she has celiac from my understanding. Enterolab will give you a good idea of whether she has malabsorption, ttg, IgA level and what genes she has if you get the whole panel. They were offering dairy in with the gluten panel for no additional charge but I haven't checked to see if they still are. Click Open Original Shared Link to go to enterolab's home page. I didn't have constipation but I would imagine going gluten free would help her with that. I know that others have had better bm's since going gluten free whether they had diarrhea or constipation. Dairy can also constipate so you may want to take her off of that for awhile too and let her start healing.

[Nic]

Hi, I agree with the others about if the blood is positive, then it is positive. My son's blood was positive and the biopsy initially came back negative. The doctor then sent it out to Columbia University in NY and they gave it a positive. It is my understanding that not all labs are too good at this yet. Also, what meds is your child on for constipation? My son's symptom was constipation as well. He has been on Miralax for almost 2 years and it is gluten free. He is also taking Yummi Bears Fiber (just like gummy bears) which are also gluten free. The doctor now just adding Acidophilus, also all natural and gluten free. We once went for a second opinion and that doctor suggested using Laxatives and I was so desparate to help him go that I agreed. Well, 6 months later he was still on the laxatives and that was the max amount of time anyone should be on them. I had to take him off and had the same problems. It only helped temporarily. What we are using now seems to be helping. Good luck.

Nicole

[mom2two]

I can't tell you all how wonderful it is to talk to others who not only know what they are talking about but personally understand. It almost makes me want to cry. The GI specialist who ran the blood tests about 2 years ago never used the phrase the blood tests were positive. He said she had elevated levels. In what I can't even remember and I don't have the paperwork. He said the scope would probably confirm celiac and was surprised when she didn't show signs of it. I was two weeks from delivering my son and was just relieved she didn't have it. He presented it like it was an end all to the question of celiac. But from what I'm hearing it was far from it!!! He certainly gave me what I wanted to hear at the time however. She has been on an adult dose an a half of Miralax (gluten free) for over two years as well as a children's laxative (gluten free)and mineral oil for 6 month stints here and there. If we put her on a gluten free diet how would we regulate her meds? Just gradually reduce them? Thank you all for all your help.

[AndreaB]

If you are only going gluten free then try reducing her meds and see how she does. If you are willing to remove dairy for awhile as a trial then you would also reduce and probably be able to get rid of them all together. You'll probably find her bowels don't get so gummed up off of gluten and dairy. Try going gluten and dairy free and keep her meds where they are for a few days to a week and keep an eye on her stools, the amount you can reduce her meds should be determined by how well she is doing with elimination.