Have Questions About Enterolab

[gary]

My wife and I could use some advice if anyone has any. We've been trying to decide what route to take in order to try and find out what physical problems I have been having. We've recently decided to do the enterolab tests but when we got onto the web site we hadn't a clue which tests exaclty to do. If any one has any advice it would be well appreciated.

Thanks,

Gary

[Guest Kathy Ann]

I debated that too. But I ended up doing the big one, the gluten sensitivity stool and gene panel complete with the free casein test and the genetic test included. I regret not just going ahead and getting the soy and eggs and whatever else they test for while I was at it.

Now I feel that I have really good ammunition to help figure this out. It gave me many pieces to the puzzle and now I can maybe help my big family figure themselves out too. It has ended up being one of the most useful tests I've had taken in my life.

Enterolab will tell you to do the basic $99 fecal antigliadin IgA test to see if you have any perceptible active dietary gluten sensitivity, at the very least if you can't afford any other.

But if it comes out negative, without a gene test you still won't know if you COULD develop a problem in the future or if your kids are at risk.

The fecal antitissue transglutaminase IgA test is to find out if the active dietary gluten has likely already damaged you.

The fecal fat score is to tell you "how much" it has already hurt you by measuring your absorption abilities.

Anyway, that's how I've understood it. I have found the enterolab people really nice and see no problem with calling them so you can determine the right test before you order.

[gary]

Thank you so much for your reply. If there are any other opinions from anyone else it would be much appreciated. Does anyone know just how reliable these tests are supposed to be? Are there certain things taht you should or shouldn't be eating when you take the test? Has anyone received a false negative/positive before? Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks so much,

Gary

[AndreaB]

Gary,

I had my family tested with all the enterolab tests. I felt it was worth it and didn't even try to put it through to insurance.

I would definately encourage you to get the whole gluten panel. I think it's great to know what genes you have.

Of my family that was tested myself, daughter and oldest son have an active sensitivity. My husband did not, although he has 2 celiac genes. He's gone gluten free with the rest of us. My infant son would have tested positive had he been old enough to test.

Whether you choose to get the soy, egg and yeast depends on if you think you may have problems with them. It will save money in the long run if you order them together, rather than deciding down the line that you want to get them.

My family's numbers were low as you can see (sig), but we all feel better and now know if we've been glutened or cc'd.

[celiacgirls]

I started with just the test for gluten sensitivity for my daughter. When I asked them at Enterolab that is what they suggested. Since then, I have tested my other daughter and myself and have done almost all of the tests for all of us.

For me, in the beginning, it was more an issue of knowing if they were trustworthy before giving them so much money. I now believe in their results.

The three of us all tested positive for gluten and casein. My daughter was the only one who had obvious symptoms before testing but now we can all tell the difference. I tested one daughter for eggs, soy, and yeast and those were all negative. I'm in the process of testing her dietary response to soy because even though her result was negative (9 when 10 is considered positive), I think she reacts to it. So my experience would tend towards a false negative rather than a false positive.

If you don't do the full celiac panel, I would at least check for gluten and casein since those are pretty common problems.