Elisa Test - Where Was Yours Done?

[newlyfree]

My ND wants to test me through Meridian Valley, but I have to say I wasn't impressed with their website, so I'm a little worried. Not to say an uninformative website means they're a bad lab, but it doesn't really give one confidence.

I know some labs have very low accuracy rates, and was just wondering where people in general got their tests done and were you happy with your results?

Thanks all!

[newlyfree]

bump -anyone?

[confusedks]

I would like to hear answers to this too.

Kassandra

[burdee]

The ELISA test can be processed by many different labs. My ND uses USBioTek in Seattle (where I live). US BioTek, the lab used by the IBS Treatment Center (my doc's clinic) to test for food allergies, received a national Excellence Award for Quality Laboratory Services. The award was granted by COLA, a national health care accreditation organization. The award signifi es US BioTek has displayed a commitment to quality in performing patient testing, service to professional health care providers and overall laboratory practices. Also the USBioTek ND spoke to my local Celiac support group about their services, work and quality control standards. I suggest you tell your doc about USBioTek (Open Original Shared Link).

I took 3 different versions of the ELISA test to determine several of my allergies. I had already determined gluten intolerance and dairy and soy allergies through Enterolab IgA antibody stool tests, but I still had irregularity, cramping, bloating and tachycardia symptoms. So I took the 100 food allergy ELISA (blood) test last year. That showed (with really significant scores) that I have egg white, egg yolk and cane sugar allergy. Abstaining from those food eliminated the bloating (egg) and tachycardia (cane sugar), but I still had cramping pains occasionally. So I took a vegetarian form of the ELISA test which looked for a few more (15) allergies to grains, vegies, nuts and seeds. That came up negative. So we tried testing for bacterial dysbiosis (too little good bacteria). Taking probiotics helped eliminate regularity problems, but I STILL had those cramping pains almost daily. So this month I took the ELISA herb/spice test. That showed a very high reaction to vanilla and a high moderate reaction to nutmeg. Abstaining from vanilla and nutmeg eliminated the cramping pains almost immediately.

Although I needed several tests to determine all my food allergies, I would recommend ELISA tests for foods you currently eat (since those are blood tests). If you previously suspected a food allergy and already abstained from that food for a few months, I'd suggest the Enterolab tests for dairy, egg, yeast or soy. Unfortunately Enterolab only tests those 4 foods plus gluten intolerance currently. BOTTOM LINE: I'm VERY pleased with ELISA tests. However I suggest your doc send your blood draw for ELISA to a good lab (like USBioTek).

Also I hope your doc knows how to interpret those test results. Some people have lots of little 'blips' (results in the 'no reaction' or 'low) range. However you should only consider the highest results. If most of your results are very high, you ignore the lower scores. If your results cluster around the mid moderate to mid high scores, you conclude those are your allergies. If your results cluster in the high 'lows' and low 'moderates', you trust those. However each patient has their own pattern of test results. The clusters should be obvious. Many people assume that every score means an allergy and get overwhelmed with trying to eliminate all those foods from their diet or just give up. More than 7 allergies in any one test is rare. However USBioTek will send an interpretation of your test results.

BURDEE

[covsooze]

Also I hope your doc knows how to interpret those test results. Some people have lots of little 'blips' (results in the 'no reaction' or 'low) range. However you should only consider the highest results. If most of your results are very high, you ignore the lower scores. If your results cluster around the mid moderate to mid high scores, you conclude those are your allergies. If your results cluster in the high 'lows' and low 'moderates', you trust those. However each patient has their own pattern of test results. The clusters should be obvious. Many people assume that every score means an allergy and get overwhelmed with trying to eliminate all those foods from their diet or just give up. More than 7 allergies in any one test is rare. However USBioTek will send an interpretation of your test results.

BURDEE

Thanks for your post Burdee. It's really helpful to hear about your experiences, especially on the interpretation of results.

I tested with York- I live in the UK and its the biggest lab here as far as I'm aware. I ended up being 'intolerant' to almost everything on the 113 panel, including a couple of foods I never at. However, having read what Burdee has said about interpretation, things make more sense. I in fact decided a couple of days ago to exclude the worst offenders from the list, together with dairy, which scored low but I eat little of anyway as I already knew it upset me.

Susie xe

[newlyfree]

Thanks Burdee - looks like US BioTek really nailed it for you!! I'm going to ask my ND if she'd mind testing through them instead - I also like the amount of info they have online about their quality control process.

[Nathan's mom]

Yes, thanks for your post, Burdee. I want to take my son to a ND before too long. We have been going through the MD route. I have had great doctors for him, but everytime I mention the bacteria/yeast thing, the subject gets changed or they flat tell me not enough is known about it to test. Their protocol doesn't allow them to venture there - even though I have read medical reports online about tests showing a link between bacteria and malabsorption.

What would you recommend in selecting a Naturopath?

Thanks,

Debbie

[burdee]

Yes, thanks for your post, Burdee. I want to take my son to a ND before too long. We have been going through the MD route. I have had great doctors for him, but everytime I mention the bacteria/yeast thing, the subject gets changed or they flat tell me not enough is known about it to test. Their protocol doesn't allow them to venture there - even though I have read medical reports online about tests showing a link between bacteria and malabsorption.

What would you recommend in selecting a Naturopath?

Thanks,

Debbie

I'll just tell you my experience and what I like about my naturopath:

After getting the 'IBS' misdiagnosis from my HMO's PCs for over 10 years, I didn't want to see ANY doctors. So I used Enterolab to diagnosed gluten intolerance, the celiac gene, milk and soy allergies. However I later met my current naturopath at a local support group meeting. He seemed knowledgable, but I never considered seeing him as a patient until I read his book "The Irritable Bowel Syndrome Solution". That book almost exactly described my history of misdiagnoses and mis-treatments. After reading that book, I told my husband "this guy thinks like I do about mainstream medical approaches to intestinal problems". Then I learned my doc diagnosed his own celiac disease during his medical school training. So he decided to go into naturopathy rather than mainstream medicine and focus on gluten intolerance and celiac disease.

Here's what I really like about my naturopath:

(1) His book and website explained how he thinks--so I didn't have to guess his approach.

(2) He experienced celiac disease symptoms and misdiagnoses--so he understood my experiences.

(3) He doesn't guess what might be wrong after hearing my symptoms--he uses lab tests to diagnose celiac disease, food allergies, bacterial dysbiosis (too many bad bacteria, not enough good bacteria), yeast infections and parasites. (I already described my good experience with ELISA tests and USBioTek in another thread on this website.) The stool tests for bacteria, yeast and parasites, not only determine which a patient has, but also tells which drugs or herbal supplements can effectively treat that strain of bacteria, yeast or parasite. He uses reliable labs with good quality control methods.

(4) He readily admits "I don't know", when he doesn't know, rather than pretending he does.

(5) He's open minded--he gives me credit for researching my symptoms and doesn't automatically disagree with other doctor's approaches or recommendations. After one appointment he said he learned more from me than he taught me.

(6) He leads a monthly gluten intolerance support group meeting at his clinic and supports local celiac events--he's 'one of us'.

BURDEE

[Rhondavous]

Hello Burdee,

I'd love to know who your naturopath is, since I live in Seattle. I really don't know what foods I'm not tolerant of (I know wheat just by experience), but I keep having recurring problems, every year or two, and am not insured. My health is not good at this point. It would be ideal if I could order the Elisa Test without having to go through a Doctor, but it didn't look like that was an option on BioTek's website.

Thanks in advance. Rhonda

[burdee]

Hello Burdee,

I'd love to know who your naturopath is, since I live in Seattle. I really don't know what foods I'm not tolerant of (I know wheat just by experience), but I keep having recurring problems, every year or two, and am not insured. My health is not good at this point. It would be ideal if I could order the Elisa Test without having to go through a Doctor, but it didn't look like that was an option on BioTek's website.

Thanks in advance. Rhonda

Hi Rhonda:

My naturopath is Dr. Stephen Wangen, ND, who founded the IBS Treatment Center in Seattle (next to Swedish Medical Center). To learn more about his clinic and his approach see: Open Original Shared Link He also has a website devoted to allergies. See Center for Food Allergies (Open Original Shared Link). His 'Innate Health Foundation' (which oversees both treatment centers)is having an open house at the IBSTC this coming Friday night (September 28) from 7:30pm until 9pm. However, if you want to become a patient and have the ELISA tests ordered and interpretted, call his office (206-264-1111) and talk to his receptionist Kirsten who has experienced lots of tests, treatments and diagnoses there. You can also pm me your phone number and a good time to call. I will gladly share more of my experiences with the IBSTC.

BURDEE

[Rhondavous]

Hi Burdee, thanks so much for the recommendation. It saves me much time in research and dead ends. I'm looking forward to getting the food intolerances nailed down so I can get better and stay better.

Thanks also for being willing to speak with me, I surely appreciate your support and will keep your contact info at hand if questions come up.

Rhonda