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Gene Test - Which Lab To Use?

syren4444

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syren4444 Rookie
syren4444
Posted

For the gene testing, I have heard about Enterolabs, Labcorp, Kimball, Optimum Health Resource, and Prometheus. I'm going to have my GI order it most likely, but which lab is 'best'? Most accurate, etc? Bluecross users, has insurance covered any of these labs for you?

Also, when I see my GI, what specifically should I tell her to test for? I'm off major gluten for years so no blood workf for me.

Being off gluten won't effect the results of a gene test, correct?

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ShayFL Enthusiast
ShayFL
Posted

gluten-free diet does not affect the gene test. :)

Use whichever lab your insurance will cover. If they wont, then Enterolab is reasonably priced. I have seen results from all of them. I am sure they are all generally reliable. There is always the chance of a false negative, but it is slim. I have only heard one person in here have to retest and then they found DQ8. It was Kimball than needed to run his tests again.

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

I've actually used both Enterolab and Quest Diagnostics. The former, I payed out of pocket 2 years ago because I was curious about which genes I had.

My new GI ordered a slew of tests recently through Quest--all covered by insurance including the gene haplotype test.

climbmtwhitney Apprentice
climbmtwhitney
Posted

Hi.

I used both Enterolab and Kimball and I have BlueCross PPO.

I ordered the "Gluten Sensitivity Stool and Gene Panel Complete" from Enterolab for $369. Of that, BlueCross paid $271 with no issues for all 5 of us. I also ordered the Kimbal test because I was looking for the Celiac gene on the alpha chain when Enterolab's tests only turned up 2 gluten intolerant genes and no Celiac genes. BlueCross kicked that one back and I re-submitted it last week. So we'll see. Good luck!

Sonya

P.S. I'm glad I did the Kimball test as well because one of my daughters and I DO have the Celiac alpha gene (1/2 of DQ2) which is consistent with our other lab work & tests.

syren4444 Rookie
syren4444
Posted
  • Author

Thanks all!

So I'm gathering my data, I should ask her to gene test for: Alpha & Beta Celiac Genes, Haplotype test, anything else?

happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted

You want to the gene test for Celiac - they test for HLA DQ2 and HLA DQ8.

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