Food Allergy Blood Test

[rain]

Since finding out I have celiac (a monumental feat) I am trying to figure out if I have any other food allergies. I have been to an allergist and she is going to do a blood test for food allergies and environmental allergies.

I'm wondering if there are different kinds of food allergy tests? Any advice? I've done rotational diets so that I missed the gluten intolerance makes me hesitant to try it right now. (granted my other allergies at the time were so bad that it might be different now.)

thanks.

[burdee]

I've done 3 different versions of the ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay) blood test for food allergies. The first version tests for IgA and IgE antibody reactions to over 100 commonly eaten foods. The second version tests for mostly vegetarian foods. The third version tests for herbs and spices. Those diagnosed as my allergies, eggs, cane sugar, vanilla and nutmeg, all of which I have obvious gastrointestinal reactions, except cane sugar, to which I react with 48+ hour tachycardia. US BioTek Lab offers the ELISA test. I also used Enterolab stool tests which showed I had high levels of IgA antibodies to gluten, casein and soy. I have obvious gastrointestinal reactions to all 3 of those foods as well.

SUE

[rain]

I've done 3 different versions of the ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay) blood test for food allergies. The first version tests for IgA and IgE antibody reactions to over 100 commonly eaten foods. The second version tests for mostly vegetarian foods. The third version tests for herbs and spices. Those diagnosed as my allergies, eggs, cane sugar, vanilla and nutmeg, all of which I have obvious gastrointestinal reactions, except cane sugar, to which I react with 48+ hour tachycardia. US BioTek Lab offers the ELISA test. I also used Enterolab stool tests which showed I had high levels of IgA antibodies to gluten, casein and soy. I have obvious gastrointestinal reactions to all 3 of those foods as well.

SUE

Sue,

I remember being told about the ELISA test many years ago but at the time was poor (and very sick) so the cost was too much. This is more comprehensive than what I am going in for. Can I get this test done thru my doctor by requesting it?

Same question about the Enterlab stool test. Can I ask my doctor to do it?

If she says no to either test, any thoughts on where I go next? I can definitely call around but maybe there's a certain specialty/approach to look for. (I live in the Washington DC area btw).

Thanks!

[ravenwoodglass]

Sue,

I remember being told about the ELISA test many years ago but at the time was poor (and very sick) so the cost was too much. This is more comprehensive than what I am going in for. Can I get this test done thru my doctor by requesting it?

Same question about the Enterlab stool test. Can I ask my doctor to do it?

If she says no to either test, any thoughts on where I go next? I can definitely call around but maybe there's a certain specialty/approach to look for. (I live in the Washington DC area btw).

Thanks!

You would order the Enterolab testing by yourself. You don't need a doctor to order. There are differing opinions about Enterolab but many have found the test to be very helpful while others object because the testing methods have not yet been 'peer reviewed'.

Your allegist can have you do a true elimination diet. This is quite different from a rotation diet. However not all allergists will guide you with them. Don't know why but many only deal with true allergies. I am a blood test negative celiac and the elimination diet was responsible for my finally being diagnosed. My diagnosis was then confirmed by my clueless GI who never even looked beyond my negative blood work and wouldn't biopsy without a positive.

With a true elimination diet the doctor will test first for the allergies, then he will take a detailed history of what you eat. From there he will give you a starting diet of 5 or 6 foods to start. After you have had a couple weeks with relief of your bowel symptoms you will then add back in foods in pure form one at a time for a week. If the new food doesn't cause a reaction you then consider it safe and move on to the next. It is a process and is not a quick process but it can be very helpful.

[Coolclimates]

I just got a bunch of blood tests done for other food allergies, too. As well as for pollen, mold, etc. I've been on the gluten-free diet for about 6 weeks, but haven't gotten much relief. I should find out the results for these other tests while I'm in Iceland. I hope I don't have other food allergies as well!

[rain]

Thanks for the information on Enterolab and yes, I'm ok with it not being peer reviewed. If the medical decisions I made were based on medical approval, I'd be dying right now. I suspect my doctor is not going to help me with an elimination diet but I'll ask after I get the blood work back. My remaining symptoms though are not digestive. that's the tricky part.....at least as far as getting a regular doctor to help.

coolclimates -- have a great trip

[burdee]

Sorry I missed your posted questions. Yes, you can ask your doc to request the ELISA blood test for allergies. There are 3 different versions: (1) 100 commonly eaten foods; (2) 15? food vegetarian addition; and (3) herb and spice version. I recommend starting with the first (100 commonly eaten foods) and then continuing on to the other 2 if you still have allergy reaction symptoms after eliminating whatever foods were diagnosed by the first 100 food version.

My doc told me that people tend to have reaction patterns. So you disregard the lowest scores in your overall pattern and heed the highest scores, esp. if you know you have obvious reactions (gastrointestinal, headaches, joint pain, etc.) to those high reaction foods. Some people have lots of low reaction foods but only a few moderate or high reaction foods. So they should just ignore the low reaction food results, unless they have really bad reactions to those foods. If you have a high reaction food, but don't notice gastro symptom reactions, consider other physical symptoms which may be reactions to those foods.

My naturopathic (specialty) MD ordered the ELISA tests for me. Not all naturopaths or holistic docs use the ELISA blood tests. So you may have to ask various docs whether they use that test.

Yes, you can go to Enterolab's website or call them to order their tests. You don't need to go through a doc for any Elab test. They test for gluten, dairy, soy, eggs, yeast IgA mediated allergies, as well as celiac disease indicators (like TtG antibodies and DNA tests).

SUE