Just Got My A.l.c.a.t. Test Results Back And I'm Not Happy

[emcmaster]

Hey everyone -

I did the A.L.C.A.T. Comprehensive V test. Here's what came back (I promise, this is going to be LONG)...

Red foods - severe reaction:

broccoli

cane sugar

corn

date

flaxseed

garlic

green pepper

honeydew melon

lemon

lime

lobster

olive

orange foods - moderate reaction:

avocado

basil

beef

buckwheat

cantaloupe

eggplant

fig

herring

hops

lamb

lettuce

mung bean

onion

orange

paprika

salmon

sesame

yellow foods - light reaction:

apricot

asparagus

blackberry

black-eyed pea

blueberry

brussel sprouts

carrot

celery

cherry

chicken

coffee

crab

cucumber

fructose

lentil bean

lima bean

malt

oyster

papaya

pear

pecan

pinto bean

raspberry

red pepper

safflower

string bean

sunflower

tea

vanilla

veal

GOOD GRIEF! I have to say I'm most upset about the corn, cane sugar and garlic. I think this is a leaky gut thing - most of what showed up are things I've been eating a lot of lately (although that just could be coincidence and would then explain why I've felt pretty badly...)

Gluten didn't show up at all, unless you count malt and hops. I had no reaction to wheat, rye, barley or oats... but after talking to the nutritionist, she said that because it's been almost a year since I've consistently eaten them, they might not have shown up but still be a problem. I *know* they are a problem, but I'm questioning it now because they didn't show up...

I guess my big question is... what the heck am I going to eat? I can live very happily on veggies, fruits and proteins... but my veggies and proteins are severely limited.

Also, does anyone know of any good resources for corn-free info? Are people as sensitive to corn, or is there a CC issue with corn?

Thanks for your help!

[jayhawkmom]

It's only my opinion, but I've heard a LOT of negative things about that particular test, LOTS of false positives and test reactions to foods that are not reacted to. I think your best bet is an elimination diet to see if you TRULY react to any of these foods.

Lots of luck to you!

[emcmaster]

Thanks for your thoughts. I am definitely planning on doing an elimination diet. I figure if I cut them all out and actually feel better, I'll know that at least one of them is making me sick and can add things back one at a time. I guess I figure that at least this gives me a place to start from and know what to cut out...

[jerseyangel]

Hi Elizabeth,

I'm sorry the test didn't give you more specific, concrete information.

I remember my allergist telling me that these tests result in many positives because when we eat a food, our bodies make antibodies to it. People usually end up doing an elinination diet anyway to weed out the false positives.

[emcmaster]

Thanks, Patti. I hope I didn't completely waste $500.

[tiffjake]

Thanks for your thoughts. I am definitely planning on doing an elimination diet. I figure if I cut them all out and actually feel better, I'll know that at least one of them is making me sick and can add things back one at a time. I guess I figure that at least this gives me a place to start from and know what to cut out...

I am so sorry that you are frusterated! I do know how you feel though! I eliminated everything they told me to (well, all of the red and orange foods, but not the yellows, just watched out for those), for a month, and then started re-introducing them.

That is actually how I found out about my Celiac Disease, because when I added wheat back in, my intestines shut down and I ended up in the hospital! But I had been eating wheat up to the time of the test, and you have not, so maybe that is why it didn't show up with your test.

I do know that they said that you have to watch what you tend to eat everyday. Like you said about corn, you eat a lot of it. It might do you good to have a more balanced diet, not having the same foods everyday.

I think the elimination diet is pretty much what you will be doing at this point, but at least you have a starting point now! You know what foods to watch when you re-introduce them. I am sorry that you list is so long...do you eat those "red" foods a lot? My list was much shorter. My red foods were only 3 foods. Cantaloupe, caulifour, and sweet potatoes.

PM me if there is anything I can do to help.

[emcmaster]

Yes, almost all of the red, orange and yellow foods are foods I eat all the time, especially in the last few weeks. That makes me think it's a leaky gut thing, so I'm going to do some research on trying to repair that while I cut these foods out. Thanks for the support!