I’ve been killing myself trying to figure out what’s going on with my gut. I have a sensitivity to SOMETHING but elimination diets aren’t pinpointing the source. Has anyone used one of these type of tests? My doctor said it’s a scam but I figured the internet wouldn’t, no… COULDN’T lie to me. Thanks Lemmings!
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Are you saying elimination diets as in eliminating a certain thing from your diet?
Just avoid everything, idk. I went on a exclusion diet in which I only had like this bean based protein drink and some candy I was pretty sure was allergen free.
But for instance if you have a wheat allergy, gluten free products won’t necessarily be enough, just like lactose-free products aren’t necessarily enough when you’re allergic to milk.
There are lots of products which are under the 20mg/kg for gluten and labeled “gluten free” but which I can’t have, because they’re still wheat based. There’s even “gluten free wheat” now, as they’ve managed to isolate most of the gluten away. That’s okay for celiacs, but not for people with wheat allergy.
I’m equally annoyed at having problems pinning down what I’m allergic to. I know it’s not red wine, tomatoes nor meat though, and I’ve found Rummo pasta made from whole-grain rice to be pretty nice. So that’s pretty much my diet now. Redwine based tomato sauces and pasta. And not even parmesan with it.
The results from those tests are kinda disappointing, they seem to cast a wide net and reek of pseudoscience. I think you would have more success with meticulously documenting every ingredient you eat and then compare it to when you experience symptoms… could take a while but should be able to help you narrow it down
Yup, doing this is very hard, especially in a country with a very industrialized food system.
I don’t know if that specific option is a scam, but I highly recommend going to an actual allergist. I went and did the skin tests but didn’t get much in the way of reactions, so they did a blood test and found a lot more allergies that didn’t show on the skin. From what I understand you can ask them for a full food allergy panel and they would test for the usual suspects, plus any they/you want to add in.
My sister did the blood test and found tons of food allergies she had no idea were issues for her.
Worth trying with an actual specialist who can tailor to your needs (and local allergens!)
Allergen blood tests aren’t very great. The skin prick test by an allergist is the gold standard.
Unfortunately my allergy is an internal one and skin tests (from what I’ve been told) don’t help with that.
How would you even know it’s internal only without testing? No doctor worth their salt would tell you that without tests. You should really see an allergist to cover the basics.
Because my throat is inflamed and food is getting stuck and the allergist I spoke to as well as the gastroenterologist told me the skin tests wouldn’t do anything. The allergist I spoke to didn’t mention these blood tests I’m now referring to so I wasn’t sure if it was legit or not or if others have had similar experiences.
What you’re describing sounds a lot like eosinophilic esophagitis which indeed generally cannot be tested with the skin prick test (though the skin prick test can sometimes work, lack of allergens found in a skin prick test does not guarantee that your esophagus will not react to those allergens).
The best option is changing your diet to experimentally narrow down allergens. You can do it somewhat like a binary search though I don’t think medical professionals will recommend that since it can lead to malnutrition. I’ve been recommended to sequentially eliminate common allergens by doctors, which is a safer option.
To address the original question, blood tests for allergens (assuming they work) would have the same limitations as a skin prick test (the flaw of any general test for a localised problem). Though I suspect a blood test would work a lot less well because it’s no longer connected to your immune system, which is responsible for allergy response.
If your doctor is confident enough to declare it a scam I’d go with the opinion of the trained certified medical professional whom you let do unspeakable things to all your orifices protected only by latex gloves instead of listening to anonymous idiots like me.
That said, if you insist on listening to me then you can do your own allergen test at home:
- Wash (with soap and cloth) and sterilize (with iodine or isopropyl alcohol) your stomach and a sewing needle.
- With the needle gently scratch a series of small bloodless paired nicks an inch apart.
- On the left side leave clean for a negative comparison and on the right dab a miniscule amount of a single suspected allergen on each scratch. Maybe jot down which scratch has which substance so you don’t forget.
- Wait 20 minutes and compare the left to the right. Any on the right side significantly discoloured, swollen or blotchy compared with its respective left side negative are likely allergens and should be avoided.
Disclaimer: Not a doctor and not medical advice.
Has anyone used one of these type of tests? My doctor said it’s a scam
You can get a real allergy test that’s 100% not a scam…
Don’t just order one online, it won’t do you any good if doctors won’t accept the results.
Have you seen a gastroenterologist rather than your primary general doctor? Specialsts tend to be more proactive and aware of the current state of the art.
Yes, he’s great. I’m just looking for other options to nail down my issues.
Good wishes to you in your quest! I assume they’ve ruled out IBS? I have some sensitivities (dairy being the main one) but was stumped on why it seemed to come out of nowhere even without them. Turns out my guts just hate the world 😄 Psyllium fiber helps a lot but doesn’t solve everything.
My issues are up top, bottom half seems fine. We thought my issue was soy but over time the bad stuff came back and now I’m back at square one ugh.
Your guts hate the world but surely the world doesn’t hate your guts 😜
Man, that sounds frustrating. I’m sorry I couldn’t help, I hope you get some answers soon!
Your guts hate the world but surely the world doesn’t hate your guts 😜
Nah my guts just plot in secrecy 😆
I got one as recommended by my doctor and the results changed my life. A lot of things came up, but a couple were “very high sensitivity”. I just focused on those
