best allergy/sensitivity testing

[eljomom]

Just posted this on the TS forum, but thought I'd go down this rabbit trail in the wait time with getting labs, cunningham test, etc.....

 

I am looking for any ways to help my daughter with her tics.

 

I would like to look into allergy/food sensitivity testing. I know there are many ways to be tested out there. The allergy docs do skin testing, which I think only shows a "true allergy." As for food sensitivities, there are many things out there, and some I have heard are not reliable.

 

I am wondering if anyone knows of what are considered to be the most accurate and reliable ways to test for food sensitivities?? I have a test kit from Metagenix, which does a finger prick and tests for 30 common allergens. It was sent to me by a friend's nutritionist. I did myself about a year ago and was "severe" for dairy, but nothing for wheat. But then I did Enterolab stool test, and was positive for gluten-sensitivity, and negative for dairy!!!

 

I don't really have much faith in the muscle testing---I know some will swear by it, but for me, I won't totally rest with it.

 

Thanks for any guidance.

[Stephanie2]

we did IGg sensitivity test, blood. I think it was genova or great plains labs. As far as the accuracy? Can't say for sure, but that's what most DAN/integrative docs do...

[kimballot]

We did provcation/neutralization testing - the kind that is recommended in Doris Rapp's book. We had a very good clinician doing the testing and it really did seem to help. However, it is not an exact science and I can see that the experience of the evaluator would make a big difference.

[swim]

For foods, you need to consider IgG reactions and IgE reactions. If I remember correctly, the IgE reactions are the severe reactions you see immediately (ie. a peanut allergy). The IgG reactions are milder and can come about within hours or up to 3 or 4 days later - that is why it is harder to identify the trigger for IgG reactions.

 

When our son was first tested for allergies via the RAST test about 8 years ago, he tested negative for all allergies. This didn't make sense to me and for years after that I was still convinced that food was affecting him. About 2 years ago, we went to a doc that treats irritable bowel syndrome and food allergies. I told him I wanted my son's IgG reactions tested to as many common foods as possible - he knew exactly what I wanted done. It was a blood test that checked IgG and IgE reactions to about 90 foods and I would say the results seemed to confirm about 99% of our suspicions. We removed foods (wheat, dairy, gluten) based on the report and he was a much improved child in 1 to 2 weeks. We kept him off the foods for about 10 months and then started adding back in slowly. We still watch foods and remove for chuncks of time when he is not doing well. For our son, the IgG testing helped and seemed pretty accurate. We did not test food dyes (the doc could have ordered additional tests for dyes, spices, etc, but we had enough to get started with), but we are sure red 40 has a bad affect on our son so he has learned to check labels and avoid it.

 

If you can't find a doc to do the test, you can order yourself from www.directlabs.com. They will tell you where you can have the blood drawn in your area. Probaly select the Food Antibodies IgG & IgE from Metametrix test. We ordered from here for our yournger son just to see the results. He showed IgG dairy issues, which we suspected since he was a toddler.

[eljomom]

I have a Metametrix Kit here from a friend's nutritionist. It tests for 30 foods. I will see if they can increase the panel. Do you know what lab/test your doc used??

 

 

For foods, you need to consider IgG reactions and IgE reactions. If I remember correctly, the IgE reactions are the severe reactions you see immediately (ie. a peanut allergy). The IgG reactions are milder and can come about within hours or up to 3 or 4 days later - that is why it is harder to identify the trigger for IgG reactions.

 

When our son was first tested for allergies via the RAST test about 8 years ago, he tested negative for all allergies. This didn't make sense to me and for years after that I was still convinced that food was affecting him. About 2 years ago, we went to a doc that treats irritable bowel syndrome and food allergies. I told him I wanted my son's IgG reactions tested to as many common foods as possible - he knew exactly what I wanted done. It was a blood test that checked IgG and IgE reactions to about 90 foods and I would say the results seemed to confirm about 99% of our suspicions. We removed foods (wheat, dairy, gluten) based on the report and he was a much improved child in 1 to 2 weeks. We kept him off the foods for about 10 months and then started adding back in slowly. We still watch foods and remove for chuncks of time when he is not doing well. For our son, the IgG testing helped and seemed pretty accurate. We did not test food dyes (the doc could have ordered additional tests for dyes, spices, etc, but we had enough to get started with), but we are sure red 40 has a bad affect on our son so he has learned to check labels and avoid it.

 

If you can't find a doc to do the test, you can order yourself from www.directlabs.com. They will tell you where you can have the blood drawn in your area. Probaly select the Food Antibodies IgG & IgE from Metametrix test. We ordered from here for our yournger son just to see the results. He showed IgG dairy issues, which we suspected since he was a toddler.

[swim]

The test done by our doc shows US Bio Tek Laboratories did the testing. I did a test without a doc for myself and our younger son and that is when we ordered the Metametrix test from direct labs. I think direct labs had us go a Lab Corp facility for the blood draw. Hope that helps!