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Food Allergy Testing: IgG4 blood test accuracy questions

jen1177

Senior Member
Messages
103
Location
Arizona
I keep reading that we crave the foods we are allergic to.
How does anyone know this?
I just got the results of my blood test and it says I'm allergic to dairy, soy, eggs, beans, and some other things. I've been a vegetarian for over 20 years and these are ALL of my protein sources. (I don't eat fish or chicken either for those of you who think they aren't meat-- they are.) So, I'm pretty devastated at the idea that I'll have to go back to eating meat in order to get enough protein and feel full.
But, how do I know I'm not allergic to meats as well? I haven't eaten them for decades.

I'm confused as to whether I'm actually allergic to these foods that I tested positive for or is it simply that I eat them very often and the test reflects the fact that I'm exposed to them.
I do tend to crave dairy, but I definitely do NOT crave beans, soy or eggs (except as in mayonaise or salad dressing). And there were a number of foods that I eat a lot that I tested negative for.

And there's the whole leaky gut thing...are these allergies at all or just a result of leaky gut problems?

I was diagnosed with celiac disease 7 years ago and have been on a strict gluten free diet but with absolutely no improvement in my IBS symptoms (mainly bloating and constipation, with diarrhea triggered by anxiety)

Any advice? What the heck should I eat for protein now? (I need more variety than simply eating quinoa every day.)
Any similar experiences?
Has anyone cured their leaky gut?
 

Sushi

Moderation Resource Albuquerque
Messages
19,935
Location
Albuquerque
...
I just got the results of my blood test and it says I'm allergic to dairy, soy, eggs, beans, and some other things. I've been a vegetarian for over 20 years and these are ALL of my protein sources. (I don't eat fish or chicken either for those of you who think they aren't meat-- they are.) So, I'm pretty devastated at the idea that I'll have to go back to eating meat in order to get enough protein and feel full.
But, how do I know I'm not allergic to meats as well? I haven't eaten them for decades.

I'm confused as to whether I'm actually allergic to these foods that I tested positive for or is it simply that I eat them very often and the test reflects the fact that I'm exposed to them.
...
And there's the whole leaky gut thing...are these allergies at all or just a result of leaky gut problems?

I was diagnosed with celiac disease 7 years ago and have been on a strict gluten free diet but with absolutely no improvement in my IBS symptoms (mainly bloating and constipation, with diarrhea triggered by anxiety)

Any advice? What the heck should I eat for protein now? (I need more variety than simply eating quinoa every day.)
Any similar experiences?
Has anyone cured their leaky gut?

Hi Jen,

I have some similar experiences. I recently had US Biotek's Food sensitivity panel and they tested for most every category of food. I was also sensitive (allergic is different) to many of the things I eat the most and I was also on a very restricted, gluten-free diet to start with. The test doesn't just reflect exposure but negative sensitivity. Some things I eat a lot I was not sensitive too.

You become sensitive to some of the things you eat the most--hence the advice to rotate. You will have been tested (I'd think) for meats and sensitivity should have shown up. I tested highly sensitive to things I had not eaten for decades--like dairy--so even though you haven't eaten meat or fish, a sensitivity should show up.

I'm sure leaky gut is part of it and I do have leaky gut and am getting treated for it. Meanwhile, I have to avoid all those foods I am very sensitive too. I was a vegetarian for decades, (actually a lot of us here were) and for reasons of protein and vitamins had to go back to eating meat. Didn't like to, but didn't feel I had a choice. My protein tested really low too even though I had been a "careful" vegetarian.

I think you can cure leaky gut but you need very knowledgeable input and also good testing of the gut to see exactly what is going on.

Best wishes,
Sushi
 

glenp

"and this too shall pass"
Messages
776
Location
Vancouver Canada suburbs
I had been using whey powder for protein in drinks but am intollerent to it now too. My cfs doctor advises not to eat one food more then once in 4 days or you can become intollerent to it too - its hard to follow. It seems best to eat small amounts of different foods. I eat a lot of nuts - too many. I buy big batches of almonds, brazil nuts, walnuts and mix them altogether with dried fruits. There is more on diets here

http://forums.phoenixrising.me/foru...p-Maes-Protocols-H2S-Leaky-Gut-IBS-Celiac-etc.
 

Waverunner

Senior Member
Messages
1,079
I'm confused as to whether I'm actually allergic to these foods that I tested positive for or is it simply that I eat them very often and the test reflects the fact that I'm exposed to them.
I do tend to crave dairy, but I definitely do NOT crave beans, soy or eggs (except as in mayonaise or salad dressing). And there were a number of foods that I eat a lot that I tested negative for.

And there's the whole leaky gut thing...are these allergies at all or just a result of leaky gut problems?

I was diagnosed with celiac disease 7 years ago and have been on a strict gluten free diet but with absolutely no improvement in my IBS symptoms (mainly bloating and constipation, with diarrhea triggered by anxiety)

Any advice? What the heck should I eat for protein now? (I need more variety than simply eating quinoa every day.)
Any similar experiences?
Has anyone cured their leaky gut?

Hi Jen,

you are asking very important questions. These intolerances are great problems for many PWCs. Unfortunately the situation is highly complex and an "avoid food X,Y approach" does not work in most cases. What I can tell you from my own experience is that we are all different and that some of us including me seem to get allergic reactions from every food we eat continuously for a prolonged time. Our digestion seems to be screwed up, maybe through a viral infection. Leaky gut probably plays into this as well. The only solution I found was to eat different foods as good as you can and avoid those foods that are always problematic. I would summarize it as follows:

1. If you eat the same foods to every meal you are likely to get allergic to them.
2. If you eat the same foods to every meal but mix them with different foods each time you are less likely to get allergic to them. Rotating all foods would be best in my eyes.
3. During highly allergic episodes it is best to avoid all kinds of sugars.
4. As long as your intolerances decrease by rotating food so will your leaky gut.
5. As long as the cause of this whole cascade (virus or maybe the methylation cycle) is not treated you will not find a 100% solution because your digestion (including the bacterial flora) is so compromised that there won't be any 100% tolerable foods.
 
Messages
13,774
Hi Jen - I've no real knowledge to share, but it does seem like their are a lot of dodgy allergy tests about.

I was reading about recent moves foreward in the science of this area, but there's also a lot of testing I wouldn't trust right now. I don't know if the tests identifying your allergies are likely to be accurate or not, but I'd try to get a range of opinions, or do some independent research, before assuming that they were. Hopefully you'll be able to find someone great to help you out with all this stuff... but it's an area of medicine where you may need greater scepticism than the norm.
 

jen1177

Senior Member
Messages
103
Location
Arizona
Thank you for all the replies.

Sushi,
I actually tested negative for all meats (mammals, fish, birds, crustaceans) as well as for wheat, rye, barley, oats. The only things I tested positive for were things I have been eating in recent years. So, not sure what to think about that. :)

Waverunner,
I am going to try eliminating the foods I am most sensitive to (according to the test results) for a month and see if there is any improvement. If not, I will go back to eating them probably. It is looking like this is more of a system illness problem than an actual food allergy problem so it may not matter what I eat...I will eventually react to whatever I eat. BUT, will try the new diet and see what happens. (I don't have anywhere near the patience to try the 4 day rotation thing--I would end up feeling like I have OCD...obsessing and worrying over everything I eat...ugh, can't do it -- no offense, it's just not for me as I already have a lot of emotional issues surrounding food)

Glenp,
I will look into nuts and nut milks. I have pretty bad TMJ issues so it's hard for me to physically eat (chew) most nuts, and many of them are migraine triggers for me unfortunately, but I will explore them more now.

Esther12,
I looked into the accuracy of the lab I used (Metametrix) and of the several labs that were researched in a recent study it was the most accurate. But, yeah, allergy testing in general is sketchy.
 

jen1177

Senior Member
Messages
103
Location
Arizona
Hi Jen,

I'm sure leaky gut is part of it and I do have leaky gut and am getting treated for it. Meanwhile, I have to avoid all those foods I am very sensitive too. I was a vegetarian for decades, (actually a lot of us here were) and for reasons of protein and vitamins had to go back to eating meat. Didn't like to, but didn't feel I had a choice. My protein tested really low too even though I had been a "careful" vegetarian.

Sushi

Sushi,
Did you notice any improvement in any of your symptoms after you went back to eating meat? This is something I have been wondering about for a while...would I be better off as a meat eater...
Jen
 
Messages
13,774
Hi Jen.

Metametrix is mentioned with a negative association here: http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org...erts-another-barrier-to-effective-discipline/

(SBM is a site of varying quality with different writers often taking slightly different approaches... but they're often pretty good at spotting dodgy stuff).

Actually, it also gets negative mentions here:

http://aacc.org/events/online_progs/webcasts/lab-quack/Documents/LabQuackeryTranscript.pdf

and here:

http://www.ncahf.org/digest03/03-49.html

To me, it looks like their tests might not be reliable, and cutting out those items from your diet could do more harm than good. I feel a bit bad about giving any advice though, as this isn't something I'm well informed about - so I'd encourage you to ignore me if you think that's best!
 

Sushi

Moderation Resource Albuquerque
Messages
19,935
Location
Albuquerque
Sushi,
Did you notice any improvement in any of your symptoms after you went back to eating meat? This is something I have been wondering about for a while...would I be better off as a meat eater...
Jen

It is hard to say as I did so many things at the same time. My lab tests come out better and I am generally getting stronger. But I am doing many things unrelated to diet. I did notice that an unusually high percentage of people on CFS forums were or had been vegetarians and that gave me pause. Some of it may be related to not getting enough active B12. Some due to other imbalances and some just random.

But I did decide that since I was already sick and nutritional tests showed a lot of deficiencies, that I couldn't "afford" to be a vegetarian--that the chances of regaining health were better if I added organic and meat and a bit of low-mercury fish.

It is definitely a hard decision.

Best wishes,
Sushi
 

caledonia

Senior Member
I recently had a food allergy test called Allatess. I had 28 foods which were an IGG allergy (delayed sensitivity). One of those (eggs) was also an IGE allergy (more like a true allergy). Some of the foods I was eating often, some I haven't had in years, some I've only eaten a few times in my life. Several of them were foods I don't like (vs. something you would crave).

At any rate, I am currently avoiding all 28 (to hell with rotation - totally impractical for my energy level and budget). At first I didn't notice any difference. Then about 2 months in I started having problems with anxiety and depression. This has lasted for a month or so? Some kind of detox?

Also around the same time, I've had an improvement in my forward moving sleep cycle, which used to move forward an hour per day, so that I would be reversed once a month. It seems to have stabilized.

Food allergies can be caused by weak adrenals. I did notice an improvement in stomach acid levels on the methylation protocol. I don't need to take betaine hydrochloride or probiotics any more.

I also did some IGG powder for several months last year which is supposed to stop any new allergies from forming. However, I don't have before and after testing, so I have no idea if it actually worked.

I did the food allergy testing and avoidance to help my adrenals. It's supposed to be pretty much impossible to fix your adrenals unless you address this.

I'm currently waiting for my adrenal test results so I can work with Clymer Institute on my severe adrenal fatigue.

I'm also planning on doing NAET allergy elimination at some point so hopefully I can eat out or at least be semi normal with food. I agree it's not hard to develop some kind of complex, phobia or anxiety regarding food when you have all this going on.
 

jen1177

Senior Member
Messages
103
Location
Arizona
Hi Jen.

Metametrix is mentioned with a negative association here: http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org...erts-another-barrier-to-effective-discipline/

(SBM is a site of varying quality with different writers often taking slightly different approaches... but they're often pretty good at spotting dodgy stuff).

Actually, it also gets negative mentions here:

http://aacc.org/events/online_progs/webcasts/lab-quack/Documents/LabQuackeryTranscript.pdf

and here:

http://www.ncahf.org/digest03/03-49.html

To me, it looks like their tests might not be reliable, and cutting out those items from your diet could do more harm than good. I feel a bit bad about giving any advice though, as this isn't something I'm well informed about - so I'd encourage you to ignore me if you think that's best!

Thanks for the links. I actually couldn't find any references to Metametrix in any of them... they were kind of long and rambling and I skimmed through but I'll take your word for it.
The link I found doesn't mention Metametrix by name but I believe it's the "Lab C" they refer to as being the most accurate out of the 3 labs that were tested. I suppose Lab C might be some other lab, but by the way they described how Lab C's results are presented to the patients/doctors I assumed it was Metametrix. Also, my doctor said that she thought this lab was more accurate than the old lab they used to use for food allergy testing.
http://www.betterhealthusa.com/public/282.cfm
 

jen1177

Senior Member
Messages
103
Location
Arizona
Thanks Sushi and Caledonia

Thanks for your input. I'm so confused about what to think/believe. There is so much conflicting info out there and so many people disagreeing about everything.
I guess I'm just going to have to try the new diet (eliminating the foods I'm sensitive to) and maybe add some meat to my diet if I can't find enough protein sources...and just see what happens.

Good luck to us all!
 

Waverunner

Senior Member
Messages
1,079
Waverunner,
I am going to try eliminating the foods I am most sensitive to (according to the test results) for a month and see if there is any improvement. If not, I will go back to eating them probably. It is looking like this is more of a system illness problem than an actual food allergy problem so it may not matter what I eat...I will eventually react to whatever I eat. BUT, will try the new diet and see what happens. (I don't have anywhere near the patience to try the 4 day rotation thing--I would end up feeling like I have OCD...obsessing and worrying over everything I eat...ugh, can't do it -- no offense, it's just not for me as I already have a lot of emotional issues surrounding food)

Don't worry, I'm not on an rotation diet as well. I tried but it was of no benefit. What I do however is, I try to eat different foods to every meal, so breakfast, lunch and dinner consist of different foods. I increased salad and vegetable intake and I stay low on sugars and diary. You can try eating meat, it should do no harm to you and contains high quality protein.
 
Messages
13,774
I actually couldn't find any references to Metametrix in any of them...

Hi jen. Just so you know for future reference, you should find an option in your browser to search for any particular word: Click on the 'edit' menu in the top right, then click on 'find' or 'find on this page', then a box should pop up. Type 'Metametrix' (or whatever you're looking for) in to that and it will search the web page your on for any reference to it. It makes looking through long pages a LOT easier.

Good luck with everything.
 

jen1177

Senior Member
Messages
103
Location
Arizona
Hi jen. Just so you know for future reference, you should find an option in your browser to search for any particular word: Click on the 'edit' menu in the top right, then click on 'find' or 'find on this page', then a box should pop up. Type 'Metametrix' (or whatever you're looking for) in to that and it will search the web page your on for any reference to it. It makes looking through long pages a LOT easier.

Good luck with everything.

Holy cow! I never knew that existed. It's so useful! Thanks! lol
 

Dainty

Senior Member
Messages
1,751
Location
Seattle
Thanks for your input. I'm so confused about what to think/believe. There is so much conflicting info out there and so many people disagreeing about everything.
I guess I'm just going to have to try the new diet (eliminating the foods I'm sensitive to) and maybe add some meat to my diet if I can't find enough protein sources...and just see what happens.

Good luck to us all!

The bottom line that most of us end up gravitating towards is at the end of the day you have to "listen" to your body, what works and what doesn't, and note whether or not that corresponds with what tests and doctor's advice and common knowledge and what not says is supposed to happen.

As far as foods go, I've had two separate ELISA/ACT tests (IgG) taken years apart, and it's interesting to note the differences. The results not backed up by personal experience of reactions tend to be the ones that changed whereas the ones I knew about/suspected beforehand remained the same. I've had "true" allergies (IgE) since I was a baby and have done various allergy testing and treatments, both mainstream and alternative medicine, neither of which did any good and both of which caused me harm. At this point I feel like I've heard it all when it comes to allergies and sensitivities, and you're right, there's a lot of conflicting information out there.

I'm actually one who's going against the common knowledge of a rotation diet being helpful. It wasn't intentional...I went through a period of about 2 years where my body was very unstable; my food intolerances/sensitivities/allergies became so extreme that finding anything I could eat was a desperate struggle - entire food groups were eliminated by intolerance, other foods eliminated by true allergies, and what was left eliminated by sensitivities. I would literally do Internet searches for lists of foods just to find a new one I hadn't thoroughly tested in every way, shape, and form, in every variety, prepared every possible way that could make a difference. And the times when we could find no foods that I could eat without dangerous reactions I got through it one way or another....nutritional IVs, fasting, even synthetic food once. It was an awful time.

I came out of that period now with 5 different foods I can eat, and I eat the same foods every meal day in, day out every day and have been for several years now. You can find a more detailed post on them here. I do try to sneak in other foods every once in a while but have yet to find any that I can add without unpleasant symptoms.

The point of the whole thing is that there's really no way for me to rotate coconut oil, potatoes, beef, honey, and pecans, especially when the first three and the last two need to be consumed together to avoid issues. Beef and potatoes are my meals, pecan butter and honey are my snacks (though it does make me slightly ill and I go through periods of avoiding that). And, despite the "common knowledge" about rotating foods, I've been just fine these past few years.

So just in case you wanted more conflicting information, there you have it. :rolleyes: I hope you find the new diet helpful! Whether you notice improvement or not, that will be one more piece of information to add to your personal puzzle of health.
 

jen1177

Senior Member
Messages
103
Location
Arizona
Thanks for the info, Dainty.
Wow! You have a really limited diet. I've only heard of one other person with an even more limited diet. She could only eat sweet potatoes, salmon and a veg that I can't remember...broccoli or cabbage or something.
I don't think I buy into the diet rotation thing anyway. Just anecdotally I've come across people who ate the same exact things every day for years and years and they ended up living into their 90s. I look at pets who are fed the same thing for every meal for years and years and they never get sick from it so I think the theory that we develop food sensitivities to things we eat the most is probably a pant load. :)
I'm glad your diet works for you although I'm sorry it's so limited.

To all:
Update: I've been on the new diet for over a week now (no dairy, no soy, no beans, no eggs, no garlic, no pistachios, and no sunflower seeds...as well as being already gluten free for several years...and I had to add meat to my diet for protein). I was nauseous for several hours after eating meat for the first 3 days and then that stopped. I have had no improvement in any of my IBS symptoms and actually the constipation and bloating are worse. Also, no improvements in any other symptoms either. The ONLY thing I have noticed is I have less body odor. ....Or...my sense of smell is diminished. No way to tell. :)
Anyway, I'm discouraged by the fact that I had absolutely no improvement in my IBS and I'm beginning to think this is a waste of time.
A week of being dairy free for the first time in my life...I should have seen something, right?
 

zoe.a.m.

Senior Member
Messages
368
Location
Olympic Peninsula, Washington
I'm sure leaky gut is part of it and I do have leaky gut and am getting treated for it.
Sushi, do you have a thread or info elsewhere as to how you're being treated for leaky gut? I'm super curious about what treatments--other than just diet modification (if these things exist)--are out there, or, that people are using... also, what testing they are using to evaluate progress? I am about to have an upper GI series and am very curious if anything will show up or if I will be back to "just" functional problems...
 

jen1177

Senior Member
Messages
103
Location
Arizona
Having a strong reaction on eggs in the tests, is a sign of leaky gut.
Then you will also react on everything you eat, as the proteins of that will leak into your body. The imune system will then fight it, and it will show on the tests
;)

Yeah, my strongest reactions were to eggs and dairy which were literally off the charts (over 2000 which I guess they were unable to quantify). I wonder about the new protein sources I'm eating now...if I get retested will I test positive for reactions to them now... Three weeks into the new diet and I'm only noticing minor improvements in relatively unimportant symptoms...the big ones still show no improvement such as IBS and migraines which I thought would be better by now. Oh, well. Going to stick with it for a while. Maybe it just takes more time than I thought.