Genova "GI Effects Comprehensive Profile": IS IT WORTHWHILE?

[Zebra]

Hi, Comrades,

It's been over 7 years since my last stool test, which was overseen and interpreted by an excellent functional medicine doctor.

The results led to some actionable issues, and we were able to treat yeast overgrowth in the gut and attempt to replenish lactobacillus through strict diet, medication, and prescription strength probiotics.

That doctor has since retired, and I am interested in revisiting my gut health to see what it's like now.

This long preamble leads me to my actual questions!

Question 1:
Has anyone done the Genova Diagnostics "GI Effects Comprehensive Profile"?

See link to test description: https://www.gdx.net/product/gi-effects-comprehensive-stool-test

Question 2:
Was it worth the expense? Meaning, did it reveal information that you and/or your doctor could address?

The test my doctor ordered back in 2015 was Genova Diagnostics "Microbiology (Stool)". I was just going to reorder that test on my own, but I am now wondering if this "comprehensive" test may prove more useful.

Any experience you may have with this test (or comparable), would be helpful to me.

Thank you kindly!

 

[Wishful]

In something I was reading recently, it said that our microbiomes change quite drastically over short periods (days if not less), so I guess that such a test is like looking at the sky once: it's not much use for predicting what the weather will be like tomorrow, or determining what it was like a few days previous. Are there long-term trends in our microbiomes that are useful for diagnosing medical problems? If yes, can those problems be treated with a reasonable chance of success?

 

[Zebra]

Are there long-term trends in our microbiomes that are useful for diagnosing medical problems? If yes, can those problems be treated with a reasonable chance of success?

Hence, my post and my two very direct questions.

 

[vision blue]

Did you ever ebd up getting the GI Effects test?

i was all set to buy it outright today (on their genova connect website) and put 400 on my credit card (this requires careful planning since i do t like my total cc bill to be much above that so i was waiting for a rare day when i had no other charges and zero balsnce - today!)

but i balked at last minute after reading reviews. Most of bad reviews were billing issues - ie its clear to never let this company bill your insurance/ but also a few claims of lost tests, discarded samples, and in the case of allergy tests, results that were nonsensical- abd one claim it failed to pick up a GI infection it tests for

in past, ive used doctors data (or mosaic/great plains which sends it to DD ) and in fact have a recent one- their comphrensive stool test While ive always learned alot from that, genova has a component of their test i can’t find anywhere else which is important for me

Its their fecal fat test which includes 4 components- 4 types of fat. So if you think you have fat malabsorption, looking at the pattern can see exactly what and why. Ive already ruled out the obvious things like anylase deficiency. This test can help see if maybe a bile acid problem is to blame or perhaps small intestine damage. Its also less subject to mailing problems the way a qualitative fecal fat Sudan stain- which is what most of them do.

(another obstacle has been not being able to get fat intake up high enough for some of these tests)

but if i dont trust the result , then whats the point ? I can conpare the rest of it i guess to the doctors data ones

anyway - what did you end up doing? Anyone maybe PM you with their stories? i wonder why you didnt get more replies on here

 

[Zebra]

anyway - what did you end up doing? Anyone maybe PM you with their stories? i wonder why you didnt get more replies on here

Hi, @vision blue

Nice to hear from you!

I'm afraid I did not pull the trigger on ordering and performing the test.

My original post was over 2 years ago, so I'm guessing something flared up with my health and I got sidetracked from revisiting my gut health.

In addition, I wasn't sure what I would do with the test results on my own, as I no longer have financial or physical access to a support team outside of the traditional medical system (functional medicine doc, TCM practitioner, accupuncturist, etc.

And no, no one direct messaged me with advice. Honestly, I've noticed a marked decline in PR participation the past 2 to 3 years, and I'm feeling it. (sad face)

 

[vision blue]

Thanks for letting me kniw! Yeah i got sucked back in…first because i kept checking for a @YippeeKi YOW !! return and then because as i was googling for reviews of Genovas GI effects- your post popped up…

Incidentally, I’d be more than happy to interpret any such test that you wanted to get for yourself. I’m usually more thorough than functional medicine doctors am (and saner than “alternative practitioners”) and I’m ALOT cheaper… I tend to work for praise…

But im surprised to infer you cant i trepret on your own? Since when?

You may be right on the list last couple years. Tho when i think back, an awful lot of folk have always been more i interested in treatments than tests. Baffles me because how can you treat something if you dont know what it is?

Anyway was thinking even if i dont fully trust the company, maybe the PATTERN of the 4 fats may tell me something useful - well besides telling me that i eat more of X than Y (sort of like igg alkergy tests).

So basicalky dont know. Did decide if i do it will get the “cheapest” one which at 320!is hardly cheap. If i coukd trust the company its worth the extra 80 to upgrade- but i do t want to waste 409 if its an epic fail. Tgeir custoner service is awful

Incidentalky ive learned pkenty from comp stooll analysis from( doctors data). so in general am a fan.