Enterolab Test Results

[humbird753]

Hi everyone - I had ordered the expanded antigenic food sensitivity stool panel from Enterolab several weeks ago, received it, but held off doing the testing with the holiday week of July 4, plus vacation time. I sent my test in last week, and just received the results. They are as follows:

Mean Value 11 Antigenic foods 9 units (normal range is less than 10 units)

Foods to which there was no significant immunological reactivity: Oat, beef, chicken, pork, tuna, walnut, cashew, white potato.

Food to which there was some immunological reactivity (1+): Corn

Foods to which there was moderate immunological reactivity (2+): None

Foods to which there was significant andor the most immunological reactivity (3+): Rice and Almond

Within each class of foods to which you displayed multiple reactions, the heirarchy of thise reactions detected were as follows:

Grains:
Grain toward which you displayed the most immunologic reactivity: Rice
Grain toward which you displayed intermediate immunologic reactivity: Corn

Nuts:
Nuts toward which you displayed the most immunologic reactivity: Almond

Test Interpretation(s):

Interpretation of Mean Value 11 Antigenic Foods: With respect to the 11 foods tested, a mean value of 9 units indicates that overall, there was no significant detectable evidence of immunological reactivity to these antigenic foods in terms of fecal IgA production.

I tried to copy the results from the Enterolab page, but was not able to; therefore, I have typed it. I believe the remainder of the info listed below what I have typed is not relevant to results. I think it just "tries" to explain to me what all this means.

It seems pretty cut and dry - meaning rice and almonds are definitely out. Corn might be okay? Not really sure if I am interpreting this correctly because of the mean value being at 9 (normal under 10).

So far I have only had to eliminate gluten, dairy, and by choice have eliminated soy. Now with eliminating almond and rice, maybe Norman will pay me a visit. I sure hope so!

Paula

[tex]

Paula,

Wow! You made out like a bandit, compared with many of us. Of course it's a shame to lose rice and almond, but you really lucked out on the rest. And with an overall score of only 9 for all 11 foods, surely corn should be safe for you (at only 1+). You might want to test it, just to be on the safe side, but I'll bet that it will prove to be safe.

Do you mind if I add these results to our list?

Tex

[humbird753]

Tex - thank you so much for your quick response to my post.

Yes - you may add my results.

For a moment after reading my results I wondered what I was going to put on my rice cakes, then hesitated and said to myself, "what rice cakes"!

I am happy with the results.

I have not eaten oats in at least 6 months. For now, I will remove the rice and almond and see what happens, then possibly I will test oats (gluten free).

Thanks again, Tex.

Love,
Paula

[tex]

Paula,

Note this line:

Interpretation of Mean Value 11 Antigenic Foods: With respect to the 11 foods tested, a mean value of 9 units indicates that overall, there was no significant detectable evidence of immunological reactivity to these antigenic foods in terms of fecal IgA production.

That means that it's possible that you may not even be sensitive enough to rice and almond to cause any problems.

If I were in your shoes, I would do as you mentioned, and cut them out of my diet. If that doesn't help, then something else is apparently wrong. If remission arrives, then after a few weeks or so I would test them, one a time, to see if I reacted to only one or both of them.

Love,
Tex

[Leah]

Those are great results Paula! I think you have a good plan. if you are still having issues, then you should take those two things out and see what happens. Hope this is the answer you have been looking for. Keep us posted!

Leah

[humbird753]

Tex, maybe I'm getting ahead of myself on this, but what you highlighted in "red" makes sense in that there may not be a reaction to either of those foods as well. You also said there may be something else "wrong." I don't like that word, "wrong," but I'll go ahead and ask anyway - what else could be wrong?

In addition to cutting those 2 foods out of my diet, I think I better take a real close look at toothpaste, lipstick, lotions, tanning lotions, bath soaps, or anything else I may be putting on my skin. Would this be a possibility?

The last few days, the consistency of my BM's have been changing for the better. Piling type and ribbons is how I would describe them. No longer high water consistency to them. And, I am only going once or at times twice a day. I am feeling so confident about how my body feels, that I would even considering walking a golf course rather than feeling the extreme need to have a riding cart to ensure I can get to a bathroom quickly.

Leah - thank you for chiming in here. Your educated knowledge and input are both greatly appreciated.

I am beginning to understand this "puzzle" we refer to when we have to figure out what works for each of us.

I am so grateful for all that I have learned here. Still wish I didn't have to learn any of it, but very thankful to have found you, Tex, and everyone else here who offer so much.

Tex, you amaze me with all you know, and all you give to everyone here who had no place else to go. Are you sure you're not really God or one of his angels sent to help others??? Sending you "wings" as I believe you deserve them

I look back and know I hesitated on getting any Enterolab tests done because it was already so overwhelming for me since I didn't even know what gluten was 1 year and 8 months ago. If I knew then what I know now, I could have gotten the tests right away, and would have saved myself a lot of worry and grief. But, then again, I still wouldn't have understood it as well as I do now, so it really doesn't matter in the scheme of it all.

Quite a journey!

Love to all here,
Paula

[tex]

I don't like that word, "wrong," but I'll go ahead and ask anyway - what else could be wrong?

In addition to cutting those 2 foods out of my diet, I think I better take a real close look at toothpaste, lipstick, lotions, tanning lotions, bath soaps, or anything else I may be putting on my skin. Would this be a possibility?

I didn't mean anything in particular with the use of the word "wrong". I was just thinking of the sort of things that you named, or the possibility that cross-contamination might be somehow sneaking into your diet. Are any of your mixing bowls or cooking utensils used to mix or bake foods that contain gluten?

There's also the possibility that you just needed more healing time. Maybe stress is involved, and you're feeling less stressed these days. Maybe the long hot days of summer tend to be more relaxing.

At any rate, you seem to be making progress again, and that's what counts the most.

I appreciate the kind words, but I believe you're rating me waaaaaaaayyyyyyy too highly.

But I agree with you that living with, and learning to control MC tends to be one of the most intense journeys that we will ever experience.

Love,
Tex

[Zizzle]

If you're thinking about adding oats back in, for some reason I really trust Udi's Granolas. I've never reacted to them.

[Kari]

Paula,

Congratulations - I'm soooo happy for you . It sounds like you've gotten one more piece of the puzzle into place. I've followed your MC journey with great interest, as it is very similar to mine; basically, feeling better, but with those persistent less than "Norman" BM's. I'm now 3 years into the diet journey, and am still not where I'd like to be, but my life is great, and I'm comfortable with my very limited diet.

If I don't see BM improvements soon, I may follow in your footsteps and do the extended Enterolab test panel. Perhaps there are one or two items that are holding my progress back - hmm, I do eat a lot of rice.

Looking forward to hearing updates from you as you continue on your MC journey.

Love,
Kari

[Jazi]

What I would give for those results!!

I'm very happy for you. My results left me overwhelmed and in denial... but slowly accepting the facts.

[Doug]

Hello Paula

We have similar test results from Entrolab

Fecal Anti-gliadin IgA 10 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Fecal Anti-casein (cow’s milk) IgA 5 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Fecal Anti-ovalbumin (chicken egg) IgA 6 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)
Fecal Anti-soy IgA 4 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)

Food toward which you displayed most immunologic reactivity: Rice
Food for which there was no significant immunologic reactivity: Chicken, Tuna, Oat, Corn, Pork, Walnut, Beef, White potato, Cashew, Almond

How was your gluten level? and have you found any other foods that bother you that were not tested?

Doug

[humbird753]

Zizzle - Where do you find Udi's granola? In the freezer like the breads? That sounds good!

Joanne & Kari - thank you for the encouragement (we all need that).

And, Kari, even though my results showed I was pretty much not reactive to the 11 foods, it was well worth it. I am still going to remove the rice and almond butter for now to see if it does make a difference for me. When reading other test results, I believe it can be something as simple as the rice. How have you been doing with your journey?

Doug - Yes, I guess our results were very similar, but that was only in the extended panel. For me, gluten was 28, and dairy 15, so I do eliminate those from my diet. I tested for the big 4 (gluten, dairy, eggs & soy) back in March. Your results were great on all of them. Are you still having symptoms?

I have tried Claritin Reditabs, but didn't respond at all to it. Took it for a week. Does this mean I do not have mast cell issues, or is it possible I do, but may need to try another antihistamine? Just curious if others here have had to try more than one to get results.

Paula

[Leah]

Maybe histamines aren't your problem Paula. Try taking three at once and see if you see a difference.
leah

[humbird753]

Tex - I meant to respond to your comment about possible cross contamination. I doubt that's possible in my home because we completely remodeled our kitchen. It was already in the planning stages when I found this forum, so I changed to new pots/pans, bowls, dishes, utinsels at the same time. I don't cook anything different for my husband. He eats exactly the way I do. If he eats gluten foods, it is when he is not at home.

Leah - I will try taking 3 Claritin Reditabs and see if I get any results from that.

For everyone else - did you change all your shampoos, toothpaste, soaps, lotions, lipstick, etc. when going GF? I have been so focused on foods, that I have not looked close enough at those. Just wondering if these can be problematic enough to keep me from getting my visit from "Norman."

Paula

[carolm]

Paula, those are great results-- I am jealous.

I don't know what vegetables you are eating but you might want to test them again. I am taking Claritin and have seasonal allergies and I suspect I have some milder mast cell issues with a couple of foods. When I tested spinach I had WD the next day even after 1 serving. I'm C prominent so when WD shows up I'm like this: . That message was loud and clear-- no spinach ever. I've had to retest some vegetables and fruits just to be sure I wasn't aggravating my GI tract. (I had MRT testing btw and spinach was a high green but we always have to test).

Since you had such good test results and you've eliminated gluten cross contamination retesting veg and fruits might be something worth doing.

So happy you are continuing to heal.

Carol