I had already decided to go for the Enterolab tests when I recently went to see a new naturopath. She had never heard of them, and wanted to do a blood test with a lab she has used for 20 years (Immunolab). I figured OK, fine, nothing to lose. I expected that some things would probably show up on the Enterolab tests that did not show up in the blood tests. What I did not expect was that the blood tests would show reactivity to things that show no reactivity in the Enterolab tests.
According to my blood tests, I had high or moderate reactivity to the following items that showed no reactivity whatsoever in the Enterolab test: Soybean, Egg, Cashews, and various other beans/legumes (I'm not sure whether Enterolab tested for these).
I also showed no reactivity in my blood test for foods that have ALWAYS given me issues (shellfish, peppers) and others that have recently caused issues (chocolate, citrus, cod, pork, beef). I suppose this could be because I haven't consumed most of these things in years (except for the cod, pork and beef, which I have only reacted to strongly very recently).
But how could my blood show high reactivity to Soybeans and Eggs, and Enterolab shows none? These are also foods that have been part of my diet recently. I'm confused by this.
How Can Fecal Test and Blood Test Disagree So Much?
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
How Can Fecal Test and Blood Test Disagree So Much?
Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace; the soul that knows it not, knows no release from little things. - Amelia Earhart
Hi Meg,
Antibodies to food sensitivities are concentrated in the gut, not in the blood. Most blood tests for food sensitivities are almost totally unreliable, for reasons that you pointed out — too many false positives and too many false negatives. With most of those tests, you can split a blood sample and send half to 2 different labs (or even send one to the same lab, a week or 2 later) and get different results each time. If you were to do that with a stool sample at EnteroLab (send half the sample 2 weeks later), you would get the same results both times, because their test results are repeatable (because they're reliable).
The long-term experience of the members here shows that with MC, EnteroLab results always trump any other test results.
Tex
Antibodies to food sensitivities are concentrated in the gut, not in the blood. Most blood tests for food sensitivities are almost totally unreliable, for reasons that you pointed out — too many false positives and too many false negatives. With most of those tests, you can split a blood sample and send half to 2 different labs (or even send one to the same lab, a week or 2 later) and get different results each time. If you were to do that with a stool sample at EnteroLab (send half the sample 2 weeks later), you would get the same results both times, because their test results are repeatable (because they're reliable).
The long-term experience of the members here shows that with MC, EnteroLab results always trump any other test results.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Thank you, Tex. I was thinking and hoping that would be the case.
The other thing the ImmunoLab (blood test) sent was a recommended 4-day rotation diet plan. I've read other posts about those here... that's not happening.
Also, while the naturopath was supportive of using diet to manage my disease, she wanted me to take supplements: probiotics that give me some churn/discomfort, and another supplement that I found out is made with herbs that I've previously reacted to. I think I will cancel my follow-up. I don't need to pay to argue with another person. I can leave the door open by saying that I seem to have stabilized, and due to a recent unexpected car expense and looming medical expense for my husband's upcoming surgery (hip) I don't want another out-of-pocket expense at this point (she's not covered by my insurance) -- all true.
I seem to be doing well so far, although it's early days yet. I haven't had an episode/flare for two weeks now and counting... I'm feeling better since I eliminated oats and sesame, and my energy level is gradually improving. Mindfulness practice is helping me to manage stress.
You are a lifesaver, and so is this forum! Thank you so very much.
Meg
The other thing the ImmunoLab (blood test) sent was a recommended 4-day rotation diet plan. I've read other posts about those here... that's not happening.
Also, while the naturopath was supportive of using diet to manage my disease, she wanted me to take supplements: probiotics that give me some churn/discomfort, and another supplement that I found out is made with herbs that I've previously reacted to. I think I will cancel my follow-up. I don't need to pay to argue with another person. I can leave the door open by saying that I seem to have stabilized, and due to a recent unexpected car expense and looming medical expense for my husband's upcoming surgery (hip) I don't want another out-of-pocket expense at this point (she's not covered by my insurance) -- all true.
I seem to be doing well so far, although it's early days yet. I haven't had an episode/flare for two weeks now and counting... I'm feeling better since I eliminated oats and sesame, and my energy level is gradually improving. Mindfulness practice is helping me to manage stress.
You are a lifesaver, and so is this forum! Thank you so very much.
Meg
Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace; the soul that knows it not, knows no release from little things. - Amelia Earhart
Meg,
Some members have used a rotation diet successfully when they seem to react to all foods (and usually they take a low dose of budesonide to help make the rotation diet work). But the fact of the matter seems to be that either we produce antibodies to a food or we don't. My personal opinion is, if we do produce antibodies to a food, but our sensitivity level is still low (and our total antibody level is still low), then a rotation diet can help to postpone the inevitable, but unless we take budesonide to help suppress the antibodies, we will eventually build up an antibody level that will result in a reaction if we continue to eat that food, even on a rotation basis. On the other hand, if we don't produce antibodies to it, then it doesn't matter how often we eat it.
That's just my opinion. Some feel that if we eat a food often enough, we will eventually build up a sensitivity to it. But pork and potatoes have been a mainstay of my diet for almost my entire life before my symptoms began. Pork and potatoes were the basis of my diet while I was recovering, and they're still my main foods, except that I seem to be eating more corn than potatoes these days (because of convenience, not because of dietary needs).
It's really a shame that naturopaths go so overboard with supplements, because they have some really good ideas for treating disease by diet changes. Maybe all those supplements can be tolerated by people who have other diseases, but too many of them are almost guaranteed to cause MC patients to react. I believe that you made a wise decision to cancel that follow-up. And none of us needs the extra stress that comes with arguing about supplements that we don't want to take, or thinking about wasting perfectly good money on supplements that may make us worse off.
It does sound as though you are making good progress. Please don't be discouraged if you should have a setback, because most of us are not lucky enough to have a smooth and steady journey back to good health. Bumps in the road are somewhat common, unfortunately. And yes, anything that we can do to minimize stress always pays dividends, in the long run.
You're very welcome, and thank you for the kind words.
Tex
Some members have used a rotation diet successfully when they seem to react to all foods (and usually they take a low dose of budesonide to help make the rotation diet work). But the fact of the matter seems to be that either we produce antibodies to a food or we don't. My personal opinion is, if we do produce antibodies to a food, but our sensitivity level is still low (and our total antibody level is still low), then a rotation diet can help to postpone the inevitable, but unless we take budesonide to help suppress the antibodies, we will eventually build up an antibody level that will result in a reaction if we continue to eat that food, even on a rotation basis. On the other hand, if we don't produce antibodies to it, then it doesn't matter how often we eat it.
That's just my opinion. Some feel that if we eat a food often enough, we will eventually build up a sensitivity to it. But pork and potatoes have been a mainstay of my diet for almost my entire life before my symptoms began. Pork and potatoes were the basis of my diet while I was recovering, and they're still my main foods, except that I seem to be eating more corn than potatoes these days (because of convenience, not because of dietary needs).
It's really a shame that naturopaths go so overboard with supplements, because they have some really good ideas for treating disease by diet changes. Maybe all those supplements can be tolerated by people who have other diseases, but too many of them are almost guaranteed to cause MC patients to react. I believe that you made a wise decision to cancel that follow-up. And none of us needs the extra stress that comes with arguing about supplements that we don't want to take, or thinking about wasting perfectly good money on supplements that may make us worse off.
It does sound as though you are making good progress. Please don't be discouraged if you should have a setback, because most of us are not lucky enough to have a smooth and steady journey back to good health. Bumps in the road are somewhat common, unfortunately. And yes, anything that we can do to minimize stress always pays dividends, in the long run.
You're very welcome, and thank you for the kind words.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Definitely. The celiac screening blood tests are so insensitive that they will only show a positive result if enough damage has accrued to the small intestine to qualify for a Marsh 3 level of damage (which can take years to develop). And even at that level of damage, the blood tests will show false negative results for many celiacs, due to poor sensitivity. If a celiac adopts a GF diet before the blood test is done, and more than 3 or 4 months have passed since the diet was started, the tests will virtually always show false negative results.
The poor sensitivity of the blood tests is why the average length of time between the onset of symptoms and an official diagnosis of celiac disease in this country is 9.7 years.
By comparison, the EnteroLab anti-gliadin test is so sensitive that it can reliably detect gluten sensitivity for over a year after a GF diet has been adopted, and in most cases it can still show a positive test result up to 2 years after a GF diet has been adopted. These stool tests allow a celiac to detect gluten sensitivity years sooner than would be the case if the blood tests were used instead.
Love,
Tex
The poor sensitivity of the blood tests is why the average length of time between the onset of symptoms and an official diagnosis of celiac disease in this country is 9.7 years.
By comparison, the EnteroLab anti-gliadin test is so sensitive that it can reliably detect gluten sensitivity for over a year after a GF diet has been adopted, and in most cases it can still show a positive test result up to 2 years after a GF diet has been adopted. These stool tests allow a celiac to detect gluten sensitivity years sooner than would be the case if the blood tests were used instead.
Love,
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.