My Enterolab Test Results

[grannykathy]

Quantitative Microscopic Fecal Fat Score 309 Units (Normal Range is less than 300 Units)

Fecal Anti-gliadin IgA 37 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)

Fecal Anti-casein (cow’s milk) IgA 10 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)

Fecal Anti-ovalbumin (chicken egg) IgA 14 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)

Fecal Anti-soy IgA 20 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)

Mean Value # Antigenic Foods 11 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)

Mean Value 11 Antigenic Foods 11 Units (Normal Range is less than 10 Units)

While all of the foods tested can be immune-stimulating, the hierarchy of reactions detected were as follows:
Food to which there was no significant immunological reactivity:
Food to which there was some immunological reactivity (1+):
Food to which there was moderate immunological reactivity (2+):
Food to which there was significant and/or the most immunological reactivity (3+):

+1 Reactivity = Rice, Corn, Almond
+2 Reactivity = Oat
+3 Reactivity = None

Doesn't look too bad too me. I'm thinking it looks like gluten is my main culprit and maybe its not too severe?

[tex]

Your results seem fairly typical. They show slightly more small-intestinal damage than most of us (though that's nothing to get excited about — it's typical of MC).

You show sensitivity to gluten, casein (all dairy products), egg, and soy.

Your score on the 11 additional antigenic foods is relatively low, so it's possible that these foods may not be a significant problem, except for oats — almost all of us react to oats because the avenin in oats is very similar to the gluten in wheat. Rice, corn, and almond may be a problem, but that's very unlikely, IMO, especially if you don't eat them too often (such as every day — but even eating them every day may not be a problem). Keep an an eye on them and if they seem to cause problems, minimize or avoid them, but most likely they won't be a problem.

Regarding the casein (dairy): It's possible that you may be able to tolerate it after you are in stable remission, but test it carefully before adding it back into your diet. If you notice any osteoarthritis symptoms after adding it (it may take a few months for the symptoms to begin to show up) cut it back out of your diet, unless you happen to enjoy having osteoarthritis. I'm speaking from experience here. I can tolerate casein just fine as far as digestive symptoms go, but it causes me to develop osteoarthritis.

That's my 2 cents worth.

Tex

[grannykathy]

tex
Thanks Tex. When you say more "small intestinal damage than most" what are you basing that on? The fat score of 309? I thought that sounded pretty low since normal is just below 300. And the 37 anti-gliadin - do you think the fact that I was gluten free for a month may have kept it as low as it was. Or would that have made any difference?

[tex]

When you say more "small intestinal damage than most" what are you basing that on? The fat score of 309? I thought that sounded pretty low since normal is just below 300.

Yes. It is low — that's why I said slightly, but most of us still test below 300, because early on, when we order the test, most of us aren't eating very much fat, and this skews the test results to the low side. You have to be eating a normal amount of fat and not taking a corticosteroid to get an accurate test result on a fat malabsorption test. Corticodteroids enhance fat absorption if it's due to BAM.

And the 37 anti-gliadin - do you think the fact that I was gluten free for a month may have kept it as low as it was.

Maybe a point or 2, but not much, because anti-gliadin antibodies have a half-life of 120 days. The fact that you've been using budesonide probably had a greater effect. The original number is mostly determined by how long you've been reacting to gluten — the longer you've been reacting, the greater the number.

Remember, although most of this is based on fact (published medical research), some of it is based on my interpretation of the published research in view of our own experiences.

Tex

[grannykathy]

Yes I was eating a normal amount of fat at the time of the test. So do you mean if I had not been taking budesonide, both my fat score and anti-gliadin number both may have been higher?

[tex]

Probably, but since there's no data for comparison (no research), there's no way to know whether it would have been significant or very slight.

Tex