I finally broke down and obtained the A1 and C1 test from Enterolab. Below are the results:
Fecal Anti-gliadin IgA: 28 units
Fecal Anti-casein IgA: 10 units
Fecal Anti-ovalbumin (chicken egg) IgA: 116 units (this is odd to me)
Fecal Anti-soy IgA: 13 units
Mean Value 11 Antigenic Foods: 28 units
Food to which there was no significant immunological reactivity: Corn
Foods to which there was some immunological reactivity (1+): Rice, Tuna, White Potato
Foods to which there was moderate immunological reactivity (2+): Chicken, Pork, Cashew, Almond
Foods to which there was significant and/or the most immunological reactivity: Oat, Beef, Walnut
Hierarch of multiple reactions:
Grains:
Most immunologic reactivity: Oat
Intermediate immunologic reactivity: Rice
Meats:
Most immunologic reactivity: Beef
Next most immunologic reactivity: Chicken
Intermediate immunologic reactivity: Pork
Least immunologic reactivity: Tuna
Nuts:
Most immunologic reactivity: Walnut
Intermediate immunologic reactivity: Cashew
Least immunologic reactivity: Almond
The fecal Anti-gliadin is not surprising. I suspect I was exposed to cross-contamination a few days before Christmas (almost three months ago). Otherwise, I have been gluten-free for 8 months.
The Anti-ovalbumin (chicken egg) is what baffles me. I have not ingested any eggs or anything containing eggs for 7 months now. I did eat a lot of eggs for many years before my MC kicked in (about 3 a day minimum).
This is my diet for the last 7+ months: Pork, Lamb, Sweet Potatoes and Bananas. One teaspoon of Black Strap Molasses a day. Water only.
Supplements: Doctor's Best Vitamin D3, Magnesium lotion (LifeFlo).
I have been improving, even with the setback from the (alleged) cross-contamination incident. Currently I have a BM once or twice a day (fairly soft - a #5 Bristol?). My fatigue is slowly waning and the weight loss is slowed. I live alone, cook at home only, and was sure to replace all my utensils 8 months ago, so at least no consistent cross-contamination.
If anyone has any ideas on the high egg IgA please let me know. Also, looks like I'm giving up pork (sadness).
John
Enterolab Test - An Odd Result
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Re: Enterolab Test - An Odd Result
Hi John,
That high score on eggs is probably due to your eating a significant amount of them while you were reacting to them for a fairly long period before you cut them out of your diet. The longer we react to a food to which we are sensitive, the higher our score will be on those tests. Your antibody level must've been really high at the point where you stopped eating them, to still trigger a relatively high score on the test, at this point.
Turkey would be a commonly available safe choice, but you should also be able to safely eat any wild type meat such as venison, rabbit, duck, goose, quail, pheasant, etc., even if it's farm raised. And shellfish are safe for most of us, including shrimp, prawns, clams, mussels, oysters, cramps, lobsters, etc.
Tex
That high score on eggs is probably due to your eating a significant amount of them while you were reacting to them for a fairly long period before you cut them out of your diet. The longer we react to a food to which we are sensitive, the higher our score will be on those tests. Your antibody level must've been really high at the point where you stopped eating them, to still trigger a relatively high score on the test, at this point.
Turkey would be a commonly available safe choice, but you should also be able to safely eat any wild type meat such as venison, rabbit, duck, goose, quail, pheasant, etc., even if it's farm raised. And shellfish are safe for most of us, including shrimp, prawns, clams, mussels, oysters, cramps, lobsters, etc.
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.
Re: Enterolab Test - An Odd Result
Thank you for replying Tex.
At a current IgA of 116 for eggs my levels must have been off the charts before I gave them up 7 months ago. It makes sense, I ate a lot of eggs - still, wow! I am assuming that the half-life for eggs is 5 to 6 days (really hoping anyway).
I know that gluten is always a problem, but could eggs have been the main instigator for my MC symptoms? I'm curious if someone can trigger MC with other foods that one is sensitive to regardless of gluten, or is gluten a necessary common denominator in all cases. Don't get me wrong, I am never eating anything with gluten in it for the rest of my life. Even without MC I am convinced that wheat is not very good for you (unless you're starving).
John
At a current IgA of 116 for eggs my levels must have been off the charts before I gave them up 7 months ago. It makes sense, I ate a lot of eggs - still, wow! I am assuming that the half-life for eggs is 5 to 6 days (really hoping anyway).
I know that gluten is always a problem, but could eggs have been the main instigator for my MC symptoms? I'm curious if someone can trigger MC with other foods that one is sensitive to regardless of gluten, or is gluten a necessary common denominator in all cases. Don't get me wrong, I am never eating anything with gluten in it for the rest of my life. Even without MC I am convinced that wheat is not very good for you (unless you're starving).
John
Re: Enterolab Test - An Odd Result
Yes, it's true that antibodies to eggs have only a five or six day half-life. But that's not the end of the story. When the immune system detects a threat and begins producing antibodies, if the threat is significant, then after the threat is destroyed by white cells and macrophages, the immune system will continue to produce antibodies for years, as a defensive measure, in case the threat returns. This is the main reason why vaccines work, because they provoke the immune system into producing antibodies to a specific allergen. Over a few years, the level of antibodies produced will slowly decline, until it reaches the basic normal level, although the length of time involved depends upon the specific allergen.
The reason why I can be sure that we're all sensitive to gluten, Is because gluten contains the only molecules known to science that are capable of causing increased intestinal permeability, and this is how leaky gut is initiated. All MC patients have leaky gut, because this is what causes the Inflammation that causes MC to be perpetuated. Furthermore 99.6% of the general population (if I recall the statistics correctly) possess a gene that predisposes to gluten sensitivity. Although it's certainly possible for other food sensitivities or allergies to develop initially, for various reasons, for most of us, our first food sensitivity will be gluten. Most MC patients initially doubt that they're sensitive to gluten, because it's a very insidious allergen. We don't believe it, because we don't want to believe it, and that's because gluten is almost as addictive as morphine. It's a fact of life that we tend to believe what we choose to believe, and because of its addictive qualities, it's easy for gluten to persuade us to believe that we couldn't be gluten sensitive. Trust me, you're not the first to doubt that you're sensitive to gluten. Welcome to the club. Although some of us respond to a gluten-free diet in just a few days, for most of us, if our antibody level is relatively high, we have to avoid gluten for at least one to three months, and in some cases more, before we can even tell a difference, due to its antibodies' relatively long half-life (120 days).
I hope I haven't just confused the issue. At any rate, this is why your antibodies to chicken eggs haven't declined to normal levels in just five or six days.
Tex
The reason why I can be sure that we're all sensitive to gluten, Is because gluten contains the only molecules known to science that are capable of causing increased intestinal permeability, and this is how leaky gut is initiated. All MC patients have leaky gut, because this is what causes the Inflammation that causes MC to be perpetuated. Furthermore 99.6% of the general population (if I recall the statistics correctly) possess a gene that predisposes to gluten sensitivity. Although it's certainly possible for other food sensitivities or allergies to develop initially, for various reasons, for most of us, our first food sensitivity will be gluten. Most MC patients initially doubt that they're sensitive to gluten, because it's a very insidious allergen. We don't believe it, because we don't want to believe it, and that's because gluten is almost as addictive as morphine. It's a fact of life that we tend to believe what we choose to believe, and because of its addictive qualities, it's easy for gluten to persuade us to believe that we couldn't be gluten sensitive. Trust me, you're not the first to doubt that you're sensitive to gluten. Welcome to the club. Although some of us respond to a gluten-free diet in just a few days, for most of us, if our antibody level is relatively high, we have to avoid gluten for at least one to three months, and in some cases more, before we can even tell a difference, due to its antibodies' relatively long half-life (120 days).
I hope I haven't just confused the issue. At any rate, this is why your antibodies to chicken eggs haven't declined to normal levels in just five or six days.
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.
Re: Enterolab Test - An Odd Result
I forgot about leaky gut. The proteins from eggs are a problem because they've gotten into places they should not be. Looks like I need to reread "Microscopic Colitis", I don't seem to retain as well since this MC started.
John
John
Re: Enterolab Test - An Odd Result
Your right on target. Most of us develop serious brain fog from MC, that takes about two years worth of healing to resolve.
Tex
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.