Enterolab Results are in!

[Courtney]

I had already had the Gluten and Genetic tests done last summer through my GI, so I ordered Casein, Soy, Yeast, and Egg. Here are the results:

Fecal Anti-ovalbumin (chicken egg) IgA 9 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

Fecal Anti-saccharomyces cerevisiae (dietary yeast) IgA 8 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

Fecal Anti-soy IgA 30 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

Fecal Anti-casein (cow's milk) IgA 11 Units (Normal Range <10 Units)

Soy and Casein I suspected quite strongly, so no surprise there. I had already been avoiding those for several months (but not worrying about trace amounts), so I suspect that might be why I had relatively low levels (I know level doesn't really matter, though). So no soy and casein for me. I also suspect pretty much all legumes, bc I know I react to peanuts, too.

I'm a bit concerned about those egg and yeast results being so close to 10. Should I be? I read the explanations on the Enterolab site, and they suggested cutting out triggers that were close to the cutoff for 12 months to see how you feel, bc it could be a "false" negative, depending on what was there at the time. That may be the route I take. Does anyone have experience with results that were close to positive?

Love,

Courtney

[tex]

Hi Courtney,

Contrary to what most authorities claim, I believe there is some basis to your concerns - I think there is a "grey" area. For example, I had a fecal antitissue transglutaminase IgA test, (fecal fat score), done, three years after starting the diet. My score was 294, (below the 300 unit cutoff limit), and yet the interpretation of my test stated:

Analysis of this stool sample indicates you have dietary gluten sensitivity, etc.

I had told them when I sent the sample, that I had been GF for 3 years already. Obviously this, (or something else), must have affected their judgment, when they wrote the interpretation.

My egg test showed a result of 6 units, soy showed 8 units, and yeast showed 6 units. (I was avoiding soy at the time, and had been for over a year.) Since I had been on the diet for so long, I didn't even have them test for gluten antibodies.

I have a hunch that for test results below 10, (but not very far below), the rotation diet might provide satisfactory results. Of course, there's always the thing about us all being different.

Love,
Tex

[Polly]

Hi Courtney,

I tend to agree with Tex about the borderline tests. Since a test is only a peek into one moment of time, it may be that multiple tests should be averaged to get a truer value. I'm not suggesting that folks do this - rather, I think it makes more sense to rotate those foods that may be a problem.

Love,

Polly

[Courtney]

Thanks for your input, Tex and Polly.

I think what I'm going to do is cut it all out (including yeast and eggs) until I can get myself into remission. I don't love any food enough to want to eat it if it makes me sick! Then maybe I can try eating eggs and yeast again--maybe do a "challenge"--and see how that goes. Polly, it's looking more and more like I'm going to be joining you over in Paleo-land.

Love,

Courtney

[Lucy]

Hi there,

I would eat the eggs...MAN, would I eat the eggs!! Sounds like you are just lucky! However, if you only eat them every once in a while, and are off all the other foods you react to, if you are like me, it won't be hard to tell the difference when you eat eggs if they are going to be a problem for you.

If you haven't already figured it out, if you are just down to doing elimination for eggs, you just might be able to figure out your transit time through your gut. They are all quite individual, but mine turned out to be 24 hours. Therefore, if I get a hidden glutening someplace, then all I do is go back to the meal I had 24 hours before, and I can easily find the culprit, especially since my stools have now been normal on diet for years.

Anyway, I envy you that, hopefully, normal egg result. Just hope that you really are negative for that.

Yours, Luce

[Courtney]

Hi Luce,

I would love to eat eggs, too, but I would love to get better more. Since I am nowhere near remission yet, I can't tell what exactly is causing a problem. Once I get into remission and can actually test different foods, I will try eggs and other foods again. Right now, I'm just cutting everything that could be a problem so that I can hopefully see some "Normans" soon.

Thanks,

Courtney