Requesting Allergy Tests Feedback, Your Thoughts and Experience?

I'd recommend IgE testing which is for true allergies. You can do this for foods and other things as well. Then also consider 90 food IgG testing (Alletess and Great Plains Labs do this) as well for food sensitivities. I work with autistic kids and many times when we remove the food allergens and sensitivies they kids do much better. you can also just so a rotation diet (google it) without testing to determine which foods work best for you. N.

Hi M.,

What a great question! One I have grappled with and have some information for you.

My instincts and research led me to IgA STOOL testing for food problems as a practical fundamental root cause approach to the problem. From the day we are born, most of us are putting foods into our mouths (or having them put in for us) that cause autoimmune responses in the body. This aggravates the immune system for a lifetime and can cause other downstream allergy reactions, whether it be to pets or to a piece of asparagus, as well as systemic illness from ear infections to autoimmune diseases like asthma.

As a first step, there are only a few major underlying problem foods that need to be tested (gluten, casein, soy, eggs, corn, yeast etc). The best test for this is not blood or skin scratch. It is an IgA STOOL test. The only lab I know of that does this is actually local in Plano - Enterolab. www.enterolab.com. The doctor who started the lab used to be head of GI research at Baylor. He began to see in his research and pracice that conventional methods of testing (blood, skin, endoscopy) were "missing the boat" on most people. He theorized that if your gut is reacting to something poorly, you need to test where the reaction is occurring - IN THE GUT. Since 80-90% of your immune system is located in the gut, this makes LOTS of sense. So, he created a practical stool test you can do at home. His research is proving up his theory - regular GI and allergy doctors are missing the boat regarding diagnosis and treatment recommendations in this area.

The test is easy. No doctor referral needed. Everything is done by mail and email. It is especially great for kids, since it is not invasive like the other testing methods. Insurance may or may not cover it.

You can do a rotation elimination diet, but this is difficult for most people to implement. There is also a mental attitude adjustment to changing lifestyle patterns such as eating. It is easier to do when you see a test result in black and white. Besides, many reactions are delayed and difficult to connect. But it is cheaper than lab testing!

Most people who truly understand food problems think very little of skin scratch testing. They say "if you want to know what your skin is reacting to, do a skin scratch test." It is not an appropriate method for testing for foods. That doesn't stop the fleet of allergy and immunology doctors from pushing them, along with attendant unreliable blood tests. But what else are they to do? Go back to med school and choose a different specialty? There is no financial incentive for them to admit the patient has a gut problem, where most of the immune system is located. They wouldn't have any work left - they would have to refer everyone over to the GI doctors. Not very good for their bottom lines. I rarely hear of a person achieving full health with a skin scratch doctor. At best they report "some improvement" and the "problem is at bay." That's not real health. It is coping.

There is also IgE or IgG allergy testing. It is my understanding that these only test for 'histamine" type reactions. These are food sensitivities that result immediately within minutes or 1-2 hours, and are usually short term. They are also alleviated with an anti-histamine. They also usually test for some crazy number of things - 40 or 50. Very often they report back to a person that they have to avoid an inordinate number of things, which is often very difficult. Histamines are not released with IgA reactions, which leads to latent, or "hidden" food intolerance problems.

I personally don't believe eliminating 30 things from your diet and life is practical or necessary, and creates a consufed frenzy of response in patients everywhere. Most people have trouble complying, get frustrated, and resolve themselves to living a life where feeling good and healthy is sacrificed. It's better to focus on the hidden underlying food problems. The biggest of these are casein (dairy) and gluten, with half the US population having a problem with these alone. If you eliminate these, the body recovers and other problems go away. Then you can evaulate if there really are other things that cause histamine reactions, and consider pursuing those. If you've got someone with systemic health problems, IgA testing for underlying "hidden" food intolerances is the better way to go.

Good luck.

I had the skin test done several years ago. Uncomfortable but effective. I then got shots for about 5 years and they really worked for me. They are a hassle but effective. It is a long term solution though, it doesn't immediately cure but does help prevent allergies in the future. The hardest part is really committing to getting those shots weekly or biweekly. I suffered from terrible allergies, chronic bronchitis (sp?), all those things but after a few months on the shots I was dramatically better. Now that I have been off the shots for about 3 years, I am noticing that I should probably go back again...
I saw Dr. Leon in Grapevine and he is really wonderful.
Good luck!

Hi M.!

Let me first start by saying that I have a TON of allergies and have been to a bunch of allergists! I LOVE Dr. Deborah Fawcet at Texas Regional Allergy & Asthma in Southlake. My whole family sees her. Dr. Fawcet has done an excellent job managing my food allergies, drug allergies, and environmental allergies! She also has kept my son's asthma at bay! We've been seeing her since 2004, and she rocks! Their phone number is ###-###-####. Her nurse is wonderful too! I just love them! I have been allergy tested many times. You find out on the spot what your results are. Then you go over treatment options and medications...if you have any positive allergens. Then you & your family will have a better quality of life! Another thing that is great about this office, if you do need to start medicine to manage your allergies, they give you lots of samples to try first. This way if the medicine works, then you can go get your prescription filled. They save you lots of money!!! Every time you go in, they give you samples of the medicine you are currently taking too! YAY!!!

I've only had the various skin tests done, no blood tests to confirm allergens due to false results. Skin tests are more accurate.

I have been using Family Allergy and Asthma in Flower Mound and have really liked them. I had the skin tests done and so far I have not suffered as much as I used too.

I've had my allergies tested with the skin method several times and I think it is great to do if you think you have a food allergy AND your insurance covers it (it's pricey). However, all of my allergies are environmental and seasonal meaning that I can't avoid them (tress, grasses, etc). So, I just have to take allergy medicine to prevent reactions.

I love the doctors at Family Allergy in Flower Mound. They are all great. I highly recommend this office!

As far as age goes...my then 1 1/2 year old had his allergies tested through blood work and he was found to not have any allergies. However, I know he is allergic to something seasonal in the spring. I personally don't think it is effective at that young of an age.

Family Allergy & Asthma Care
www.breatheseasy.com
3051 Churchill Dr # 130
Flower Mound - ###-###-####

I have a really great doctor or office that I just love. It is called Family Allergy and Ashtma Care. They are located in Flower mound. 3051 Churchill Dr Suite 130 ###-###-####.

B.

I got a full nutritional allergy test from an applied kinesiologist. He also will do a full blood panel if you need that. I really liked this Doctor and he spends 1 1/2 hours with each new patient.
I went to: Arlington Natural Health Center
the Doctor is: Michael W. Phillips, DC, CCN
Phone number: ###-###-####

T.

My son and I have suffered from awful allergies for years. We went and got tested in December, we did the skin test and it only took one day. We did not do any food allergy testing just the typical test which includes grass, trees, molds, animals etc... I was allergic to almost everything and my son wasn't as bad. We both decided to go with the allergy shots. We did a rush treatment, which means we went in one day and got multiple injections while they monitered us all day. This speeds up the process.. Then we started on weekly injections. Due to the amount of allergies that I have, I have to get three injections and my son gets one. We have been doing this since January and we now only have to go once a month for the shots. Neither of us have been sick since we started the injections and I am usually sick two to three times a year with sinus infections. The shots do hurt and itch for a day but I really think it is worth it.
Here is my doctor's info if you are interested.

Texas Regional Asthma and Allergy Center
900 E. Southlake Blvd.
Southlake, TX 76092
###-###-####
Dr. Leon

We used Texas Asthma and Allergy in Southlake for my 8 year old daughter. They did about 50 skin pricks on her back and told us immediately what she was allergic to. They test for the "usual" allergens for Texas and we also requested them to test for peanut allergy. After the test, they will give you options for treatment. We had a wonderful experience with them and they were great with her....I would highly recommend them.

My daughter threw up at least 3 times a day until she was 18 months old. Our doc's kept telling us it was reflux-even when they saw the pile of vomit on their floor. I finally got smart and kept a log of what she ate and when she threw up. I linked it to milk. I was convinced she had a milk allergy. I asked the allergist on the first visit what the likelyhood of having a skin test that was negative and still being allergic to a food. She said next to no chance at all that a skin test would be negative and there be an allergy present. We proceeded to do 2 different milk skin tests and both were negative. Thank God this doc still ordered a blood test and you guessed it- she is highly allergic to milk.
Ok with that story being told, it is my understanding that you can show in blood test to be mildly allergic to something and not have a true systemic negative reaction to that substance. That is were the skin test is of great help and then an in office tolerence test is given to see if any reaction occurs.
I groove with your idea of prevention for health and I also believe that there is a root cause behind this allergy epidemic and that the allergy is just a manifestation of the root cause. I research for answers daily and I am happy to exchange information with you or give you anymore input on my personal experience with allergies,asthma & eczema.

Go to www.NAET.com to find an acupuncturist trained in this process. I used to be severely lactose intolerant, but through these treatments I've overcome that. I've also had fantastic results with my seasonal allergies, and my children haven't been sick for nearly 4 years since taking them through the process. It works by using Kinesiology to see what you are sensitive to, then avoidance for 24 hours while the body "reboots" itself. My doctor, Steve Homoky ###-###-####) is at Coit & Spring Creek in Plano, used to be a petroleum engineer before he changed careers after NAET cured his son of his need for an epi-pen. The poor kid needed it for both dairy AND wheat, so it was either try this or give him 2-3 shots/day for the rest of his life, and he was only 4. It worked beautifully, and the best part is once you've done the treatments, you don't have to re-do them! They are just as effective with children w/o the needles, but adults need to get stuck. It's been life-changing for us. Hope that helps!

I've been allergy tested (skin test) twice. Once with Dr. Posnock in Euless/Bedford and another time at Family Allergy and Asthma in Flower Mound.

It was REALLY helpful to understand what all I'm allergic to. The first time I was tested for about 45 things - all environmental - various animals, plants, weeds, molds, etc. The second time, I got tested for a bit more as they did some food tests too - egg, milk, nut.

I've had allergies since I was a young child, but the doctors always guessed. Knowing exactly what you are senstive to helps you to appropriately manage your lifestyle and allergies.

As far as doctors - I LOVED Dr. Posnock. However I saw 4 different Dr's at Family Allergy in Flower Mound and did not care for any of them. Personnal preference I guess, but I alway felt they were trying to over medicate me. By the time I saw them, I had already been seeing Dr. Posnock for 5 years and had a clear handle on what medicines work for me, what didn't, etc. The docs in Flower Mound were very pushy about the medicines. Just my experience. There were some other things about that practice, but probably makes sense to share privately if your interested.