Does the Elise blood test include food or is it just other allergens? I would be leary of having this type testing done at a pharmacy. I would find out what lab they use, etc. Why not see your doctor who could order the testing? I would think then that insurance would cover the costs (or part).

tina

The pharmacy sends the blood sample to a lab. You get results in 10 days. Tests for food intolerance not allergies.

I have a colleague who wanted to do this, and my niece, who is a Registered Dietician advised against it. She said it's "not worthwhile and probably overkill. There are many tests covered by insurance that detect food allergies. Gluten, eggs, nuts, chocolate are easily detected. What is she allergic to? If it is something rare than maybe it wouldn't hurt? Sorry. The only thing I can suggest is if she tries eliminating one food that she thinks is a trigger and then try re introducing it."

Yes, but I had it done under a doctor/bio-nutritionists care, not a pharmacy. I had several food sensitivities after a rare bad toxicity reaction to an antibiotic, and taking a few rounds of different antibiotics in a short period of time for an infection I had.

As I understand it, most food intolerances/sensitivities are not permanent, and unlike food allergies can be reversed with 90 days on an elimination/rotation diet after test results, care to rebuild the lining of the gut (leaky gut syndrome), and making sure the body is digesting and absorbing foods properly (having enough stomach acid and enzymes). Ones that are genetic tend not to change.

The thing about the tests are sometimes you can have a false positive or false negative. The tests measure your antibodies after exposure to the food proteins, the higher the level, the more sensitive you might be to the food. I say might be, because sometimes high antibodies are your bodies normal reaction to that particular food with no sensitivity present, and sometimes high antibodies can mean the opposite.

I'm happy I had the test done, and did the elimination/rotation diet, supplements etc. to help get rid of most of the food sensitivities, it did work for me, a lot of the physical symptoms I was experiencing at the time cleared up.

I don't think it's something I would just have done though without the guidance of being under a doctor's care, someone who understands how the tests work, and how to help try to reduce the sensitivities and aid in fixing any digestion problems through diet, supplements, acupuncture etc.

I think you misunderstood me Rose. My question was about the Elise blood test. I was wondering if that might work for you. I know at one time I had an Elise test (in addition to skin testing). I know it tests for certain allergens, but am not sure if food allergies are included? I realize the pharmacy would send the blood sample to a lab but was just wondering how reliable the lab is. All labs are not alike. I know my allergist will only use a certain lab. I also think my allergist does some other type testing vs. blood tests for food allergies. I'm thinking it's the skin tests. I hold to my original suggestion of seeing a doctor
rather than going through a pharmacy.

Hope you find some answers!

As someone with severe food allergies, I think you need to go to an allergy doctor for the standard needle tests. I wish my parents did that for me!

There are many foods I cannot eat raw, but if cooked or mixed with other foods, it's okay.

The worst is raw coconut and coconut milk. My only symptoms is my throat and mouth swelling shut. Which is the worst!

I developed an allergy to penicillin about 5 years ago.

Food allergies and food intolerances/sensitivities are two completely different conditions. A food allergy blood test (IgE) is different from a food intolerance/sensitivity blood test (IgG).

That is interesting Roo. I should have thought of that. Our pup has a few food (and allergen) sensitivities that cause some minor problems, but she is not out right "allergic". I'm not familiar with the tests you mentioned.