F**k my body.

CrazyRabbit

Got the results back from a 'food intolerance' test this morning. Turns out I have strong sensitivity to some ingredients in many of the foods I love to eat/drink. Nooooooooooooooooooooooo! :mad:

Bye bye bread, onions, oranges, caffeine, chocolate, cola, ice cream, most pepper/spices and anything with Gluten in it. I think I'm gonna starve...:(

P.S. I might also be a vampire as I'm extremely sensitive to garlic, but thankfully I don't eat often. Perhaps that's why my skin sparkles sometimes???

SadieSue

I can understand the gluten part, a lot of people are sensitive to it but Oranges! Awe that sucks.
I have a friend who got really sensitive to onions and garlic and red food colouring after taking a course of antibiotics.

Phoenix Park

Saw the thread title and thought it was first come first served. Disappointing.

Kevin Duffy

If I'd to eliminate all those things, I'd throw my hat at it. Life's too short.

Coriolanus

Before I post further I need to know who or what administered this "food intolerance" test?
We haven't had a thread to bash the voodoo nutritionists in a while so I'm hoping it's that, rather than an actual test administered and interpreted by a medical doctor or dietician.

sunflower27

Do you feel sick after eating? Just curious as to why you are only realising now that you have 'intolerance' to these things after all these years.

Captain_Generic

Nevore wrote: »

Before I post further I need to know who or what administered this "food intolerance" test?
We haven't had a thread to bash the voodoo nutritionists in a while so I'm hoping it's that, rather than an actual test administered and interpreted by a medical doctor or dietician.

The combined efforts of a chiropractor to bend you over, and a homepathic practitioner to blast diluted shíte up your arse

MagicSean

I did one before and it said I was allergic to dust and corn. I thought "happy days". Turns out corn is used in nearly everything nice. And dust is everywhere.

I now live in a bubble

CrazyRabbit

Nevore wrote: »

Before I post further I need to know who or what administered this "food intolerance" test?
We haven't had a thread to bash the voodoo nutritionists in a while so I'm hoping it's that, rather than an actual test administered and interpreted by a medical doctor or dietician.

It was done via a hair sample taken last week & sent to a lab in the UK which does the testing. All above board and professional. I checked them out before paying €58 for the test. It's not 100% reliable though as there is no test that is.

sunflower27 wrote: »

Do you feel sick after eating? Just curious as to why you are only realising now that you have 'intolerance' to these things after all these years.

Tiredness, bloating, nausea & generally feeling unwell. I had thought that the cause was something else and I've been trying to treat it (unsuccessfully) for years using various methods. Damn doctors & their misdiagnosis.

zuroph

OP, sounds like bollix, Id seek a better opinion.

Captain_Generic

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

It was done via a hair sample taken last week & sent to a lab in the UK which does the testing.

Don't be alarmed if you see another you walking down the street

cenvuza7fg9kx5

Can you give us a link to the place. I've been meaning to have one for a long time because of a little bit of the above on my leg.

sunflower27

zuroph wrote: »

OP, sounds like bollix, Id seek a better opinion.

I agree.

What sort of 'lab'?

mikom

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

It was done via a hair sample taken last week & sent to a lab in the UK which does the testing.

If it was a pube it might just be your privates that are intolerant to onions, oranges, caffeine, chocolate, cola, ice cream, most pepper/spices and anything with Gluten in it.
There's hope yet.

wandatowell

thats rather ****ty,

peckerhead

I had an uncle had that.

Captain_Generic

mikom wrote: »

If it was a pube it might just be your privates that are intolerant to onions, oranges, caffeine, chocolate, cola, ice cream, most pepper/spices and anything with Gluten in it.
There's hope yet.

Not if you're into that kind of stuff

Coriolanus

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

It was done via a hair sample taken last week & sent to a lab in the UK which does the testing. All above board and professional. I checked them out before paying €58 for the test. It's not 100% reliable though as there is no test that is.

At a guess, the blurb mentioned something along the lines of "multielemental hair analysis" that allows them to determine content of several mineral types from a single sample of your hair, probably the hair from the back of your neck?

If not, all good, and sorry about the 20 questions. I just can't abide quackery.

Jaxxy

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

Tiredness, bloating, nausea & generally feeling unwell. I had thought that the cause was something else and I've been trying to treat it (unsuccessfully) for years using various methods. Damn doctors & their misdiagnosis.

Sounds a bit like Coeliac alright, no more beer for yoouuuuuu!

zuroph

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

Got the results back from a 'food intolerance' test this morning. Turns out I have strong sensitivity to some ingredients in many of the foods I love to eat/drink. Nooooooooooooooooooooooo! :mad:

Bye bye bread, onions, oranges, caffeine, chocolate, cola, ice cream, most pepper/spices and anything with Gluten in it. I think I'm gonna starve...:(

P.S. I might also be a vampire as I'm extremely sensitive to garlic, but thankfully I don't eat often. Perhaps that's why my skin sparkles sometimes???

Its sounds like the exact same list i've heard loads of people be given when they do these "tests". and the fact that they say "oh its not 100% accurate" sets off alarm bells too. seems like a scam where they just give a catch all and hope for the best.

There is a school of thought that a lot of "allergies" are a psychological reaction. Convincing yourself that this stuff is making you sick, wil, in time, make you sick from eating this stuff, as you will associate the memory.

Unless a doctor referred you to this, it's bull.

AFAIK genuine tests are hard to come by and they cost ~€200. Especially tests that result in many intolerances, either you're particularly sensitive (which you'd have found out as a child or in a doctor's office) or you've wasted €58 euro. Even ones done by reputable health food shops are known to be extremely unreliable. Seems they just have a list of intolerances that they give people, with a tweak here or there.

CrazyRabbit

Jayden Stocky Sauce wrote: »

Can you give us a link to the place. I've been meaning to have one for a long time because of a little bit of the above on my leg.

You can have it done via most health centres, or through a GP. Many of the 'Alternative Medicine' places do it also. I used the health clinic in the Blanchardstown Shopping Centre in Dublin 15.

Saila

its ok you can still eat nuts?
so you'll still be able to get nutrition from bear **** if you get lost in canada

FloatingVoter

May I ask the OP how many cigs / units of alcohol they consume before we get to the food intake ?

Also do go and see a GP. They went to school for a reason. I've seen them force a real consultant into an admission of misdiagnosis.

zuroph

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

You can have it done via most health centres, or through a GP. Many of the 'Alternative Medicine' places do it also. I used the health clinic in the Blanchardstown Shopping Centre in Dublin 15.

nah, uv been had. you might notice some changes if you cut all that stuff out of your diet, but its certainly not all necessary. I'd say a more subtle change to your diet would cure your symptoms. I felt all of the symptoms you described regularily, adjusted how and when I eat, and feel much much better. Without having to sacrifice anything from my diet, in fact, i added new foods.

OP it sounds like complete and utter bollox. When someone is allergic to something they produce antibodies to the allergen. The only way to test for these antibodies is with a blood sample, I just don't see how hair could possibly yield the amount of information they're claiming it does.

Captain_Generic

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

Bye bye bread, onions, oranges, caffeine, chocolate, cola, ice cream, most pepper/spices and anything with Gluten in it. I think I'm gonna starve...:(

zuroph wrote: »

Its sounds like the exact same list i've heard loads of people be given when they do these "tests".

Its an elaborate attempt by 7up to corner the market

Coriolanus

true-or-false wrote: »

AFAIK genuine tests are hard to come by and they cost ~€200.

A genuine test usually involves getting blood drawn to be sent for testing or more rarely a series of scratch tests being performed on your actual skin (while it's still attached ) and they don't cost E200. My GPs nurse drew my blood, they sent it to get tested and it came back a week later. All in, including the consultation at the end was E80

Oranage2

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

Tiredness, bloating, nausea & generally feeling unwell. I had thought that the cause was something else and I've been trying to treat it (unsuccessfully) for years using various methods. Damn doctors & their misdiagnosis.

Have you tried a healthier diet and exercise? seems a more credibal solution than sending some hair away to some bedroom labratory and telling you to only eat rice crackers!

ArtyM

So if you were to send another sample for testing under a different name the results should be exactly the same.
Do it op, its only money. Whereas if you go on that diet, you will lose your friends, your enthusiasm, and your will to live.

Captain_Generic

ArtyM wrote: »

Whereas if you go on that diet, you will lose your friends

Most of my friendships do rely on my continued ability to eat onions

Coriolanus

Here's a good article on the whole area of allergy testing from the BBC. Pretty thorough.

At the GP surgery

Your GP will take a full medical history, including your symptoms, details of when they occur and any other relevant information.
From this medical history, they'll produce a short list of suspected allergens and arrange appropriate tests. Once the allergy and allergens have been identified, they'll be able to offer treatment and advice.
Top
Allergy clinics

If your GP's unfamiliar with allergy diagnosis, you may be referred to an NHS or independent allergy clinic for further assessment. There are only about 90 NHS allergy clinics in the UK so you may have to join a waiting list. Some clinics specialise in specific diseases, such as asthma or allergies affecting the respiratory system.
A list of NHS and private allergy clinics is available at www.specialistinfo.com.
Top
Skin-prick test

This is the most common allergy test and, performed correctly, has a high degree of accuracy.
A small needle (lancet) is used to scratch the skin gently through a droplet of fluid containing a known allergen. In most cases, clinics use purified liquid forms of the allergen, but sometimes you may be asked to bring a fresh sample (especially if the suspected allergen is food).
The test is usually done on the forearm, although with young children it may be done on the back so they can't see what's happening. It isn't painful and results are immediately available. Children can be safely skin tested from four months of age.
A positive reaction occurs when the skin around the needle prick becomes itchy with redness and develops a white swelling called a wheal. The wheal reaches its maximum size in about 15 to 20 minutes and the reaction fades within an hour.
Wheal diameter varies from 5mm to 10mm in a positive test - the larger the wheal, the more likely that you are allergic.
Positive (histamine) and negative (water) control tests should also be used to grade skin reactivity.
An allergy can only be confidently diagnosed when your symptoms correlate with a positive test. The test can show how sensitive you are to an allergen, but can't predict how severely you'll react on exposure. These tests are cheap, safe and easy to perform, but can only test a limited number of allergens - up to 25 in one session.
Top
Blood tests for allergies

A sample of your blood is sent to a specialist laboratory for a RAST (radioallergosorbent test) or CAP-RAST.
This measures the amount of specific immunoglobulin E antibodies (IgE) to inhalants and foods in your blood. IgE causes histamine to be released when you're exposed to various environmental and food allergens. The test is safer than a skin-prick test, as you're not directly exposed to the allergen.
Results are graded from grade 0 (negative) and grade 1 (weak positive) to grade 6 (strong positive), depending on the level of the allergen's specific IgE antibody in your blood. The higher the grade, the more likely it is you have an allergy to that allergen. More than 400 specific allergens can be tested for in this way.
There's a respiratory allergy screen, which tests for IgE to house dust mites, pet dander, pollens and mould spores, as well as a food allergy screening test for children, which identifies allergy to cow's milk, hen's egg, wheat, codfish, soy and peanut.
The nut screening test can identify allergy to almond, Brazil nut, hazelnut, peanut and coconut, while the seafood screen can detect allergy to various fishes, shrimp and black mussel.
Specific IgE RAST can detect other allergens including some antibiotics, latex rubber, horse hair, bee and wasp venom and practically any allergies linked to raised IgE.
RAST can't test for allergies to preservatives, food colouring and aspirin as these reactions aren't linked to IgE.
In the past, 'total IgE' was measured as an allergy indicator, but this isn't accurate as it may also be raised in parasite infections and with eczema. Total IgE may be raised in otherwise fit and healthy people with no allergies at all.
Sometimes very low levels of specific IgE are detected, which are usually 'false positive' results. The patient's medical history can help identify these.
Top
Patch test

This is used to diagnose delayed allergic reactions on the skin, such as those occurring in contact dermatitis. It can test for contact allergies to rubber, nickel, lanolin, hair dyes, cosmetics, perfume, preservatives and skin medications.
Samples of known contact chemical allergens are taped to the skin under special aluminium discs for 48 hours. After a further 24 hours, any residual reddening or blistering of the skin is assessed.
Groups of patch tests are available specifically for hairdressing chemicals and contact allergens that affect the face.
Atopy patch testing (APT) is an adapted form of patch test used to diagnose delayed hypersensitivity to foods in children. Some children show delayed reactions to foods such as cow's milk, egg, wheat and soy, with extensive eczema and oesophageal reflux, diarrhoea and vomiting.
Although less accurate than conventional skin-prick tests, APT may help identify the food allergens causing these delayed reactions.
Top
Allergen challenge tests

• Allergen provocation testing - hospital medical staff perform provocation tests by introducing the suspected aero-allergen (pollen, dust mite, animal dander or mould extract) directly into the nose, lung or eye to see if they provoke an allergic reaction. This is then measured.
• Double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge (DBPCFC) - this may be performed in hospital for a suspected food allergy. The offending food is concealed in a capsule or broth and, under careful supervision, given to the patient to see if they react.

In a DBPCFC, neither doctor nor patient is aware which is the real allergen and which is the dummy (placebo), to exclude any psychological influence or bias affecting the result.
This test should only be done in specialist allergy clinics with full resuscitation equipment available. DBPCFC is the most accurate food allergy test but it's time-consuming to perform and can be dangerous in people with severe food allergies.
Sometimes shorter 'open challenges' are performed in hospital, where the patient is fully aware of what they're eating but feel 'safe' taking the suspected food in a supervised environment.
Top
Other tests

• Cellular allergen stimulation test (CAST) - measures release of inflammatory chemicals called leukotrienes in a blood sample after exposure to specific allergens. Can help to identify allergens such as preservatives (sodium benzoate, sulphites, salicylates), food colourings (tartrazine), aspirin and some medications, where the reactions don't involve IgE. It isn't 100 per cent accurate and isn't readily available in the UK.
• Histamine release (HR) - especially helpful in identifying allergic reactions that don't involve IgE and can also help diagnose idiopathic urticaria. The blood sample has to be sent to a special reference laboratory in Denmark for testing.
• Serum tryptase - histamine and tryptase are released into the bloodstream during allergic reactions. Histamine is rapidly metabolised and so is hard to measure, but tryptase can be measured in the blood for up to six hours after an allergic reaction. It can't identify the allergen, but can confirm an allergic reaction took place.

Top
Food intolerance tests

Lactose/sucrose intolerance

Lactose intolerance results from a deficiency of lactase, an enzyme in the intestine that digests the sugar found in cow's milk (lactose). Sucrose intolerance occurs when children drink excessive amounts of sweetened fruit juices, which overwhelms their sucrose digesting enzymes.
Both can be diagnosed by a hydrogen breath test or by testing for 'reducing sugars' in a (liquid) stool sample.
Gluten intolerance

Gluten, the protein found in wheat, can lead to a damaged intestinal lining owing to a delayed hypersensitivity reaction, otherwise known as coeliac disease. Families predisposed to coeliac disease should be screened for gluten intolerance, as well as people with Down's syndrome, diabetics on insulin and IgA immune deficiency.
The condition can be diagnosed by a blood test measuring IgA antibodies to intestinal wall proteins such as endomysium or tissue transglutaminases (other older tests include IgA or IgG antibodies to gliaden and bowel reticulin).
A positive test should be followed by a small bowel biopsy to confirm coeliac disease.
Top
Controversial tests

Some practitioners perform tests that haven't been shown to have an acceptable degree of diagnostic reliability. They shouldn't be relied on for allergy diagnostic purposes as they're of an inferior nature, according to the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology and the Royal College of Pathologists.
Immunoglobulin G (IgG) - this can be measured in a blood sample and will be raised to specific foods we eat on a regular basis. This rise has no relationship to allergy. In fact, IgG may have some protective effect against allergies. The Royal College of Pathologists doesn't recommend this test as it usually implicates harmless foods , such as wheat, cow’s milk and yeast. Avoidance of these foods in adults has no health benefits and can lead to malnutrition in children.
VEGA testing – this involves measuring disordered electromagnetic currents in the body to certain substances. The test substances are kept in glass vials connected to a device while a probe measures 'disordered' readings on the patient's hand. According to a survey in the British Medical Journal, the results are unreliable.
Applied kinesiology – this tests muscle strength in the presence of various allergens held by the patient. A loss of muscle strength in the arm allegedly indicates an allergy or intolerance. The allergy antidote allows muscle strength to return. This test is unreliable and the public should be discouraged from using it, according to the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
Hair analysis - a sample is analysed for trace element deficiencies or heavy metal toxicity. It has no allergy diagnostic value.
Provocation-neutralisation testing (Miller technique) and pulse tests - have both been found to be unreliable for diagnosing allergies.
Leucocytotoxic tests - first advocated in 1956, newer versions include Nutron and ALCAT tests, which measure changes in the blood cell size after the introduction of various food allergens (in a test tube). These tests are unreliable for diagnosing allergies or intolerances according to the European Academy for Allergology and Clinical Immunology.
Popular 'diagnoses' - usually advanced by alternative practitioners with no medical allergy training - include leaky gut syndrome, intestinal dysbiosis, chronic candidiasis, multiple chemical sensitivities and histaminosis. None of these disputed conditions has any link to allergic diseases.

barone

Deleted User wrote: »

OP it sounds like complete and utter bollox. When someone is allergic to something they produce antibodies to the allergen. The only way to test for these antibodies is with a blood sample, I just don't see how hair could possibly yield the amount of information they're claiming it does.

low tolerence isnt allergic..

got tested years ago above the old eyre square stores in galway..she had (i kid you not,crystals) different ones for different food groups etc..

i got a list of stuff im intolerant to aswell,some of it seems to be on the money,probly law of averages and combinations of,if your intolerant to this then this will affect you.. iwent coz i was getting terrible hangovers with little beer consumed..(budweiser)... said ive low tolerance to wheat or sumthing,no more beer since that day..cider is ok ..

havent had a bad hangover since,so in that respect it was worth the 20 quid

CrazyRabbit

Thanks Nevore.

I've read a lot of feedback from people who had the same 'hair' test and it's all positive. But looking at the above, it's raised some questions. I'll have to investigate further.

Coriolanus

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

Thanks Nevore.

I've read a lot of feedback from people who had the same 'hair' test and it's all positive. But looking at the above, it's raised some questions. I'll have to investigate further.

My pleasure.

I'd echo an above poster though in saying that itd be interesting to see if a blood or scratch test yielded the same results as the one you got done.

zuroph

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

Thanks Nevore.

I've read a lot of feedback from people who had the same 'hair' test and it's all positive. But looking at the above, it's raised some questions. I'll have to investigate further.

is there a specific food on the list that you feel definitely makes you nauseous?
A friend is doing a research study on allergies and tolerances at the moment in Kings College in London

Captain_Generic

Nevore wrote: »

I'd echo an above poster though in saying that itd be interesting to see if a blood or scratch test yielded the same results as the one you got done.

The trick is to tell them they're allergic to other tests, then they can never be proved wrong

barone

barone wrote: »

low tolerence isnt allergic..

got tested years ago above the old eyre square stores in galway..she had (i kid you not,crystals) different ones for different food groups etc..

i got a list of stuff im intolerant to aswell,some of it seems to be on the money,probly law of averages and combinations of,if your intolerant to this then this will affect you.. iwent coz i was getting terrible hangovers with little beer consumed..(budweiser)... said ive low tolerance to wheat or sumthing,no more beer since that day..cider is ok ..

havent had a bad hangover since,so in that respect it was worth the 20 quid

You were getting bad hangovers because Budweiser is muck.

I accept your point about intolerance being different to allergy.

So let's take lactose intolerance as an example. Lactose intolerance occurs in individuals who do not produce enough of the enzyme lactase to break it down.

How the hell is someone's hair going to provide any information whatsoever about the levels of lactase they are producing?

The OP's been had.

emer_b

Hi OP, I got a voodoo airy fairy version of that test done 6 yrs ago, got the results back and it was way worse than yours. I actually cried thinking I would starve if I did it, but then decided to cop on and give it a go.
After a few months I started to reintroduce some foods and over about a year I worked out exactly what the intolerances really were. I went from 2/3 migraines per week and constant stomach problems, to almost migraine free and a happy belly! I know about 5/6 things that I just can't eat and once you find alternatives you won't really miss them (except bread mmmm bread). Good luck whatever you decide to do!

How reliable was this test?

Splendour

JaxxYChicK wrote: »

Sounds a bit like Coeliac alright, no more beer for yoouuuuuu!

Not a problem-gluten free beer tastes just as good as regular beer

suicide_circus

OP the symptoms you describe point to 'Bonus Eruptus'. It's a terrible condition, where the skeleton tries to leap out of the mouth and escape the body. Your only hope is transdental electromicide.

MagicMarker

So, OP, what happens when you eat this food? Does your head explode?

If not, what's the problem?

Forest Master

I really pity gullible people.

There are proper tests that can be taken for genuine allergies. Either by your GP or by an allergy doctor such as Dr. Paul Carson in Stillorgan - he's one of the best in the country. All this "alternative" stuff is pseudo-science - food intolerance tests done on litmus paper from saliva or hair (where everyone who takes one seems to be lactose & wheat intolerant), kineasiology, homoeopathy, astrology, tarots, feng shui, crystal healing, reiki, angels, etc.

They did some proper research into this on BBC's Watchdog one week, on Penn & Teller's Bullsh*t, as well as on a Richard Dawkins documentary (The Enemies of Reason), and none of it holds any water based on the logical tests they did - all of these practices crumble under any sort of logical testing that requires actual tangible evidence to be produced. It's based on NOTHING! €58 for an "allergy test" from a hair? You've been had - you're worse for believing it - and there wouldn't be a market for it without gullible people.

Karona

I suffer from allergies, a whole lot of them and its terrible. I really should live in a bubble.

I had to see a allergy specialist in blackrock clinic and he cost an arm and a leg.

I had to get a skin prick test and loads of patch tests and blood tests.
They put the patch tests on my back which were supposed to be on for 2 days, they told me to get them on then come back in a half an hour, I came back after a half an hour and they had to take them off because i reacted so severly to them.

Turns out I'm allergic to Colophony, Mixed Fragrances, Salmon, Dogs and cut grass.

It can make your life a living hell and the butt of other peoples jokes.

OP really consider going to the doctor, dont waste your money on people that cant tell you accuratly what your allergic to.

Jaxxy

Splendour wrote: »

Not a problem-gluten free beer tastes just as good as regular beer

Where do you get that!? :eek:

Pace2008

Heading out now so haven't read the thread and will be brief:

Tl;dr, you took something like the nu-tron test; it's bull****, the foods it tells you you're allergic to are completely arbitrary, keep eating them and you'll be fine.

Gyalist

I'm afraid that you've wasted your money.

My son has a severe nut allergy so I've been to allergy specialists here, and in the US. Properly administered tests do not use a hair sample. You need proper testing from a specialist - most doctors aren't even trained to test for allergies.

ArtyM

Captain_Generic wrote: »

Most of my friendships do rely on my continued ability to eat onions

Yeah, its the onions I meant!
Not the "bread, most pepper/spices and anything with Gluten" - try attending any restaurant, dinner party, social event, or get-together without having to forewarn them of your inability to accept any food containing those ingredients. Popular you will be.

LETHAL LADY

After watching the lad on the late late eating tonnes of bananas I dared my hubby to swallow one whole. Obviously he told me to feck off and said he would vomit even after one bite. I then decided to do a home allergy test (squished some banana on part of his arm) he left it for a while and then his arm swelled up and came out in lumps.:eek:

Kevin Duffy

LETHAL LADY wrote: »

After watching the lad on the late late eating tonnes of bananas I dared my hubby to swallow one whole. Obviously he told me to feck off and said he would vomit even after one bite. I then decided to do a home allergy test (squished some banana on part of his arm) he left it for a while and then his arm swelled up and came out in lumps.:eek:

This the incident that led to your username, yes?