This week seems to be the allergy testing week. It started off with the food intolerance test. I decided to try the FACTest by GDX. I received it in the post yesterday and went and had the blood taken by a local laboratory and sent it off. So I'm just waiting for the results now.
Today I had an appointment with an allergy consultant that specialises in food allergies and illnesses. It started off with the usual questions and when we got to me saying I was coeliac, he asked if I was a real coeliac (why, do you have ones that aren't real?) and that I 'must have diarrhea then' to which Ireplied that many coeliacs suffer with constipation rather than the runs! So this food allergy specialist now has me worried because with questions like that, I'm wondering if it was really worth me driving all the way to see him. Then came the questions concerning food allergies and I wasn't sure I was allergic but probably intolerant as the reactions happen a few hours after eating and not immediately after eating. I saw his reaction and he basically didn't believe in the food intolerance bit and was quite condescending. It does get tiring having specialist after specialist not believe you. Do they really think we stop eating foods and making our lives hell for the fun of it! The last time I tried to reintroduce something - potatoes - my mouth and throat swelled up/became numb. I stop eating it and the symptoms disappear. I eat it again and they come back. I call that 'conclusive'.
So the testing started. A general range of common allergens were tested using a prick test on my arms and I was positive for certain grasses but not, fortunately, to dogs. We then proceeded with an asthma/respiratory test and he diagnosed me with moderate asthma (he thought I'd invented that too so was surprised by the result) even though I've had it for 20 years. By this point, he started to be a little less defensive. I have come away with a list of IgE blood tests to do as well as general blood work and I have to go back after that. I am a little concerned as he doesn't test for IgGs so I don't know how he will come to the conclusion of food intolerances. I guess we'll see. I'm very curious to see what the results will be for the GDX test as they are testing for IgGs. Perhaps I'll take a copy of the results with me when I go back....
I know, I'm being negative towards this poor man and I'd written him off before I even went in to see him but I feel like I've explained things so often already. In his favour, he is being thorough so perhaps he may have the answer to at least some of the questions. You never know, he may be able to help.
Today I had an appointment with an allergy consultant that specialises in food allergies and illnesses. It started off with the usual questions and when we got to me saying I was coeliac, he asked if I was a real coeliac (why, do you have ones that aren't real?) and that I 'must have diarrhea then' to which Ireplied that many coeliacs suffer with constipation rather than the runs! So this food allergy specialist now has me worried because with questions like that, I'm wondering if it was really worth me driving all the way to see him. Then came the questions concerning food allergies and I wasn't sure I was allergic but probably intolerant as the reactions happen a few hours after eating and not immediately after eating. I saw his reaction and he basically didn't believe in the food intolerance bit and was quite condescending. It does get tiring having specialist after specialist not believe you. Do they really think we stop eating foods and making our lives hell for the fun of it! The last time I tried to reintroduce something - potatoes - my mouth and throat swelled up/became numb. I stop eating it and the symptoms disappear. I eat it again and they come back. I call that 'conclusive'.
So the testing started. A general range of common allergens were tested using a prick test on my arms and I was positive for certain grasses but not, fortunately, to dogs. We then proceeded with an asthma/respiratory test and he diagnosed me with moderate asthma (he thought I'd invented that too so was surprised by the result) even though I've had it for 20 years. By this point, he started to be a little less defensive. I have come away with a list of IgE blood tests to do as well as general blood work and I have to go back after that. I am a little concerned as he doesn't test for IgGs so I don't know how he will come to the conclusion of food intolerances. I guess we'll see. I'm very curious to see what the results will be for the GDX test as they are testing for IgGs. Perhaps I'll take a copy of the results with me when I go back....
I know, I'm being negative towards this poor man and I'd written him off before I even went in to see him but I feel like I've explained things so often already. In his favour, he is being thorough so perhaps he may have the answer to at least some of the questions. You never know, he may be able to help.
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