Making a list of foods to test... did I miss any?

[changingseasons]

Recently found out that my ped can order blood tests for me, which is good because I have yet to find an allergist that I like... Anyway, we did some testing for a few things last appointment, but I want more. She told me that there are 2 labs (local, in network) that can do both IgE and IgG.

So... here is my list so far. Help me think of things that I've forgotten (that we might actually want to add into our diet.) I know the doctor is going to laugh at me, and tell me that they will have to draw 10 vials of blood.... but I'm really tired of trying to add food to our diet and then finding out months down the road that DD is allergic. It's getting frustrating. Plus, I'm curious to see how the results will compare to her ELISA last year.

Oh- and we already tested wheat, dairy, soy, corn- in case you're wondering why those aren't on the list. They also did a "fish mix" and "tree nut mix", but I would really like to see if the other lab can test each one individually.


Beef
Chicken
Turkey
Pork

Rice
Buckwheat
Oats
Quinoa

Shellfish
(shrimp, clam, ?)

Halibut
Salmon
Cod
Trout

Almonds
Walnuts
Pecans
Chestnuts
Pine nuts
Brazil nuts
Cashews
Pistachios
Shea nut

Green beans
Broccoli
Zucchini
Winter squash
Tomato
Carrot
Green pea
Lentil
Potato
Sweet potato
Rutabaga or turnip
Beet
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Onion
Olive
Spinach

Apple
Canteloups
Grape
Blueberry
Raspberry
Peach
Pear
Orange
Cranberry
Avocado
Banana
Cherry
Pineapple
Plum

Sunflower seed
Pumpkin seed

Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Garlic
Chocolate
Rosemary
Basil
Dill

[changingseasons]

Just thought of a couple more:

Safflower
Palm (oil)

[mtn.mama]

sorghum
amaranth
millet

black beans
pinto beans
garbanzo beans
white beans
etc?

flax
poppy
mustard

peppers
tomatoes
eggplant
kale
brussel sprouts
leeks
chard

black peppercorns
oregano
parsley
cilantro
ginger
vanilla

kiwi
grapefruit
lemon
strawberry
raspberry
blackberry

eta: canola

[Theloose]

sage
nettles
other herbs
sugarcane
sugar beets
eggs - chicken, duck, quail, etc
squid
mussels
clams
various mushrooms
honeydew
mango
papaya


If you look up how they do IgG testing, iirc, they basically go to the store to get food, and then prep it, mix it with your blood, and see how the blood looks under a microscope. I keep wondering if there's a reasonable way to replicate that at home, using foods you might actually consume - like the walnuts in your yard or corn/soy-free chicken rather than the (conventional?) produce or grain fed meat or whatever it is they *think* you're eating.

[changingseasons]

Aaaah- I knew I could count on you guys to give me a better list.

That's a good question Shannon... I wish I knew a way to do it!

Oh- eggs were also on the last test, although they forgot to test IgG- only did IgE- so maybe I will add them again.

[lil_miss_understood]

Have you considered doing the single draw, combination IgE and IgG 96 food with optional additional food panel from US BioTek?
I can't think of anything else to add to the list.

[changingseasons]

Originally Posted by JacquelineR

Have you considered doing the single draw, combination IgE and IgG 96 food with optional additional food panel from US BioTek?
I can't think of anything else to add to the list.

Yeah... but then I have to pay for it. This is going straight through a normal, local lab, so insurance should cover it. Also, I wanted one that gives me separate IgE and IgG results. I did mine through Meridian Valley and they are combined... and that annoyed me. Not sure why.

[lil_miss_understood]

Originally Posted by changingseasons

Yeah... but then I have to pay for it. This is going straight through a normal, local lab, so insurance should cover it. Also, I wanted one that gives me separate IgE and IgG results. I did mine through Meridian Valley and they are combined... and that annoyed me. Not sure why.

These are separate results as well. It's not "Oh it might be IgE or IgG, there was a reaction but can't tell you which antibody" (as what I understand you're saying).
But I totally get if your insurance won't cover US BioTek why you'd do it like this instead. Although US BioTek is in Seattle, so maybe it is the lab? Wouldn't that be cool?

[changingseasons]

Originally Posted by JacquelineR

These are separate results as well. It's not "Oh it might be IgE or IgG, there was a reaction but can't tell you which antibody" (as what I understand you're saying).
But I totally get if your insurance won't cover US BioTek why you'd do it like this instead. Although US BioTek is in Seattle, so maybe it is the lab? Wouldn't that be cool?

It's not... I asked. But that would be cool!

[Theloose]

persimmons

from the little it of reading I did last night, have you looked at hyperimmunoglobulin E syndrome? It's a genetic thing, can be dominant or recessive, and is associated with much lower than normal levels of interferon gamma. Apparently interferon (IFN) gamma is involved in regulation of IgE/IgG levels - too high and you get lots of IgG's, too low and you get lots of IgG's. It looks like there are non-genetic variations in IFN gamma levels as well, so it might be an angle worth getting more info about?

I found one study that talks about low vit A causing high IFN gamma causing high IgG's, so there's at least *some* nutrient connection in the whole mess. Next step would be to figure out if there are more connections and which ones might be relevant.

(let me know if you want me to dig up links to the studies)

Are you thinking she's already IgE to these foods and it just takes a while for the reactions to show up? Or do you think she keeps developing new IgE's?

[changingseasons]

Originally Posted by whoMe

persimmons

from the little it of reading I did last night, have you looked at hyperimmunoglobulin E syndrome? It's a genetic thing, can be dominant or recessive, and is associated with much lower than normal levels of interferon gamma. Apparently interferon (IFN) gamma is involved in regulation of IgE/IgG levels - too high and you get lots of IgG's, too low and you get lots of IgG's. It looks like there are non-genetic variations in IFN gamma levels as well, so it might be an angle worth getting more info about?

I found one study that talks about low vit A causing high IFN gamma causing high IgG's, so there's at least *some* nutrient connection in the whole mess. Next step would be to figure out if there are more connections and which ones might be relevant.

(let me know if you want me to dig up links to the studies)

Are you thinking she's already IgE to these foods and it just takes a while for the reactions to show up? Or do you think she keeps developing new IgE's?

I honestly have no clue, and both options are frightening in their own way.

[lil_miss_understood]

various mints
brewer's yeast
baking yeast
nutritional yeast
grapeseed oil
yams
kohlrabi
rhubarb
tomatillos
celery
wild rice
apricot
dates
figs

[changingseasons]

Thanks!! Good additions.

Oh, how they are going to laugh at me when I hand them this huge list tomorrow.... Wish me luck.

[Theloose]

Would it be worth it to prioritize a little, so that if they outright refuse such a long list, you're not scrambling to shorten it on the spot?

[changingseasons]

Yeah- I was thinking about that. I'll probably put an asterisk next to the ones that are really important to me.

[lil_miss_understood]

Originally Posted by changingseasons

Yeah- I was thinking about that. I'll probably put an asterisk next to the ones that are really important to me.

Could you maybe go through the list and try to prioritize at least one from each food family?

[lil_miss_understood]

[chlobo]

How did it go?

[changingseasons]

Originally Posted by chlobo

How did it go?

We're about to leave for our appointment... fingers crossed.

[changingseasons]

grrr... that was a big waste of time.

We're down to one car (DP's is in need of a crazy expensive repair), so he had to take 1/2 a day off (which we can't afford) so that we could make it to this doctor's appointment for the blood draw.

I showed the nurse my list of foods, and she said there was no way we could do it, because they need 1ml of blood for EACH food to be tested- and if I want IgE and IgG, then 2ml for each. And the most they can draw at one time for her age/weight is 10ml. So FIVE FOODS.

Fine... I picked my 5 foods, and she spent 20 minutes poking and prodding and couldn't get any blood. DD did great with it- didn't even fuss when she was poking the needle all around trying to get the vein. But now we have to go back AGAIN (we're going back to our normal lab to get the blood drawn), which means more blood draws. And more time off work.

And I'm extra annoyed about this because if the doctor had actually listened to me telling her that I wanted to test for a big list of foods, she could have just told me upfront that they couldn't do it.

...sigh...