Anyone used Enterolabs or Immunolabs?

[tnrsmom]

We are looking to do this testing for dd and would like feedback on either of them.

TIA
~Stephanie

[Chanley]

We did enterolab,

I liked how noninvasive it was.

[Panserbjorne]

We used Immunolabs. They were great-very quick, but TOTALLY screwed us with the billing. Took 6 months to rectify, and that was devastating to us. As a lab though, I really liked them.

[LaLa]

We used ImmunoLab. Our insurance didn't cover it, but two of my friends ran the same tests and theirs DID cover it!

I loved the report they sent with. Very detailed and the rotation menu was a nice idea (although not exactly practical as there is no way we'd eat as much fish as they suggested because of mercury concerns). The breakdown on proteins on the egg/dairy panel was helpful.

And I liked that they store the blood for one year in case you later decide to run another test (like on medals or Candida etc).

[tnrsmom]

Is there a spot where I can find exactly which tests they run and costs? I thought I found it before but can not find it anywhere now.

[Electra375]

http://www.finerhealth.com/

Why though would you not go to a Pedi GI and request the Celiac Disease Panel from Prometheus or Mayo Clinic (assuming Celiac is the reason, it's the only things I've seen people use these labs for, but my research is limited to CD given my families needs)?

Granted now that we've done the Prometheus labs and I'm negative for all medically accepted genes and negative on the entire CD panel, I'd like to do Enterolab to check for DQ1. I still think I have might have a gluten problem. But as an adult, I will go GF and see how it goes and won't worry about the test since my children will likely all be GF for CD, no one will question me as to my diet restrictions (I'll be doing it for them).

[LaLa]

Electra, the ImmunoLab won't diagnose Celiac (as you know) but gives a broad evaluation of food reactions. This can be helpful in starting an elimination diet in that you may not have tought of melon, or eggs if you were only focusing on gluten (for example).

Or if you take it and 3 of the gluten grains come back as reactive, that is a very reassuring indication that gluten IS a problem (vs those who are only wheat intollerant).

With ImmunoLab you can break down the reaction to the proteins in milk and the yold vs white in the egg to see if you are reacting to just whey or just casien or just the yolk.

It is a good overview. You can also opt to test for Candida, metals, environmental allergens, molds, and others. There are many reasons to use such a versital testing to get started in the right direction.

The problem I see with this is that it won't help you determine if you have Celiac disease or Leaky Gut or Candida. You can eliminate 30+ foods that come back reactive, but if the gut is damaged, odds are it will still be damaged. If you have Candida, odds are it will help tame the flare up, but you will still need to do treatments for flushing the yeast.

So, this testing can be a very helpful first step, but it is not the answer to all the problems by any means. I know a handful of people who have done the test and stuck to the diet only to find their children regress a year or two later and become intollerant to even more foods because their underlying gut or yeast issues were not being met.

BUT if you have stuck to the rotation diet the test recommends and don't get 100% improvment, then you know that you need to look down those paths, so it can be helpful in that regard too!

Bean did not regress, but she did hit a wall. She needed SCD eventually to heal that gut. I know 4 other women whose children needed priobiotics and antifungals to flush the yeast to get them past the hump in addition to the ImmunoLab testings.

So, that may not be the OP's answer to your question, but I am just sticking my big ol nose in there anyway

[Electra375]

If we're talking allergy help -- there are several other non-invasive options.
Applied Kinesiology (sp, sorry), this is taught in some Chiropractic schools.
But it would appear from LaLa's explaination of Immunolabs that they are more equiped to give you answer to a full spectrum of things. From what I know, Enterolab focuses on GI issues.

[Panserbjorne]

I'm confused...immunolabs did do candida and celiac diagnosis for us-it just cost extra. I think they needed to send it out to a different lab, but they did it. I agree that it gives a good profile, however just avoiding offending foods aren't going to heal the gut. As for the leaky gut thing-they don't diagnose that, but if you come back with 20 allergens, what do you need it to say? You have a leaky gut. For us it was doing the SCD after getting test results back (candida overgrowth, mold issues, 18+ allergens, and celiac in one) homeopathy and certain supplements that healed our collective guts.

[LaLa]

Originally Posted by firefaery

I'm confused...immunolabs did do candida and celiac diagnosis for us-it just cost extra. I think they needed to send it out to a different lab, but they did it. I agree that it gives a good profile, however just avoiding offending foods aren't going to heal the gut. As for the leaky gut thing-they don't diagnose that, but if you come back with 20 allergens, what do you need it to say? You have a leaky gut. For us it was doing the SCD after getting test results back (candida overgrowth, mold issues, 18+ allergens, and celiac in one) homeopathy and certain supplements that healed our collective guts.

ImmunoLabs diagnoses Celiac Disease? Through a blood test?
Or it identifies blood antibody reactions?
How did it diagnose? What did your chart say? (curious about that as I never heard that or read it in our literature?)

Yes, you can test for Candida, but my point was that many people who use ImmunoLabs do not run all the optional tests (because they cost extra) so they get the 200+ food tests and begin the recommended rotation diet through immunolab report that comes following the test. This rotatioin diet alone will not cure leaky gut or yeast issues for many people. It won't advise the SCDiet, so while you and I are aware of that and know to look for and how to proceed, many will just follow the ImmunoLab recommendations to do rotation diet until reintroducing those same foods, which will not help the scd or indicate per report a need for enzyme, yeast flush or a handful of other possible scenerios.
Does that make sense?

[Panserbjorne]

Absolutely, and I agree with that 100% The rotation diet just doesn't cut it. I don't know of a test that helps you with navigation of the gut health world after they hand over the results. SCD was a great find for us and I am eternally thankful.
They did diagnose an allergy to gluten and all gluten containing grains through a blood test-the report was included in our booklet, though I know we had to wait an extra two weeks because that test was definitely sent out-it wasn't done in house. But they compiled the results for us. It did cost ALOT extra-and that was part of our issue. Insurance authorized it, but they never submitted it so 4 months after the test was done they took the $ from our account (you have to give them a CC number even if insurance approves the test for them to cover their butts-and they apparently decided it would be easier tho charge us than bill insurance. $3000 later and a very overdrawn bank account I wasn't a happy camper. They EVENTUALLY sent us a check, but we bounced our rent check and couldn't do christmas this year. Unfortunately we dont have a CC so we had to just give them our debit card) Sorry-OT. They tested for: tTG and IgG, IgA atibodies. The labels on the pages were Gliadin/gluten antibody assay, tTG-IgA , tissue transglutaminase assay. After that there was a sheet (like after molds...you may need to watch out for blah blah blah) that said all the markers are there and indicate a need for biopsy for confirmation. Well, since my doc knew dd had it before we tested I had no reason to be invasive. So I guess they don't conclusively say, "yes you have CD" because the gold standard is the biopsy. We chose to do the genetic test instead. HTH.

[onlyboys]

We used Immunolabs. For the adult allergen panel and the IgG, IgA panels, it cost us about $500 cash paying. We chose the adult panel because it tests so much more than the pediatric.

Tell me about the genetic test, I've not heard of it.

[Panserbjorne]

Since I also have severe gluten intolerance (as does my mother, brother, grandfather etc.) we chose to to a genetic test that identifies the markers in the blood if you suspect CD was "inherited." We couldn't afford to have me tested, so we had dd tested and just followed the trail when the genetic test came back positive. I also had other symptoms as well, so we knew when she came back that I had celiac disease as well. My liver had begun to deteriorate which is common in CD. It's good to know for sure!

[LaLa]

ff, that makes sense!

[Panserbjorne]

Thanks...I never know if I'm being clear. Have I mentioned that we LOVE your Gluten Challenge site?

[tnrsmom]

Well, our doc wrote the script for the immunolabs today. Not sure exactly what he wrote it for. he was going to mail it or fax it to them today so I guess I'll kmnow for sure when the kit arrives. Hopefully it was for the full panel or we may have to redo it (the script not the test).