Food allergy/intolerance test? NHS?

emmafifema · 27 July 2014 at 9:30PM

Hi,

I have had IBS for many years but do not know what sparks it off and after having a really long and bad bout of it I'm thinking of having a food allergy/intolerance test done to find out what foods could be causing the problem...

My question is, will my GP be able to refer me to have this test done on the nhs?

thanks
Emma

Torry_Quine · 27 July 2014 at 9:40PM

We can't give medical advice here. I would say that you need to speak to your GP and get a referral to a dietician.

emmafifema · 27 July 2014 at 9:45PM

Hi,
thanks for your response, it's not medical advice I'm after just information as to whether GP's do the test or not as if not I will have to pay a lot of money to get it done elsewhere

thanks

beluga · 28 July 2014 at 11:07AM

I'm in a similar position, and when I asked my GP I was told that it's not funded in my area, but is in some, so it depends where you live! IBS is a horible thing to live with, best of luck getting some answers x

PS the only thing that really helped me is probiotic yogurt, everyday.

Bargain_Bette · 28 July 2014 at 12:45PM

onions are really bad for IBS, the body finds it hard to digest. shallots on the other hand are better. though there are annoyingly small. There are lots of foods that people with IBS can't digest and it would be best to talk to a specialist. With regards to the allergy testing i thnk you can go to the doctor and they can do limited tests or you can go to a NHS allergy clinic. Hope that helps

sulphate · 28 July 2014 at 12:50PM

Have you had a blood test for coeliac disease? It is recommended if you have IBS.

Snuggles · 28 July 2014 at 12:57PM

I'm really not sure that allergy testing would help you. As far as I'm aware, food allergies and IBS are not connected.

I am allergic to certain foods, mostly fruits, and if I eat them I suffer an allergic reaction within ten minutes or so. However this doesn't trigger my IBS. My IBS is triggered by other types of foods - foods which I am NOT allergic to.

I would have thought that the best way to work out which foods trigger your IBS is to keep a food and symptom diary so you can look for patterns of what foods you had been eating prior to getting symptoms of IBS.

For me it's mostly fried or roasted foods which trigger my IBS, or just generally eating too much rich food. But I'm not allergic to any of these foods.

Torry_Quine · 28 July 2014 at 1:47PM

emmafifema wrote: »

Hi,
thanks for your response, it's not medical advice I'm after just information as to whether GP's do the test or not as if not I will have to pay a lot of money to get it done elsewhere

thanks

To determine food intolerances/sensitivities then there is no test. the best way to find which if any foods you are intolerant to then an elimination diet is the best way, done under the supervision of a dietician. This should be available under the NHS but even if you can be referred there may be a very long waiting list. It takes a long time to go through the process so could be very costly if done privately.

A.Penny.Saved · 28 July 2014 at 2:11PM

Food allergy tests are very unreliable and there are different types of allergy testing. There is a simple skin !!!!! test where they put an allergen onto your arm and then stamp it with a skin pricker. If it swells then it is said to be a positive test. That is for IgE antibodies. There are other anti body tests which require a blood sample.

However none seem very reliable.

I had a skin !!!!! test referral by my GP and I was allergic to everything that I eat plus dust and pollen etc. Not really much help and that is what can happen, they are unreliable.

terra_ferma · 28 July 2014 at 3:29PM

Torry_Quine wrote: »

To determine food intolerances/sensitivities then there is no test. the best way to find which if any foods you are intolerant to then an elimination diet is the best way, done under the supervision of a dietician. This should be available under the NHS but even if you can be referred there may be a very long waiting list. It takes a long time to go through the process so could be very costly if done privately.

was going to mention those too, as well as the FODMAP diet (developed by a university, properly researched). Again speak to your GP or someone qualified like a dietician who has expertise in this area.

trolleyrun · 28 July 2014 at 9:40PM

Snuggles wrote: »

I'm really not sure that allergy testing would help you. As far as I'm aware, food allergies and IBS are not connected.

I am allergic to certain foods, mostly fruits, and if I eat them I suffer an allergic reaction within ten minutes or so. However this doesn't trigger my IBS. My IBS is triggered by other types of foods - foods which I am NOT allergic to.

I would have thought that the best way to work out which foods trigger your IBS is to keep a food and symptom diary so you can look for patterns of what foods you had been eating prior to getting symptoms of IBS.

For me it's mostly fried or roasted foods which trigger my IBS, or just generally eating too much rich food. But I'm not allergic to any of these foods.

My IBS is definitely triggered by food allergies/intolerance. Any time I (accidentally) eat gluten or wheat products, my IBS kicks off big time. It takes a few days to get back to "normal". I suspect I'm coeliac, but I can't bear the pain to do the test. I won't get tested until a new test is developed - if that ever happens. I know quite a few of my colleagues also have similar issues with various foods triggering their IBS. So as far as I'm concerned, they're allergic/intolerant to these foods. Then again, I'm not a doctor or healthcare professional.

I do find it interesting how many people I meet who have IBS but just take medication without trying to find out what triggers it in the first place. It's like anything that isn't well with the body. I want to find out what causes any discomfort. Doctors aren't always very good at diagnosing gastro problems, but it's important to go see your GP regardless. You know your body - listen to it

Food allergy/intolerance test? NHS?

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