York allergy tests - £250 - Good value?

Petal_3

I looked these up on the net having seen someone on gmtv yesterday who had used it and found she had much more energy etc. having given up the foods she was allergic to. I'm really totally fed up with lack of energy, strange bloating/IBS symptoms etc. and wondered if something like this would be worth looking into.

Any experiences anyone? Seems a lot of money. Am I better seeking the advice of a professional with that sort of money?
~x~

wigginsmum

I did the York allergy test about 5 years ago and it correctly identified wheat as an intolerance. However it pulled up such a long list of other stuff that if I'd heeded it all I'd've never eaten a meal again - dairy, rice, nuts, legumes, shellfish, citrus fruit, brassicas, the nightshade family ... just cutting out the wheat has helped me.

However it's a lot of money to pay out; can't your GP send you for allergy testing if you suspect it's that bad? My GP sent me for a colonoscopy - I was eventually diagnosed with IBS, and I'm going to ask to be tested for full-on coeliac disease.

Petal_3

I know what you mean...but it does seem to be a pretty detailed test so I guess it would throw up all kinds of stuff, then you have to sort your way through how each food affects you. I'm just so fed up with feeling lethargic all the time.....I figured I ought to do something about it!

Good Luck with the tests....

~x~

thetope

well i am not sure how intensive the testing is, but £250 does seem a little steep! my local health food chain does allergy testing for £29... i had it done and found i was "allergic" to dairy products, citrus products, caffeine/chocolate and potatoes. Unfortunately i just can't live without dairy, but at least i know what to cut down on if i'm feeling particularly bad

Ted_Hutchinson

Petal wrote:

I'm just so fed up with feeling lethargic all the time.....I figured I ought to do something about it!

I wonder if you have read any of my information about Vitamin d. One site which sets out the importance of having higher levels of vitamin d is Weston Price The Miracle of Vitamin d As improving your vitamin d status can be done safely and for free this may be a way to go to improve your energy levels. Sunarc is another good site with lots of up to date scientific information. The maps there showing the distribution of sun related cancers are quite dramatic.

The relevance of this to someone with IBS is that vitamin d acts also as an antiinflammatory and anti-biotic agent and contols your Auto immune response system. There is evidence that IBS is an autoimmune condition so improving your immune/autoimmune system by topping up with Vitamin d for free now and with supplements from September may be a MONEYSAVING way to go, that is if you are not sufficiently impressed with the anti cancer properties of vitamin d as set out at the Sunarc site and haven't yet cottoned on to the fact that it's healthier having a higher level of vitamin d anyway.
Vitamin Requirements for Optimal Health

skyrocket

I met a fabulous woman the other day who swore by this company. She had severe ME and could barely walk when the ME was bad and also was very overweight. After having this test she cut out all the foods and lost 5 stone and the ME is very much improved. She was in a womans magazine (Prima I think) and is going to be in a few newspapers about it.
It changed her life. Her son has ADHD amnd she manages this through his diet as she had the test done for him too. It is a lot of money but it's a very comprehensive test and if you feel that allergies are a problem worth the money IMHO.
Sky x

Petal_3

Thanks for your replies. I hadn't been taking any supplements but have been given a Usana healthpack by my dentist (just had a bone graft....v sore!) and she's given me a months worth. I just looked and they contain Vit. D3 so I'll go off and look that up

christabell

USANA are a MLM company....hardly moneysaving. The only recommendations I have seen about USANA is their own advertising however.
Good luck, get well soon

Petal_3

My dentist gave them to me (well, I guess she factored them into the cost of the dental work...lol) I looked them up on the net and from the few things that I read I don't think I'll be buying any of their products.

Mrs_Bear

I took the York tests after being ill for ages - I had a colonoscopy and the hospital told me I had some weird autoimmune disease that manifested itself by increasing the widths of the bands of collagen in the bowel..... not much use to man nor beast in terms of sorting out the symptoms.

I took the York test and discovered that I was severely affected by lactose in any form (as well as cranberries, but that hardly matters!) I stopped having milk, cheese, butter, marg, examined every label (you'd be surprised where lactose turns up - crisps, sweets, medicines, gravy, sauces etc etc) It was amazing! My symptoms disappeared and when they turn up I know I have had something I shouldn't.

All I can say is that I have found it to be invaluable. I'm a hard headed scientific type and I have been convinced of the value of it. Numerous tests (ooh, the colonoscopy.... that was awful! I felt everything and was wide awake when they did it. Saw every inch of my colon. Not something I ever anticipated seeing, I have to say!) and the NHS came up with a diagnosis but no treatment. One simple blood test, expensive yes, and I found out how to live comfortably.

I miss cheeses though.... Anyway, make your decision. All of this is only my experience.

Hope you feel better soon!

Dora_the_Explorer_5

To save money, you could first of all talk to your GP about your symptoms to discover if they're caused by something other than an allergic reaction. The NHS will do allergy testing for free. Although there may be a waiting list for this at your local hospital, you can now chose to attend any hospital with a shorter waiting list.