Adrenal Fatigue And Food Allergy Tests/gi Stuff

[majicbunnies]

Question #1: I looked up Adrenal Fatigue. Can you get tested for it? I didn't see anything about that.

Question #2, and 3, and 4...: I had a food allergy panel and celiac panel done earlier this week. They took blood, so I'm guessing it was all blood tests. I really hope I don't have anymore food allergies!! Anyway, I'm really confused about the testing done.

I tested positive for gluten intolerance from a blood test about a year ago. This time, I guess they did the same thing, just to do it..I told my doctor I wanted to be diagnosed officially with celiac, if I have it, so she ordered the blood test they did, and said weather it comes back positive or not, I'm going to get some kind of other test done with a GI doctor.

I was wondering if I really have to eat gluten to be tested however they'll be testing me? I don't understand what kinds of tests are out there either for diagnosing celiac. I heard you have to eat gluten for a while, and I hope that's not true. I could lose my job because I get sick for about 3 days if I get glutened!

I also hear that you can keep track of everything you buy that's gluten-free and get your money back from the whole tax thing..I don't completely understand all of that stuff yet..heh. I hear that's only true though if you've been diagnosed with celiac and not just intolerance.

ANDDD you can be intolerant and not have celiac???

If anyone can clear any of this up, it'd be a big help. Thanks =)

ALSO..sorry..can you get glutened from hair dye? Lotions? Shampoos? Body Wash?

I hear you can, but doesn't the damage happen in your intestines?? Skin doesn't seem like an issue...

Thank you very much =)

[Ursa Major]

Hi, and welcome to this board.

First of all, if you tested positive a year ago, and you know that gluten makes you terribly sick, there is absolutely no reason to be tested for celiac disease again. And yes, if your doctor wants you to have a biopsy, you will have to eat at least four slices of bread a day for at least six months to a year, to even have a remote chance of a positive biopsy. Which would be insane, as you would have to severely damage your intestines again, just to maybe confirm what you already know (and most likely, you'd get a false negative, and it would all be for nothing).

Please, don't do it! It might make you incredibly sick, and possibly even lead to other severe health problems.

As to getting your money in taxes back, if you have been officially diagnosed, that is very overrated. Some people here have tried that. You can only claim the difference between what 'normal' food and gluten-free food costs. So, if you buy a loaf of gluten-free bread, you can claim the difference between the price of wheat bread and gluten-free bread. You would have to keep track of every single loaf of bread, cookies, cake mixes, pasta etc., and find out the price of the non-gluten-free stuff, figure out the difference, and claim it.

It's an insane amount of time you'll spend on that, and unless you eat a ton of those types of foods, it won't be worth it.

Yes, you can be intolerant to gluten, without officially having celiac disease. Which doesn't mean that you won't be just as sick if you ingest gluten.

And you can definitely get glutened from shampoo, conditioner, lipstick, soap, lotions etc. You will inevitably eat some lipstick when you eat. If you wash your hands with soap that contains gluten, and eat finger food.....bingo, glutened. If you put lotion containing gluten on your hands, or apply it with your hands to another body part, same thing. You run your fingers through your hair that's been washed with gluteny shampoo...........I guess you get the idea. Toothpaste can also contain gluten.

If you see wheat germ oil, barley extract, oat bran etc. on a product, don't use it. Also, vitamin E can be made from wheat germ oil.

And skin is an issue with me, I get insanely itchy from gluten containing shampoo or lotion, and they will give me rashes, too (not necessarily DH, but I can't be sure).

As to adrenal fatigue, your regular GP is not likely going to diagnose you, or even test for it. You'd have to see a naturopathic doctor, or at least a doctor who will practice both mainstream and alternative healthcare.

[CarlaB]

I got diagnosed by hair analysis for adrenal fatigue. They can also diagnose by saliva testing. As Ursula said, it is not often looked at by a regular physician as it's "sub-clinical" meaning that you are not actually diseased, you just feel really bad and are probably on your way there. Same with gluten intolerance. Many of us with gluten intolerance just caught it before it was full-blown celiac disease.

I use all gluten-free products, but I do not worry about hair dye -- my stylist dyes my hair, then washes it off, so other than touching my head, it doesn't touch me and is washed off immediately. I do not know if it has gluten or not.

Like Ursula said, if you were tested last year and have been off gluten, your test this year will be negative. You would have to go on a long gluten challenge to do the biopsy and at great risk to your health and comfort. Your first test along with dietary response is enough for diagnosis. The only thing a test now could tell you is whether all gluten is out of your diet or not, if you don't have any gluten in your diet, after 1 year gluten-free, your blood test should be negative.

[majicbunnies]

I got diagnosed by hair analysis for adrenal fatigue. They can also diagnose by saliva testing. As Ursula said, it is not often looked at by a regular physician as it's "sub-clinical" meaning that you are not actually diseased, you just feel really bad and are probably on your way there. Same with gluten intolerance. Many of us with gluten intolerance just caught it before it was full-blown celiac disease.

I use all gluten-free products, but I do not worry about hair dye -- my stylist dyes my hair, then washes it off, so other than touching my head, it doesn't touch me and is washed off immediately. I do not know if it has gluten or not.

Like Ursula said, if you were tested last year and have been off gluten, your test this year will be negative. You would have to go on a long gluten challenge to do the biopsy and at great risk to your health and comfort. Your first test along with dietary response is enough for diagnosis. The only thing a test now could tell you is whether all gluten is out of your diet or not, if you don't have any gluten in your diet, after 1 year gluten-free, your blood test should be negative.

First of all, if you tested positive a year ago, and you know that gluten makes you terribly sick, there is absolutely no reason to be tested for celiac disease again. And yes, if your doctor wants you to have a biopsy, you will have to eat at least four slices of bread a day for at least six months to a year, to even have a remote chance of a positive biopsy. Which would be insane, as you would have to severely damage your intestines again, just to maybe confirm what you already know (and most likely, you'd get a false negative, and it would all be for nothing).

Please, don't do it! It might make you incredibly sick, and possibly even lead to other severe health problems.

As to getting your money in taxes back, if you have been officially diagnosed, that is very overrated. Some people here have tried that. You can only claim the difference between what 'normal' food and gluten-free food costs. So, if you buy a loaf of gluten-free bread, you can claim the difference between the price of wheat bread and gluten-free bread. You would have to keep track of every single loaf of bread, cookies, cake mixes, pasta etc., and find out the price of the non-gluten-free stuff, figure out the difference, and claim it.

It's an insane amount of time you'll spend on that, and unless you eat a ton of those types of foods, it won't be worth it.

Yes, you can be intolerant to gluten, without officially having celiac disease. Which doesn't mean that you won't be just as sick if you ingest gluten.

And you can definitely get glutened from shampoo, conditioner, lipstick, soap, lotions etc. You will inevitably eat some lipstick when you eat. If you wash your hands with soap that contains gluten, and eat finger food.....bingo, glutened. If you put lotion containing gluten on your hands, or apply it with your hands to another body part, same thing. You run your fingers through your hair that's been washed with gluteny shampoo...........I guess you get the idea. Toothpaste can also contain gluten.

If you see wheat germ oil, barley extract, oat bran etc. on a product, don't use it. Also, vitamin E can be made from wheat germ oil.

And skin is an issue with me, I get insanely itchy from gluten containing shampoo or lotion, and they will give me rashes, too (not necessarily DH, but I can't be sure).

As to adrenal fatigue, your regular GP is not likely going to diagnose you, or even test for it. You'd have to see a naturopathic doctor, or at least a doctor who will practice both mainstream and alternative healthcare.

Ursula and CarlaB-Thank you for the info. I had the blood test and that tested positive for gluten INTOLERANCE, so I've never been tested or diagnosed with the disease. If it's going to be trouble to get the biopsy and I have to eat gluten, I'm not doing it. And if that's true about getting back the difference of the cost of food, I'm not doing it for that reason. I was pretty much wanting to get diagnosed for that reason only, but not anymore.

I'll look into the Adrenal thing, too (look for a doctor, etc.)

Thank you!