Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards

Well it's a complicated business, and obviously not a failsafe solution to IBS or everyone would be doing it and nobody would have symptoms anymore. So... I'll try to answer your questions one at a time:

1) How do you know if the foods that come back with a reaction are actually causing gastrointestinal distress and not just something such as a puffy eyes or something you don't even realize you have?
Well, simply, you don't, as far as I'm aware! I work on the assumption that if I'm intolerant to something it'll have a negative effect somwhere, whether I'm aware of it or not, and I don't know of any positive reactions - so it certainly can't harm to cut out certain foods!

2) Also, even though you speak with a nutritionist, do they give you an actual diet you can follow? Is it a rotational diet? Or do you cut these foods out of your diet altogether forever?
It is an hour long consultation, and the nutritionist provides advice based on what you tell her - so obviouslythere is no 'specific' diet, as it is tailored just for you, based on both your intolerances and your food dislikes and likes. They do recommend you cut out foods that show up a severe reaction (the red category - just dairy for me), and also those that show a medium reaction - then start reintroducing them one at a time after 3 months, and monitoring your reaction to them, introducing the ones you had the lowest reaction to first.

3) many of the foods that came up as no allergy, I know I cannot handle such as apples, peaches, nuts. I definitely know I cannot digest these foods but with the ALCAT test it comes up under the foods that I am able to eat. Could the YORK Test possibly be the same way?
Yes, of course this can happen with any test - no one test can possible check for every single reaction you are capable of having. Also, bear in mind things might show up with zero reaction that you know you can't eat - for example, I showed up having a medium reaction to egg whites, and no reaction to egg yolks - however, I know from both experience and Heather's diet that I can't take egg yolks. However, this isn't because I have a 'reaction' to it, it is just because it is high in fat and therefore tough for someone with IBS to digest - does that make sense? There is no test that can check for general things such as that - because there is no reaction to measure, just a difficulty in digesting them.

I would give YorkTest a call anyway and discuss all your concerns with them - I found them friendly and helpful, and I guess they can help you far better than I can!

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