IgG antibodies are somewhat controversial in food allergy testing. Traditional views are that only the IgE antibodies are significant, but more is being learned of the different role of the antibody types in allergy and more importantly, the inflammation reaction that accompanies them. You only have to consider celiac disease, which can be extremely serious, to realize that IgA antibodies, as opposed to IgE are very significant (and indeed more so than any others), thus expanding the consideration for antibody type consideration in immune function.
Anyway, we decided to re-check Tom's IgG antibody test, since his last one was done in August 2009.
We use the Great Plains Lab test, which Tricare covers, we can do at home with a finger prick and covers 94 elements in all.
The test rates foods on a colour scale, with green representing 'clinically insignificant', yellow 'low', orange 'moderate' and red 'high'.
Last time we ran the test Tom had 3 moderate foods (garbanzo bean (chick pea), pea and peanut) and 12 low foods (egg white, grape, orange, whey, lentil, pineapple, coconut, egg yolk, grapefruit, almond, cheese and lemon).
I think it's a testament to Tom's improved health and gut function that our latest test showed a distinct improvement. This time we had only 1 moderate item (pineapple) and 5 low (cane sugar, grapefruit, lemon, kidney bean and pinto bean).
So, we've gone from 15 foods to 6.
Some foods increased in reactivity -
Kidney bean from 1.39 to 2.42
Pinto bean from 1.19 to 2.14
Grapefruit from 2.21 to 2.98
Lemon from 2.02 to 2.74
Pineapple from 2.38 to 4.14
Cane sugar from 1.25 to 3.24.
But, it certainly is nice to see the egg ones drop off the radar, at least for this antibody type, and the pea and peanut ones. I always worried about the peanut one, just in case, but it looks like that's calmed down.
On the whole it looks like Tom's immune system is calming down, which can only mean that any accompanying inflammation is also easing up. Always good news.
So, that's it for the IgGs. You're up to date!
2 comments:
That's awesome that you've had so much improvement in his gut. Yay for decreasing sensitivities and allergies. I've been seeing info where the frequency with which some low sensitivities foods are eaten will increase the sensitivity. Does that seem like it fell into place with you guys at all?
We took Tom off all the reactive foods when he was 2, for at least a year. Then, we gradually added them back in, or at least some of them, but one at a time and maybe once a week or so to see if he had any problems with them.
Then, a few weeks later, if no issues with one thing, we'd try another. I only recently added the peanut one back and that we rotate with other nut butters, such as cashew, hazelnut and almond. But, so far no reaction. I can tell if he has pineapple (which gives him tummy issues). I don't see any reactions with orange juice, which is awesome and we also don't have any problems with coconut and this past week I gave him a scrambled egg with some veggies and sausage and he didn't have any issues with that either. He's definitely less reactive to things. All this from a kid who would previously have constant (8 times a day) diarrhea. He's GFCFSF, but most other things he tolerates. I'm even thinking about retrying gluten, since he's allergic to milk, reacts in the same way to soy, even though he has no soy allergy, but no gluten allergy, so we might see on that one!
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