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Allergies and intolerances

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How accurate are skin prick tests?

6 replies

VerityBrulee · 22/06/2010 12:41

About 20 years ago I had a skin prick test and was told to avoid wheat and dairy. I had been suffering with severe acidic stomach pains which disappeared when I gave up wheat and dairy. I was very strict with my diet for 13 years until pregnancy cravings got the better of me and I eventually went back to eating wheat and dairy with no ill effects.

However the same acidic pains came back recently so for 3 months I have been off wheat and dairy for one month. I feel much better, but I wanted a test to back it up as it is a quite restrictive way to eat.

So I had the test yesterday. I had no rection to wheat, but did react to dairy, soya, tomato, potatoe, fungus, yeast and pollen. In fact the largest weals were for pollen and yeast. The thing is, I don't get hayfever! Dh and ds1 do and at this time of year cannot function without anti-histamines, but I never need to take them. This has made me doubt the whole test. The doctor wants me to go on a strict yeast and sugar elimination diet, while staying off dairy and gluten, which means my diet will be incredibly restricted for 4-8 weeks. My heart sinks when I think about it. The dc get their summer hols on friday and I will be really busy while trying to exist on fish, chicken, brown rice and veggies.

I waited weeks for the appointment, spent 200 Euro and am totally confused! When I brought up the pollen question, the doctor just brushed it off. Now I don't know whether to trust the results or not.

Any ideas?

OP posts:
PixieOnaLeaf · 22/06/2010 12:43

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VerityBrulee · 22/06/2010 12:50

No, it was done in a big GP type pratice with a conventionally trained doctor who has an interest in alternative medicine. It took ages to get an appointment as he is very well regarded.

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PixieOnaLeaf · 22/06/2010 12:55

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PixieOnaLeaf · 22/06/2010 12:56

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VerityBrulee · 22/06/2010 13:05

Thanks Pixie, it was the normal skin prick test, they tested 25 substances with positive and negative controls. I wanted this type of test as I wouldn't trust anything else. I am just really thrown by the pollen, and this has made me doubt all the results. The yeast and pollen weals were 7 mm the others were 2/4mm, but I have just read that anything less than 5 mm is insignificant, and between 5 and 10mm is only mildly sensitive.

I have been reading up on Candida and yeast intolerance since yesterday and have very few of the many symptoms.

I suppose I'm just not convinced that such a severe detox is necessary, but on the other hand, why get the test if I'm going to ignore it!

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babybarrister · 22/06/2010 18:52

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