To ask if anyone has had the YorkTest food intolerance test?

[RhodaCamel]

I’ve had IBS for a long time but the last couple of years it has been quite bad with symptoms on an almost daily basis. It really is controlling my life. My gp and hospital have basically written me off since I’ve had clear stool tests, coeliac test, colonoscopy, gastroscope and upper ultrasound scans, nothing untoward has shown up. The gastroenterologist at the hospital has said he can do nothing for me as the tests were all clear and I am to go back to my gp, she only offers the standard IBS meds which haven’t helped me.
I’ve tried the low fodmap diet twice under a hospital dietician with no real change in my symptoms.
I listen to an IBS hypnotherapy app each night which isn’t particularly helpful.
One of my last chance options is the YorkTest, I have often thought of trying this but it is very expensive (although has a January sale atm so its £199, still expensive though imo).
The reviews in Trust Pilot are really positive and some bloggers I’ve come across have said its really helped them but how to know if they are genuine or being paid to say so? I’ve not met anyone in RL who has tried this test.
I know there will be people who say it’s a con but I wonder if there is anyone here who has actually tried this or any other intolerance blood test and what your experience was?

Hmm, that's really hard, and in afraid I wouldn't trust bloggers either, for something that could have a huge impact on your life.
Hopefully someone that has done it will be along soon.

Yes I've had it. I had awful migraines and felt it might be related to food intolerance. However, the test showed no allergies and no intolerances. It was a quick simple process through.

I don't believe anything "bloggers" or "influencers" say... It's been proven in the past that they don't try the products they promote... They just do it for the money...

I did it about 12 years ago for IBS; I can't remember what it said, although I think I saw the report a few weeks ago when looking for paperwork for my tax return, so if I can locate it and it suggests anything that I agree is a trigger (from patterns, and trial and error!), I'll come back to this thread. I am pretty sure nothing significant came up.

There are tests for allergies but there are no reliable tests for intolerances. There is an elimination diet devised by the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Allergy Unit. It's the only one of its type in the world. This is what you need to do under the supervision of an accredited dietitian.

A headline www.dietvsdisease.org/failsafe-rpah-food-chemical-diet/

www.slhd.nsw.gov.au/rpa/allergy/

They publish a handbook and a recipe book (updated this year) www.slhd.nsw.gov.au/rpa/allergy/resources/default.html

While there are a number of websites, the best one is www.fedup.com.au. They do factsheets www.fedup.com.au/factsheets/symptom-factsheets
and there is a facebook page which they contribute to www.facebook.com/groups/128458328536/.

FedUp have a list of dietitians. some of whom skype consult and some of whom are in the UK. You can also ask here www.facebook.com/groups/380347182034474/

Feel free to ask me any questions.

I’m am doubtful about bloggers tbh that’s why I wanted to see if any RL genuine people had tried it. £200 is a lot of money for me to throw away at something which may or may not be accurate but I’m getting so desperate for a change.
Thank you TheSandgroper I will have a good look at those.

It's generally viewed as being without scientific basis - that is, they have been happy to take people's money for years without providing or generating evidence that results are accurate or helpful - avoid.

I said generally - I mean that's just what I've heard, let us know if you find out anything different. as someone who suffers various allergy type syndromes I would love it to be definitive. Allergy UK have some useful pages.

I did it and so did my DS and it helped both of us.

My gastroenterologist said the York Test is extremely inaccurate and he would never recommend anything like that. I do know a couple of people who have done it and found it useful though.
Have you ever been tested for SIBO?

Have a look at the list and muscle test.
You don’t need any special skills..you don’t even have to learn how to dowse.
First hold out your strong arm at right angles to your body
Get a friend to press firmly on it and you hold the pressure..that’s your baseline
Put a small particle of each food on your solar plexus..Wrap in a tissue if messy
If you’re intolerant you won’t be able to meet the pressure
If it’s just a little wobble..maybe you should eat that food once or twice a week

If arm goes tight down..avoid 100per cent and strictly

Start with bread and milk
They are often the worst intolerances
I’ve been seeing a medical Dowser for 6 months..and I’m now 100 per cent strictly gf and df
I also have minimised sugar
I take herbs
And supplements ge suggests
I am getting my life back and can now plan a bit more

Make sure you are both hydrated before doing so.Drink .a glass of water each.

My dh muscle tests foods by using just his hands which is great when shopping
I prefer the food on the solar plexus
So I’ll whip out my pendulum when shopping.

If you know anyone who dowses,they can go down the list for you

@RhodaCamel it might be best to go back to step 1 with an elimination diet whilst you're waiting for tests. I hope you feel better soon.

I did and it showed no intolerances or allergies at all. In fact
I'm highly allergic to oysters so I wouldn't trust it at all

Caramel78 I asked my gastroenterologist about SIBO as I have all the symptoms but he wouldn’t entertain the idea, didn’t really want to discuss it. Basically said its ‘just’ IBS and I need to live with it!
Dowser is that the same as kinesiology? Over the years I’ve had kinesiology three times by different practitioners and they gave me different results!
Retroflex I think I’ll need to go back to basics but tbh I’m virtually 99% low fodmap as it is, my diet is so basic and boring, yet I still get symptoms 🙁

Hi! I am actually a blogger who writes about gut health. Thought I’d give my unbiased opinion on these things. I haven’t tried York but have tried something very similar called the Cambridge test which is basically the same. My thoughts on these are mixed. The science behind them is better than a hair test (aka non existent) but just because the antibodies reacts against something doesn’t mean it’s necessarily you shouldn’t eat. For example I have Crohn’s so came up with 40+ foods to avoid. In that case it’s pretty obvious that I need help with my gut rather than all those foods being the enemy. A better place to start might be a nutritionist and perhaps a gut bacteria. I have been paid to promote one of those so I won’t name names of it but they are great as can give you an idea if you need to work on your microbiome rather than limiting foods (which is what the FODMAP diet does). Have you tried a good quality probiotic

I had it done. Honestly it was a waste of time and I’d save your cash. I doubt it’ll tell you anything new if you’ve already done the low FODMAP diet.

@rhodacamel I did a private home test for SIBO with Healthpath and it came back that I have it. Took the medication they prescribed for 3 months and my symptoms do feel quite a lot better other than still getting bloating. The test costs £160 though.

Do you take a probiotic at all? Some of them are great for IBS but other ones can make it worse. Do you drink alcohol? I can’t tolerate any of it as it makes my symptoms so much worse. Are you on the contraceptive pill or another type of hormonal contraception as they can also give some people really bad IBS symptoms.

The only other thing I can think of is my friend has really bad IBS and also heavy painful periods. She went for a laparoscopy and they found endometriosis on part of her bowel

Please go and find Martin MacDonald, Dr Joshua , WeThrive and various others (who you will find from those two) on Instagram who will provide useful, correct, evidence-based, scientifically-sound and unbiased information about this sort of thing and save your money.

Intolerance testing is a load of horseshit.

I understand your desperation but those tests are not accurate, they will only lead to you cutting out enormous amounts of foods for likely no reason at all. If you have money to spend then I wholeheartedly recommend WeThrive (her name is Sarah) who may be able to help you track down the foods which are setting off your symptoms, if that is the culprit. I have used her myself, she is absolutely legit, completely evidence-based and really lovely. No hard sell, no supplements, no bullshit.

Dr Joshua Wolrich that should say

My MIL had the test and followed the advice with no improvement.

It’s got no scientific validity at all and is a waste of money.

Have you had face-to-face hypnotherapy or CBT to treat IBS specifically? No doubt you’d have to pay but these are valid treatments recommended by NICE.

Thank you everyone. Think I’ll give it a miss, I did have my reservations already. I’d probably be better off going down other avenues.
Caramel78 I will look into private SIBO testing as I have always thought I may have it. I don’t drink alcohol or am any hormonal meds. I am under gynae for issues and have mentioned endometriosis as my sister has it and it can run in families but as I don’t have lots of pain they don’t think I have it!
I would like to try a probiotic but it’s a minefield, so many products some and I know they can exacerbate some symptoms which always puts me off but I really should at least try some.
BiscuitBarrels thank you, I’ll look into those recommendations.

sleepmummy I don’t think I’ll waste my money tbh. I had 12 weeks of CBT last year but it hasn’t helped. I do listen to a hypnotherapy app every night it’s quite relaxing (but does very little for my symptoms though unfortunately).

I got the Cambridge test for my 5 year old to try and figure out what was causing her constant tummy ache, I was hoping for a starting point for an elimination diet. It came back that she was intolerant to so many things it was ridiculous! I tried eliminating the worst ones for a while each on rotation and didn’t see much improvement, so I’ve given up and I don’t think I would recommend it unless you have a lot of spare money.

Some friends have had a good experience of kinesiology (correctly identified known foods), might be worth a try, it’s a lot cheaper!