# Food Allergies Blood Tests



## GNW12 (Jul 4, 2004)

If you have either constipation or diarrhea, make sure your primary physican gives you a simple blood test for Gluten (wheat allergy) and Casein (milk allergy). I've had constipation for years and it turns out I'm allergic to milk. I had no idea I was allergic to any food.


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## stanford (Apr 6, 2009)

The test you are referring to is called a radioallergosorbent test (RAST). Some allergists do not believe they are as accurate as skin testing and will not give them. Others believe, as I do having had both, that skin testing won't indicate mild allergies as well and is not as easily and accurately measured as RAST. (Skin test, they measure the size of a rash. RAST provides an exact number to the IGEs in your blood. Millimeters versus stats down to 1/10th of a unit.)I had that done for a large range of foods. Turns out, I'm allergic to soy protein, which is in more things than even gluten. Unfortunately, avoiding soy just helps. I still have the IBS-A problems, but they are severely worsened by soy. I should note that I later had a skin test done, and soy did not flag at all even though the RAST showed it very well, but I know without any doubt that soy protein is a powerful enemy for my system.If you do have bad soy allergies, ask your doctor about Gastrocrom. It's not a common drug, and it's a liquid, but it's also a wonder drug. It works by stabilizing the mast cells to block a calcium channel essential for mast cell degranulation, stabilizing the cell and preventing release of histamine and related mediators. It tastes oddly like plastic, but it's very mild. You take it four times a day, and your pharmacy will have to order it. But it is SO worth it.


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