Hello everyone, I'm Em. Just joined the IBS network as I need to take some control back in my life as I suffer from IBS-D and its taking its toll. I've had it 5ish years now but the last 6 months in particular have been very hard for me and my family!
I've seen a few articles for YorkTest. Most have been good articles but some have been negative (i know you'll get that with most things) and i'm trying to decide if its worth the money. I'm looking for anyone who has used the YorkTest to comment with their experiences. The same for a product called Enterosgel - i've seen a couple articles in the daily express but i'm looking for more peoples opinions. Its like a clear gel that you swallow and its supposed to help with upset stomachs.
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jellybean87
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If you want to find out which food group/s affect your symptoms you could do your own intolerance tests by leaving one food group at a time, like dairy, out of your diet for about 2/3 weeks keeping a foid and symptom diary to monitor any changes
I've not done the York Test but I know that there is no scientific consensus that it is accurate. As you've probably found out for yourself, it looks for specific antibodies circulating in the blood. If the blood tests finds high levels of some of these antibodies the test assumes you're intolerant to that foodstuff. However, all that science has been able to show is that the presence of these specific antibodies purely means that at some point in the past your body has been exposed to these foodstuffs. From comments I've read on here in the past, some people have found that cutting out some of these foods helped, others found no such benefit. It is also possible that by cutting out certain foods from your diet as the result of the test, you are eliminating other food stuffs at the same time, which themselves could be the cause of your symptoms (e.g. people might think they are intolerant to gluten, so they cut out wheat which works, but only because of other chemicals found in the wheat).
You could try keeping a food diary to see if there's a pattern to what you're eating and your symptoms. I think obvious intolerances will stand out but more complex ones might not be so obvious. Instead of spending money on the York Test, you may want to consider investing money seeing a dietician who has expertise and training on the low FODMAP diet, which eliminates a number of food groups you might not even have heard of and then reintroduces them to see which ones are contribute to your IBS. From the prices I have seen online, the dietician will probably be cheaper!
I tried the York test a few years ago and it came up that I had an intolerance to dairy and eggs. I cut all dairy and eggs from my diet and things did improve but didn't solve my problems completely. I still don't eat butter or cheese and always use rice milk. Overall, I would say that it did help although my doctor did tell me that York testing had been discredited.
I'd say that if you are desperate like I was, it's worth the money No scientific basis for it but after 8 weeks an 80% improvement with lou breaks down from 12 a day to 2 or 3 Not easy diet for me as multiple issues but for me worth the pennies but it depends how difficult it is to find that cash. I was suggested it by the gastroenterologist as his sister had benefitted although he couldn't recommend as it shouldn't work A food diary is essential and rigidly sticking to it for a couple of months so maybe wait till after the festivities. Good luck
Thank you for all your comments. I definitely would say I'm getting desperate but desperate it find something that actually works not another gimmick.
That in mind I have purchased some enterosgel - 95% of the reviews say it has helped. The other 5% say it did nothing, but crucially for me their condition didn't get worse which I really can't afford right now. It should arrive today and once I've taken it for a few days I intend on writing a review.
I really wish more time and money was invested in IBS by medical professionals (NHS) as it seems to affect so many people! And can make people thoroughly miserable!
Unfortunately, in my recent experience,some GPs still think it doesn't really exist, give them a list of symptoms and their automatic response is to send you for a battery of tests, the results, which of some,can take weeks to arrive, which surprisingly can lead to deterioration in an a already anxiety led illness .
My son uses silicol gel which we find better than enteresogel. It's £15 for a 500ml bottle on Amazon. Does exactly the same thing but cheaper and easier to use. Takes a while to notice any results though - it's not an overnight miracle. Good luck.
It's interesting you mention silicol gel - I did think about this product. I noticed this was for IBS-D and IBS-C and I couldn't understand how it could treat both? Where as the enterosgel seemed to be aimed at IBS-D, which is my problem.
Don't waste your money on the York Test. I did, it cost me a couple of hundred pounds, and it didn't make any difference. I agree with PatientJ - the research suggests that the presence of antibodies indicates tolerance as opposed to intolerance, there is no evidence that they work. The only way to determine which foods are bothering you is to keep a detailed food diary and eliminate and challenge those foods. It is a long and arduous process which can be quite disheartening but will get you there in the end. It means recording everything you eat, including anything you may think is innocuous like E Nos, and any other additives. I've been suffering for years with digestive problems - had my gall bladder removed (unnecessarily as it wasn't that), before finally having a gastroscopy which showed gastritis and duodenitis. Unfortunately the 'treatment' for that (PPI drugs) made it worse and then I suffered badly with acid rebound when I finally stopped the drugs, despite weaning off them slowly. I have, however, through a food diary, finally discovered what my demon is - vegetable oils. I cannot tolerate any of them and they are in everything. Sadly, they are also in many pharmaceuticals and supplements in the form of magnesium stearate which is manufactured from either palm oil or cottonseed oil. For years I have been cutting out all the major food groups such as gluten, dairy, eggs etc but it has never been any of them but the various vegetable oils that lurk in products made with them - rapeseed oil and emulsifiers in bread, palm oil in chocolate, sunflower or rapeseed oil in mayo etc - it's everywhere. I stopped eating anything with vegetable oils in it 5 weeks ago and I feel much better. The constant nausea and gut soreness has disappeared and I have gained 4 lbs in weight (my weight had gone down to 6st 4 lbs as I felt so ill all the time and unable to eat properly). I didn't find the medics any help really - at no point has anybody asked me about my diet - all I've been offered are pills and surgery, neither of which worked and made me fell worse. So, take heart, keep a food diary, record every minuscule thing you eat (even licking out the mixing bowl!) in one column and how you feel in another column. Eventually a pattern will emerge and you can start to eliminate the culprit and then you WILL begin to feel better. Don't waste your money on any intolerance testing - they don't work.
Take care xx.
Dear Bustersmum - finding your review has made my day- we could be twins! I thought it was just me!! -Think this `IBS` or whatever it is - - came to a head year 2000 ish,( indications of something amis from late 20`s - laparotomy paid for by myself, just an appendix on the turn extracted and been on thyroid meds since then, nothing else found ) Later in years had gall bladder out.- hiatus hernia diagnosed - acid efflux- loo trips in excess!!!! Sounds dreadful writing a potted history down like this - have never shared all this before in my life - and it sounds really awful, but inbetween all this I am a normal usually happy wife, had love and everyday normal life,and so far at 72 years old nothing totally dreadful like some people have in their lives, which just creates a guilt thing to cope with - like I shouldn`t complain etc..... I hit rock bottom ill around 2000 ish, just moved house, blamed stress etc etc.In 2010 we lost a total of 10 people from friends , family, to a 17 year old pussycat. Help was needed sometime after and one NHS GP indicated it was all in the mind- tried depression meds that turned me worse than ever, only later did he refer me to hospital for blood tests. After 5 years of outpatients -blood tests galore and all sorts of other tests -- body had no vits , minerals, proteins, etc etc, malabsobtion of both food and prescribed nutrients, burned gullet with the acid - inolerances- you name it - I had it except no one said exactly what it was --,looked and felt like the walking dead! Everything good and needed by a body went in at the mouth ( yes intake checked and OK`d) and straight out the other end - between times I could only stay in bed and rest- had it not been for love and care from hubby I am sure I wouldn't e here at all. My breakthrough was the elimination of what the Dr called the `zole` family of medications- esomeprazole/Nexium etc, these were eliminated and never to be taken again...so Gaviscon and ranitidine and a self tested food intake gives me ( hope) a decent balance of food, and though not fanatic in trying any extereme or wierd items, I do have good things like fish,meat fresh veg and a little fruit- all good and wholesome &dairy products are fine, and I do have wide spaced treats of tasty things now and then!! Self management is vital to me, done all the food recording, I use the gluten free basics for breads and wheat based things- no ordinary pastry /flour foods/- I believe I eat responsibly in content and amount of all daily foods acceptable to my body - and I eat to live not live to eat!!. As of now the poo is a bit soft, can be a bit leaky at times and I must tell you that the NHS poo stick test has been confirmed clear and normal over the years, as has the one done just recently( sorry about mentioning that but of course any normal person will think of bowel cancer) and I do think I will ask for a celiac test to see how that is ...I am sorry I have rattled on and. all this started because I too have seen the advert for Enterosgel, but couldn't find it in our Boots store yesterday and turned to the laptop for information!! So now I will take the plunge and submit this--and I feel lifted knowing I am not alone in this!! My best wishes to all- take care XX from me and the late Ginny
I am curious about Entrosgel. I have purchased some from Boots. It is available but behind the counter. I will try it when necessary! We all live in hope of a miracle cure. Good luck to you x
I tried the enterosgel and in fact made me constipated followed by very bad runs!! I was taking 1 half spoons a day 2 times a day!! Showed it to my gp who kind of huffed at it so stopped using it!! It's quite expensive and like you read these rave reviews how it stopped the runs especially on holiday!! Didn't work that fast for me and tastes foul and made me feel sick drinking it!! Guess it might help some people but not me!!
I haven't used Enterosgel, but have used Silicolgel. Silicolgel has worked for me in the past.
I was finding that products such as Imodium (and many others), that were very effective stopping the Diarrhoea and stomach cramps in the past just stopped working. The first time I used Silicolgel it worked really well, stopping the symptoms within a couple of days (usually lasts for 5 - 7 days with an IBS attack). It may not work for everyone, but was useful in my case. I do find though that products that previously worked effectively will stop working after a number of uses, which I don't understand.
I have been for allergy tests (was told I didn't have any, which is a joke as I can't be in the same house as a cat with out constant sneezing, itchy and watery eyes). Have also kept a food diary where I found a handful of things I have a high intolerance to and some I am mildly intolerant to.
My only regular medication at the moment is to take a Peppermint oil tablet before each meal. This has improved my symptoms overall by around 80%+, which is fantastic. I have been prescribed many other products over time (was diagnosed with IBS about 15 years ago) by doctors and Peppermint Oil has been the most consistently effective.
I will probably give Enterosgel a try at some point to see if it works for me, and will let you know the results.
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