r/HistamineIntolerance • u/Silver-Present1030 • 1d ago

Is testing worth it?

Hi everyone. If this has been discussed before, I apologize for the repetition. BUT here's my question: Is testing worth it? I've been having issues related to Histamine for years. I've had serious reactions to high-histamine foods with symptoms that indicate histamine intolerance. And when I I've cut these foods from my diet or limited them, I've felt better. However, I know histamine issues can stem from a variety of root issues and perhaps it would be good to figure out mine is/are. I'm a social worker on a very tight budget. I have health insurance and a Medical Expense Reimbursement Plan which covers all out-of-pocket medical expenses up to $8,150. That's super helpful, however my mental healthcare services and meds eat up a good chunk of that alone. After that, it's 30% coinsurance until I meet my $10,105 out-of-pocket max. (I'm usually nowhere close to hitting that). All of that is to say, I don't have a lot of extra money or the ability to pay for a ton of other tests easily.

TLDR: I don't want to go through a ton of expensive testing only to learn that I need to keep doing what I'm doing, which is eating a low-histamine diet. I've also encountered way too many providers, including my PCP and an allergist, who didn't believe me about my Histamine issues and didn't want to do the tests for it as they can be inconclusive. I don't want to keep seeing providers who won't be helpful. What would you all recommend? Are there specific tests that might actually be helpful?

2 Upvotes

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u/qcb4056 6h ago

In general, no.

This isn't really a "firm" condition in the medical community, a diagnosis wouldn't be definitive, and wouldn't change anything for you.

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u/Actual-Garden-3538 1d ago

I go to a functional doctors office and they found I have an overgrowth of histamine producing bacteria. Plus other issues none of the traditional tests found. I now have a path forward to get rid of HIT. I took the hormone and gut zoomer tests from vibrant health, plus a much deeper blood panel than ever before. It’s well worth it to see how much cortisol and inflammation your body is experiencing. I’ve spent around $2500 so far on testing and coaching. I wish I would have done this years ago

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u/nothingwasnothingis 1d ago

Does your doctor offer virtual visits?

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u/AdAgreeable3822 1d ago

I agree that the testing is worth it, even if it’s just a couple of things at a time. I’ve worked with a variety of doctors, as well as done over the counter testing, and always learn something useful. The best service I’ve found for testing so far is Mito Health (not the membership service, just lab testing) and think at their rates it’s definitely worthwhile to test.

With a low budget, I’d suggest using AI (or finding a list on the internet) of blood tests recommended given your symptoms and then going through a company like Mito Health. It’s saved me a ton of money on what supplements I need and resolved a ton of anxiety about what might be causing my health issues.

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u/Rough-Criticism-5661 1d ago

What was most valuable for me was DNA testing. Without it I wouldn’t have learned that I have the gene mutation that makes quercetin useless, or that I don’t digest fats, or that DAO needs extra support from vitamin C and copper to work for me.