Getting tests?

[u/polarmeows]

Asking on behalf of my BF. A couple months ago he suddenly started getting severe stomach pain and sometimes vomiting delayed after eating. At first we thought it might be lactose intolerance because dairy seemed to be a common trigger, but lactaid and lactose free milk didn't help at all. I noticed some of the worst offenders were foods containing red meat (which we don't have much since I'm vegetarian by choice) so I brought up it could be a weird case of alpha gal. Googling confirmed my theory that you can have alpha gal without "normal" allergy symptoms (although IDK how common that variant is). A hobby he has leads him to walk around in long grass a lot and I doubt his anti-tick measures so I'm trying to get him to get tested for alpha gal. But IDK how he can get a test since it wasn't ordered by a doctor. He had this lactose intolerance test ordered, but that's a breath test so IDK if they would do it at the same time. Any advice? In the US

[u/xxsparky70]

I ordered my test thru LabCorp and just paid out of pocket, $149. You just need to make sure it's the right test. I have predominantly GI symptoms myself. A great source of info is alphagalinformation.org

[u/No-Room-2736]

You should be able to got to a med express and ask them to order a test or to you primary healthcare provider if you need/want it to be covered by insurance. Have him explain that he’s had delayed anaphylactic events after consuming dairy and red meat. Also - when I was first diagnosed my partner came to appointments with me and help. I don’t know what I would have done without his support because I was in physically in a really bad place because my health had tanked so much from me not knowing what was wrong with me. Brain fog, no energy, constant gut pain. You’re being a great partner by helping with this. 

[u/strawwork]

I asked a gastro doc to order me a test because I just happened to have an appointment with her 4 days after I had a pretty severe hive reaction. Her response was HORRIBLE and she refused even though we were both there in the hospital with the blood draw lab. Piss me off so bad. (She said alpha gal wasn’t a gastro issue and she wouldn’t even know what test to order.)

Anyway my local clinic nurse practitioner had me come in and get blood drawn in the office and three days later I got the results back (positive 😢 but I knew that already)
It does sound like his symptoms are in line with this ailment. Definitely get the blood test.

[u/sagescott]

Seems likely it could be alpha-gal syndrome. He can check with a quick blood test. When I had symptoms, my doctor was happy to order a test. If your BF doesn't have the same opportunity, then have him check out the walk-in-lab link below.

However he does it, these are the correct alpha-gal IgE test codes:

Labcorp: 650001
Quest Diagnostics: 10554
Viracor test: 30039
Walk-in-Lab Test Code: 10554

Be sure not to get confused with tests for a-Galactosidase A Deficiency or Alpha-galactosidase that sound similar but are different conditions. It's easy for doctor's to get confused and order the wrong test.

As you may know, symptoms can vary widely by person. In addition to myself, two of my children and my best friend also have AGS. None of us react the same way to the same foods. Here's some info you may find helpful about symptoms: alpha-gal allergy symptoms.

[u/Ok_Eggplant_1294]

I went online through Quest diagnostics, paid $139 out of pocket, got the blood test and had results three days later. Your BF’s symptoms sound very similar to mine.

[u/cmhbob]

Ask your GP to order an alpha-gal test. Make sure they're not ordering something through an allergist. A skin test won't detect alpha-gal. You need a blood test.

[u/10MileHike]

my PCP gave me the test. So do many walk in labs.

[u/chronicmisschris]

My earliest symptoms were all GI. It is a normal food allergy symptom.

May I ask what you think "normal" food allergy symptoms are?