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Hi 1000Daisies -

The test your MD wants to do is likely a much, much more comprehensive analysis than just bacteria/yeast. Perhaps an overall gut performance analysis including specific levels like organic acids or something like that? You should find out--depending on your son's situation (I don't know what his issues are) it might be money very well spent...

For diagnostics, there could be so much going wrong within the GI function. I tried the "cheaper route" which took 4 years and ended up being a LOT more expensive than $2k (like 10 times that much). I still didn't get the right info and the right diagnosis and the right treatment until I explored more info about my GI function.

But it sounds like you're using the tests to trouble-shoot or gauge progress? That might warrant a little different approach - would need more info.

That said, there is cheaper gut analysis for bacteria and yeast/fungus can be pretty straightforward but also fairly inaccurate. I used to think they were mostly reliable and necessary... but I have started to clarify that. There are:

- saliva tests (which give you a limited view of what might be going on systemically)

- stool tests, which are used to tell you what is gong on primarily in the gut and are also pretty unreliable because they only tell you what is going on with that moment of bowel movement - and whatever it might have "picked up" along its journey through the intestines... better than a saliva test but it often misses critical info. I have had chronic gut & systemic y/f problems with symptoms that would shock my MDs, but very little was found in the stool samples (the kits include a little scoop and you're supposed to grab small scoops from different areas within the sample, but it's pretty inadequate. One positive thing about the stool tests is that many companies (Doctor's Data is one of them) also provide susceptibility info that indicate which of say, a dozen or so pharmaceutical and natural antifungals are effective against the particular strains that are found.

The stool tests are used for determining leaky gut by looking for antibodies created against foods. I'm pretty sure these are the same tests but you should always make sure.

- And blood tests are a little more accurate for systemic problems, but not always. I know people who have had severe overgrowth and responded to serious anti fungal treatment, but bloodwork didn't find anything...

Often, insurance co's require MDs to prove x,y or z with tests and sometimes MDs do it because it's at least a place to start and some testing is pretty sophisticated. So I rarely discourage anyone from doing them--especially if you're starting out w/ lyme & co. Just don't hang your hat 100% on any results. Use them as context with SYMPTOMS and history. I think most y/f blood tests are going to be in the $200 range and stool tests are in the $400 range.

But I think the best determination of your y/f overload will always be symptoms. Let me know if you'd like more info on that.

My 2 cents. ;)

-p

Yes - it identifies the scientific name but doesn't call it good or bad - so your MD has to interpret or you have to google it.

"they" say to truly clear parasites you have to treat consistently for 5-6 wks (to kill those alive and wait for the eggs to hatch). Although I'm sure not all parasites have the same lifecycle - maybe this is the max timeframe. "they" also say that you'll see eggs/worms in your BM if you have parasites but that's certainly not always true.

Let us know how the test goes - hope he gets to feeling better soon... these kids - they're so resilient.

-p