The Hoop-Jumping World of Hydrogen Breath Testing

Image courtesy of Grant Cochrane at http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

Last week I posted about my new suspicion that Mr. Charm may have fructose malabsorption, and my determination to have him tested for the condition.

The day before that post ran, I called our pediatrician to ask what needed to be done to order the test.  I spoke with a new person in her office, and she informed me snidely that the doctor couldn’t just request a test; I would have to bring Mr. Charm in to be examined.  Fortunately, they were able to see him the following day.  (If I had spoken to one of the people I know well in the office, I probably wouldn’t have to have jumped through this particular hoop; I have a certain level of ‘believability’ banked with those that have been involved in Mr. Charm’s care since the beginning, so this was irritating.)

Off we went to the pediatrician’s office.  She took a look at Mr. Charm, pronounced him ‘looking healthy’, but listened to what I explained were my reasons for suspecting yet another  issue with him.  In the end, she looked up Fructose Malabsorption, read about it, listened to my list of symptoms, and agreed that it did sound like a possibility.

Unfortunately, she also had to look up the name of the test he would have to take (meaning she didn’t know much about this) and also did not know where we would go to have the testing done.  She informed me that she would find someplace and call me back.

Two business days later, I called THEM back: had they learned anything?

As a matter of fact…NO.  They couldn’t find a single place in our area to have the test run.  Why don’t I call our allergist or GI to see if they could recommend a place?

OK.  So, I called the allergist.  Three short hours later I received a call back – they had never even heard of fructose malabsorption!  No help there.

So, I called the GI.  I left a message.  Yesterday I called back.  Oh yes, the receptionist remembered me.  She had passed the message along, and I should be hearing from them shortly.

Today I heard back.  Oh, yes! They do that test themselves!  But, you say Mr. Charm is not a patient here?

No, I explained.  His younger brother is, but when Mr. Charm was a baby and we needed a GI we were referred to different one.  Now I’d like their care to be with the same doctor, and we like Dr. G, so, what do we need to do to have the test run?

I explained that my pediatrician would be happy to order the test, as she has examined him and deemed it a worthy test for him to undergo, she just didn’t know where to call for it.

No dice.  He will have to be examined by the GI before he will issue the test.

Oh, and in order for him to be seen by the GI, he’ll have to have a referral from our pediatrician.

So, I called the pediatrician…again…and asked if she would issue a referral to our GI.  They called back a few hours later, “We called in a referral, and they have you booked for January 13, 2013.”

Oh, yeah.  That’s just great!

Shortly after, the GI called back to tell me that they had moved his appointment up to mid-October.  At 9:00 a.m.  In a location three and a half hours away.

Oh, I will be hating life on that day!  That’s a 3:00 a.m. wakeup for me!  Ouch.

But, if I want him examined for the test, I’d better do it.

I’ve already jumped through enough hoops just to get an appointment.

(Please say every medical encounter from here on out isn’t going to be like this!)

Food allergy Mama’s, how high have the hoops been that you’ve had to jump through?