Sharon Robson

Tell us about your symptoms before you took the test?

I was having repeated digestive discomfort and bloating along with some other symptoms which presented as potential hay fever.

How long have you had your symptoms?

At least five years

How did your symptoms affect your day-to-day life?

The symptoms meant I was always conscious about my diet but was unable to pinpoint what was the cause of the problem and digestive discomfort. The other symptoms i experienced were really difficult, including partial hearing loss due to the eustacean tube flare up.

What did you feel unable to do as a result of your symptoms? (Activities and hobbies that you could no longer do etc.)

On one occasion I felt unable to present to a group of people due to my blocked nose and ears making it difficult to hear or know if I was talking loudly, as a comms professional this was upsetting.

How did you hear about YorkTest? (Through a friend/family member, on the internet etc.)

My partner had taken the YorkTest allergy and intolerance tests and recommended them to me.

Why did you take a YorkTest? Was there a specific incident that made you decide to take a test with us?

As above. He was concerned that something in my diet was making my symptoms worse.

What solutions had you previously tried before coming to YorkTest?

Steroid nasal spray and ketogenic diet.

Did you seek advice from a specialist/GP? If so, what was the outcome/advice given?

N/A

What food And drink ingredients were you intolerant to?

Dairy, Eggs, Soy and Cranberry were the main culprits! Gluten was on there too but I wasn’t surprised by that. Dairy however and eggs surprised me.

Once you removed your trigger foods, how did you feel?

So much better! The blocked hearing has almost gone now

Are you able to do things you couldn’t do before taking a test? (New hobbies and activities.)

N/A

How long did it take for you to see an improvement in your symptoms and overall health after removing your food intolerance?

Within a week I felt better and my digestive discomfort stopped.

Did you see any change in weight through this process?

Not as yet, but that would be a nice extra benefit.

How easy did you find the elimination process?

Easy – I was motivated by trying anything to feel better

Are you still following your diet plan?

Yes, I do have the odd egg now and again, but generally I’m following the advice from the results

What happens if you eat your trigger foods?

I can definitely feel the effects coming back and it reminds me to check ingredient labels more closely – It’s a learning curve for me.

How helpful was the nutritional consultation?

Very helpful – even down to recommending brands of diary free cheese and ice-cream!

How helpful did you find the Customer Care Team?

They are such a friendly team, I’ve always had brilliant service with them and they make you feel really comfortable as a customer.

How has your life changed since taking the test?

I can hear properly again and don’t have to reach for Rennie’s after every meal. I feel like I’m taking better care of my body in the long term, particularly as I approach middle age.