Tests for food intolerances / allergies

[LaCerbiatta]

I've posted this on the health topic, but didn't get many responses.... Please read through

I've been having these intolerances since i was very little. I've always called them allergies, actually. I would come up with a very ichy unconfortable rash. My mother worked out that I was reacting to chocolate, artificial vit C, eggs, colourings and a few other things. These reactions became milder and milder and since I was 15 I probably ahd 2 or 3 episodes and was able to eat as much chocolate and the other things as I wanted. However, since dd was born 17 mo ago, I'm permanently reacting to I don't know what... I don't touch what I suspect I'm allergic or intollerant to, but still it doesn't go away... The GP sent me to the allergy clinic but they told me I have intolerances, not allergies (because I don't have an imediate reaction, it takes a couple of days, and all the skin tests were negative) and said there's nothing that can be done....

This rash is really upsetting... sometimes I get it on my face and lips, on the soles of my feet... I find it very distressing, probably due to childhood memories... I really don't know what to do... I'm tempted to pay for private food intolerance testing, but can't really aford to and besides I've read they're very unreliable.

Anyone has any experience in anything similar?

[LaCerbiatta]

So sorry to hear about your intolerances, but it's a bit conforting to hear someone say they're 'fucking awful'. Most people don't understand them at all!
I feel like I could even cope with it as long as I KNEW what the f* I'm allergic to!! How did you get tested? A fructose and sorbitol intollerance must be pretty hard to spot! Have you worked them out by yourself?
I really don't think I could do this, because the levels of a substance I react to seem to vary all the time. Sometimes I can eat lots of chocolate or take 1g of vit c per day and be ok and sometimes just a bit of apple juice to which vit c has been added is enough to bring up a rash...

What antihistaminics do you find most effective?

[LaCerbiatta]

Well, looks like your reactions are much more dramatic and obvious than mine. I almost feel bad about complaining ... I just wish I could go back to the tolerance levels I had before dd was born, it was absolutely fine then...

So, you are allergic to natural fructose? You can't eat any fruit? I always thought that I was allergic to oranges, because of the vitC connection, but I've worked out that they're ok, it's only artificial vitC...

[Lio]

[Hilllary]

imutest

Testing kits I found useful

[Lio]

Yes, I saw the thread title, noticed how many posts it had and thought that it prob wasn't necessary for me to read it to work out that it was started by somebody blithely unaware of how lucky they are. Maybe she is having her mind expanded?

[Rumpel]

have you thought about supporting your body with supplements/herbs so that you are less intolerant? Sounds like your body is overreacting to all sorts and you could really do with internal support, then you might not flare up so much. I am no expert but it may help. What about trying an alkalising diet or supplement - possible that you are very acidic inside maybe? Just something to explore. Thing is with intolerances and allergies - they can just appear or they can be a build up of a specific thing - so it is very hard to get a complete diagnosis.
I had Yok testing years ago
garlic, lemon, coke, oats, wheat, sugar, coffee but that was then if you knwo what I mean.

[tatt]

You need to consider that your condition may not be an allergy or intolerance. There are, for example, skin conditions that can be intermittent and made worse by pregnancy. Why not ask if you can see a dermatologist?

[Heartmum2Jamie]

I feel for you, I really do. I suddenly became intolerant to Quorn right after the birth of ds2 on june 2004. I had been eating quorn happily for years with no problems and then WHAM, I felt like I was dying. It took about 6 weeks to work out what it was that caused me tofee so ill, but basically I had made up a few batches of spag bol made with quorn and an hour or 2 after eating each time, I would be doubled over with pain, have the worst tummy cramps, squits and feel extreamly nauseas (not great for an emetophobe). I actuially thought the pain of this intolerance was much worse than anything I went through when I gave birth to ds2. I would rather give birth to another 5 kids than touch anything with quorn again.

Incidentally, I also react to something in alcohol and get a blothcy, itchy rash, a bit like beer mask, but I can get it from any alcohol. It is the weirdest thing as it is only my face, neck and upper chest that get affected. Doesn't stop me from having a tipple now and then!

[LaCerbiatta]

Thanks everyone. Yes Rumpel, I think you're spot on! I think that more than giving birth the 4 courses of antibiotics I had for mastitis in a 6 month period have damaged my gut and now I'm over reactive. It also explains why I can't get rid of thrush. I've only now stopped breastfeeding so I haven't been able to take any supplements, bt I'll definitely explore that.

Califrau: you have my sympathy, your allergies sound like they're no fun! Can't believe you've been called fussy for that!!

[Rumpel]

Tug - you can take pregnacare whilst pg and bf. Tesco do their own version too. I'd recommend that you take acidophillus caps daily to restore your natural gut bacteria, cod liver or flaxseed oil, and you could maybe try Greens (American alkalising powder or tabs) or you could just try eating lots of superfoods like - alfafa sprouts, cress, spinach, kale, winter greens etc. These will all help to alkalise your body - lighlty steamed or raw. If you are going to supplement make sure it has minerals as well as vitamins - you can get ones now with pre and probiotics (would be good for you).
I'd cut sugar/fructose/maltose/lactose, alcohol/yeast/pickles/vinegar/mushrooms out of your diet for a month too - to get rid of your yeast infection.

[Lio]

Just saying thanks to you sympathetic, kind people. Califrau is my best friend and she has had a rough ride with food, so very unfair. I know next to nothing about anything helpful for her, so it's really nice to have ANY advice (even though I think she might have tried most of it )

She doesn't whinge and moan about it even though it must be a constant bind.