Anyone else GF due to a histamine intolerance?

NaeTeaspoon

Hi all,
I have a histamine intolerance which results in pretty bad symptoms, right up to anaphylactic shock - as a result it has been recommended to me that I go GF as gluten can be an agrivator in many people with this issue.
Just wondering if anyone else is in the same boat?

canadjineh

Hmmm, interesting... so what are you really allergic to that causes the histamines?? That would be what to avoid. Perhaps you actually have a gluten allergy (technically speaking) which is different from celiac disease or gluten intolerance.

kwjager

I am allergic to environmental triggers. Many of these cause concomitant reactions when I consume dairy and wheat. So I am someone who *could* technically eat gluten. Just not ... wheat. Are you taking allergy shots?

NaeTeaspoon

No histamine intolerance is a different condition to either allergies (which I also have) or a gluten intolerance. It's more like your insulin levels of you have diabetes - some foods have more sugar (or histamine in my case) which you have to regulate. Gluten itself isn't high in histamine, it's a part of a group of foods that aggrevate any reaction I have to high levels of histamine.

spickard34

Whenever I eat Gluten I get a rash on my neck and my eyelids swell, face gets super itchy even my gums. My Dad has Celiac Disease it is awful for him if he eats it he is way worse then I am. For me I just look puffy and have a rash.

blupanda12

To my knowledge, Celiac's is not a histamine response at it's core, though it can produce reactions similar to allergies. Celiac is an autoimmune response that can damage the small intestine long-term. My husband has Celiac so we eat a gluten-free diet at home.

To Spickard34: If you get a reaction when you eat gluten, it is possible you could also have Celiac. I suggest you talk to your doctor about getting tested. Long-term damage to the small intestine can lead to malnutrition due to lack of nutrients gettting absorbed, and there appears to be a genetic link with Celiac (e.g. if your dad has it, you have a higher chance of also having it).

To the op, it sounds like your gluten-avoidance requirement is not the same thing as Celiac, and I have no experience with histamines to help you. Eating gluten-free is not difficult though, so I hope you find what you need to help you! There are lots of resources available for eating gluten-free in this group's section and on the web!

NaeTeaspoon

Thanks blupanda12

canadjineh

Interesting to learn more on this... I just looked at some articles on the internet - some of the foods that may bother you Nae Teaspoon:
- "Histamine intolerance can be a challenging diagnosis to manage, since many foods contain histamine and for some patients, their gut bacteria is producing the excess histamine that is causing the symptoms. Fermented foods are some of the biggest culprits, since even beneficial bacteria produce histamine during fermentation. In fact, reacting to fermented foods is a classic sign of histamine intolerance, especially if probiotic supplements are well-tolerated. Other foods that are high in histamine include:
•Seafood: shellfish or fin fish, fresh, frozen, smoked or canned
•Eggs
•Processed, cured, smoked and fermented meats such as lunch meat, bacon, sausage, salami, pepperoni
•Leftover meat (After meat is cooked, the histamine levels increase due to microbial action as the meat sits)
•All fermented milk products, including most cheeses
•Yogurt, buttermilk, kefir
•Citrus fruits – eg. oranges, grapefruit, lemons, lime
•Most berries
•Dried fruit
•Fermented foods: sauerkraut, kombucha, pickles, relishes, fermented soy products, etc.
•Spinach
•Tomatoes- including ketchup, tomato sauces
•Artificial food colors and preservatives
•Spices: cinnamon, chili powder, cloves, anise, nutmeg, curry powder, cayenne
•Beverages: Tea (herbal or regular), alcohol
•Chocolate, cocoa
•Vinegar and foods containing vinegar such as pickles, relishes, ketchup, and prepared mustard

For anyone experiencing histamine intolerance, strict adherence to a low-histamine diet is necessary for a period of time. After that, smaller amounts of histamine may be tolerated depending on the person. Individual sensitivity varies tremendously. I have one or two patients that cannot tolerate any amount of histamine in food, and others that are only sensitive to the foods highest in histamine."

I knew we produced histamines in response to certain 'triggers' but didn't know there are histamines in foods naturally as well that can affect us. Check out this article by Dr. Janice Joneja, a Ph.D. in medical microbiology and immunology and former head of the Allergy Nutrition Program at the Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre: http://www.foodsmatter.com/allergy_intolerance/histamine/articles/histamine_joneja.html

Above article has list of study references to access as background as well.

I hope you find your answers and get feeling better soon.

grasshopperholly

I just learned about histamine intolerance from my Rheumatologist a couple of weeks ago. She was thinking that since I had found some relief in going GF and Dairy Free that perhaps it was histamine. I'm more inclined to think that I was just sensitive to Gluten and Dairy, but am working on learning more about histamine intolerance. I don't know if I could do that strict of a diet. Good luck with your journey.

knittingbandmom

Whenever I eat Gluten I get a rash on my neck and my eyelids swell, face gets super itchy even my gums. My Dad has Celiac Disease it is awful for him if he eats it he is way worse then I am. For me I just look puffy and have a rash.

Oh my gosh! I have the same reaction. That, and I seem to have a lot more allergy symptoms (sneezing, watery itchy eyes). For years they told me I had rosacea!

pcsg1008

I had hives everyday for 6 months - resorted to Steroids for 4 of those months, and my poor body paid dearly. Three days into no gluten my hives disappeared. It's been 3 months GF and not one hive.