Meal Planning with Allergies

BrandiLynn24
BrandiLynn24 Posts: 11
in Food and Nutrition
I have food allergies and they have gotten more severe than they were last time I lost weight (before becoming pregnant and having my sweet baby girl). In the last 3 weeks I have tried my old recipes and have ended up with swollen face , throat , blisters in the mouth and even a trip to the Emergency Room. I am breastfeeding so I can not take Benadryl often so they told me to stop exposing myself (before I only got mild lip itching). Anyway I would love any advice or resources you may be able to offer !

I am extremely allergic to weeds and grasses (Ragweed , Pigweed , etc.) and it seems that nearly all fruits and vegetables are cross pollinated with those plants. Before I would only get the mild swelling but in the last few weeks I have had some very serious reactions. I also had a reaction to a vitamin and they think I am allergic to something in the vitamins and the dr. is researching to figure out which kind I should take (I am allergic to alfalfa nearly all weeds/grasses and every tree that grows here in NC). I threw up blood with face swelling when I took the new vitamins he recommended and I hadn't taken vitamins in years due to a face swelling incident during my first pregnancy. I feel awful all the time and I know my body is lacking adequate nutrition.

So far I have been told to steer clear of (due to serious reactions):
Banana
Cucumber
Apple
Tomato
Strawberry
Blueberry
Squash
Corn
Kiwi
Grape
Pineapple
Sweet Potatoes


I can have sweet peas out of a can though and I am sure I am overlooking some of the vegetables and fruits we have tried. My dr. is wonderful but he just wants me to avoid the stuff and he is offering no help on how to get the nutrition I need and I can not afford to go see a nutritionist.

basically the only thing that has not bothered me has been Potatoes :( I am also allergic to Blue Cheese and some other cheeses

Replies

  • kganc001
    kganc001 Posts: 317
    Try Ensure shakes...they're nutrient packed. Of course, read the ingredients first. Also, try protein powder and mix it with milk to get the protein you need. I didn't notice any nuts on your list, and I know they can be volatile for some people, but if you know you can tolerate them, try those. They have a lot of healthy fats which will help you.

    Try cooking plain chicken using pam cooking spray to avoid anything in olive oil / vegetable oil and add some spices on it.

    Next time you see your Dr make sure to have a list of questions, specifically asking how you should eat and explaining that you feel really undernourished and weak.

    Please feel better!
  • elebel82
    elebel82 Posts: 69 Member
    Sounds like oral allergy syndrome? If so, I have the same, but never so severe. Only raw fruits and veggies affect me, and it's mostly just lip bumps and stuff, except for watermelon.

    I don't have any suggestions, other than just making the extra effort to find recipes that you can eat (I was loving salads last year despite my issue with raw fruits and veggies - no tomato, cucumber, carrot , standard salad fare, but boy did I make amazing salads because they had to be inventive. Was kind of fun.

    Of course, if you're getting worse reactions than normal, it might not be the time to be too experimental. Did your doc mention why it was worse than normal? Is it because you're breastfeeding, or because of the season, or just random?
  • BrandiLynn24
    BrandiLynn24 Posts: 11
    Thank you. I don't think my doctor has really dealt with it because he has next to no explanation or suggestions for me. He said that some people just notice their allergies increasing over time with exposure (although I thought some exposure was good for me). He recommended I try local honey and I did and my husband had to rush me to the ER after a teaspoon because my throat swelled. I now have a Epi Pen. I am going to try Ensure !! My gums and teeth ache all the time and I just feel really crappy. I am not sure how pregnancy could or if it does but with each pregnancy my allergies have gotten worse. My husband ate blue cheese a week ago and about a hour later kissed me check and I got hives even though he had ate dessert and had some drinks after the blue cheese. He said to try them cooked but I tried sweet potatoes cooked and had horrible stomach pains and ended up doubled over in cramps vomiting so he said just to not try them anymore at all. I am on a sliding fee scale with him since I have no insurance right now and I can't get back into the actual allergist since we can't afford it.

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