Anyone Else With Food Allergies?? Help

patsypooter
patsypooter Posts: 175 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hello. I've just recently discovered that I've managed to develop adult onset food allergies. I have had 3-5 occurrences of anaphylaxis, the last time this occured my airway started to close up and thick mucus filled my throat. I honestly thought I was going to die. I've been prescribed two epipens but I'm extremely confused, I've really had nothing explained to me and googling isn't really helping me much. I desperately want to join a forum where I can hear peoples personal experiences with food allergies as I need to understand this better.

After one of my last episodes I had forced my doctor to refer me to a food allergist so at some point I will be meeting with him. It's been four months and I'm still waiting just to hear from them so I really have no idea when I will get in. Confirmed with my doctor that the referral has been sent so now it's just a waiting game. The next appointment I have with my family doctor is October 21st but that's a long time to go without talking to someone about this and I don't think he knows crap all about allergies anyways.

Does anyone have personal experience with this who would be willing to talk to me?

Or does anyone know of an active forum where I can find fellow sufferers? I've been looking for forums but have not found any that still have active members.

Replies

  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
    It's hard to find a physician who pays any attention to adult food sensitivities -- but you would think your anaphalaxis would get their attention!! I had sinus infections for years before someone said, "Gee, maybe GERD is a factor." Yup, chronic GERD from eating foods that didn't agree with me was causing the sinus problems. Go figure.

    My mother, my sister, and I all have a set of food sensitivities. Mine were finally diagnosed by an Ear, Nose & Throat guy who also was an Allergist. He did the tine test and I popped up with red bumps for all sorts of things. As it turns out, the same list of things he came up with are the things my mother and sister react to as well.

    So, what you need is the tine test to determine which things you are sensitive to and then avoid them. I've been told that allergy shots don't really work for food allergies but I don't know the latest on that.

    Have you determined what you are reacting to? Is it shellfish, or nuts, or members of the nightshade family? These are pretty common.
  • KristinSalzer
    KristinSalzer Posts: 1
    I have severe food allergies. What are yours specifically? I found two different fb groups that help me with my specific allergies, I'm allergic to all nuts and sunflower/sunflower oil...sometimes canola. They've been very helpful in finding new, safe foods for me to try, as well as helpful tips and a space to vent. Hope that helps!
  • glc1990
    glc1990 Posts: 22
    My mum who is 51 this week was diagnosed in 2012 with anaphylaxis (sp) allergies to a range of things and she now owns 2 epi-pens.

    The main culprit is balsamic vinegar which gives her an anaphylactic reaction.

    She also has a reaction to dairy (mainly ice cream, cream or milk) which makes her cough and sneeze and on occasion has given her a rash. She also can't drink certain types of wine (i think it's the sulphates??) as they give her a rash. Garlic gives her severe stomach cramps and bloating which she said is one of the worst pains she's ever had. Paprika makes her cough and sneeze.

    There are other things that affect her but they're the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

    Allergies are really serious, and not enough people take them seriously enough - I used to be one of those people but now seeing how my mum has gone from being able to eat normally to having to read ingredients lists on literally everything, I know it's true!!

    I don't have any advice for you but I hope you manage to get it sorted out :( good luck x
  • patsypooter
    patsypooter Posts: 175 Member
    Thanks for all your helpful comments.

    So far I have reacted to:

    Avocado (don't think it was anaphylaxis but a terribly painful gut reaction)
    tilapia (anaphylaxis)
    duck eggs (severe throat closing anaphylaxis)
    cashews (was not immediate and was more of an allergic reaction as it.. came out the other end)

    I think I have had more anaphylaxis reactions than this but I can't figure out what food caused it. A few times I'd end up feeling dizzy and like I would pass out along with troubling GI symptoms. Not sure if it's IBS related or mild anaphylaxis.

    I do not eat gluten because it makes me nauseous, I do not eat dairy (besides butter which I am actually about to cut out) because it gives me eczema and rheumatoid arthritis flares, I do not eat sugar because it causes IBS.

    I have been diagnosed as IBS but I am managing it very well with a FODMAP/SCD type diet. I eat very strictly but it's been so worth it. I'm wondering if my sudden allergies are because I've been eating so strictly? Maybe my limited diet has made my body overreact?

    I have no idea and I feel very confused and lost. I still do not feel 00% and its been a week since my anaphylactic reaction to duck eggs.

    I think that unfortunately I will never have the same relationship with food again. It keeps going through my mind that I could have died in front of my husband and it just breaks my heart. I don't want to do that to him. I want to figure this out and I need to take this more seriously than my doctors are.

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