Histamine Intolerance - Please Read!

[FruitEnthusiast]

Well, I believe I have developed a histamine intolerance for the time being. That seems to be the reason I have been having the symptoms I've been posting about lately. Itchiness, eye irritation, achiness, joint pain, nausea, brain fog.

 

That is why I sat in the ER parking lot yesterday just in case my symptoms developed into anaphylaxis. I could feel my airway was a little constricted, my throat was very swollen and red, among other things. I took Benedryl and that helped enough so I went home and nothing serious happened, but I felt terrible all day and had trouble getting to sleep.

 

I did feel much better this morning, then I had the first thing I usually have in the morning: water w/ lemon and I felt bad right away. So I read about histamine containing and producing foods. I could see that my diet was full of them, so I will be making some dietary changes. Luckily there are other things I can eat.

 

This is something anyone with food intolerances needs to know about, especially anyone who's diet is very limited because we tend to repeat the same foods and that's related to this. Variety is important.

 

I've included a couple links here that I hope anyone reading this post will look at in case this pertains to you now or in the future. It's important not to eat certain things to excess, and knowing this now could help you avoid what I'm going through. It's not fun.

 

* I have to thank GottaSki for alerting me to histamine issues. I don't think I have MCAS. I still have to learn more about the Diamine Oxidase enzyme. I think an elimination diet is what I need. I still need to see an Allergist to rule out possible allergies I may have.

 

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[GottaSki]

You are welcome...sort of.  Don't like to be right about histamine issues -- especially when the "allergic" type reactions are getting worse.  I know you were looking for an allergist -- do try to find one soon.

 

Limiting histamine containing/inducing foods is a very good place to start -- but you need to be carrying epi-pens if you are starting to experience anaphylaxis.  It can get worse with each episode -- it has for me.  The ER or primary can prescribe epi-pens -- don't wait on this.

 

How do you react to Benadryl -- it is my go to for emergent reactions which have become far too frequent.  The allergist can help you find a proper dose of prophylactic antihistamines to help prevent reactions, but no one is the same -- has taken me a very long time to find proper dosages for me.  I can't use Benadryl unless needed because it makes me too sleepy/groggy to function.

 

Keep looking for answers.

[FruitEnthusiast]

It's a relief to have this piece of the puzzle! Really, I think I have had this tendency my whole life. It makes sense. I seem to react when I reach tilt with certain foods. I developed my corn and mold sensitivity 20 years ago from working in the midwest and it's been with me ever since. I do ok until my exposure gets too high. Better when I cut those things out. That's encouraging to me. I feel better when the exposure ends. I felt really good this morning until I had the wrong thing. Now I will know what to do to feel better.

 

I do very well with Benedryl. I know others who react the way you do. For me it will only make me sleepy if I want to sleep, so I use it as a sleep aid sometimes. It doesn't make me drowsy in the morning or groggy when I use it. I've carried it in my purse for years because I'm pretty sure I'm allergic to bees. I was stung 6 times as a kid (I was a tomboy) and had no urgent reaction but enough swelling to be concerned. I've always been allergic to wool.

 

I have an epipen for bees but have never carried it (duh) it's in my drawer somewhere and expired I'm sure. I will get a new one tomorrow and make an appt to see an Allergist too.Thank you!

 

Meanwhile I'm eating one food at a time on the allowed foods list to check how I do, and recording everything in my journal - I will not be slacking off on that again!

 

I'm hoping others will read my post so they can be aware of this possiblity. I imagine it may be common among those of us with gluten problems. I'm hoping it's the missing link for me to feel better. We'll see.

[1desperateladysaved]

Thanks, I had recently been looking for this list of histamine foods.  I printed it off.

 

Dee

[FruitEnthusiast]

OMG, my joy of being of help to others, and relief in finding new information to help myself has disintegrated into depression. I'm starving. I don't know what to eat yet, even though I already went shopping. I keep repeating the same sequence of actions: open the refrigerator, roll eyes, go flop on the bed to watch TV, back to the refrigerator, and so on...

 

I'm too hungry and tired to cook something, especially when it won't even be that interesting. I've now lost the only condiment I had left: lemon juice that I used for salad dressing.

 

This should get easier as learn what to eat but in the meantime I'm at a loss and feeling sorry for myself. OK, so I can't change everything at once, it's a process. I'm going to have to eat something I've been eating already or I won't have the energy to eat something new. It's a catch 22 kinda' thing. I can do this...

[1desperateladysaved]

I lost lemon juice(My last condiment) too and now enjoy saucing mango to use instead.  I think other fruits would be useful too.  To sauce the mango, one must only peel carefully, place the fruit pieces in a blender, and whirl.

 

Dee

[FruitEnthusiast]

Thanks for the tip. I know I'll find new tricks like that one to replace the other things. Plain food is really boring I have to say. I'm really tired from my symptoms so it's hard to be starting a new learning curve. It's got get easier I imagine. I'm not a mango fan but pineapple maybe, except some info I read says that's a food to avoid. Cantaloupe could work well though.

[GottaSki]

I use olive oil with fresh herbs a bit of salt and agave whirled up in the blender.

 

My favorite is cilantro sauce, followed closely by basil sauce.

[CaliSparrow]

My diet is so limited but I'm too tired to do anything about it. I just figured there will come a day when I can't eat tilapia, egg whites and sardines anymore . Can a dietician or nutritionist help with the diet? I had a nutritionist tell me on the front end that variety is important but the first step is to just get food in me at short intervals (she specializes in Celiac) and that the focus on variety comes down the road (mostly that it would be too overwhelming for me to go the variety route until I have more strength). I ended up with intolerances to most of what I was eating. One year and four months after the appointment and nine months after learning of my intolerances, I'm still eating a small subset of my safe foods over and over waiting to spring out of bed one day to cook up a storm. I've gained weight which is a good sign but yeah I need serious help with the variety issue. Can someone just put me to sleep until someone else gets me well?!?

I hope this is straightened out and you feel better soon!!!

[FruitEnthusiast]

I use olive oil with fresh herbs a bit of salt and agave whirled up in the blender.

 

My favorite is cilantro sauce, followed closely by basil sauce.

 

I like both cilantro and basil a lot. Those are good ideas.

 

It seems almost as if most everything I eat now is making me sick to some degree. The only thing that made me feel good today when I ate is was an apple. I never thought this whole dietary thing could get so much worse. At least I only felt truly bad with a couple things I ate, I can add those to the no list. The rest of it just made me feel crummy.

 

I have an appointment with an allergist in two weeks. That's the soonest I could see anybody. At least that Dr. was recommended by someone I trust.

 

I feel like I'm being pushed to my absolute limit.

[CaliSparrow]

Argh. Hang in there. KEEP GOING!

[GF Lover]

OMG, my joy of being of help to others, and relief in finding new information to help myself has disintegrated into depression. I'm starving. I don't know what to eat yet, even though I already went shopping. I keep repeating the same sequence of actions: open the refrigerator, roll eyes, go flop on the bed to watch TV, back to the refrigerator, and so on...

 

I'm too hungry and tired to cook something, especially when it won't even be that interesting. I've now lost the only condiment I had left: lemon juice that I used for salad dressing.

 

This should get easier as learn what to eat but in the meantime I'm at a loss and feeling sorry for myself. OK, so I can't change everything at once, it's a process. I'm going to have to eat something I've been eating already or I won't have the energy to eat something new. It's a catch 22 kinda' thing. I can do this...

 

Here is a comprehensive list of Histamine foods rated by amount of histamine that Ski gave out a while back.  I as only foods labeled 0 or 1 for two weeks for a challenge.

 

Good Luck

 

Colleen

[GottaSki]

I completely understand.  Until very recently even my limited "safe" foods were causing intestinal inflammation.  Anyyone that knows me knows that I will not take meds unless absolutely necessary...not so much an ethical decision....simply most medication has caused the incorrect outcome in my body....my entire life.  It has been a very long road for my family...with only two periods of improved health after my celiac diagnosis. Oh hey....I guess I have finally entered the third period of improved health...there were many times my family and I didn't think we could find anything that would help figure out my health puzzle.

 

One thing that helped me - but was very difficult to hear - nearly two years ago my celiac doc/researcher said to me what I had known for a very long time...."we simply do not know enough about functional digestive disorders."  From my own extensive reading, I knew this to be true, but somehow it was good to have an expert validate my opinion.  Digestive research is expanding to include "allergic" reactions ... just not quickly.  There is very interesting research being done by a fellow in Germany, he has yet to publish, but I am hopeful that he and others will bring much needed answers for many of us in the coming years.

 

For now, keep looking for answers.  I still have extremely frustrating doctor appointments, but the difference now is I have scientific conversations with my doctors...either over journal articles I bring to share or the data I've collected about me.  These appointments rarely improve my health, only my understanding of what may be the next step to improve my health.

 

That list is the best I've found because it shows not only histamine, but lists foods that can trigger the other mast cell mediators.  That along with a numerical histamine score from 0-3 (3 being the highest) has been invaluable to me.

 

Hang in there...yesterday was a good day for me - even with Santa Ana heat which usually causes major problems for me.

[FruitEnthusiast]

I have found lists online of foods that contain histamine and that are histamine liberators, so I have those. I'm doing better, as I find which foods are working for me and which ones aren't. I am finding the lists to be mostly accurate for me, sometimes not. I'm still testing foods and as I eliminate the ones that bother me I should be doing better and better.

 

I also found a list of foods that are supposed to alleviate the symptoms of eating a problem food. I haven't tested them, but I have discovered one food already that worked for me that wasn't on the list. I ate something that made me feel so bad I thought I would have to go to bed, then I ate the other food and I miraculously felt so much better I was able to do whatever I needed to do for the evening.

 

That was amazing to experience and gave me new hope. I am having some times when I feel fine now thank goodness. I definitely have to be careful to eat small meals, or I don't feel well, but that has been the case since going gluten-free. Seeing some light at the end of the tunnel is priceless.

[GottaSki]

 

That was amazing to experience and gave me new hope. I am having some times when I feel fine now thank goodness. I definitely have to be careful to eat small meals, or I don't feel well, but that has been the case since going gluten-free. Seeing some light at the end of the tunnel is priceless.

 

[DandelionH]

Ah! Another link about histamine!
Which I think is implicated in my worsening of a few symptoms since gluten free (eating more of them!) and bettering of others.
Is this common after going on the diet...? I really don't think I can bear to watch what I eat even more closely and I love all those foods...