What To Do About Other Allergies

[rutland]

Since going gluten free about 4mos ago I realize that Im having reactions to other foods as well. Because my primary doc. and so many other docs are unschooled about food intolerances, Im not sure were to go to get all my food intolerances figured out.

When I went gluten free I had neurological symptoms that have gone away. But now I notice that when I eat dairy I have trouble sleeping and my heart races and so does my mind. So I gave that up. Now I notice that when I eat my gluten-free baked goods I dont feel well, so I gave that up. Recently I drank a glass of red wine and got sick for days. So I gave that up. Im now on what can be called the palieolithic diet. Justs meats, fish, chicken, veggies, nuts and some fruits.

I dont mind staying on this diet if it works, Im already feeling a little better. Im just wondering who I could go to in order to figure out for sure how to know exactly what foods to stay away from. I know that a lot of people do this on their own, like I am. It would just be so much easier if I had someone who was real knowledgable about this so that I could have more support. Food allergies are so misunderstood by those in the medical profession it seems. Its awful, because so many people suffer for so long before their able to figure this all out.

Who would I go to for help. An allergist? A nutritionist?

Advice needed.

Steph

[happygirl]

I think you will find an allergist/immunologist (in some areas, they are the same) will be your best bet. In general, not only will they know about allergies, but they should know about intolerances. Its hard to know if its an intolerance or allergy...as they often have the same symptoms. Most docs don't think its an allergy if you don't have hives though But I'm sure you've realized this already!!!

If not, it might be worth seeing someone like an integrative medicine doctor, as the are schooled in intolerances.

A nutritionist might be helpful...but prob after you have identified your problems.

On the other hand, I and many others (including jerseyangel) have been told by doctors that the best way to know what is going on is through an elimination diet. But testing might help guide you on it.

Good luck,

Laura

[Guest cassidy]

Sorry there are so many new things that you can't have. I have found the same thing. I called my allergist and they told me that she wouldn't be helpful so I didn't go back to her. I went to an integrative doctor and she believed me but said that testing isn't reliable and the best thing to do was to keep a food diary. I know other people have done food allergy testing, but I didn't bother since she didn't have much hope in it. So, I did what you are doing and figured it out myself. The integrative doctor did help me with other problems I was having and I wouldn't hesitate to go back to her, especially if I get strange symptoms again.

I have noticed that I can tolerate a little of some things if I don't over do it. I can have a few hash browns in my eggs but I better not eat a whole serving of french fries or mashed potatoes. Those things got better as I got better.

Good luck figuring it out.

[Mango04]

Some naturopaths or even medical doctors who also specialize in holistic medicine are quite well educated about food and nutrition...

[burdee]

Since going gluten free about 4mos ago I realize that Im having reactions to other foods as well. Because my primary doc. and so many other docs are unschooled about food intolerances, Im not sure were to go to get all my food intolerances figured out.

When I went gluten free I had neurological symptoms that have gone away. But now I notice that when I eat dairy I have trouble sleeping and my heart races and so does my mind. So I gave that up. Now I notice that when I eat my gluten-free baked goods I dont feel well, so I gave that up. Recently I drank a glass of red wine and got sick for days. So I gave that up. Im now on what can be called the palieolithic diet.

It would just be so much easier if I had someone who was real knowledgable about this so that I could have more support. Food allergies are so misunderstood by those in the medical profession it seems. Its awful, because so many people suffer for so long before their able to figure this all out.

Who would I go to for help. An allergist? A nutritionist?

Advice needed.

Steph

Hi Steph:

After I continued to have symptoms (cramping intestinal pains, bloating, gas and constipation) DESPITE abstaining from gluten, dairy and soy, I went to a local celiac naturopath who founded the Seattle IBS Treatment Center. He says those IBS symptoms are caused by celiac disease, food allergies, bad bacteria or lack of good bacteria, yeast and/or parasites. He gave me the ELISA blood test for over 100 food allergies (both IgG and IgE reactions) and a comprehensive stool bacteria, yeast and parasite test. Those found that I also have egg and cane sugar allergies plus a Klebsiella infection and low good bacteria. He treated the bad bacteria with an herbal supplement and gave me probiotics, while I learned to abstain from sources of egg and cane sugar.

However I also recently learned that most red wine manufacturers 'clear' or 'fine' their wines with egg white. White wine makers may use casein or skim milk or egg white. Even non alcoholic wine makers use egg white or sometimes gel. I bought a pineapple wine in Maui which added cane sugar to their wines (and I reacted badly). Alcohol industry doesn't have to follow the food labelling act. So you will only know by doing research about wines or contacting the specific company which made the wine which made you sick.

Nevertheless I advise you get more tests for other allergies. Unless you have diagnosed allergies to specific foods you don't need to eliminate them. Even with gluten, dairy, soy, egg and cane sugar allergies, I can eat all the gluten free grains, nuts, meats, vegies, fruits, oils (except soy) and many cane sugar substitutes like maple syrup, honey, fructose, fruit sweetners, etc. We don't need to unnecessarily deprive ourselves if we know exactly what food allergies we have.

BURDEE

[tarnalberry]

You may have a difficult time finding a doctor who can help you, but do look for one for guidance. Call and ask a few questions - specifically asking about whether or not they treat patients with non-traditional food intolerances, etc. Do some fact finding, and ask around before settling on a few to try. You may be in an area that you'll find it easier, you may not be.

Also, doing a recorded elimination diet may help, but you need to be organized, methodical, and patient to do one of those on your own.

Good luck!

[Clark Bent as Stupor-Man]

I know there are different schools of thoughts on elimination diets vs. food allergy testing (both on this board and from nutritionists) but I personally did not find an elimination diet very helpful... I ended up getting an intolerance test done with Immunolabs a couple weeks ago for 115 foods (still awaiting the results)... in hindsight, I would have rather had done this test from the getgo early last year so I didn't have to challenge so many foods I had been avoiding for months...

my personal opinion is that those people who don't start feeling better (given enough time) after eliminating the more common allergens (like dairy and soy in addition to gluten) would be better served getting a comprehensive food allergy test done than simply going straight to an elimination diet.. I know there are false positives and false negatives for food allergy testing but it could at least be a guide to use in conjunction with the start of an elimination diet.. elimination diets IMO have a number of flaws if used as a sole diagnostic tool (at least in more complicated cases)... they are predicated upon going down to a simple diet with a handful of foods such as chicken, lamb, certain veggies, etc. but what if a person is intolerant to any of those foods? additionally, elimination diets recommend rotating foods every couple days but that simply wasn't possible for someone like myself who eats 5-6 high protein meals per day for blood sugar reasons.. I kept a food diary for a couple months last year 2 different times and didn't find it very beneficial... I was suspicious at one time or another of nearly every food I consumed while being more leary of certain ones.. however, I couldn't definitively link a reaction to a given food as my reactions aren't the more immediate/nor obvious reactions..

if you do choose to pursue getting a food intolerance test done, I was able to get my test 100 percent covered by my insurance (Horizon BCBS of NJ)... the lab also provided me with doctors in my area who they work with and I am going through one of these doctors to get the test done

[rutland]

Thanks, I just went and made an appt. with an allergist. Im looking forward to see what his method will be. My mom recommended him because he helped her with her cat dander allergy. I know food allergies are different, but the receptionist over the phone said he does test for food allergies.

Im not sure what to call it. Food allergies, food intolerances, or sensitivities?

[covsooze]

Someone here recommended a book called: the complete guide to food allergy & intolerance by Jonathan Brostoff & Linda Gamlin. I bought it from Amazon and it's a very good, thorough & scientific read. It's helped me figure out an elimination diet, with the help of my dietician. It explains all the different ways of testing and the pros and cons of each. It's extremely helpful with the elimination diet, dealing with the sort of concerns that Clark raised. I'm only 2 days into the diet though, so can't comment too much yet!

I did the York blood test, but showed up intolerant to nearly every one of the 113 foods There is no way I was going to cut all those out without results from an elimination diet to back it up!

All the best in finding solutions.

Susie x

[Rachel--24]

My advice is to get a Dr. who practices integrative medicine. Either that or a reputable Naturopath. In my opinion this is where you will have the best luck....so long as you do your homework on the Dr. first. There are some really good ones out there....and there are also some "not so good" ones.

I've done it all....seen all the various specialists, allergists...nutritionists...unfortunately none of them had a clue. Allergists focus on allergies....thats pretty much it. They didnt help me because I dont have allergies...I have intolerances/sensitivities and LOTS of them.

I hope you have better luck than I did with traditional testing.....for me it provided no answers. The ELISA intolerance test didnt really help me either. I did every diet out there and the Candida diet worked best for me but I quickly developed intolerances to these foods as well.

If you have a leaky gut and/or infections you may need help in treating it. You may have dysbiosis (too much bad bacteria/yeasts and not enough beneficial bacteria). This would need to be addressed in order to keep the intolerances from escalating. Also you may need to determine what brought it on in the first place in order to recover from it.

I tried to fix it on my own because I couldnt find a Dr. to help me. Your situation may not be as severe as mine but as much as I researched and tried everything under the sun....I just couldnt do it on my own. Once I got out of my HMO and away from traditional medicine I started to get answers and finally have the help I need to get better.

Most likely what you're dealing with isnt true allergies but it doesnt hurt to get the testing.

One of my worst reactions ever was to red wine....for me it was an obvious issue with yeast. I avoid all alcohol. I would be sick for days from any amount of alcohol. Feeling sick after alcohol doesnt necessarily mean you are "allergic" to something in the drink. If you have leaky gut alcohol will exacerbate the situation big time. If you have yeast overgrowth or other infection your liver may be struggling with all of the toxins these guys produce...adding alcohol will make you feel pretty much "poisoned" for days. It will also worsen the yeast problem.

These are *some* of the things that might be causing your symptoms and you may want to look into it at some point but traditional medicine will not help you...they do not have an understanding of how to treat this type of illness.

In the meantime you can help yourself by keeping food journals and carefully monitoring your diet. I did this faithfully....not only writing down what foods I ate but also all of my symptoms. It didnt necessarily help me figure out what foods were ok because pretty much ALL foods were not ok in my case. However, it did help me to get really in-tuned with what was going on with my body and with my health. I learned to listen to my body and to *know* my reactions.....so there was alot of benefit from keeping the journals.

Good luck and hope you get some answers.

[Juliebove]

My mom, daughter and I all went to an ND for a RAST test. We all have multiple food allergies and when you have this situation an elimination type of diet is not the most effective thing. I'm allergic to dairy, eggs and almonds. I had surmised about the eggs on my own and was pretty sure about the dairy but I never would have guessed almonds.

[sspitzer5]

However I also recently learned that most red wine manufacturers 'clear' or 'fine' their wines with egg white. White wine makers may use casein or skim milk or egg white. Even non alcoholic wine makers use egg white or sometimes gel. BURDEE

DOH. Thanks for the info Burdee. I also have an egg intolerance and I've been drinking red wine on a fairly regular basis. Geez. I had no idea there might be egg in wine.

S

[Helena]

I ended up going the elimination diet route after allergy testing----my allergist supervised it. First, though, he did the allergy skin prick tests. He was rather skeptical about the results because I reacted to so much. He thought I couldn't possibly be allergic to that many things. (And he is right to say that those tests are a guide but aren't 100% accurate. Also, I get hives when my skin is scratched, so the skin prick test might not be the best method for me.)

I think it is a good idea to try allergy testing first . . . and then if the tests don't help you figure things out to go on the elimination diet. If you have intolerances, I think the elimination diet is fine. But with allergies (i.e. IgE mediated reactions) it is probably a good idea to have the diet supervised by a medical professional. The thing is that if you are reacting to something and eating it all the time, you could have a more severe reaction if you eliminate it completely and then add it back in. (and reactions can be life-threatening.)

That having been said, my allergist was of limited help during the whole diet . . . .i.e. if he had been supervising it more closely maybe I would have figured out the celiac situation a bit earlier. (I had mild GI problems + slight tiredness with oats.)

So .. . I'd say go with a dr., but with the realization that the dr. might be of limited assistance. I found this bk. to be invaluable when going through the ordeal of the diet:

Open Original Shared Link

Good luck in figuring this out!

[codetalker]

Who would I go to for help. An allergist? A nutritionist?

It might be good to have the advice of a nutritionist regardless of who else you see.

I spent most of 2006 doing this myself. It took about 10 months to identify soy, chick peas, canola oil, corn and dairy. Have no idea how those all suddenly started causing problems but they did. The point here though is that although eliminating all of these made the allergy/intolerance symptoms go away, I was still feeling washed out. With wheat, oats, barley and rye out because of celiac disease, no tomatoes, citrus, tea, etc, for reflux and limited meat/fish for mercury, toxins, hormones, etc. I realized my vitamin and mineral intake was deficient. For instance, I had no regular source of iodine or B12. It took a toll after so many months.

Found some low-dose hypoallergenic supplements and perked right up. This is obviously a pitfall of elimination diets.

[rutland]

Thanks again for all your advice.

I went to the allergist, he did the skin prick test. That showed an allergy to egg, and milk. Oddly it showed negative for wheat. Ive never been officially diagnosed with celiac disease but I know that when I excluded gluten from my diet, some severe symptoms cleared up. So regardless of what some test shows, Im staying gluten free. Esp. after reading the book; dangerous grains.

Codetalker, I get concerned as well about some of the nutritional deficiency issues that could arise from consuming a limited diet. Im a firm believer in supplements. I take a very good multi, amoung other things. Its my belief that the body is more at risk for deficiencies when one is consuming offending foods because I think that interferes with absorbtion somehow. I feel much healthier on this diet.

[flowergirl]

Hi Steph. Just registered on this site but I've been reading for a while. I've been on and off wheat for years but finally been gluten-free for a month and it's amazing to see my health return. Foggy brain is less, anxiety and nervous feeling less, more energy, more focussed and more able to cope in society. I decided to reply on your thread first because I've also had terrible neurological symptoms dissappearing since going gluten-free. I should tell you however that I am kind of following the paleo diet. At the moment I can't seem to tolerate egg, soy, milk products and gluten-free confectionary to mention a few. There are lots of gluten-free products that doesn't go well with me. I sometimes eat brown rice, buckwheat, corn cracker, taco, vege spread but very little at a time. I also follow a food combination chart... what a blessing!

I don't know much about food allergies and these things but after being so ill for so many years, I have finally found a good way that works for me. I started with the paleo diet, got well enough after a few weeks and from there slowly keep record of the food that cause trouble as I reintroduce things like soy etc, document it and get it out of my kitchen. I also find that sometimes experimenting with the bad stuff makes my memory fade (its terrible) and if I don't document the events, its all lost.

I can only tell you to turn to prayer for help. I hav'nt been able to find help elsewhere in all these years and I've suffered in the extremes for more than 15 yrs. Still not diagnosed officially and not interested in going through 3 months of &^#@ to get it.

Best to you.

Flowergirl