Nickel Allergy Anyone?

[cyberprof]

I know Sunnydyrain has this too. But I never connected it with celiac or even thought that it could be connected.

Anyone else with a nickel allergy?

[darlindeb25]

Yup--me too, my daughter, my mother, my granddaughter--we gots it too. Seems to happen often, more often then many realize. My daughter can not have any metal jewelry touch her. So far, she has not complained about the zipper in her jeans, but then again, I am not sure it touches her, she wears them so big. I bought her a stone cross on a rope and the cross, we later found out had a small amount of metal in it and she reacted to it. I truly thought I was safe with that necklace--she loves necklaces. I love ankle bracelets and I had found a magnet ankle bracelet. It was so pretty, but my ankle kept swelling, was so weird and I couldn't figure it out. I read up on magnets and found that no one should be allergic to magnets---WELL, they use little pieces of metal inbetween the magnets and there almost always is nickel in the metal. I have not found a magnet bracelet anywhere without metal. Most nickel free earrings now bother me too. I can still wear the nickel free studs, but thats about it. I haven't ventured much outside of the jewelry to find what else has nickel in it, I do understand that it is in foods too.

[WW340]

I am highly allergic to most metals. I didn't know how bad it was until I was older and found that the dental amalgam used in my root canal had eaten away my jaw bone and I had to have a bone graft.

They think now that the original almalgam fillings caused the damage leading to the root canals. I had to have 3 root canals redone and all the amalgam removed from my mouth.

I have to wear titanium glasses because of metal reactions where the glasses touch my face or ears.

I have never been able to wear costume jewelry or silver. I am fine with gold, even 14K gold, which does have some other metals in the alloy.

[ravenwoodglass]

Add me to the list. Although I am no longer so reactive that I have to wear something between the snap on my jeans and my skin. My Mom was allergic also and always said it was a great excuse to buy good jewelry.

[Sugarmag]

Check yes for me too! I haven't been able to wear costume jewelry ever really. I could tolerate small amounts as a kid..like putting clear nail polish over the back of a pendant so the metal didn't touch me...but I can't even handle that anymore! It's only gold and platinum for me now! I'm sure my hubby would love it if I could wear the cheaper stuff!!

[Michi8]

I know Sunnydyrain has this too. But I never connected it with celiac or even thought that it could be connected.

Anyone else with a nickel allergy?

I have allergies to nickel, chromium and cobalt. Don't have a positive celiac diagnosis...but I do believe I'm gluten intolerant. Also have EDS, which is connected to skin sensitivity.

Michelle

[cyberprof]

I have allergies to nickel, chromium and cobalt. Don't have a positive celiac diagnosis...but I do believe I'm gluten intolerant. Also have EDS, which is connected to skin sensitivity.

Michelle

Michelle, what is EDS?

Are chromium and cobalt in many foods/beverages? I think that chromium is in vitamins, right?

I read recently that people who are allergic to nickel shouldn't wear mineral-based makeup, so I've eliminated that. The article (sorry, can't remember where I read it) said that continuing to wear mineral makeup could make people allergic to more metals. Yikes! I really like wearing my gold rings, and would hate to have to stop.

[cyberprof]

Add me to the list. Although I am no longer so reactive that I have to wear something between the snap on my jeans and my skin. My Mom was allergic also and always said it was a great excuse to buy good jewelry.

I have to put medical-grade tape over the snap on my jeans.

I can wear stainless steel wire earrings (the dangly kind) but not posts.

Raven, do you think your sensitivitity has decreased since you went gluten free? Is there a connection?

[Michi8]

Michelle, what is EDS?

Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. It's a genetic connective tissue disorder, which affects all tissues in the body.

Are chromium and cobalt in many foods/beverages? I think that chromium is in vitamins, right?

I read recently that people who are allergic to nickel shouldn't wear mineral-based makeup, so I've eliminated that. The article (sorry, can't remember where I read it) said that continuing to wear mineral makeup could make people allergic to more metals. Yikes! I really like wearing my gold rings, and would hate to have to stop.

Cobalt is what vitamin B12 is. It is also found in metals and pigments. Chromium is in metals, glues, resins, inks/pigments, ceramics, cement, perservatives, etc. Tatoos are a no-no when someone has either cobalt or chromium allergy...could cause a pretty bad reaction. Both cobalt and chromium are found in many makeups, especially mascara and eyeshadow. Nickel can be found in many different foods (I've a long list of foods that may need to be avoided), and can affect tap water too.

Michelle

[cyberprof]

Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. It's a genetic connective tissue disorder, which affects all tissues in the body.

Cobalt is what vitamin B12 is. It is also found in metals and pigments. Chromium is in metals, glues, resins, inks/pigments, ceramics, cement, perservatives, etc. Tatoos are a no-no when someone has either cobalt or chromium allergy...could cause a pretty bad reaction. Both cobalt and chromium are found in many makeups, especially mascara and eyeshadow. Nickel can be found in many different foods (I've a long list of foods that may need to be avoided), and can affect tap water too.

Michelle

Nickel in foods? Michelle, if you could post your list I'd be very grateful. Thanks in advance....

Nevermind, I used the wonders of Google to get a list. Thanks for pointing it out though, I never would have thought....

[Michi8]

Nickel in foods? Michelle, if you could post your list I'd be very grateful. Thanks in advance....

Nevermind, I used the wonders of Google to get a list. Thanks for pointing it out though, I never would have thought....

I'm glad you found it via Google, because the list is quite long and complicated. If you still need it though, I could scan it and post the copy.

Michelle

[ravenwoodglass]

Raven, do you think your sensitivitity has decreased since you went gluten free? Is there a connection?

Along with all my other allergies my nickel allergy has become much less severe. I still would not try wearing costume earring but I don't react to things like my snaps at all any more. All of my allergies have lessened though, some have disappeared totally.

I find the Ehlers link interesting as I am also an Ehlers Danlos person and have even seen some of the worst of my EDS effects subside. I now rarely dislocate when I used to have dislocations of my feet,knees and ankles on a nightly basis. I would have to try and pop stuff back in before my feet hit the ground every morning unless I slept in ace wraps. In my instance a lot of the dislocations seemed to be linked to my edema now that I have no edema I only dislocate maybe once every couple months or so. Makes the EDS much easier to deal with.

[Michi8]

Along with all my other allergies my nickel allergy has become much less severe. I still would not try wearing costume earring but I don't react to things like my snaps at all any more. All of my allergies have lessened though, some have disappeared totally.

I find the Ehlers link interesting as I am also an Ehlers Danlos person and have even seen some of the worst of my EDS effects subside. I now rarely dislocate when I used to have dislocations of my feet,knees and ankles on a nightly basis. I would have to try and pop stuff back in before my feet hit the ground every morning unless I slept in ace wraps. In my instance a lot of the dislocations seemed to be linked to my edema now that I have no edema I only dislocate maybe once every couple months or so. Makes the EDS much easier to deal with.

That's very interesting to hear. I'm just starting my investigation into EDS...I've got a genetics appointment next month.

Since so many EDSers have IBS/GI issues, and many have autoimmune issues too, I can't help but wonder if there is a direct connection between EDS and gluten intolerance. My kids seem to all have EDS related issues, and I have read that anxiety issues can be linked to the same genes as well...all three of my kids have some degree of anxiety (as do I) with our youngest being diagnosed OCD as well.

I did find that being gluten free helped my moodiness and anxiety...I don't know if it helped my EDS, because I wasn't aware I had it at the time. I am not gluten free right now (long story behind that) but am planning on eliminating gluten again soon...the whole family will be doing an elimination diet. Now I just have to work up the strength to implement it...gotta be prepared for a lot of whining (not just from my kids, but my husband too!) LOL!

Michelle

[ravenwoodglass]

That's very interesting to hear. I'm just starting my investigation into EDS...I've got a genetics appointment next month.

Since so many EDSers have IBS/GI issues, and many have autoimmune issues too, I can't help but wonder if there is a direct connection between EDS and gluten intolerance. My kids seem to all have EDS related issues, and I have read that anxiety issues can be linked to the same genes as well...all three of my kids have some degree of anxiety (as do I) with our youngest being diagnosed OCD as well.

I did find that being gluten free helped my moodiness and anxiety...I don't know if it helped my EDS, because I wasn't aware I had it at the time. I am not gluten free right now (long story behind that) but am planning on eliminating gluten again soon...the whole family will be doing an elimination diet. Now I just have to work up the strength to implement it...gotta be prepared for a lot of whining (not just from my kids, but my husband too!) LOL!

Michelle

Hi Michelle, What kind of issues are you dealing with that are thought to be EDS related? There are different subtypes of EDS, some of them with only issues with joints and tendons and others can be serious with organ ruptures (uterus many times in women). There are also hypermobility syndromes that are just that hypermobility without any of the connective tissue issues. That was thought to be what I had until I had a coloscopy and that revealed extensive diverticuli (weak spots and outpouching) throughout my entire large intestine rather than the usual area of the left descending colon.

Most of the pain that I experienced in my joints and muscles actually came from gluten. Also be sure you investigate gluten throughly before you allow your kids to be medicated for anxiety. Anxiety and depression are closely associated with neurotoxicity of gluten in those that are suseptable and medication with standard meds can have unexpected and real nasty results. I almost lost my DD because of those effects.

[Michi8]

Hi Michelle, What kind of issues are you dealing with that are thought to be EDS related? There are different subtypes of EDS, some of them with only issues with joints and tendons and others can be serious with organ ruptures (uterus many times in women). There are also hypermobility syndromes that are just that hypermobility without any of the connective tissue issues. That was thought to be what I had until I had a coloscopy and that revealed extensive diverticuli (weak spots and outpouching) throughout my entire large intestine rather than the usual area of the left descending colon.

Most of the pain that I experienced in my joints and muscles actually came from gluten. Also be sure you investigate gluten throughly before you allow your kids to be medicated for anxiety. Anxiety and depression are closely associated with neurotoxicity of gluten in those that are suseptable and medication with standard meds can have unexpected and real nasty results. I almost lost my DD because of those effects.

I've got Classical EDS (I believe it's also considered type III). I do have hyperflexibility in many joints, with a tendency to dislocate shoulders and knees, but I cannot flex my knees or elbows backward. I have occassional joint pain as I get older, seems to be worst during weather/barometric changes. I also have the classic stretchy, velvety soft, transluscent skin. I do have organ issues...hiatal hernia, prolapse, redundant colon along with constipation issues. While I had no issue with uterine rupture (I had two cesarean sections then one natural birth, and everything was fine!), I did have a problem with losing a lot of blood (the technical term escapes me now...my memory isn't so good...right, "hemmorage" is the word!) which was rectified with a shot of oxytocin. In hindsight, I do believe that my babies were malpositioned because of the extensibility of my tissues (easy to flip back and forth from breech) and could have avoided the first cesarean if I was given time to let baby flip back down. I do have many other health issues that could be linked to EDS, but if I wrote them down, this would be way too long. :-)

At any rate, at my genetics appointment we will look at the EDS more closely and hopefully we'll determine from which side of the family it came, and which kids have inherited it. The geneticist has a special interest in EDS, and has done some research of her own.

We will not be using drugs to treat anxiety. I've held the doctors off in the case of my health for many years (I do not take any drugs lightly, and prefer to always treat naturally.) With respect to my daughter's OCD, we were told that we should medicate because she's too old for preschool therapy, and too young for traditional therapy methods. I won't medicate without exhausting all of our other options, and absolutely will not consider drugs unless the OCD is severly impacting her quality of life. At this point, as frustrating and stressful as it is to parent a child with the OCD, we manage quite well with making concessions as appropriate and are having some good success with using a reward system for getting through rituals and completing tasks.

BTW, just keeping on topic...my eldest has been allergic to nickel since birth. Not sure about my other two kids.

Michelle

[rvagirl]

That's crazy that having a nickel allergy could be linked to having Celiac! I'm so glad that someone posted this! I have a nickel allergy, and when I got my ears pierced when I was 14, I ended up having a reaction and the earring became enclosed in my ear lobe and was really gross. I had to have surgery to get it out. When I was 18, I got the side of my bottom lip pierced with nickel (not knowing that I was allergic to it) and I ended up having to take it out after a month (much to my parents' joy!). A couple years later, I found out that I was actually allergic to nickel, which is why I had the infections. I'm glad that I'm not alone in all this craziness that is Celiac and all that relates to it!

[Michi8]

That's crazy that having a nickel allergy could be linked to having Celiac! I'm so glad that someone posted this! I have a nickel allergy, and when I got my ears pierced when I was 14, I ended up having a reaction and the earring became enclosed in my ear lobe and was really gross. I had to have surgery to get it out. When I was 18, I got the side of my bottom lip pierced with nickel (not knowing that I was allergic to it) and I ended up having to take it out after a month (much to my parents' joy!). A couple years later, I found out that I was actually allergic to nickel, which is why I had the infections. I'm glad that I'm not alone in all this craziness that is Celiac and all that relates to it!

I don't know how related it is. It's likely just coincidence. I have tested negative for celiac, as have my kids. Doesn't mean I won't test postive down the road. However, I don't believe I am truly celiac, but gluten intolerant.

Michelle

[Taylor.P]

Has anyone's nickel allergy resolved/been better since eliminating gluten? I'm actually allergic to chromium but have found that it's in a lot of stainless steel and other metals. A friend of mine's skin sensitivity to metals went away after she was diagnosed with celiac disease and eliminated gluten.