I'm Confused!

[Juliebove]

I had testing done prior for food allergies and was told I was allergic to eggs, milk and almonds. This was IgG testing. At the time I wasn't aware of a reaction to almonds but I have since eaten some. Spaced out and licked a knife with almond butter and my mouth was burning. Since then, I ate a pistachio and my tongue went numb.

The eggs and milk apparently caused the big D! I had that for all of my life pretty much all of the time and just thought it was normal for people to be sick to their stomachs. I also had chronic ear and sinus infections. And when I got a flu shot, I got violently ill. So...

I don't know what to believe. I'm not allergic? But I still get violently ill if I eat this stuff?

As for the nuts, she thinks I have OAS. I suppose I could. It sort of makes sense.

She said she doesn't believe in IgG allergies. She said when tested, almost everyone will show a raised IgG. She only believes in IgE allergies and I don't have them. Not to foods anyway. But plenty of inhalents.

[Rachel--24]

She said she doesn't believe in IgG allergies. She said when tested, almost everyone will show a raised IgG. She only believes in IgE allergies and I don't have them. Not to foods anyway. But plenty of inhalents.

Technically, there's no such thing as an IgG allergy....so she's right about that.

Allergies are IgE mediated.

IgG immune responses are sensitivities/intolerances....but not true allergies. There's a big difference. So yes, you can be ill because of these foods....but its not due to an allergy.

[jerseyangel]

I had testing done prior for food allergies and was told I was allergic to eggs, milk and almonds. This was IgG testing. At the time I wasn't aware of a reaction to almonds but I have since eaten some. Spaced out and licked a knife with almond butter and my mouth was burning. Since then, I ate a pistachio and my tongue went numb.

The eggs and milk apparently caused the big D! I had that for all of my life pretty much all of the time and just thought it was normal for people to be sick to their stomachs. I also had chronic ear and sinus infections. And when I got a flu shot, I got violently ill. So...

I don't know what to believe. I'm not allergic? But I still get violently ill if I eat this stuff?

As for the nuts, she thinks I have OAS. I suppose I could. It sort of makes sense.

She said she doesn't believe in IgG allergies. She said when tested, almost everyone will show a raised IgG. She only believes in IgE allergies and I don't have them. Not to foods anyway. But plenty of inhalents.

Julie,

Your doctor told you the same thing that mine told me! He said that as far as the IgG testing, we make antibodies to foods after we eat them, so these tests yield a lot of false postitves. They aren't true allergies, they are sometimes referred to as delayed allergies or sensitivites.

These types of sensitivites can make you ill, but don't cause the life-threatening reactions that say, a deadly peanut allergy would.

[Juliebove]

Thanks for the replies. I wonder why the first Dr. called them allergies then? And when I look it up, it refers to it as an IGg allergy.

[Rachel--24]

I wonder why the first Dr. called them allergies then? And when I look it up, it refers to it as an IGg allergy.

Its not an allergy.....its an intolerance. You can call any type of reaction an "allergy".....however, the only "true" allergies are IgE mediated.

Some people refer to Celiac Disease as an "allergy" to gluten.....even though celiac disease is not an allergy.

Look up the difference between allergy and intolerance....they are two different things. You were tested for IgG antibodies....these are intolerances...usually they are delayed.

True allergies can cause life-threatening reaction (anaphylaxis)...as Patti stated. IgG antibodies do not cause anaphylactic reactions.

[Juliebove]

Aaargh! Daughter just saw allergist today and she too shows no food allergies. Just birch, alder and grasses. Not even cat and dog any more. Which is nice. But... She still reacts to these foods. Except perhaps for banana. We don't know about that.

Allergist said over the next few years we might try a challenge by giving her one bite of the various foods and seeing if she reacts. For now, banana would be the only one we would try since we know she is still reacting ot the others.

But the problem is with my husband. He is rejoicing that there are no food allergies and is fixing to stuff her full of the things she shouldn't eat. We are both upset and worried at what he might do. She is old enough to pitch a fit and not eat what he gives her. She is old enough to be able to read labels. He once got away with giving her chicken teriyaki but she knows better now. She doesn't like getting sick.