Chemical Sensitivities

[mslee]

For those of you with Chemical Sensitivities how did you narrow it down to a specific chemical or additive? Is There some sort of testing for this or is it learned through trial and error???

Thanks!!!

[mftnchn]

My allergist did testing but I don't think all allergists do.

[Michi8]

I had patch testing done through my dermatologist. Found out that I'm allergic to potassium dichloride (chromium), nickel, cobalt...which are found in many products such as adhesives, cosmetics & hair/body products, paints, cements, etc. Also allergic to neomycin.

Michelle

For those of you with Chemical Sensitivities how did you narrow it down to a specific chemical or additive? Is There some sort of testing for this or is it learned through trial and error???

Thanks!!!

[Lisa16]

I had a "scratch test" done long ago and the only part that came back positive was the histamine control. I think it was worthless. But somewhere I read that it tests for only one type of allergies (acquired maybe?)

For food sensitivities, I have a strong immediate reaction in the form of a red rash that creeps up my neck and outlines my lips and bursts on my face to MSG, sulfites/ sulfates (these also make my joints swell) and nitrites/ nitrates. That is pretty easy to see/ deduce. Feed me a piece of bologna with nitrites in it and I will "blotch out" in less than 20 minutes. Same with wine or dried fruits preserved qith sulfates. And msg? Call the fire squad! I look like I got a really bad sunburn.

But the gluten took me years to figure out. In fact, I never really did. All I knew was that it was either everything making me sick or something so pervasive that I had no chance at figuring it out. I even suspected my morning tea at the lowest point. And I would eat spaghetti and get sick and think-- Oh, it is the tomato sauce. Ha! And I would quit eating tomatoes. And towards the end I was only eating "simple starches" and it nearly killed me. How stupid was I? But that is what conventional wisdom says is the easiest to digest. The headaches alone were the most painful things I have ever experienced and I know pain well.

For chemicals in things like shampoo, deoderants, lotions, creams and the like it can take the form of anything from a hot red, itchy rash to an outbreak of actual blisters. Sometimes whatever is doing it is a mystery. Sometimes I think it is the alcohol or the fragrance or some plant extracts. For sure I know SLS will do this to me. Once some pistachio foot cream really zapped me and it was organic (from desert essence!) Quite frequently (and ironically) hypo-allergenic creams get me. I have given up trying to understand it and just avoid stuff that is new. And I try something new with extreme caution. I try to keep track of suspicious ingreedients. It is my final frontier.

Good luck. Try to keep a record. And be careful.

[Michi8]

Just an FYI... patch testing is different from scratch/skin prick testing. Many samples of allergens (typically different items than for food testing...such as metals, chemical ingredients, etc) are placed on your back (can range from 25 samples to over 100), covered up and left for a couple of days. They are then checked, recovered and left for another day or two. Not being able to bathe your back for a few days isn't fun, but the test can reveal some good information.

Michelle

I had patch testing done through my dermatologist. Found out that I'm allergic to potassium dichloride (chromium), nickel, cobalt...which are found in many products such as adhesives, cosmetics & hair/body products, paints, cements, etc. Also allergic to neomycin.

Michelle

[mslee]

Thank You Guys!

Will be keeping a record of what bothers me...

I am going into the Allergist tomorrow, will post how it goes

[mslee]

oh that was just the preliminary let me take your cash and talk about it apt.

testing tomorrow am, will go from there

[mslee]

Yes he started with food allergies 75 tested

slight allergic responses to

soy, rice, corn, milk,coconut there were others but those were the worse

he said he could do patch testing, but again he is an old fashioned doc and didn't place much importance on it (the $ holds me back for now)

best bet is probably to avoid as much chemicals as possible.

he did say having any sort of allergy issues automatically makes you more sensitive to dyes, perfumes, chemical smells.

Thanks for the input, now I know about the arsenic hair test and can bring these issues up whenever I get into an alternative type Dr.

Thanks Again!!!

[Lisa16]

MsLee--

One of the greatest things I ever did was to see a dietitian with a list of allergies in hand as well as about three weeks of food diaries.

I am now pretty much down to down to fresh fruits and veggies, fresh chicken and minimally packaged/processed shrimp. It is a huge amount of work at first, but I make my own sauces from fresh ingredients whenever I can. Organic when possible.

I but my flours (Bob's usually), my peanut butter, pamela's pancake mix, hellman's mayo, heinz ketchup and mustard. gluten-free soy sauce and fish sauce are staples, as well as harissa (mustapha's is gluten-free.) I also buy my spices carefully, as well as oils and baking ingredients like cream of tartar, baking soda and vanilla. I try to get the simplest list of ingredients possible. I avoid as many chemicals as I can.

For toiletries, I use a mix of products from Tom's, LUSH, sundari, korres, caudalie, burt's bees and dessert essence. I like 100% pure cosmetics (online.) For laundry detergent I go with all free and clear or arm and hammer or seventh generation. I cop to using NARS mascara, but that is the only one I have found so far that is gluten-free.

Good luck.

Lisa