Food Allergies

[tlserenity]

I am new to the forum.

I was diagnosed about 3 wks ago with POT's secondary to Chiari I Malformation.

I have had 3 major surgeries in the past year for the Chiari problems.

The specialist said that I have more than likely had it all my life right with the other problems.

About 6 years ago I was diagnosed as Celiac and allergic to Dairy and refined sugar.

I am curious how common these food allergies are with POT's?

Have a blessed day!

Terry Lynne

[MomtoGiuliana]

Wow, I've never heard of someone allergic to refined sugar.

I do think many of us feel best on a diet low in refined sugar though.

Food allergies and reactions seem fairly common among us!

[tlserenity]

Yep - I can tell when there are small amounts in the food i eat - My wrists and shoulders hurt like all get out within a very short time!

[flop]

I have a couple of different reactions to certain foods.

Allergies - I have an allergy to many fruits (peach, plum, melon, kiwi, apple, tomato) if I eat them raw my lips, tongue and throat will tingle, itch and swell up and I start to cough and wheeze. I've never had a life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylactic shock) but I do carry an Epi-Pen just in case I get a worse reaction. This sort of allergy is called "oral allergy syndrome" or "pollen-fruit syndrome" because there are proteins in the fruits that are very similar to proteins in the pollens that I am allergic to so the body thinks cross-reacts and triggers an allergic reaction.

Intolerance - my GI system and body are sensitive to wheat and other grains. A health practitioner advised that I went on a grain-free diet which did improve my symptoms (no bloating, less GI problems, less energy and mood swings). The diest was difficult to sustain so now I limit my grain intake rather than totally avoiding.

Refined carbs / sugar - I don't have any sort of allergy to these but eating them does throw my body out of whack. I get horrid surges of energy and then crashes and just feel like my POTS is acting up more than normal. Again I try to limit my intake of things like cake or biscuits as I know I will suffer if I eat them.

One thing that I have really learnt to avoid though is Aspartame (an artificial sweetner) - when I first stopped having aspartame I didn't notice a big difference but when I then accidentally drank juice with aspartame for a week I noticed that my brain fog was much much worse. Cutting out aspartame really helped clear my head.

Flop

[Guest tearose]

Not really, I do have other problems.

I find I get "topical" reactions to some foods. Pineapple and orange can make my skin break out. I have to limit spice, alcohol, large or heavy meals.

I try to vary my foods so I don't ever become sensitive/tolerant/allergic to them.

Thank goodness I can have some refined sugar!

I have not been found to have Dairy or Gluten issues either.

Personally, I struggle with digestion issues from the periodic bouts of gastroparesis. I can eat a salad today and wind up having it rot in my stomach till tomorrow when it comes back up after breakfast!!! I need fiber but sometimes it takes forever to digest!

[firewatcher]

Any artificial sweetner will do it for me. It must be a chemical thing. I'd sooner drink nothing than a diet soda! I learned this years ago with my migraines, artificial sweetners will trigger them for me almost as badly as hormones!

That being said, I am going to ask my allergist to do a skin test on me for food allergies. I have noticed fast-moving GI issues within 20 minutes of almond ingestion. There have been no other symptoms, and it may be a cross reaction with my pollen allergies, but I want to know for sure.

[Guest tearose]

Almonds?

Any other nut issues fire? I'm hoping for your sake it was just a bad lot of almonds.

[tlserenity]

That sounds like one of my reactions to Dairy - I end up in the bathroom within an hour - and can't leave there for quite a while!

That and my face swells up immediately - I ordered a baked potatoe with nothing on it at a well-known restaraunt - little did i know they put butter on the SKINS of them when they come out of the oven!! By the time i finished eating dinner - my eyes were swollen almost shut! It was crazy!!

And I too cannot eat the artificial sweetners - I drink alot of water - and black coffee (cold so it doesn't take the rest of the appetite that I don't have to begin with!)

[Elfie]

I am allergic to msg and have had several other reactions, always to something artificial like a flavor or color or preservative. I get hives and my lips swell. In a more minor reaction parts of my mouth will just go numb.

I do not do aspartame or splenda or any other artificial sweetener. They just make me feel sick -- and they taste awful.

I can eat peanuts and all other nuts fine, but I cannot eat peanut butter-- I just don't think I digest it well and it could be that I don't eat peanuts in as large a quantity as peanut butter.

I have always been a milk drinker, but since getting POTs I have been gagging on dairy products. I switched to organic and it tastes like MILK again and I can drink the stuff out of the bottom of the bowl of cereal or eat a yogurt without almost throwing up. So, I think that it was just the hormones and chemicals. I am happy because I love milk and hate rice and almond milk and don't believe in eating the amount of soy required to use it as a dairy substitute.

I did an elimination diet at the request of a rheumatologist where I could not eat dairy, gluten, nightshades, sugar, soy, ect. I also could only have wild game or free range chicken. I did this for about 6 weeks. I was eating CONSTANTLY-- and had no energy. I thought that it was kind of strange, because my normal diet consists of wild game and veggies and fruits with some processed and unprocessed grains and processed sugar maybe 4 times a week. On the elimination diet I lost 14 pounds in less than 2 weeks and about 12 more after that -- which wasn't necessarily a good thing -- because I was at a healthy weight for my height to begin with. I am kind of afraid to ever become allergic to anything- especially not dairy, gluten, or sugar- because I was a zombie!

[tlserenity]

Yes - having all these food allergies demands a rigorous eating scedule that i cannot stick to anymore - until summer of 08 I was a good weight for my height - now i am 15-20 lbs underweight - and am trying hard to bring it back it up - but it is really difficult when eating anything (like most of y'all) makes me so nauseated. It's been really tough having to up my salt intake for the POT's!!

My energy levels always came from fruits. I was constantly eating them.

My husband always said I ate like I ate like a wild animal - Fresh fruits, veggies, and meat. Pretty much in that order too!

I will say it does wonders for the complexion!!!

The only sweetner I use is honey - I find it not only adds sweetness - but if you use the locally grown stuff - it helps with allergies! (or I should say - it does with my seasonal allergies)

What I miss the most is the tall glass of milk at bedtime!

BTW - MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

[flop]

Yes local honey (if it hasn't been processed) will contain pollens and eating it can help with hayfever - must be local so it has the local mix of pollens.

Even better if you can get to know a beekeeper is to have the scrapings from the bottom of the hive - much higher pollen content apparently.

Flop

[Tessa]

I also have different reactions to certain foods (as well as to drugs, etc.)

Allergies - I have an allergy to melon, strawberry, pinneaple, orange and avocado. If I eat them raw my lips, tongue and throat will tingle and itch. Tongue and throat develop hives. Then I have hoarseness and fatigue. I?ve never had a life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylactic shock) but my doctor prescribed a kind of Epi-pen just in case I get a worse reaction.

I am also sensitive to gluten and dairy (I am following a gluten and dairy free diet).

Tessa