OT? Allergy VS Intollerance (pippy...read...) | Arthritis Information
I'm honestly not sure what my question is here, so I'll just start with the story...
About 4-5 years ago I was having some big stomach issues - diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, etc etc. It would only last until I felt "cleaned out"
I went to visit my parents for a week, and EVERY DAY I ended up in bed at some point, sick as a dog. My mom noticed it was only after eating, so we started doing detective work "what did you eat that was the same?"
Tomatoes! Not only had I had tomatoes with *every* meal that I was sick after, I had been snacking on cherry tomatoes and tomato slices. So I stopped eating anything with tomatoes in it.
Lo and behold, I was better. It was like flipping a switch!
Forward about 3 years, and I decide to "test" my tomato allergy. I have tomato soup. I'm fine. I have pizza. I'm fine. I have spaghetti. I'm fine. So what? My allergy is gone now?????
So it's been 2 years and I can have tomatoes like they're going out of style. WHY!?
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So now I've been working on this lactose free thing for over 6 months, and I'm really wondering if it's permanent. Along with that, I've started getting nauseous lately again, for no apparent reason. Yep, I'm watching what I'm eating to see if there's a new link. Is my body getting too much of something, so it's making me sick when I eat it? I don't get it. I've heard of allergies being switched on and off, but this is STUPID.
Could be even a spice in the sauce or i wonder if cooking the tomatoes is the difference ? When i was loosing my milk everytime i drank it i asked the doctor is this allergy or lactose intolerance and she said probably a virus do not drink for a few weeks. Well that virus never went away. Some times child hood allergies can resolve when you get older. I was never one of those people. They always told me that when i was a kid to give me hope that someday i could play outside. Luckily they invented nasal sprays that could help. But i do best in the airconditioning. I have heard of allergies going away but i wonder if it was a case of a mistaken dx. Everyone is different but it never worked that way for me.Allergies to food usually involve edema, hives, sometimes breathing problems, and stomach problems. For a food allergy, you usually have 3 or more of the above.
For an intolerance, it usually only effects your stomach which is diarhea, vomiting etc.
So why would an intolerance come and go???
Katie, I dunno, but one of my best friends was lactose intolerant for the longest time, until she had her first child and now she's fine. Maybe an intolerance comes or goes because of a change in our chemistry, from hormones, meds, or whatever.Thanks Suzanne. I'm really frustrated because now that I look back at how I've been feeling lately, it's starting JUST LIKE the tomato and milk thing. UGH! Figuring out WHAT FOOD it is, takes so frickin' long and I'm just worn out and tired and SO VERY hungry. LoL
Several years ago the same thing happened to my mother after she ate tomatoes. It turned out that her problem was diverticulitis. A small seed would lodge in a pocket of her intestine and cause all kinds of problems. After the series of episodes, it went away and she was able to resume eating tomatoes (I guess the intestinal pocket healed).Katie - I'll explain my experiences to you....this might help a little!
I had an allergy test done as I had so many problems with food, like yourself. Found out I had a problem with several. Eliminated all these foods from my diet for a few weeks then gradually re-intoduced them. Low and behold! I can have them all now but in moderation. Sometimes if we eat the same thing day in, day out our system can't cope with it bearing in mind we have a screwed up immune system anyway.
I took Plaquenil 2 years ago at 2 tablets daily and couldn't cope with the bad side effects so gave it up after three weeks. Re-intoduced it 5 months ago but this time, gradually. Took half tablet for 1 week then 1 tablet for one week, now on 1 and a half tablets daily. By introducing it gradually my tollerance level was much better and side effects were milder. It seems my system doesn't like being bombarded with things sending it into shock. Much prefers the gradual approach.
Sometimes this doesn't work for me, though, as I have some serious life threatening allergies. These triggers are best left alone.
Maybe a food allergy test will help you to find your intollerences.
All the best
Elaine x
Oh you make so much sense! Especially when you brought up the med thing! I am the same way. Most meds with side effects just about kill me. I always have to work my way up to the NORMAL dose. It's insane!
So I get it. Hehe I wonder if I can slowly re-introduce milk? Hmmmmmmmmmm
Katie - trying again!
OK, remember in September or October when I saw that nutritionist? I saw her for a diet for 'leaky gut' as I think that plays into how I got PRA. Anyway, she gave me this diet that took out a lot of foods and gave me some nutritional supps still sitting in the cupboard. But I didn't do any of it as my BS meter went off.
In my research, I've seen a lot of posts about 'getting over' food allergies and delayed onset food allergies. It seems to be really systematic with slowly testing your 'reactions' (unless you're willing to spend the money on the tests) and you take the food out of your diet, give it 6 months to a year, and reintroduce it slowly to gauge your bodies reaction to the food. No reaction - you've ended your sensitivity to that food. Reaction - out it goes for another long length of time until you 'retest' your reaction to it.
But the lady I saw had just had a serious reaction to some mix of foods. And I'm like, you don't know enough to fix yourself, why are you thinking you can fix me?
Do I think the time off with tomatoes may have worked? Depends if you're craving tomatoes because you can finally have them or if you you'll start flaring.
Can it be done - yes - but not by the lady I saw.
Pip
I don't crave them. I was when I was getting sick. I wanted tomato everything, but that was exactly what was making me ill.
I have tomato soup now and then, and have tomatoes on sandwiches and the occasional spaghetti, but I don't crave them. And they don't bother me at all anymore.
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