Food Intolerance

[teragramb]

My husband seems to have developed an intolerance to fish and crustaceans in the couple of years following his FCR chemotherapy. I was wondering if anyone else has had this sort of problem.

[Newdawn Administrator]

I can't help personally teraframb being untreated and whilst I've heard of people developing an aversion to certain foods during and soon after treatment, it does sound more unusual to have an 'intolerance' so long after.

How does this intolerance manifest itself? Does eating these foods actually cause an allergic reaction or illness or is it just a deep dislike now for fish and crustaceans?

A shame if he previously enjoyed these foods. Not sure if others have had similar experiences. Main thing is I hope he's keeping well now and enjoying a strong remission.

Regards,

Newdawn

[teragramb in reply to Newdawn]

We have never eaten a lot of fish or crustaceans but on the few occasions we have had it over the past 18 - 24 months he has vomited quite violently about 2 hours later. He used to enjoy the occasional "fish and chips", prawns with seafood sauce in avocado and has always liked lobster for example. I think we will have to avoid any seafood from now on but I would love to understand what is causing the problem.

Yes, he has been very lucky with the remission particularly as he only had 4 FCR treatments instead of the usual 6 as he was experiencing a lot of side effects from the drugs.

[Newdawn Administrator in reply to teragramb]

It's one of those mysteries I think teragramb and could be due to changes in his gut flora due to the FCR. Unless of course he's on a new or different medication which could impact.

I'd mention it to his doctor but it could be that the cause of the intolerance is never known. Maybe he's developed an allergy to fish oils or something of that nature but that's just speculation on my part.

Glad to hear all is going well post treatment though.

Regards,

Newdawn

[Cllcanada Top Poster CURE Hero]

Shellfish allergies are most often the immune system’s response to a protein found in shellfish, called tropomyosin.

Antibodies trigger the release of chemicals such as histamines to attack the tropomyosin. With CLL who knows what the immune response might be...

I recommend you get a skin test to see in fact if this is an allergy, because reactions can be very severe, and shellfish can be a hidden ingredient...

Fish and molluscs don't have tropomyosin, so maybe sonething else is happening...

~chris

[MsLockYourPosts Passed Volunteer]

I would definitely have your husband discuss this with his doctor. A friend, no known illness and no medications of any kind, went out on the town with friends while in San Francisco, and their exploring took them to Fisherman's wharf for a crab dinner. She remembers leaving the table to go to the restroom and coming to on the bathroom floor with paramedics attending. She had never had a problem with seafood of any kind before that incident. If your husband has developed an allergy for whatever reason I know he wouldn't want a similar experience.

[teragramb]

Thank you all for your comments. That must have been frightening for your friend pkenn.

I have told him to speak to the consultant at his next appointment about it. If they think there is not potential connection, I think he will speak to our GP. We would like to get to the bottom of it.

Margaret

[Newdawn Administrator]

This is a very interesting new post on here connected to this issue.

healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo...

Newdawn

[teragramb]

Thank you Newdawn, very interesting, it sounds as though there might be a connection then. Will wait until he see his consultant and see what they have to say. His next appointment is not until October but we can avoid seafood until then.