Allergies to Food

[DesertDeuces]

Hi, I used to think that I was unique in having so many food allergies. I was wrong.

In the last 10 plus years, I've been getting more sensitive to foods - so sensitive that I've actually been diagnosed with "Food Phobia" by a medical doctor. A few years ago, after experiencing a horrible anaphylactic shock episode that nearly cost me my life after inadvertently eating something with sunflower seed meal, I was also diagnosed with PTSD regarding food and allergies.

Recently, I began working in an office where several people who work there also have many food allergies. We manage a large apartment complex. It seems that at least a quarter of the residents I speak with also have food allergies.

I've done a lot of personal research into food allergies and can trace the source to additives and food handling processes. For example, I was diagnosed as allergic to chicken, but I can safely eat chicken at times. I discovered that chickens are fed sunflower seeds, to which I am allergic. I phoned the company that manufactures the allergy test serums and they told me that it is impossible to distinguish between the chicken meat and the chicken's diet in the serums they produce. So, what are the allergy tests really testing for?

I'd love to see more feedback on the prevalence of food allergies and the impact of additives, etc.

[strongmouse]

There are various types of allergy tests but skin tests and blood tests are the normal. None of them are 100% accurate.

I discovered a brilliant book called "The Allergy Bible" written by Professor Jonathan Brostoff and Linda Gamlin (published in the UK) which explains very clearly the different types of allergies and sensitivities. It is important to know what sort you have, and yes I have a mixture too of allergies, including drug, pollen, nickel, lanolin and food, plus intolerances.

Like you I suspect some of my intolerance or sensitivities are to secondary factors such as additives. The Action Against Allergy (AAA) is a good source of information on multiple allergies and intolerance and has a helpline.

I find knowing what I am allergic to as opposed to what I react (intolerant) to is important. Keeping my load down helps, that is managing my diet and environment to minimise contact with things Iam allergic to, helps to keep me well. It is difficult but it is possible.

Some doctors have little or no training in allergies so it is good to be informed of current research and information. Not sure about the diagnosis of Food phobia I would ask him on what he / she bases that diagnosis? Not understanding an illness doesn't mean it is a phobia! It can be dangerous as well. In the UK there has been a lot in the news this year about the issue of anaphylaxis as there have been deaths from food eaten containing allergens die to poor labelling, information. Do take care. You need to ask about carrying an epipen.

actionagainstallergy.org/

[DesertDeuces in reply to strongmouse]

You are so right. Doctors are really uninformed when it comes to allergies. Even my allergist is unaware of how to treat me.

Regarding the food phobia, it's a real thing. I had never heard of it before the doctor diagnosed me. Then I looked it up on the Internet. There are a lot of people who have been diagnosed with it. Essentially, whenever I want to go to the kitchen to prepare food, my hands seem to go rigid and my brain gets scrambled. I can't think. Even when I tried writing a list of things I want to do in the kitchen, as soon as I stand up I get panicky and my mind fogs over again. At that time I had no idea what foods were causing me pain and severe symptoms each time I ate. It was frightening to anticipate going through that pain again just because I ate food. I finally got allergy testing - the scratch tests on my back. Turns out I'm allergic to so many foods it boggled my mind. A few years later I went to a different allergist (the first one stopped practicing due to heart condition) and he did blood tests. Again, the tests show I'm allergic to most foods.

I love to cook and it's really tough not to be able to do it anymore.

But Food Phobia is a real diagnosis.

Now what I'm doing is taking Prednisone in order to eat normally. It does help, but I am also suffering the side effects of the Prednisone.

[lakersgirl]

It's true there are a lot of different allergies and intolerance to different foods. So there are a lot of tests. From scratch tests to genetic testing to specific enzymes.