Metal allergies and Autoimmunity

[Naladog]

Hi lupis, I hope you are doing great🙂.

I wanted to share with you that I have had a contact allergy test, and I have been found to be allergic to the metals: nickel, cobalt and palladium.

I have been instructed to restrict certain foods from my diet, a lot of them actually.

But my surprise was to read that it seems that this allergy may contribute to many of our symptoms and have associations with immunosuppression and autoimmune diseases such as lupus, Shrojen, multiple sclerosis and arthritis. Here a link: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/318...

I wonder if this could be one of the major causes of our symptoms and if it could help anyone else because I had no idea.

Does anyone else have this allergy and follow a nickel free diet who can offer me recipes please? Thanks 🍜💐🦋💜💚

[Betty909090]

These metals: palladium, cobalt, nickel etc are found in computer equipment eg laptops, tablet computers, tv remote controls etc.🧐👆. Most mobile phone circuit boards will also have them! Smartphones etc.🤪

Should one hold these devices away from one’s skin?

[Naladog in reply to Betty909090]

Hi ! Yes, they have provided me a huge list of metal things that I should be away, included coins, electronics, mobiles, cutlery, recommendations to move to ceramic pots and pans... it's crazy try to avoid everything. I am also a Computer Science Engineer so I have been around electronics all my life. However, what you eat everyday and the quantity of metals you have inside your body being allergic to them, I really think make a difference. At the moment, I am trying to avoid the food they told me to avoid, and let's see.

I would like to know about healthy menus without nickel to eat a complete and variety diet. I am planning to ask the nutricionist too.

Best wishes. Mxxx

[LottieLou96]

With a contact allergy test, like Betty below says surely alot of things we touch and use in everyday life that contain these metals, that includes good old fashioned money (coins). People at coin registers would often display a contact dermatitis picture after a long time working with the stuff. Esp. with about 15 percent of the population having nickel allergy, a sensitivity to it when exposed for long periods on the skin.

And can some things cause sensitivities to our skin but not when eaten? 🤔

[MrsMarigold]

Hi Naladog. What prompted you to get this allergy testing? I’ve often thought of getting tested myself. Your post is very important and I hope people will take this seriously. If I get tested I will report back. As my lupus seems to be hereditary I’m not sure elimination of anything will help but I will investigate. Thx. Titters

[Naladog]

Hi @Titters👋 ,

Thank you very much for your message. I am very glad that it is of interest to you because I also think it is important, and it is not given that importance.

I asked my dermatologist about an allergy test because of a persistent rash on my face (hard, rough skin, like white little dots too) which was not clear. With an antiparasitaria and antibacterial cream she prescribed me called Soolantra it went away.

In relation to the genetic issue, I will tell you that in the test that I did privately it indicated that I had a reduced antioxidant and toxin elimination capacity. I have many genes also associated with autoimmune diseases and lupus. I was told I had a high genetic predisposition to lupus as well. I also have low levels of C4 complement. In my opinion, all that associated with an allergic reaction can make the autoimmune system attack the metal as a virus or bacteria and activate the autoimmune disease. Or it could be the other way around, first the continuous exposure to the metal or an allergen, which has chronified the reaction of the immune system, and made the autoimmune disease appear.

The gastroenterologist, without proof of anything, told me I had irritable bowel. He sent me to the nutritionist who sent me some FODMAP diet documents so that I would eliminate the foods she indicated.

Now with this allergy I have been given another document with the foods to eliminate.

So, I don't know what to eat... ??? Rice or pasta with meat every day?

I have asked them seriously to make me a menu plan because IBS, metal allergy, plus the fact that I have to take four spoonfuls of iron because of anaemia, plus vitamin D, ...so I can't make sure that I eat everything that my body needs just deciding by myself.

They are going to look into it told me, but if I hadn't asked for it, it wouldn't have been done anymore.

Hope it helps. Yes please let me know about your test results.🙂

Best wishes 💜🦋💚

[bookish]

Just saw this after your other post! How interesting - I avoid jewellery, don't like the feel of metal so use wooden-handled cutlery, and had no idea that lettuce and spinach had nickel. Remember reacting to a cheap belt buckle and earrings as a teenager and I believe a nickel intolerance will remain for life once you have a reaction. I get a strong histamine reaction to spinach but hadn't considered that nickel could be the reason. Perhaps it is our genes - just found this drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/Nickel_... which says we need glutathione (and I know I have a glutathione absent gene) and methionine (and I have SNPs affecting methionine/folate pathway). Hmmm....thank you very much for the information.