Food Allergies?

In article said:

Probably asked before but...

I was thinking food and was reminded of my 1st cousin who was allergic to
milk since birth until detected 3 years old. They just gave him pain killers.

He grew up in his teens a skinny kid but mushroomed to 300+ lbs. last time I
saw him.

I'm not allergic to any foods. Maybe I'm developing lactose intolerance. Gout
aside, I'm pretty food tolerant.

Got food allergies? Got over food allergies? Since/At what age?

Andy

Wheat and related grains for me.

Very common.

Only way to really determine them is by doing an Elimination diet.
A good allergist/dietician can aid you as can some googling.

Trust me. Identify the culprits and it makes life a LOT better. :-)

IME, the older you get, the worse the reactions get.
--
Peace, Om

Remove both _ (underscores) to validate gmail e-mails.

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down." -- Steve Rothstein

As the story goes, my parents fed me smoked salmon when I was a toddler.
I threw up so quickly and so violently that they knew I was allergic
and told me of the allergy as I got older. They joked about how I must
have been switched at the hospital. Little Jewish girls are not
supposed to be allergic to smoked salmon.

I had no desire to try salmon until I was in my late teens. I had a
bite, got an instant sore throat and painful blisters on my lips. I've
avoided salmon ever since. When I've gotten some by accident (as today
when the menu said the seafood bento came with shrimp and scallops but
there was clearly a big chunk of salmon in the mix), I get the same
slight sore throat and maybe a little labored breathing. I've never
tried more as I'm afraid I'll be unable to get air through my swollen
wind pipes. I keep Benedryl on me at all times.

Other seafoods do it to me too, but I've never been able to figure out
anything consistent about which ones. I try to err on the side of
caution. I probably avoid some seafoods that I wouldn't hurt me and
that I'd love.

I understand that people can grow into and grow out of allergies, but
the salmon one seems to be consistent for me.

--Lia

In article <[email hidden]>,

Julia Altshuler said:

As the story goes, my parents fed me smoked salmon when I was a toddler.
I threw up so quickly and so violently that they knew I was allergic
and told me of the allergy as I got older. They joked about how I must
have been switched at the hospital. Little Jewish girls are not
supposed to be allergic to smoked salmon.

I had no desire to try salmon until I was in my late teens. I had a
bite, got an instant sore throat and painful blisters on my lips. I've
avoided salmon ever since. When I've gotten some by accident (as today
when the menu said the seafood bento came with shrimp and scallops but
there was clearly a big chunk of salmon in the mix), I get the same
slight sore throat and maybe a little labored breathing. I've never
tried more as I'm afraid I'll be unable to get air through my swollen
wind pipes. I keep Benedryl on me at all times.

Other seafoods do it to me too, but I've never been able to figure out
anything consistent about which ones. I try to err on the side of
caution. I probably avoid some seafoods that I wouldn't hurt me and
that I'd love.

I understand that people can grow into and grow out of allergies, but
the salmon one seems to be consistent for me.

--Lia

Have you considered Iodine? It's a rather common allergy and rules out
just about all ocean foods.

Might be worth checking in to just for safety.
--
Peace, Om

Remove both _ (underscores) to validate gmail e-mails.

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down." -- Steve Rothstein

Andy q said:

Probably asked before but...

I was thinking food and was reminded of my 1st cousin who was allergic to
milk since birth until detected 3 years old. They just gave him pain killers.

He grew up in his teens a skinny kid but mushroomed to 300+ lbs. last time I
saw him.

I'm not allergic to any foods. Maybe I'm developing lactose intolerance. Gout
aside, I'm pretty food tolerant.

Got food allergies? Got over food allergies? Since/At what age?

No food allergies. Never had any. I'm 50. Luckily, I'm still ok
with lactose.

Cindy Hamilton

Omelet said:

Have you considered Iodine? It's a rather common allergy and rules out
just about all ocean foods.

I've considered it off and on over the years. I generally don't have
trouble with calamari, clams, cod, drum, haddock, halibut, lobster,
oysters, shrimp, sole, tilapia. I've had scares over the years with
crab, salmon, snapper, trout, tuna. That's not to say that I'm
definitely allergic to them, only that I thought I was getting a sore
throat and took a Benedryl right away.

I get iodized salt all the time with no symptoms.

--Lia

Julia Altshuler said:

I've considered it off and on over the years. I generally don't have
trouble with calamari, clams, cod, drum, haddock, halibut, lobster,
oysters, shrimp, sole, tilapia. I've had scares over the years with
crab, salmon, snapper, trout, tuna. That's not to say that I'm
definitely allergic to them, only that I thought I was getting a sore
throat and took a Benedryl right away.

Adding to my own post-- I should add that I take it as a point of pride
that there's always something I can order and enjoy at a seafood
restaurant. I can look at the menu and choose something without having
to drive the waiter crazy with asking the ingredients in every dish.

--Lia

Julia wrote on Tue, 23 Oct 2007 15:57:40 -0400:

JA> Omelet wrote:
??>>
??>> Have you considered Iodine? It's a rather common allergy
??>> and rules out just about all ocean foods.

JA> I've considered it off and on over the years. I generally
JA> don't have trouble with calamari, clams, cod, drum,
JA> haddock, halibut, lobster, oysters, shrimp, sole, tilapia.
JA> I've had scares over the years with crab, salmon, snapper,
JA> trout, tuna. That's not to say that I'm definitely
JA> allergic to them, only that I thought I was getting a sore
JA> throat and took a Benedryl right away.

JA> I get iodized salt all the time with no symptoms.

None of your list bother me but I know I have a serious allergy
to penicillin and a mild one to fibrous dust. Most of the time
when I think I might be getting a food allergy it usually turns
out to be something else, probably an irritation, responding to
Claritin or the like, by pollen or drifting spores depending on
the time of the year.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

Omelet said:

Quoted message said:

Got food allergies? Got over food allergies? Since/At what age?

Andy

Wheat and related grains for me.

Very common.

Only way to really determine them is by doing an Elimination diet.
A good allergist/dietician can aid you as can some googling.

Trust me. Identify the culprits and it makes life a LOT better. :-)

It sure does. I suffered a lot of intestinal problems when I was a kid. I
didn't get tested for allergies until I was about 17 and found out I was
allergic to a lot of things that we regulars in my diet; eggs, milk,
cheese, tomatoes, potatoes, pork, nuts, hops, malt and yeast. I also have a
lactose intolerance and can't handle citrus fruits. Luckily, my allergies
are mild and I can handle small doses of the things I am allergic to, but
not in combinations.

Quoted message said:

IME, the older you get, the worse the reactions get.

With some things. I don't eat nuts or citrus at all, though I make
exceptions for the odd Mojito. I can enjoy a beer or three once in a while.
I limit potatoes to once or twice a week at the most.

Knowing what bothers me makes me a lot more careful about the things I eat,
and leaves me feeling better.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Julia Altshuler said:

Omelet said:

Have you considered Iodine? It's a rather common allergy and rules out
just about all ocean foods.

I've considered it off and on over the years. I generally don't have
trouble with calamari, clams, cod, drum, haddock, halibut, lobster,
oysters, shrimp, sole, tilapia. I've had scares over the years with
crab, salmon, snapper, trout, tuna. That's not to say that I'm
definitely allergic to them, only that I thought I was getting a sore
throat and took a Benedryl right away.

I get iodized salt all the time with no symptoms.

--Lia

Have you seen an allergist?
--
Peace, Om

Remove both _ (underscores) to validate gmail e-mails.

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down." -- Steve Rothstein

Andy said:

Probably asked before but...

I was thinking food and was reminded of my 1st cousin who was allergic to
milk since birth until detected 3 years old. They just gave him pain killers.

He grew up in his teens a skinny kid but mushroomed to 300+ lbs. last time I
saw him.

I'm not allergic to any foods. Maybe I'm developing lactose intolerance. Gout
aside, I'm pretty food tolerant.

Got food allergies? Got over food allergies? Since/At what age?

Andy

As a baby/toddler, DS was unable to eat eggs. Well, he could, but it
wasn't a very good idea. When he was 4 mos old and received his 2nd
mandatory immunization shot(s), he screamed -- and I mean blood-curdling
screams too, way beyond vigorously crying -- for hours afterwards; he
also ran a slight fever, which is not uncommon after any immunization.
His pediatrician figured there may have been something (eggs?) in that
immunization to which he may have been allergic, so the pertussis
component was omitted from his subsequent immunizations for quite a few
years since it was egg-based.

Fast forward a few months when DS was started on solid foods. If I fed
him eggs (scrambled, whatever), he'd get a 'mottled' complexion on his
face & skin. So, for a few years, eggs were out of his diet. Luckily,
he grew out of that slight(?) food allergy by the time he started
elementary school (whew!!!!). Now as a grown adult, he eats anything
and everything that's put before him on a plate, unlike his picky parent
(me)!

Sky

--
Ultra Ultimate Kitchen Rule - Use the Timer!
Ultimate Kitchen Rule -- Cook's Choice

Andy q said:

Probably asked before but...

I was thinking food and was reminded of my 1st cousin who was allergic to
milk since birth until detected 3 years old. They just gave him pain killers.

He grew up in his teens a skinny kid but mushroomed to 300+ lbs. last time I
saw him.

I'm not allergic to any foods. Maybe I'm developing lactose intolerance. Gout
aside, I'm pretty food tolerant.

Got food allergies? Got over food allergies? Since/At what age?

Andy

Seems like whenever I post here it's about allergies! I'm allergic to
eggs.

I also started developing lactose intolerance, when I stopped drinking
milk during college. But I've gained it back by repeatedly drinking
milk with cereal, chocolate milk, and lots of ice cream. At first I
kept getting the runs but I was determined to get that one back.. cuz
if you can't eat eggs and milk, that eliminates way too much yummy
stuff.

Omelet said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Julia Altshuler said:

Omelet said:

Have you considered Iodine? It's a rather common allergy and rules out
just about all ocean foods.

I've considered it off and on over the years. I generally don't have
trouble with calamari, clams, cod, drum, haddock, halibut, lobster,
oysters, shrimp, sole, tilapia. I've had scares over the years with
crab, salmon, snapper, trout, tuna. That's not to say that I'm
definitely allergic to them, only that I thought I was getting a sore
throat and took a Benedryl right away.

I get iodized salt all the time with no symptoms.

--Lia

Have you seen an allergist?
--
Peace, Om

I have quite a few allergies, but luckily none is food related (knock on
wood!!!). This I do know, I will never ever again subject myself to the
skin tests done to determine what those allergies are. That was pure
torture and more for me!! Luckily, some (most?) allergies can now be
determined with a simple blood sample (I think?!).

Sky, who's sick of (allergy) meds but without meds gets sick (allergies)

--
Ultra Ultimate Kitchen Rule - Use the Timer!
Ultimate Kitchen Rule -- Cook's Choice

Omelet said:

Have you seen an allergist?

25 years ago I saw an allergist and got scratch tests. I did not enjoy
them. The ones for
non-food items made sense. I was allergic to cigarette smoke, dust,
newspaper ink, and a whole variety of pollens. The ones for food made
less sense.

Now I understand allergy tests can be done with blood and are not nearly
so painful.

Part of me is curious to find out which seafoods I'm allergic to once
and for all. The other part of me knows that as long as I avoid seafood
I might be allergic to, nothing is life-threatening. My quality of life
isn't affected much as there are so many types of seafood I can eat and
enjoy.

I live in a world where it's hard enough to find a doctor who will spend
more than 12 minutes with me no matter what the insurance or how much
I'm willing to pay. These doctors don't pay attention to histories,
don't listen to patients, and don't seem to care much.

If I'm going to choose my battles, I'd rather fight with the doctor who
kept recommending Excendrin Migraine to someone who is allergic to
Tylenol/acetominophen. (Excendrin Migraine contains adcetominophen, but
she didn't seem to believe that even when I reminded her of the fact.)
(I didn't fight the battle. I stopped going to the incompetent doctor.)
I'm only trying to make the point that finding out which sorts of
seafood I'm allergic to is something I'd kind of like to do but not high
on my priority list on information I want from a doctor.

--Lia

One time on Usenet said:

Probably asked before but...

I was thinking food and was reminded of my 1st cousin who was allergic to
milk since birth until detected 3 years old. They just gave him pain killers.

He grew up in his teens a skinny kid but mushroomed to 300+ lbs. last time I
saw him.

I'm not allergic to any foods. Maybe I'm developing lactose intolerance. Gout
aside, I'm pretty food tolerant.

Got food allergies? Got over food allergies? Since/At what age?

Milk, strawberries, chocolate, citrus fruits, and tomatoes, AFAIK.
They all gave me hives. I outgrew the milk thing by the time I was
a teenager and the others are okay as I go easy...

--
Jani in WA

In article <[email hidden]>,

Dave Smith said:

Omelet said:

Quoted message said:

Got food allergies? Got over food allergies? Since/At what age?

Andy

Wheat and related grains for me.

Very common.

Only way to really determine them is by doing an Elimination diet.
A good allergist/dietician can aid you as can some googling.

Trust me. Identify the culprits and it makes life a LOT better. :-)

It sure does. I suffered a lot of intestinal problems when I was a kid. I
didn't get tested for allergies until I was about 17 and found out I was
allergic to a lot of things that we regulars in my diet; eggs, milk,
cheese, tomatoes, potatoes, pork, nuts, hops, malt and yeast. I also have a
lactose intolerance and can't handle citrus fruits. Luckily, my allergies
are mild and I can handle small doses of the things I am allergic to, but
not in combinations.

Quoted message said:

IME, the older you get, the worse the reactions get.

With some things. I don't eat nuts or citrus at all, though I make
exceptions for the odd Mojito. I can enjoy a beer or three once in a while.
I limit potatoes to once or twice a week at the most.

Knowing what bothers me makes me a lot more careful about the things I eat,
and leaves me feeling better.

Been there, done that. :-)
The suffering I did as a child...

My parents did not recognize what was going on.
I had to discover it myself later in life.

I've also had to give up coffee and severely limit potatoes.
--
Peace, Om

Remove both _ (underscores) to validate gmail e-mails.

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down." -- Steve Rothstein

In article <[email hidden]>,

Julia Altshuler said:

Omelet said:

Have you seen an allergist?

25 years ago I saw an allergist and got scratch tests. I did not enjoy
them. The ones for
non-food items made sense. I was allergic to cigarette smoke, dust,
newspaper ink, and a whole variety of pollens. The ones for food made
less sense.

Now I understand allergy tests can be done with blood and are not nearly
so painful.

Part of me is curious to find out which seafoods I'm allergic to once
and for all. The other part of me knows that as long as I avoid seafood
I might be allergic to, nothing is life-threatening. My quality of life
isn't affected much as there are so many types of seafood I can eat and
enjoy.

I live in a world where it's hard enough to find a doctor who will spend
more than 12 minutes with me no matter what the insurance or how much
I'm willing to pay. These doctors don't pay attention to histories,
don't listen to patients, and don't seem to care much.

If I'm going to choose my battles, I'd rather fight with the doctor who
kept recommending Excendrin Migraine to someone who is allergic to
Tylenol/acetominophen. (Excendrin Migraine contains adcetominophen, but
she didn't seem to believe that even when I reminded her of the fact.)
(I didn't fight the battle. I stopped going to the incompetent doctor.)
I'm only trying to make the point that finding out which sorts of
seafood I'm allergic to is something I'd kind of like to do but not high
on my priority list on information I want from a doctor.

--Lia

I understand. :-)
I was just curious. I'd be concerned tho' that sometimes experimenting
with allergic reactions can be deadly...

Consider and epi-pen.
--
Peace, Om

Remove both _ (underscores) to validate gmail e-mails.

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down." -- Steve Rothstein

Andy q said:

Probably asked before but...

I was thinking food and was reminded of my 1st cousin who was allergic to
milk since birth until detected 3 years old. They just gave him pain killers.

He grew up in his teens a skinny kid but mushroomed to 300+ lbs. last time I
saw him.

I'm not allergic to any foods. Maybe I'm developing lactose intolerance. Gout
aside, I'm pretty food tolerant.

Got food allergies? Got over food allergies? Since/At what age?

Andy

I watched 60 Minutes Sunday night. They reported on a miracle food,
made of peanuts and other things, called Plumpynut, that is saving
tens of thousands from starvation in Africa and other places. The
developers were asked about peanut alergies, and they stated that
there haven't been any reports of allergies, because food allergies
aren't found in underdeveloped environments, only in highly developed
ones. So what is it that we do that causes an allergic reaction to
food?

raymond said:

Andy q said:

Probably asked before but...

I was thinking food and was reminded of my 1st cousin who was allergic to
milk since birth until detected 3 years old. They just gave him pain killers.

He grew up in his teens a skinny kid but mushroomed to 300+ lbs. last time I
saw him.

I'm not allergic to any foods. Maybe I'm developing lactose intolerance. Gout
aside, I'm pretty food tolerant.

Got food allergies? Got over food allergies? Since/At what age?

Andy

I watched 60 Minutes Sunday night. They reported on a miracle food,
made of peanuts and other things, called Plumpynut, that is saving
tens of thousands from starvation in Africa and other places. The
developers were asked about peanut alergies, and they stated that
there haven't been any reports of allergies, because food allergies
aren't found in underdeveloped environments, only in highly developed
ones. So what is it that we do that causes an allergic reaction to
food?

I watched the same show - and was amazed! I've never heard of
"plumpynut" before and it seems to be a 'miracle' food for those babies,
especially in Niger and other African countries at risk! However, I
think perhaps the allergies might be induced by immunizations at 2, 4, &
6 months of age???? Purely conjecture on my part.

Sky

--
Ultra Ultimate Kitchen Rule - Use the Timer!
Ultimate Kitchen Rule -- Cook's Choice

"Andy" <q> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Probably asked before but...

I was thinking food and was reminded of my 1st cousin who was allergic to
milk since birth until detected 3 years old. They just gave him pain
killers.

He grew up in his teens a skinny kid but mushroomed to 300+ lbs. last time
I
saw him.

I'm not allergic to any foods. Maybe I'm developing lactose intolerance.
Gout
aside, I'm pretty food tolerant.

Got food allergies? Got over food allergies? Since/At what age?

Oh yeah. As a baby, I wouldn't breast feed and I threw up any and all milk
they gave me. I was born in 1959. Not sure they had any commercial
formulas back then. But they might have. My parents figured I was allergic
to milk, and yet at some point they began giving me milk.

I was sick to my stomach all the time and threw up a lot. If I wasn't
throwing up, I was having trouble with the other end. Drs. said I had
allergies, and they gave me allergy pills which didn't seem to help much and
gave me a lot of side effects.

As a teen, I had acne. My Dr. told my mom to stop giving me milk and see if
my acne cleared up. She did and it did. Dr. said I was lactose intolerant.
So for years, this is what I thought I had. Although I wasn't "drinking"
milk, I was still consuming it in other forms. Like mashed potatoes or corn
bread. I'd never liked ice cream, so I rarely ever ate that. I did like
cheese and I ate as much of that as I could, which wasn't a whole lot since
my mom didn't think cheese was particularly good for us. Too much fat, you
know.

I also had lots of respiratory problems. Ear, sinus and throat infections.
Had my tonsils out at something like age 4 or 5. Sought out the help of an
ENT as an adult. I seemed to be sick more than I wasn't sick.

My mom had been diagnosed with food allergies a couple of times, but acted
like she didn't believe it. At times she would avoid some foods. Other
times she would act like she had never heard of the allergies, or she would
seem confused and say that she didn't eat something but she didn't know why
she didn't eat it.

Zoom forward some years. I got married and had a baby. A baby who threw up
all the time. Was cranky and cried and wouldn't sleep. Of course she never
did this at the Drs. office. Was quiet and cooed and smiled. So no Dr.
would believe me. I suspected a milk allergy. I wasn't producing enough
breast milk so we had to supplement with formula. The milk based ones made
her sick. But so did the soy based. No matter what we gave her, she threw
it back up.

She only stopped throwing up when we introduced solid foods. And she seemed
to prefer the solid foods over the formula.

At age 1, I switched her to cow's milk, but I didn't force her to drink it
at every meal like I had been. I wasn't convinced this was all that good
for her. And a favorite food? A whole wheat tortilla spread with peanut
butter and jelly, wrapped around a banana.

At about age 1, the respiratory problems began. If it wasn't that, she was
throwing up, or sitting on the toilet. That was after we got her toilet
trained, which didn't happen until just before her 4th birthday. What I
didn't know then but know now is that food allergic kids are hard to potty
train. They are so sick to their stomachs all the time that they can't tell
by feeling that they need to use the toilet. They just pretty much feel
like [censored] all of the time.

More problems began when she entered school. They suspected ADHD. She
couldn't concentrate in school. Couldn't sit still. Always had to use the
bathroom so it made it hard to get her out the door to get her to school. I
thought it was nerves. Drs. told me she had allergies, but they said she
didn't have food allergies, as though they were psychic. They never tested.

Long story of going from Dr. to Dr. and getting no help. Then we took her
to my mom's naturopath. Turns out she was allergic to dairy, eggs, wheat,
gluten, soy, peanuts and bananas. All the things I'd been feeding her every
day.

I immediately changed her diet. Took her about 2 weeks to detox. She got
really sick at about the 2 week mark and now I have a new kid. Suddenly she
could pay attention in school. No more outbursts. No more violence. She
used to hit or kick people for no apparent reason. No more dashing to the
bathroom. No more reparatory problems. She fell behind in school and had
to be put in special ed. Now she is in the 4th grade and no longer in
special ed. She is doing well.

Since then, my mom had allergy testing done again. Most of what I already
knew she had was confirmed again. And some new ones. Like chicken. She
still doesn't do a very good job of avoiding her allergens if you ask me.
For instance, she will say "no cheese" on her salad, but then eat some
cornbread that has milk in it.

Then it was my time. Started when I got some egg salad at a local salad
bar. I had stopped eating so many eggs after daughter was diagnosed with
the allergy. Seems once you get the allergen out of your system, the
stronger you react to it if you DO eat it. I got really ill and suspected
food poisoning.

About a month went by and I realized the eggs in my fridge were about to go
bad. So I made egg salad. Ate it and got really ill. Worse than the time
before. Now I knew something was up. I vowed not to eat any more eggs.
But I probably wasn't as careful as I should have been, perhaps consuming
some bread or something in a restaurant that had eggs in it. Like pasta.

My mom insisted I be tested for allergies. I was. By her naturopath.
Turns out I was not only severely allergic to eggs, but also allergic to
dairy and almonds. I can't say that I ate a lot of almonds on a regular
basis so that was no biggie.

The dairy allergy was far harder for me to adjust to. Meant I pretty much
had to cook everything from scratch. Have found only a couple of baked
breads that don't contain dairy and/or eggs. I don't dare have a sandwich
in a restaurant unless they can prove to me that the bread is safe. A lot
of restaurants can not provide you with the ingredients...or perhaps I
should say will not. Can't eat at most chain restaurants like Denny's or
McDonalds (not that I'd want to) because they put milk in things where you
wouldn't suspect it. Like green beans and French fries.

I've discovered things like vegan rice cheese. I can make pizza and nachos
with it! And Smart Squeeze margarine. Before I ate only real butter. Most
margarines contain milk so they are out of the question. And they contain
soy so daughter can't eat them. I only use the Smart Squeeze when I want a
butter flavor. Otherwise, I use coconut or olive oil.

Since changing my diet, I have had only one sinus infection and it cleared
up quickly. And my stomach problems have cleared. I used to go through
Imodium like it was candy.

I have had something weird happen though when I inadvertently ate dairy.
Twice, I found a shred of cheese in my restaurant food and this last week it
was what appeared to be a bit of sour cream on the tomato garnish at the
Mexican restaurant. In all cases, I was careful not to eat any of the food
that was touching or even near the dairy product. But all three times a few
hours later, I felt faint and my BP dropped very low. Not good. I have to
be really careful now.