thread: Allergic reaction but what?

  1. #1
    Registered User

    Jan 2009
    5,235

    Allergic reaction but what?

    For years, I've been having allergic reactions, to something I eat. Just coming down (for want of better terminology) from one now. Basically they are a anaphylaxtic reaction - starts with itching feeling in throat, usually cramps in belly followed by diahorrea, swelling of nasal passages and throat (makes me wheezy), sneezing, hives in hair and on torso/arms and then copious amounts of fluidy snot (sorry).
    I've been to doctors and specialist - had the skin ***** test for all known allergies, food and otherwise and I reacted to nothing! Over the years I've had the reaction more often when eating out but also at home. Tonight I had nothing out of the ordinary - home made curried mince with mountain bread. The mountain bread was the only new thing, but I had some at lunch time too and the reaction are always within an hour of eating, so it can't have been that.

    It's frustrating and annoying (and potentially dangerous too) and I don't know what to do about it. My gut feeling has been that it's a combination of foods that triggers, but just what I have no idea.

    Anyone have any help or suggestions to offer?

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Feb 2008
    on a journey called life, finding our way home
    629

    Oh I have no advice just wanted to sympathise, it must be very hard and scary not knowing what is causing it. We are going through the same thing at the moment with out 2yr old. he is the same as you just all of a sudden comes out with a huge reaction and I have no idea what is causing it. Took him to the doctor and he didnt seem to care really.
    Very frustraiting. Hope you find your answers soon

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Apr 2009
    Perth, WA
    1,587

    Perhaps some sort of herb? Especially if you get it eating out because lets face it....chefs love to season things!!!

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Jan 2009
    5,235

    Well tonights dinner had - Beef mince, frozen vege,cabbbage, rice noodles, onion flakes, soy and oyster sauce, curry powder, tom paste, chicken stock powder, quinoa.

    All the sauces/flavourings I use alot and eat regularly, the only thing I haven't had alot is the quinoa (added for fibre and filler) - but I've had it at least twice before.

    This morning I had a banana smoothie for breakfast, I had left over homemade pumpkin soup for lunch (I even grew the organic pumpkin!) and mountain bread. And a cup of tea and 2 nice bikkies for arvo tea.

    After dinner I had some plain cadbury's choc.

    So NOTHING stands out at all!

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Nov 2004
    Chasing Daylight...
    2,034

    I've recently found I'm allergic to some soya bean oils ... Mostly in their concentrated form.

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Jul 2009
    618

    Have you been checked for a gluten intolerance or allergy? I only ask because DD has Coeliac and I know the mountain bread and the soy sauce would trigger a reaction for her?

    (also it is the only food allergy I have experience with lol)

  7. #7

    Mar 2004
    Sparta
    12,662

    Have you been tested for MSG allergy?

    It's very popular in restaurants and it is likely to be in the chicken stock powder you used tonight. It might be called 621 in the ingredients.
    It is a very common allergin.

    If it's been happening for years you should probably look to the things you have been eating for years not the things you have only eaten a few times.

  8. #8
    Registered User

    Jul 2008
    summer street
    2,708

    Yeah second the MSG reaction! Chicken stock cubes sound like a culprit. Also remember MSG is naturally occurring in some foods so you may find its not one thing, but the combination adding to a high dose (ie soy sauce and stock cube and tomato concentrate)

  9. #9
    Registered User

    Aug 2005
    Melbourne, Victoria
    1,635

    I am about to have food intolerances check out after living with a post nasal drip & severe eczema.

    There was a great book I was told to read first, called "friendly food", my local library had it. It explains how lots of the food adds up together to cause a reaction, and you look for 1 thing and won't find it, but it's the combination of them that causes it. I know I react to soy, which has natural MSG, and stock powder also does - so put that together and that might be your trigger.

    Read the book, it is worth it.

    The only way to look for intolerances (not allergies, which skin pr*ck testing finds, but won't tell you intolerances) properly is a total elimination diet & add them back in slowly. I'm seeing the specialist in Sept (called in Feb for an appointment), so it will be like 4 weeks of hell, but my ENT said he is the only one in Melb who does it because it is really hard to find the culprit and most dr's & patients find it too hard and too much work. If I didn't have 7 years of living with this skin (and I wanted to do the diet on my son anyway, but couldn't cope with how disruptive it would be, and I think DD reacts to kiwi, so 3 of us will gain from it), I wouldn't bother.

    the book really made me aware of how much stuff I thought was ok (like cucumbers for crying out loud) can add my adding up to my problems

  10. #10
    Registered User

    Jan 2009
    5,235

    What is so confusing is that the reactions are not often - I haven't had another this year until last night, then I might have several in a short space of time. I was tested for MSG as I really thought that was what it was as my first reaction was after eating at a chinese many years ago, but nope not even a minor indication to that. I also thought it was seafood, nope, not that either.
    I guess I haven't done anything further about it because the specialist sat there and basically said that was it, he couldn't explain it, and had no idea what else to do - almost felt like he thought it was in my head!
    I will check out that book, thanks Yael.

  11. #11
    Registered User

    Jan 2010
    Shoe Heaven
    4,839

    One of my friends can eat chicken and mushrooms, but if he mixes them together he ends up in hospital having a severe anaphylaxtic reaction. So look at combinations.

    Also look at the oils used in the making of the products, I cannot have certain vegetable oils so try to steer clear of anything that doesn't list specific oils, if it uses the overarching "vegetable oil" in the ingredients I won't buy it.

  12. #12
    2012 BellyBelly RAK Recipient.
    Add AngelPants on Facebook

    Feb 2010
    Under the rock
    1,320

    I often get reaction of hives, migranes and asthma from too much msg and similar additives. It occurs naturally in soy sauce among other things.

    sent from my watzamajig so may not make sense....

  13. #13
    Registered User

    Apr 2008
    Melbourne
    6,745

    I would also check the ingredients in the oyster sauce and the chicken stock - the two together could cause a concentration of certain ingredients that could result in the reaction.