Rapidly increasing allergies :(

[crunchy_mommy]

Is there something specific that would cause me to suddenly be allergic to lots of foods???

It started slowly (4 years ago, with a food I'd eaten occasionally in the past with no reaction) and then over the past 6 months or so it seems like tons of foods are causing the same reaction (itchy mouth, painful bubbly rash in my mouth/tongue/throat). The reaction is delayed so it's kind of hard to track down the specific foods but I seem to have figured them all out except the most recent one this weekend. And they are all to foods I'd eaten occasionally/often with no problem but they are not my 'everyday' foods (thank God, I'd be starving to death!) But I'm starting to be afraid to eat anything beyond a few apparently 'safe' foods...

Any idea what would cause this??? Aside from the allergies, I've also had severe chronic fatigue for the last 4 years, as well as random symptoms on & off (upset stomach/cramping, numbness/tingling in various places, traveling pains, etc.) My blood tests were all normal except low vitamin D & magnesium & high WBC. And is there any reliable test for the foods?

[tanyalynn]

Have you had your B12 tested? I don't know how much people would get new symptoms at the low end of normal, but still w/i the reference range, I've read that people who feel good are in the top third of the range.

First thing that popped to my mind, need to get DS to nap (I hope, I hope, I hope).

[crunchy_mommy]

I'm glad you mentioned that, it's one of the things I've been thinking about. My B12 was at 301 (cut off was 300) so I'm wondering if that's a contributing factor. I'm going to the doctor tomorrow & want to have a few ideas to discuss since we are having trouble figuring this out.

[KimPM]

Have you been tested for Lyme?

[kjbrown92]

Originally Posted by KimPM

Have you been tested for Lyme?

That's what I was going to ask...

[crunchy_mommy]

Yup lyme test was negative... RA was negative... everything negative. Only thing that showed is slightly high WBC. A few things were in normal range but right right on the border (thyroid, iron, adrenal). Doctor also noticed a heart murmur today so now I have to get that checked out. Just wish I could get to the bottom of this, I feel like my body is falling apart on me!

[tanyalynn]

If your thyroid is borderline normal (toward the high end of the reference range for TSH or the low end for free T3 and free T4), you're already hypothyroid. The ref ranges are really, really wide--people who feel good are in much narrower parts of the ranges.

For iron, is that plain iron or ferritin? I'd want to know and check both, both my HCPs were concerned my low, but in-range ferritin could be involved in my fatigue.

[crunchy_mommy]

Yeah the free T3 (I think it was) is on the low end, I think it was like .1 away from the border, and the ferritin was low but not crazy low... so I'm going to take some supplements for that.

[DevaMajka]

I know your blood tests were normal, but calcium as well as b12 can cause tingling. (I'm having tingling sensations too, so I've been looking for a cause. Mine are in my legs and lips, but mostly in my legs).

If the tingling is in the same areas or following the same paths, it's more likely to be a mechanical problem- physical nerve damage (which can be from those vit deficiencies), or a pinched nerve, etc.
If it really is totally random, it could be neurological.

I don't know if food chemicals can cause reactions like that, but have you checked to see if there's a common food chemical in the foods? If you post a list, we could see if there's anything in common. Of course, I could be way off base with that, but if there is a commonality at least it would give you some info, kwim? Food chemical reactions could be affected by low mag.

[crunchy_mommy]

Yeah the tingling seems to be more random I think, several days in one place then several days somewhere else.... I think I am going to supplement with B12 too though to see if it helps.

The foods I've narrowed down are mangoes, pomegranate, cashews, kiwi... I can't seem to figure out the rest, most of what I eat is fruits, veggies, grains, and nuts, so it really could be anything... I've thought about doing an elimination diet but I am so starving all the time that I can't imagine limiting my foods further!!

[DevaMajka]

b12 supp seems like a good idea. My dr. said you couldn't really OD on it, so it can't hurt. But make sure it's sublingual- that's absorbed the best.

Those foods aren't ringing any food chemical bells for me. Mangoes and cashews are both low sals, and none of the other food chemicals I've read up on would fit either.
Mango and cashews are sometimes (commonly?) cross reactive though. What's the other one that's cross reactive with those? let me think- sesame seeds? and maybe latex and related foods- bananas, maybe. And kiwi can be a latex sensitivity fruit (from my link below).
Let me see if I can find the link where I got that from. Knowing the foods that are related may help you figure out other triggers.

Here is one: http://www.immunocapinvitrosight.com...____28347.aspx

So you could have cross with poison ivy (I'm allergic to both poison ivy and mango), pistachios, pectin.

and look at the list for sesame seeds:

Cross-reactivity between allergens in Sesame and allergens in other foods, including Hazel nut, Rye, Kiwi, Poppy seed, Black walnut, Cashew, Macadamia, Pistachio, and Peanuts, has been reported (2,20-21).

also, if you do a google for food families you might find some other connections there.