What foods are likely to be non-allergenic?

[monkeybum]

So as you can see from my other post on my reaction possibly to naan bread (or rice, chicken, spices, bread, onion rings, sulphites or any other possible ingredient in my icky fast food indian meal...) I have no idea what caused my very scary reaction last night and now I'm afraid to eat.

So until I get this figured out, what foods can I probaby safely eat that are likely to be fine? I have no known allergies, but have reacted to "vegetarian pad thai - no nuts", (got lightheaded) MAYBE had a reaction to tuna but not quite sure (just go cold, had it since no problems), MAYBE shrimp (but could have been the pink zinfandel wine I had with it - hadn't had it in years and took 2 big swigs with the shrimp and got all blotchy). So this was my first what I could consider, major reaction. Quite scary - almost passed out, heart palpitations, couldn't catch my breath and got really hot (lasted about 5 minutes so not too long). Just don't want to go through that again - too scary and I have two little kids.

I'll avoid rice and chicken just because those were part of the meal last night.

I'll avoid fries and onion rings - yes, they were part of the meal too (bag over head).

I'll avoid processed foods with mystery ingredients in case it is MSG or food additives.

Should I avoid all bread? I usually have toast every morning.

I'm assuming my decaf coffee with cream is fine. Maybe I can stick to fruits, vegetables, but now I'm scared of salad dressings.

Baked potato? Eggs? I have lactose issues so I avoid cheese generally.

OMG what the heck am I going to eat?!!!

[kjbrown92]

Can you go get allergy tested? Especially for things like the shellfish?

The blotchy/hot feeling after the shrimp and wine could have been either. I used to get blotches and hot all over from wine. Sulfites are usually the cause for that. I mean, it could be shrimp. But could be either.

Technically, any food can cause a reaction. That's why I'm suggesting allergy testing. And a plan (like an epipen) in case there is a severe reaction. When there's a plan, there's usually less fear.

[SpottedFoxx]

Whoa there sugar! Your "reaction" to Naan sounds more like a panic attack than an allergic reaction. The shrimp may or may not have been allergic. Wine is a high histamine food so it can cause blotchiness.

While allergy testing is iffy, it's a good starting point. Get skin tested and request rast testing for the shellfish. If you test positive - avoid those things. If you suspect you are allergic to shellfish and your test is negative, talk to your doctor about doing a test run on shell fish in the office. Basically, you would prepare plain shrimp (just boil them with no seasoning). Ice it, bring it into his office and eat it. If you do react, you'll be in a safe place. If not, then you can rule it out.

[scsigrl]

I agree that some investigation via testing might be more helpful at this point. It seems like a huge jump from what happened to an elimination type diet.

[monkeybum]

Spotted Foxx - you've got my hopes up now! But I honestly don't think it was a panic attack as I suffered from panic attacks for 2 years but they went away a few months ago. This was very different from that. I am very good at getting a panic attack under control before it starts and this I had no control over. It did not at all feel like a panic attack to me. My panic attacks usually started with a "thought", then a racing heart, but I never got the blacking out feeling or heat. And with this, my heart was racing WAY faster than I've ever had it with a panic attack.

Also, there was no trigger for a panic attack at all. I was just sitting there chatting with my friend and kids, happily and eating naan bread (which I've had from OTHER places a zillion times - it's one of my favorite foods). I've also rarely had a panic attack START so suddenly, with a sudden dizzy feeling, racing heart like it's never raced before for no apparent reason and almost blacking out. That was followed by being unable to catch my breath, and I've never had the internal heat with a panic attack - with this, I got really hot - even my arms were red, it was like this heat from inside throughout my whole body.

Can you tell me why it does not sound like an allergic reaction - I'd be so happy if it wasn't - maybe it was a reaction to MSG or something. (Though I've had that a zillion times too).

I guess I have always read (and those with anaphylaxis have always told me) that the first signs are racing heart and the flushed/hot feeling.

I am surprised by how quickly it went away though - the whole thing happened and was over in less than 10 minutes. I was able to get up and go buy some socks, then get the kids in the car and drive home. I had a mild tummy upset but not really.

My thoughts of elimination diet are driven by my fear of not wanting to have that feeling again - it was horrible - and not knowing what it was - hence being afraid to eat anything!

Thanks!!

[SpottedFoxx]

I suffer from two things. Generalized anxiety disorder and systemic mastocytosis.

Mastocytosis is a disease that is allergic in nature. I have too may mast cells. Mast cells are what produce histamine. Not only do I have a lot more mast cells than your average person, mine leak histamine. I'm a walling ball of allergy.

Anxiety manifests itself in various ways. Sometimes emotional, sometimes physical, sometimes both. Sometimes there is a catalyst and other times it hits you out of the blue.

Both allergy and panic attacks cause increased heart rate and flushing. A release of histamine in the blood causes an increase in heart rate and it also releases Progestiglandarin(sp?) D2 which causes you to flush. Anxiety causes a rush of blood through the body which also causes increased heart rate and flushing.

If you have a history of anxiety but not a history of proven allergies, I'd lean toward it being anxiety.

Either way - you need to see a doctor. If you are suffering from intermittent anxiety - it can be treated. If you have allergies, testing is a good starting point (vs. an elimination diet) to figure out what you need to eliminate from your diet and also if you need to carry emergency meds.

[monkeybum]

Thanks. That helps. So it is possible that the "heat" and flushing I felt afterwards/during it were from the increased heart rate (which may have been from preservatives or something)? And/or the increased heart rate could have been from the fear of passing out, which could be from a heart issue...

Does it sound like it's not an allergic reaction because there was no swelling or wheezing etc.? There wasn't anything like that.

I am convinced it was something other than just a panic attack on it's own as I've had so many of those and this was completely different. But maybe the flushing was from a panic feeling from whatever was happening. Certainly I did start to feel a little panicky in the middle of it. But something happened to me physically to make me feel panicky. I was so totally not worried or anxious in the least sitting there, and all of a sudden it hit WHAM the room started spinning and closing in out of nowhere. And I've had some pretty major panic attacks and never once had it hit like that or the extreme hot feeling. Every panic attack I've ever had have always started with a trigger - seeing or thinking something that started it. There was no trigger whatsoever.

Thanks!!

[sbgrace]

I responded to your other thread. But in your case what you eat is food you've prepared so you know it didn't come in contact with shrimp. And you see an allergist to do testing for shrimp and shellfish.

I see no reason to start avoiding foods that might be allergenic or similar.

If you were reacting to the bread (which you've had many times before) it's likely cross shrimp contamination. It may be nothing at all...

Anxiety responses can change on a person. I mentioned in your other thread but your description of your fears and the panic sound very much like OCD to me. That's treatable.

[BirthKathy]

Just a note about the shrimp and wine combo. I consider myself to have no food allergies, but occasionally if I have wine and shrimp together I get a few hives on my face afterward. I read that the wine can intensify your reaction to foods that you may normally be unnoticeably sensitive to.