Anyone up for a chat thread?

[mylilmonkeys]

Going through this process of nailing down food allergies is such a complex process, and surprisingly emotional!  I'd like a place I can share my experiences without boring the rest of the people in my life to tears. LOL  Anyone with me?

[SweetSilver]

Yes, please!  What's for dinner tonight?  Har! Har!  That's a joke in our house........

[periwinkle 88]

I'll chat!  My kids are older (pre-teen and teen) so we've pretty much figured out the worst of their intolerances after all these years.  Yep, dinner planning is a joke around here too since they have many opposing intolerances.  I wish I could just pick out a fun recipe, make it and have all of us enjoy it sometimes, but for now it's not in the cards.   

[mylilmonkeys]

Great!  It's been kind of a rough week for me.  I accidentally exposed myself to lactate on Monday night, and could barely get out of bed on Tuesday.  I get swelling and pain in my ear canals and sinuses, headaches and pain down my lymph system in the back of my neck and intense fatigue.  It's taken most of the week to work that out of my system.  And brats are off the menu. ;) 

Tonight we're having pork steak, rice, a veg and soup.  I haven't decided yet if I'll make bean soup or get around to processing some pie pumpkins for a pumpkin soup.  

I'm also going to do a gluten challenge this weekend.  I know I have corn and dairy intolerances/allergies, but I sort of eliminated gluten on a whim and that has actually been the easiest to avoid accidentally exposing myself to.  

I finally made an appointment to try to get a referral to an allergist.  I have a feeling that there are some other things I might be having subtle reactions to.  But I'm not confident I can get what I need in this area.  I have had a hard time getting adequate medical help in general.  I'd like to avoid a TED while nursing twins, though!

Oh, and I made my very first chicken stock this week, per GAPS diet I started drinking that yesterday.  I'm still waiting for my library to call that the GAPS book is ready for me.  And I have my first batch of water kefir brewing.  

[SweetSilver]

My daughter had her in-office peanut challenge.  Peanut was never high as far as the numbers went, but we had been avoiding it all the same.  So, she gets some on her skin--no problem.  She has ultra-sensitive skin, so seeing no redness is a big relief.  

Then she says with a smile "The peanut butter tickles!"  (I'm sure it does, I say, but inside I'm thinking ummmm.....)  

Then she says, several times in various ways once she gets to taste some, "Thinking of Daddy reminded me that my tongue feels hot!"  She is loving the peanut butter, but I'm thinking, what am supposed to do with this?

In the end, we decided she could go ahead and have PB.  We couldn't definitively decide that her comments were allergy related and clearly there was no swelling or hives, soooo....

Long story short, I now carry the Epi-Pen religiously!  I'm not convinced, but there it is.... she loves the PB.

[mylilmonkeys]

I'd hate to give up PB, too!

[SweetSilver]

The worst is at Halloween, with pounds and pounds of Reese's PB cups in the house!  PB and honey, salty and sweet.  I stopped tolerating PB after dd2 was born.  Very weird!

[periwinkle 88]

I recently bought almond butter cups for my kids. They love them! (We don't do peanut butter around here either.)  I also saw sunflower butter cups, though didn't try them.    

[SweetSilver]

Hazelnut butter cups would be just up my alley, if they existed, but nuts are entirely off the menu  .  Hmm, I wonder how those sunflower cups taste?

[SweetSilver]

I'm curious if any of you eat things you are not supposed to, especially on Halloween and holidays.  For me, it usually has to do with sweets and most of the time I don't regret it but I feel it.  How do you deal with the temptation?  How important is it that you are 100% clear?

[mylilmonkeys]

SweetSilver - I am so new at this that any tiny exposure causes me some pretty uncomfortable symptoms.  If I am wanting something sweet, I mix up a pot of rice pudding with almond milk, or get a box of gluten free brownie mix from the grocery store.  I was surprised I didn't have the smallest desire to eat any of the kids' candy.  But I did throw it out after three days because their behavior became atrocious!  

I did my gluten challenge over the weekend and failed.  My reactions are slightly more subtle than corn and much less than dairy, but undeniable.  I have an appointment with my GP for a referral to an allergist tomorrow morning.  I think maybe my small reactions through the day are just cross-contamination.  We're transitioning the kids to mom's new diet as we use stuff up, but I'm not entirely sure what to do about lunches and stuff when we're all home.  Usually they make their own sandwiches.  Any tips would be appreciated!

[periwinkle 88]

I don't cheat on Halloween, but I do at extended family gatherings, like at Thanksgiving or Christmas.  I think it's important to just let go and have a little fun sometimes.  I get tired of the every day what to eat grind for me and the kids.  Cheating on the food intolerances is a vacation of sorts, until the next day when we all feel crummy.  

[mylilmonkeys]

I went to see my GP today, and had the most supportive visit I've ever had there.  She put me on a TED () which I was hoping to somehow avoid having to do, but since I am still having mild reactions after some meals, it's the logical thing to do.  She was actually very excited that I'm taking these steps because most of the people she sees with IBS and other things that indicate food sensitivities have no desire to do it.  So I have to go through the diet sheets she gave me and figure out what DH can buy when he shops on Friday.  She assured me that after cutting out Dairy/Gluten/Corn this will be a piece of cake.  We'll see.  Three weeks on and then we'll start adding in foods.  I think Peanut Butter will be first to try. LOL

[BabySmurf]

how is the diet going for you?? i give you huge kudos for even attempting it at this point - you said you were nursing twins, right!?  ugh! it's amazing what food can do to a person. 

it's funny, i eliminated several foods from my diet when my DS had been having persistent GI issues...sometimes i feel like super mom for handling all of the "restrictions", and other times i feel like i am teetering on the edge of a breakdown! it really is an emotional process, and it feels really good to have a place to come where people "get it". 

i hope things are working out!

[aubreyroberts]

After reading this thread I went and checked out the GAPS diet. It seems like something that would be good for me to do. How is that going? Do you know of any websites that are a bit more detailed about it?

 

[BabySmurf]

i've really only looked at gapsiet.com, but there is a lot of info there.  i hear a lot of success stories about this diet...if you are able to stick through it.  after the night i had last night with my DS, i think i am going to try it.  i'm trying to get some other people on board so that i don't have to go it alone.....

i see my doc at the end of the month to talk about it - i'm not exactly the ideal candidate for restricting my diet, but i really don't think i can take this wondering anymore.  i feel like my poor DS is in pain, (although he is such a happy boy, it's hard for most people to imagine, but i can tell that there is something "off").  i think it will probably help me too, but i am really overwhelmed by the thought of actually trying to pull this off....

[mylilmonkeys]

Well, it's been an interesting week.  The start of this TED was really difficult and emotional.  I was at a good place with just the GF/CF/corn free stuff having lots of options for breakfast/lunch, and now having to eliminate peanut butter and eggs, it's been huge.  I've also done the nightshade option, because I've been having joint pain since I was 13 (at that age, my ped actually diagnosed arthritis!).  Mostly it's my thumbs, and I like to knit and play Clarinet which puts a lot of stress on those joints.  But, once I sat down and planned out meals and dh went to the store 2 or 3 times, we're doing alright.  I've also gone from rarely cooking to cooking everything from scratch.  I spend most of my days in the kitchen, it seems.  We'll be having GF turkey meatballs, parmesan-less pesto on GF noodles for dinner tonight.  One week down.  Two more to go before I can start challenging foods.  

[SweetSilver]

Wow, do I ever miss eggs!  How do you make meatballs without them?

[scsigrl]

Top 8 Free Meatballs :)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup "milk" (I use homemade rice milk)

1/2 cup "bread" crumbs (we are gluten free so I have my crumb recipe which is rice crackers and Mary's Gone Crackers original)

1/4 cup finely chopped onion (or onion powder to taste)

2 TBSP. parsley

1 tsp. salt

2 lbs. ground beef

Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes depending on size of meatballs.  I freeze these and microwave them when I need them!

[kjbrown92]

our meatballs are just ground meat, a little onion powder, oregano, sea salt, pepper, and a little of some kind of "flour" (sorghum, rice, buckwheat, whatever). Bake at 375F for 18 minutes (1" balls). You don't even need all that other stuff.