Anybody here coping with their OWN allergies?

[Ruthla]

It seems like a lot of women on this forum are dealing with figuring out their kids' food allergies, and most of the people changing their own diets are doing so for the sake of a nursling. Sometimes I feel out of place on threads here, particularly the discussions about eating certain foods again after DC weans!

So, who else here is limiting their diet because of their own special needs, whether or not they share a sensitivity with a child?

[mtn.mama]

I am. I do what the crystal tells me. It says no celery or gluten or garlic or oats or wine or echinacea for me. So even after dd is weaned, I'll still do what the crystal says.

[Ruthla]

Can you tell me more about this crystal? I've been figuring out my sensitivities through trial and error.

[kjbrown92]

Two of my three kids have food intolerances, and after reading an article that was posted on here a while ago, I've been wondering if I had some and didn't realize it. I'm waiting to find out if insurance is paying for any of the test, and then I will get the ALCAT test for myself. I've found that soy contributes to my IBS, and I'm off dairy and gluten AGAIN to see if that's what is giving me chronic back pain (which came after I started eating dairy again after my son was weaned). Last time I did it for a few weeks and really thought it was helping and then I fell off the wagon. I'm day 3 back on the wagon again. So I'm doing it for myself as well.

[mtn.mama]

Ruth,

The crystal test was taught to me by my chiropractor who does applied kinesiology. Its my #1 tool for keeping on top of our allergies as they morph.

Here's link to a thread about it: http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=908247

HTH!
Lisa

[txtarheel]

Yep, I'm dealing with my own. I didn't discover it until I gave up dairy for my nursling. But once I gave it up the relief of a lot of symptoms I had was unmistakable. It's really hard for me to think I'll be spending the rest of my life cheese and dairy free having spent 30+ years as a heavy consumer.

Have you had allergies your whole life or are they recently discovered?

[changingseasons]

Originally Posted by txtarheel

It's really hard for me to think I'll be spending the rest of my life cheese and dairy free having spent 30+ years as a heavy consumer.

I'm having a hard time with that too.

I never had food issues (to my knowledge) until DD came along... and then I got myself tested too, just for fun, and discovered that I have a bunch!

I'm not sure if I have always had them, or if they started during pregnancy (after the 2x abx). I didn't really feel any better when I stopped all the foods for DD (or maybe I was just so focused on getting her better, I didn't notice), but I sure can tell a difference now when I eat something on my bad list!

I was all excited about all the 'normal' foods that I could eat after DD weans, but now I'm starting to think this diet might be for life. We'll see... I'm hoping that DD and I can both get our guts healed and get over these food issues!

[Ruthla]

Originally Posted by txtarheel

Have you had allergies your whole life or are they recently discovered?

A little of both. I gave up dairy in college during a very brief stint as a vegan, and realized that I'm healthier without it. Then I started drinking milk again while pg with DD1 when I discovered I could tolerate whole milk products (anything with skim or lowfat milk came right back up.) Off and on, I've been avoiding cow's milk dairy ever since- playing around with including it in small amounts, or just using cream and butter, or using goat and/or sheep milk products, etc.

During the past year, I started doing some food elimination to see if I could reduce fibromyalgia symptoms. Going off gluten seems to help me a lot. I discovered that legumes don't agree with me either, and after going completely dairy-free for a few months, I discovered that I really can't tolerate goat milk or cream, though I'm OK with butter.

I've discovered that dairy consumption leads to depression- which means I've likely had a problem with dairy since at least my teens, when I first started having symptoms of depression.

[memiles]

:

I'm here. I discovered my own sensitivities as we were working on my dd's issues. We see the same ND, and after all of E's testing she suggested I get tested too, as I'd been complaining of skin rashes, headaches, fatigue, etc. Some of our foods are the same (gluten and dairy), some are different.

[USAmma]

I'm not limiting my diet because of allergies because I have no known food allergies. I do have severe pollen allergies and have benefitted from sublingual immotherapy as well as traditional allergy shots. My allergies were sooooo much better this season! I'm off meds most of the time now! woo hoo!!

My 4yo has severe food allergies, and my dh and 7yo have Celiac Disease which we just found out about a couple of mos ago. We are pretty much a gluten free household now (also oats, rye, and barley). It was not too hard to give those up because there are good GF alternatives. I don't think it's fair to eat gluten in front of them. The only thing left that I eat that's wheat is my fiber cereal and flour tortillas (the girl I babysit eats a breakfast burrito for lunch every day).

[changingseasons]

Originally Posted by Ruthla

I've discovered that dairy consumption leads to depression- which means I've likely had a problem with dairy since at least my teens, when I first started having symptoms of depression.

That's really interesting. I'm starting to wonder how long I've had these food issues myself too. When I had some dairy (ghee) in my diet a couple weeks ago, I noticed that I was REALLY tired and out of it, couldn't focus or concentrate. And I felt that way a lot in my teens and 20's, as well as having bouts of depression. Interesting...

[WildIris]

Me too. I'm avoiding corn, coconut, the onion family, gluten, most grains except brown rice, and dairy.

Most days I'm doing okay with it, but some days are hard--like today, there just wasn't much to eat and so tonight I am feeling HUNGRY and emotionally distraught over how difficult it all is. Then I get to thinking, "I'll never eat (formerly favorite food) ever again FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE" and that sets off a little pity party.

So yeah, Ruthla, I know what you mean about feeling out of place when people talk about being able to wean and eat certain foods again! It stinks. Especially when I'm ravenously hungry. Like now.

[lil_miss_understood]

I have my own allergies but I have no idea what they are for certain, except for environmental ones really.
My ELISA (IgG and IgE testing) came back clear for everything but milk, but my SPT done the same day showed me being clear for every allergy I'm known to have (lilies, grass pollen, beech tree pollen, mold, mildew, dust mites, etc and so forth) so I'm a little perplexed. My SPT also didn't really react to the control so... I don't know. I'm not on anything which would effect the test either, so I'm not entirely sure what's up with that.

[Jojo F.]

Here!! DS doesn't have any that I know of for sure, although I suspect dairy. (I have tried to keep him off dairy but living with the IL's it proved to be impossible- I hope to get him tested soon)

Anywho, I have a problem with all dairy and gluten but have not had any testing done, just eliminated them from my diet and felt MUCH better.

When I was younger I ALWAYS had bowel pains and off and on diahrea but never really thought about allergies and my parents were too cheap to take me to a doctor, seriously. Not that they didn't believe them or anything, my dad was just really a cheap skate when it came to me.

Things seemed to get worse after I had DS and after I took the pill, I started to get skin rashes and HORRIBLE cystic acne. A friend of mine suggested cutting dairy and/or gluten. So gluten went first and I was a little better but my face kept blowing up. Then dairy oh how I miss my cheese!!!! but things are MUCH better now that I cut out both. It's proved to be quite the challenge for me to stay off the two- I have issues with the IL's and the food budget but that was another thread.

I have been toying with the idea of getting some tests done but I'm not sure if that would be wise while I'm pregnant. It would probably help convincing the IL's to make sure we have enough good food for me to eat so it may be worth it

[jayell79]

Count me in too. I have a very limited diet due to my allergies. I'm sure I've suffered all my life, but things got really bad starting in Jr. High school. I saw our family Dr. so many times about it, but he never could figure it out. He ended up telling my mom it was all in my head. The most painful part was that she believed him over me and I never got the help I truly needed. It wasn't until I took matters into my own hands several years ago that I was finally diagnosed with food allergies. I eat a gluten free diet, also free of soy, beef, shellfish, tree nuts, and some raw fruits and veggies. Since then, I feel better than I ever had in my whole life. I've learned to be thankful for the good food I CAN eat. So far so good with DD, she is BF and doesn't seem to have any sensitivities.

[Boobs]

I've just realized my problems are most likely a gluten-intolerance in the last few weeks. It's a lot to absorb, mentally and emotionally. I've been dealing with ds's allergies and sensitivities since he was an infant, but now it's all making sense that those issues started with me.

[JayGee]

I have a wheat allergy (although I can eat other grains with gluten). For my entire life I've dealt with a peely, itchy rash on my elbows and knees. My midwife mentioned that it might be related to wheat consumption, so I cut out wheat for 2 weeks. Like magic, the rash was gone! I've tried going back to eating wheat a few times since then (2 years ago) and the rash always returns, usually within hours of consuming wheat. So no wheat for me.

[jocelyndale]

The list of things I'm not allergic to often seems shorter than the list of things I am allergic to. I have multiple food allergies, many of which are anaphylactic in nature. I have respiratory and skin allergies to what seems like everything. Celiac disease, MCS, OAS . . . I could list everything, but then the assassins would know how to knock me off.

Kiddo seems fine with everything so far, but he's soy-free, peanut-free, and gluten-free because our house is free of those. Oh, and can I kvetch about lavender being in all the baby products?