Allergy Support Group

[Doula Dani]

Can we just start a little support group? I'm actually the partner of someone with Celiac's and he's borderline diabetic. He doesn't eat right and it's a struggle for me. He acts like he wants to, but then he'll eat stupid things like artificial colors as if things that small don't matter.

This can be for anyone with any allergies or partners to anyone with allergies.

[mtn.mama]

Honey, the whole Allergies Forum is one big support group. Vent away, we're here to listen, brainstorm, yell... we're here!

[lil_miss_understood]

Originally Posted by mtn.mama

Honey, the whole Allergies Forum is one big support group. Vent away, we're here to listen, brainstorm, yell... we're here!

Yeah that.
This forum is such a sanity saver.

[Doula Dani]

Well thank god, cuz I'm gonna kill dp. I feel like I'm being insensitive to his allergy, but arrrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!


He's hiding pastries from me in his car, and he ate five candy bars the other night....I mean seriously? He's very thin also, when he eats gluten he literally passes fat deposits (sorry that's icky).

[Scribe]

My bad allergy season is beginning, so I could definitely use support. I don't have many food allergies (just walnuts and apricots, which are easy enough to avoid), but I have a plethora of airborne allergies, including serious allergies to dust mites and nearly all pollens. I take three medications and I am still miserable from November-February.

Dani, I'm sorry you are so frustrated w/ your DP. I can see why that would be super frustrating. I know my partner gets frustrated with me when I am not taking care of myself properly. I don't have any advice, just sympathy.

[Doula Dani]

What have you tried taking? My dad swears by this stuff you get as a prescription and mist up your nose.... it's a part white and part turquoise bottle. Man. Let me see if I can find it online. He used to have allergies so bad that he almost died from an attack once (this is a pollen allergy). I'm off to search, be back!

[Doula Dani]

Ok, it's Afrin. There's a catch- it sounds like it can be addictive if you use it constantly, and it should only be used short term. Everything I saw online said that people loved it because it worked, but they're now addicted to it.

I know my dad thinks it's his saviour after the things he's gone through. Hmmm.

[mtn.mama]

Originally Posted by Doula Dani

Well thank god, cuz I'm gonna kill dp. I feel like I'm being insensitive to his allergy, but arrrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!


He's hiding pastries from me in his car, and he ate five candy bars the other night....I mean seriously? He's very thin also, when he eats gluten he literally passes fat deposits (sorry that's icky).

Gluten and sugar are evil. Some people are truly addicted to them... It sounds to me like he has a serious problem if he's hiding and binging like that. His nutrient levels/absorption are probably way out of whack. Its a very vicious cycle.

Does he understand that both diseases lead to auto-immune problems if not treated? Its so difficult and frustrating watching someone you love destroy themselves!

[kjbrown92]

My dh uses flovent, rhinocort and allegra (he's got allergy-induced asthma). All the kids are on Zyrtec (DD1 all the time -- bad dustmite/cat, the others only pollen seasonally). I'm on Beconase (but only when I need it). I have a friend who used Afrin ALL the time (addicted). She finally got off it after about 6-8 years of habitual usage. A lot (maybe all) of the prescription ones aren't addicted (and don't have that kickback effect).

I love the word plethora (reminds me of "The Three Amigos").

I can't stand it when people do that -- say they want to change, then hide candy bars (or whatever). It's like the people who say they want to eat healthy while throwing Twinkies and Hohos in their grocery cart. Not sure what to tell you though. Because if you call him on it, he'll call you a nag (even though you're really saving him from himself). If you don't call him on it, you're an enabler. You're between a rock and a hard place. Though when he doesn't feel well, maybe you should nicely remind him that if he ate better, he'd feel better. Or, for instance, I buy all the groceries. We each get an allowance ($20/week - to spend on clothes, haircuts, coffee out, renting movies, buying books, all that stuff). Would he want to spend all his allowance on junk food if that was the only way to get it? Or wouldn't that work. My DH is stuck with whatever I buy for food, and since DD2 and DS have food intolerances, I pretty much buy food that is safe for the family (though I do buy DH his half & half and milk and eggs, but they're out of reach in the fridge).

[Doula Dani]

He already thinks I'm a total nag

I told him he couldn't have pickles and jalapenos and dressing the other day at subway (he was getting a salad), and the woman making our food looked at me like I was psychotic.

[changingseasons]

Originally Posted by Doula Dani

He already thinks I'm a total nag

I told him he couldn't have pickles and jalapenos and dressing the other day at subway (he was getting a salad), and the woman making our food looked at me like I was psychotic.

That's hilarious. I get that look a lot.

[Chinese Pistache]

Oh my gosh, one time I freaked on dh because he was going to slice dd some bread with a knife he'd used to cut cheese. I think our friends (who were in our kitchen at the time) thought I was nuts!

Welcome, Dani. This forum is the greatest support group on the planet!

[lil_miss_understood]

Originally Posted by Doula Dani

He already thinks I'm a total nag

I told him he couldn't have pickles and jalapenos and dressing the other day at subway (he was getting a salad), and the woman making our food looked at me like I was psychotic.

You know, for some reason, getting a salad at Subway never even occurred to me for ds1. Duh.

[crunchy_mama]

Originally Posted by Doula Dani

Can we just start a little support group? I'm actually the partner of someone with Celiac's and he's borderline diabetic. He doesn't eat right and it's a struggle for me. He acts like he wants to, but then he'll eat stupid things like artificial colors as if things that small don't matter.


This can be for anyone with any allergies or partners to anyone with allergies.

I cannot imagine how tough that is for you to watch. It seems like it is not uncommon for people w/ Celiacs to do that, especially if they were diagnosed a long time ago. It seems that dr's before thought that the disease just went away in adolescence and people were told that they didn't always have to worry about it. Dr's these days seem to be a hit or miss as well when it comes to info about this. The gluten is so addictive though, the way it acts in our brains is crazy. It is truly an addiction.

I am in such a need of a support group, having a very hard time finding any. My ds (4) is intolerant to gluten and casein- his symptoms and genetics suggest Celiacs, but due to his age (and the high amount of false negatives w/ his age) we decided to stop testing at this point. We know he needs to be off of these things regardless. We are also starting the feingold diet (day 3)- which means no artificial colors, perservatives, flavors and no salicylates (for at least the first stage) this includes almonds, all berries, tomatoes, peppers and a host of other things. The frustrating part w/ this is only a narrow number of brands are ok- all flour(gf of course is ok) but only certain brands of nuts- bags are sprayed w/ bht, only certain brands of juices etc.

My youngest is intolerant to dairy as well and I am not sure what else. I know she has a rash on her bum currently and I am trying to figure out what the heck it came from.

I cannot tolerate dairy or gluten either (I seem to do the best w/ no grains period).

My dh seems to have food issues as well, but he chooses to ignore them. With Luke's genetics we know that he got a gene from both dh and I. Having the gene of course doesn't mean that it will express itself, however, dh has a whole host of issues. I think he for sure would be better off of dairy, most probably gluten as well, but it is his choice. All meals in my house are safe for everyone, but he eats breakfast on his own and his own snacks.

[Scribe]

I take Zyrtec year round, supplement with Singulair during bad seasons, and use a Veramist nose spray (it's the only one I've tried that doesn't give me a chronic nose bleed). And yes, Afrin (and Sinex) are really addictive. I'm glad I stopped using those early on due to nose bleeds.

I also usually do a steroid course in the late fall/early winter (when cedar season begins here).

[Doula Dani]

Crunchymama-

Sounds like you're doing a good job of cooking well for your family. I'll have to come back and maybe ask for some recipes! I don't think I mentioned that I'm a vegetarian (actually- pescatarian since we found out dh has celiac's). We can lean on each other about our husbands eating like crap. Buttheads.


Grace-

Have you tried eating a lot of local honey? I've heard good things.... Even if it doesn't work by itself, even if it helps it might be worthwhile.

[stayo22]

Hi Doula Dani! Welcome! I am a relatively new poster here too but have quickly become addicted to what I call "My little happy place!" (My husband always ask why I keep heading back to the computer room....and I tell him "I'm going to my little happy place"...here!)

My hubby has many food intolerances (and I know this only because I am neurotic and know the signs when I see them). However, he refuses to eat healthy when he is away from me. At home he gets quinoa and veggies - yet when he goes to lunch with his work buddies its hot dogs and fries. !!!??

I think he thinks by eating healthy at night and on weekends when he is with me that he is considered healthy. Though even weekends can be a struggle...last weekend we were running late for something and he HAD to run into McDonalds to grab a hamburger because he was starving. I walked in and he asked me if I wanted anything and I said a little too loudly because I was mad we were there "No GMO for me,thanks!" The woman behind the counter looked at me like I was a nut.

[mommydancer]

I was just wondering whether anyone knows how Celiac and yeast issues might interrelate? The original post's DP sounded similar to someone craving sugar due to yeast issues to me, and I wonder if reading some material about how yeast takes hold in the body and drives a person to eat sweets to feed it (yeast) would be relevant and motivating? It would help if you could turn the fight into him against the food, rather than him against you.

Watching that has to be really frustrating. I get mad sometimes when DH doesn't take care of himself. Occasionally I tell him I wish he'd do better at that, because I don't want him to die early and then I would have to marry the pool boy. (We don't have a pool.)

[lil_miss_understood]

Originally Posted by mommydancer

I was just wondering whether anyone knows how Celiac and yeast issues might interrelate? The original post's DP sounded similar to someone craving sugar due to yeast issues to me, and I wonder if reading some material about how yeast takes hold in the body and drives a person to eat sweets to feed it (yeast) would be relevant and motivating? It would help if you could turn the fight into him against the food, rather than him against you.

Watching that has to be really frustrating. I get mad sometimes when DH doesn't take care of himself. Occasionally I tell him I wish he'd do better at that, because I don't want him to die early and then I would have to marry the pool boy. (We don't have a pool.)

Actually, it may be more related to the diabetic component, I think. Diabetes puts a LOT of stress on the adrenals which will cause sugar cravings as your body fights for the energy it needs. Unfortunately, with the diabetic component, it just makes the situation worse and causes further stress on the adrenals as the body fights to regulate the sugar levels.
I haven't read enough about yeast though to say one way or another. That's just my personal theory.