Food Allergies
#60930 - 04/13/04 09:52 PM
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Vicam
Reged: 02/24/04
Posts: 1955
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Ok, I hope this isn't a stupid question but I'm wondering about food allergies. With all my stomach problems I've never been tested for any food allergies (with the exception of having a Celiac blood test which I'm still waiting for the results). Is this something that should be done? Also, is it just done as a skin prick like other allergy tests? I had some alllergy testing done that way not too long ago and was allergic to almost everything they tested  but they didn't test any foods.
Thanks!
Kelly
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Kelly, do you think you might be allergic to some foods? Is that why you're thinking of being tested? Why do you think you might be allergic?
I used to get allergy tests -- shots on various parts of my arms -- to determine what I'm allergic to, but I didn't continue them for long.
I thought I was allergic to pork because I got such terrible reactions to the stuff. The doc corrected me; it wasn't an allergy at all, I was just sensitive to it. (Turns out I had IBS, and this was the first symptom.)
I believe to be allergic to some kind of food you have to actually have a reaction to it such as hives or an itchy rash. My cramps and diarrhea from ham wasn't an allergy.
Bev
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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Kelly,
You can be tested for food allergies with the skin prick method. There is also a blood test called a RAST test I believe where they just take some blood and can test for food allergies. I have had both done so if you have any questions I would be glad to help.
Cindy
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For crc
#60960 - 04/14/04 06:33 AM
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Kree
Reged: 10/08/03
Posts: 3748
Loc: Northern NY
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Cindy, I'm curious, did the results of your two tests turn out the same or were there some discrepencies? Because I only had the RAST done about a year ago and it showed that I had an allergy to wheat (in addition to a bunch of other things). The problem is, wheat has always been my safest thing to eat, so I decided not to cut it out of my diet! I'm just curious to find out how accurate these tests really are.
My cousin also had the same test done twice. The first test showed that he was allergic to gluten, and the second showed he wasn't. Go figure. 
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"Anyone can exercise, but this kind of lethargy takes real discipline." -Garfield
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Quote:
You can be tested for food allergies with the skin prick method. There is also a blood test called a RAST test I believe where they just take some blood and can test for food allergies.
My allergist said that both were so unreliable that he didn't use them. Instead he had me do a 2 week food diary!!!
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Re: For crc
#61067 - 04/14/04 11:12 AM
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crc
Reged: 03/01/04
Posts: 161
Loc: Maine
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Hi Kree,
Yes this is the problem with the tests, they show different things and some doctors say one is more reliable than the other and another doctor will say the other is more reliable. I got differing results as well. Finally an allergist told me that your body is the most important diagnostic tool you have and it will tell you what you are sensitive/allergic to. While I do agree with him, it is hard to diagnose yourself especially when it comes to foods. I went on the elimination diet for one week, where you eat mainly rice, potatoes, chicken etc. then you add in foods slowly. Here is where I found out that HFCS was a no no for me as well as corn products and eggs. The skin tests showed that I should not eat peanuts or tree nuts.
I did get some good results from trying to do this on my own but after a while it gets a bit frustrating as you just don't know where it ends, I mean how many foods can bother you (apparently quite a bit)!
All in all, I feel like I have made progress eating so simply and staying away from anything processed. But it is not an exact science, which to me is frustrating at times. Sometimes a girl just wants to eat without thinking about it so much!
Hope this helps in some way.
Cindy
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See my message below about the food diary thing. Did you get any useful info from the diary? It is hard to be so diligent about it, but I felt I did find some things out from it.
Cindy
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For Bev
#61077 - 04/14/04 11:30 AM
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Vicam
Reged: 02/24/04
Posts: 1955
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Hey Bev,
I don't know if I have food allergies, it's just another thing I considering since I'm still trying to get an official diagnosis. My allergist said I was a very "allergic" person, but never tested me for food allergies. I've got the celiac test outstanding still and I know that's a biggie, I was just trying to decide whether it might be worthwhile to get some allergy testing along with all the other stuff they're planning for me right now
Kelly
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My allergist didn't do a skin test but did do the blood test about 8 months ago and found out that I'm allergic to yeast, malt, and vinegar. Try taking all that out of your diet (no bread, no condiments, dressings, or sauces). It's so hard, everything has vinegar in it and alot of prepared foods have hidden malt or yeast. I took his advice and did quit eating these. I do react to them - I get very itchy inside but not outside (the inside of my mouth and my stomach itch, its a weird feeling). Since then, I have also discovered that I'm allergic to carrots - and I used to be able to eat those in abundance before my attacks started a year ago. The food diary is a good idea, thats how I discovered my carrot allergy. Whenever I introduce something new to my diet, I be sure to write in the diary so I can go back and see if I have reacted to it before (it took me a few weeks to figure out the carrot allergy because I wasn't eating them all the time).
BTW, the blood test was very expensive, I'm glad my insurance paid for it. They took like 4 huge vials of blood too (not those little bitty vials they use when your dr takes blood to check your cholesterol and such). If you;re squeamish about that, just be aware that they do take alot.
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Re: For crc
#61138 - 04/14/04 01:06 PM
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Kree
Reged: 10/08/03
Posts: 3748
Loc: Northern NY
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Thanks for elaborating, Cindy. That sounds like about what I tried doing at one point. I agree, it does get very frustrating sometimes, but I found my own body to be more reliable than the tests, too. You'd think they would have found some tests that work better by now!
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"Anyone can exercise, but this kind of lethargy takes real discipline." -Garfield
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