Allergy update

[mrspunkysmom]

I have an appt Friday to undergo the allergy tests. I met with the allergist last Friday, too, and he drew blood for some antigen tests.

I'm off my meds for now so I'm already breaking out in hives. I can take some prednisone, which I might do. If I am totally covered in hives, he won't be able to do the tests.

Wish me luck. Hopefully there will be something left on this planet that I can eat.

[Catty1]

May there be many wonderful things you can eat, and may that include CHOCOLATE! :D

[mrspunkysmom]

May there be many wonderful things you can eat, and may that include CHOCOLATE! :D

Thank you. So far it does. I can eat chocolate. :D

Life is good.

[Karen]

There will be some things, I promise! And you will appreciate them greatly!

[Roxyluvsme13]

I can't imagine the horribleness of being allergic to some foods... I hope they can figure out what it is and you can still eat a few decent things! Good luck.

[mrspunkysmom]

There will be some things, I promise! And you will appreciate them greatly!

I appreciate my mom teaching the real basics of real cooking. I need to relearn stuff I have forgotten, maybe take a class, but a lot of the basics are still there. So young people, if your mom or grandma teaches you how to really cook, pay attention! You might need it someday!

[Karen]

I appreciate my mom teaching the real basics of real cooking. I need to relearn stuff I have forgotten, maybe take a class, but a lot of the basics are still there. So young people, if your mom or grandma teaches you how to really cook, pay attention! You might need it someday!

If you do not yet own one, pick up a Fannie Farmer's cookbook - it covers all the basics, and has a page for each vegetable, and other ingredients with basic cooking techniques as well as recipes!

[mrspunkysmom]

If you do not yet own one, pick up a Fannie Farmer's cookbook - it covers all the basics, and has a page for each vegetable, and other ingredients with basic cooking techniques as well as recipes!

Thanks, I'll check it out. I have some older cookbooks, one being an encyclopedia of cookery. A bit dated in it's language about a woman's duties, but it give excellent instructions for cooking from scratch

[mrspunkysmom]

My doctor never did a gluten intolerance test. This was a symptomatic suggestion which I tried and it has helped with everything but the hives.

On that note, I can tell you that I had allergy testing this morning. So supposedly I am not allergic to wheat, not that it matters. I am allergic to white potatoes, lettuce, tea, and pecans. Other nuts did not show as positive. I am also allergic to dust, dust-mites, and Johnson Grass.

So I am wondering what this means for foods. I take it white potatoes means all potatoes that are white on the interior? Not much information was given to me. I can have sweet potatoes.

And tea means black tea or orange pekoe? I believe that green tea and white tea are variants on black tea?

Something else I learned today. One of my immunoglobulins was out of range, so another test was ordered to determine if this was a problem. Some of the blood work was off but that could be from the prednisone or that it was a non-fasting test.

The irritating part for me was the antigen test for Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. It was 177 about 20 years back. The recent reduction in my thyroid hormone dosage may be responsible for the antigen now being 325. Normal range is 0 -34. Supposedly Hashimoto's can be linked to allergies, so he is referring me to an Internist preferably or an Endocrinologist.

Any help or comments here are welcome.


Oh, and I'm allergic to cats!!!!!

[Karen]

So I am wondering what this means for foods. I take it white potatoes means all potatoes that are white on the interior? Not much information was given to me. I can have sweet potatoes.

And tea means black tea or orange pekoe? I believe that green tea and white tea are variants on black tea?

Something else I learned today. One of my immunoglobulins was out of range, so another test was ordered to determine if this was a problem. Some of the blood work was off but that could be from the prednisone or that it was

Any help or comments here are welcome.


Oh, and I'm allergic to cats!!!!!


Tea is tea is tea. You will have to stick to herbal teas from now on. Green, white and red or black tea are all the same plant, just picked at different stages and processed differently.

White potatoes means yams and sweet potatoes are safe for you - funny enough the opposite is true for me, white is fine, sweet is bad. And while you only tested as allergic to pecans, be careful around other "tree" nuts from now on. Peanuts will be fine, though!

An endocrinologist is your next bet, anything to do with thyroid and hormones is their pervue.

[Pembroke_Corgi]

I don't have experience with food allergies but I did want to tell you about my husband's experience with pet allergies in case any of it helps. He has had a number of allergies for a long time, but it was mostly restricted to outdoor allergens like different kinds of pollens. In the last few years he has also developed indoor allergies, and is now allergic to cats (we have 3).

His allergist recommended keeping the bedroom door shut at all times, so at least his sleeping areas are free of hair, and this has helped a lot. Make sure you keep your freshly cleaned clothes in an area your cats can't access as well. We bought a couch that can easily and quickly be wiped down for downstairs where my husband spends a lot of time (he gets areas of raised, red skin that is itchy. Not necessarily hives because they are restricted to small areas, but could be related to contact with allergens). The allergist also recommended bathing the cats weekly, but this didn't really seem to make a lot of sense because after they were bathed, they obsessively licked themselves (and saliva is mainly the allergen). There are wipes that you can buy too that are supposed to removed dander that may or may not help.

Good luck with all of this.

[mrspunkysmom]

Tea is tea is tea. You will have to stick to herbal teas from now on. Green, white and red or black tea are all the same plant, just picked at different stages and processed differently.

White potatoes means yams and sweet potatoes are safe for you - funny enough the opposite is true for me, white is fine, sweet is bad. And while you only tested as allergic to pecans, be careful around other "tree" nuts from now on. Peanuts will be fine, though!

An endocrinologist is your next bet, anything to do with thyroid and hormones is their pervue.

Ugh and drats, and herbal teas seem to have chamomile in them and chamomile puts me out for a long while and I'm sleepy the next day. Don't like coffee. Don't like overy sweet drinks so Sodas are out. I do drink some diet sodas.

I new that black tea underwent certain processes to make green and white tea, but not the other teas. Variant was a poor choice of words, but the outcome is the same. Can't have black teas. Drats and double drats.

It was suggested that if I eat a lot of pecans, and I do, that the test could be a false positive. (Had weak positive values?) So I'll avoid pecans for a few weeks and run a test.

I wonder if cabbage, spinach, and other greens are related to lettuce?

I thought a endocrinologist, too, although I'm not fond of them, but he suggested an Internist that has a broader education and if necessary, the Internist could refer me to whatever specialists are needed. I have too many problems that need to be coordinated by one person. I like my new doctor, so maybe she can help be the coordinator.

[mrspunkysmom]

I don't have experience with food allergies but I did want to tell you about my husband's experience with pet allergies in case any of it helps. He has had a number of allergies for a long time, but it was mostly restricted to outdoor allergens like different kinds of pollens. In the last few years he has also developed indoor allergies, and is now allergic to cats (we have 3).

His allergist recommended keeping the bedroom door shut at all times, so at least his sleeping areas are free of hair, and this has helped a lot. Make sure you keep your freshly cleaned clothes in an area your cats can't access as well. We bought a couch that can easily and quickly be wiped down for downstairs where my husband spends a lot of time (he gets areas of raised, red skin that is itchy. Not necessarily hives because they are restricted to small areas, but could be related to contact with allergens). The allergist also recommended bathing the cats weekly, but this didn't really seem to make a lot of sense because after they were bathed, they obsessively licked themselves (and saliva is mainly the allergen). There are wipes that you can buy too that are supposed to removed dander that may or may not help.

Good luck with all of this.

Thanks. I've thought of grooming mine more, and putting sheets over the couch that can be washed. Mine seems to be an inhaled allergy and not a skin allergy to the kitties. I know it could become a skin allergy.

Thanks for the info.

[Karen]

I wonder if cabbage, spinach, and other greens are related to lettuce?

Cabbage is not related to lettuce, nor is spinach. Raddiccio and kale are related to cabbage, as are broccoli, cauliflower, mustard greens and a couple others. Spinach is elated to neither lettuce nor cabbage.

So you should be good with most other greens that are not lettuce.

For my part, the whole cabbage family is evil and bad (I miss broccoli) but lettuce and spinach are still okay!

[Karen]

I have to avoid chamomile tea also, and have found lots that do not have it. Most brands of tea now have herbal lines as well. Stash teas does a lovely Cinnamon Cardamom spiced tea - no "tea" and no chamomile, mint teas, and cinnamon teas also are good ones to try, as well as many fruit teas. I am allergic to many fruits, especially citrus, so cannot list any off the top of my head, as even the blueberry tea has citrus in it, sigh. I have some Celestial Seasonings $1 off a box coupons that don't expire until April 15 - want a couple?

Did you know chamomile is related to ragweed? That's why my very first allergist told me to never drink it, and I had never really liked the taste of it anyway!

And yes, I am full of info about allergies, am somewhat of an expert by necessity, rather than choice. Everyone in my family starts out with the "default set" of pollens and dust mites and then we develop and discover more as time goes on. One brother is not allergic to cats, the rest of us are to some degree, my sister is basically allergic to anything with fur or feathers, but is planning on maybe getting a dog after she retires and is actually home enough to take care of one! She got shots for nearly 15 years, and they got rid of almost all her tree and grass pollen allergies entirely, but didn't even make a dent in the dog and cat allergies, sadly.

[mrspunkysmom]

I have to avoid chamomile tea also, and have found lots that do not have it. Most brands of tea now have herbal lines as well. Stash teas does a lovely Cinnamon Cardamom spiced tea - no "tea" and no chamomile, mint teas, and cinnamon teas also are good ones to try, as well as many fruit teas. I am allergic to many fruits, especially citrus, so cannot list any off the top of my head, as even the blueberry tea has citrus in it, sigh. I have some Celestial Seasonings $1 off a box coupons that don't expire until April 15 - want a couple?

Looks like I have some tea to give away. I'll check some of the stash teas and see what's available here. Citrus is in everything or so it seems.


Did you know chamomile is related to ragweed? That's why my very first allergist told me to never drink it, and I had never really liked the taste of it anyway!

I'm not allergic to ragweed, but chamomile still knocks me out. Probably been the cats and Johnson grass all these years. They didn't test for Bradford Pears and I wish they had. Got three of the in the yard.

Looks like I have some tea to give away. Sigh!




And yes, I am full of info about allergies, am somewhat of an expert by necessity, rather than choice. Everyone in my family starts out with the "default set" of pollens and dust mites and then we develop and discover more as time goes on. One brother is not allergic to cats, the rest of us are to some degree, my sister is basically allergic to anything with fur or feathers, but is planning on maybe getting a dog after she retires and is actually home enough to take care of one! She got shots for nearly 15 years, and they got rid of almost all her tree and grass pollen allergies entirely, but didn't even make a dent in the dog and cat allergies, sadly.

Sounds like me and food ingredients, especially grains ad wheat gluten. Spunky has had problems with wheat and corn since a kitten. He gets the runs if he eats food with wheat gluten so he hasn't had gluten in a few years, longer than Ive known about Celiac disease.

Thanks for your help. Looks like I need to research food plants, too, and learn how species are related.

[Karen]

Looks like I have some tea to give away.
Thanks for your help. Looks like I need to research food plants, too, and learn how species are related.

The good news is, you can make little gift baskets and put the various teas in them and give them to friends!

My beloved allergy doctor gave me a list of what plants are related to what. If I can find it, maybe I'll type it in for you, it had been photocopied many times and could use resetting anyway!

[mrspunkysmom]

The good news is, you can make little gift baskets and put the various teas in them and give them to friends!

My beloved allergy doctor gave me a list of what plants are related to what. If I can find it, maybe I'll type it in for you, it had been photocopied many times and could use resetting anyway!

Gift baskets? What a lovely idea! :love: And thank you for the list. I look forward to it. :love:

[Karen]

You're welcome! And I meant to add, my regular supermarket doesn't carry Stash teas, but the big wine and liquor store (and gourmet deli and foods) place does, just in case! Their ginger peach tea is completely scrumptious - and no chamomile in that! I am now allergic to peaches, but before I was, it was one of my very favorites!

[mrspunkysmom]

You're welcome! And I meant to add, my regular supermarket doesn't carry Stash teas, but the big wine and liquor store (and gourmet deli and foods) place does, just in case! Their ginger peach tea is completely scrumptious - and no chamomile in that! I am now allergic to peaches, but before I was, it was one of my very favorites!

Okay, don't give my body any ideas. :D

I'll have to try the Total Wine store or one of the Whole Foods stores. The local markets carry Stash Teas but most of them are based upon Black Teas or have chamomile in them. :mad:

Today, I realized that some gluten-free fruit bars that I've been eating have potato starch in them. I am so screwed. Looks like I'm going to have to make my own snacks. A lot of the gluten-free snacks also have potato starch in them. :mad:

I found some fruit roll-ups that are listed as gluten-free. We shall see. :D

[Catty1]

I bet you'll come up with some great home-made snacks! Yumm!:D