Link between food allergies / intolerances ,digestive problems and LS

I believe this is a common trait among those who have LS.  I have several food sensitivities; dairy, gluten, and I am carb resistant.  So I also have type 2 diabetes. The LS is just the cherry on top of my ice cream Sundae!   I know you, like me, have probably said many times, "Why me?"

apparently it is yes.

all starts in the gut...with inflammation there initiating autoimmunity...often more than one at once ...i've got hypothyroidism (low thyroid) but I'm guessing its hashimotos, as well as LS.

Both recent so I'm getting on to it by trying to heal  and seal my gut!

I have discovered (since being diagnosed with LS) that I have several food sensitivities. Like Barbara, I am lactose intolerant, and gluten intolerant.  I also have several other autoimmune diseases....Spondylitis, Rosacea, Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and Arthritis.  

Yes, me too.  Need to eat gluten free, no milk other than aged cheese and yoghurt, no caffeine (because of adrenal glands)  no alcohol for the same, no added sugar (which means no goodies etc.) Hypo thyroid due to RAI.  Low immunity - due to malfunctioning adrenals - needs extra care. Etc.

I thought it wasnt just me , I am on HRT NOW , IM 43 , which is obvs a connection .

Ill be honest reading this forum helps but , its quite complex and intense .

It does seem , most people have more than one ailment .

I have 

Horners syndrome ,Migraines , hypermobility , allergies, Astma .

Major digestive issues and sesitivities 

But..

I dont seem to have the same level of understanding that most do on here ..I stupidly went to the out of hours GP tonight as my flare up is causing a burning sensation I cant cope with ..I told him more than he could tell me .. i came away with steroids ... im not taking them...ill ring my gyne tomorrow.. 

 

Just to weigh in on the side of not having all those other things. I have psoriasis, which is realted to LS, both my whole 62-year life. I do believe excess sugar and processed foods make it worse. Both.

Hi Sarah. Yes it is. If the balance in the colon is upset then the immune system will be affected and that will affect everything. An Ayurvedic or other holistic practitioner would probably be your best avenue as they treat the whole person. (i.e. they would want to get to the bottom of why there is an imbalance in the colon.) If one can treat the root cause then everything else will improve. Jane. xxx

I do not feel it is related to food as such. I have Crohns, diabetes, LS, gum issues and diverticulitis. Obviously, autoimmune though! I have several specialists at Mercy hospital in Melbourne, and none of them has ever queried food with me. I have never been able to eat prawns or crab but that is all my life. Probably it is also very individual like most things. When my a Crohns flares so does the LS. 

Speaking personally, Sarah, I've had LS for over a decade and am not aware of any food intolerances and  rarely get digestive problems, unless from food indiscretions. 

I think we are always seeking links though. I  know I am. It's the not knowing what the cause is, isn't it?

I just Googled Lichen Sclerosis and Hypothyroidism. I think it's fair to say, as the British Skin Foundation says, "What causes lichen sclerosus?The cause of lichen sclerosus is not known. Sometimes it is associated with diseases in which the body’s immune system attacks normal tissues such as the thyroid gland (causing an over- or underactive thyroid gland) or the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas (causing diabetes).

"Associated with", the way I have sporiasis as well as LS. It's quite a leap to say that one auto imune disorder causes another. We're prone to them, so it's likely we'll have more than one.

It's also reasonable to conclude that anything that's good for our immune systems will help with all the disorders. There's no shortage of free info about this online and at the library.

I have been tested regularly for thyroid problems and I do not have that. I do maintain that diet has nothing to do with LS but that does not mean you eat rubbish. Eating a healthy balanced diet helps keep you well. I have Crohns and unless I have a flare I do not change my diet. I eat fruit and vegetables, some meat, dairy products, some bread and cooked rolled oats. I drink tea and water mainly. I do not like alcohol anyway so that is not a issue for me. As far as I know research has not established any connection netween diet and LS. I attend the Mercy Hospital in Melbourne and none of the specialists there have ever asked me about my diet. It is a special clinic that addresses this problem.

Hi all.  I personally tend towards the view that LS is one of a group of autoimmune diseases towards which some people are unfortunately pre-disposed.  I was diagonised with Hashimodo's thyroiditis (hypothyroidism) when I was 43 but the LS didn't appear till I was 54 -I'm 59 now. All the women in my mother's family have had thyroid trouble, and there is also a problem with late-onset diabetes, so I have myself regularly checked for that. My mother had severe ulcerative colitus, so I am lucky in that if I have to have an autoimmune problem its Ls rather than that - I  read a theory that LS is merely an expression of the same problem but only expressed at the anus and vulva rather than throughout the whole bowel.

I do find sugar, beer and wine (sigh!) can cause flare-ups but my dermatologist says that these can have a negative effect of a whole range of inflammatory conditions, they don'tinitially  cause them, but do affect an existing condition

I think its really important that we all share as much information with open minds as we can.

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