Suspected allergy but symptoms have persisted for weeks
Posted , 7 users are following.
Hi everyone,
Im hoping someone can help me as im starting to get a bit concerned. Im 19, 5"8, 125 pounds and up to the start of my symptons i went to the gym 5 times a week and am a big health freak.
Almost a month a go i suffered what i believe was an extreme allergic reaction and from googling (i know you shouldnt!!) i had all the symptons of an anaphylactic shock. I am certain it was from fruit as the symptons came on around 15 minutes after i had a fruit salad i made with strawberries, raspberries, pineapple, mango and grapes in. (I already avoid bananas as everytime i eat one i suffer from extreme bloating and end up being sick and/or diarrhea) Over the course of 8 hours, until i went to sleep, i had cold sweats, then i was boiling hot and then cold again, bloating, developed a rash on my arm, dizziness, nausea and then sickness, diarrhea and then my chest tightened up, i could hardly breathe and it brought asmtha-attack like symptons on (i do suffer from asmtha). I was driving when this happened and just rushed home as i didnt know what to do. When i got home i was sick and had diarrhea and then i had a constant acid like burn in my throat for the following 2 days - i guess thats just from being sick. I also developed eczema on my neck and still have this now, it flares up sometimes but i have never suffered from this before.
When i woke up i was ok apart from my stomach which still felt a bit iffy but that didnt surprise me.
I went to my GP and he basically said nothing can be done as 'i am a young, healthy girl with no family history of this problem' but said he will just send me for a blood test as nothing else can be done and doesnt like doing allergy tests as they are hard to find!?! My white blood cell count came back satisfactory and i am awaiting the other test results.
I have eaten each fruit seperatly since this happened to see if i get any of these effects and i did get a bit of stomach ache after eating mango and pineapple but im starting to think its now developed into something else (if possible?!) as the stomach ache has never gone away since, every day i had an ache in my stomach, which flares up and i get sharp pains or an acid like burn - but not necessarily after i eat anything, it just comes and goes.
I have also had dizzy spells, hot flushes and bad fatigue since this occured.
I have eaten fruit all my life which is also why im thinking it wasnt the fruit but i just dont know what else could have caused that??? I do drink a lot of coffee but always have drank cit, although i do feel i am dependant on it as i get headaches when i dont have any.
I am starting to think maybe its IBS as dairy products do effect me - i cannot have cream and cheese and milk makes me very bloated and makes me need the toilet. I don't eat any bread, rice, pasta etc, i only eat oats for breakfast which contains gluten??
Sorry for the long post, i just hope someone can help me. It's effecting my moods, i constantly feel upset and down as i can always feel an ache in my stomach and always bloated and has stopped me from going to the gym which is also getting me down.
Thank you for any help, it will be appreciated x
1 like, 18 replies
SteV3 jess2196
Posted
Maybe IBS but it could be a Lactose Intolerance, maybe try a few foods that will not affect you this way, Milk (full cream), cheese, and dairy products are the worse possible products that can irritate this condition.
Try without for around 48 hrs, you can purchase Lactose Free products.
Please let me know how you get on.
Regards,
Les,
jess2196 SteV3
Posted
Thank you
Bumblebea jess2196
Posted
You have to try to help yourself here. I suspect the coffee !! Go one or two weeks without any coffee. (this has a terrible effect on the brain). If you are keen on good health, I am surprised you would want to damage your body by drinking it. Maybe if you could start by having decaf. On another week, go a whole week without having any fruit. (far less damaging than coffee). Then try another week with gluten free products.
My suspicion is the coffee. It is just sending your body and brain into overdrive.
You could also consult an Allergy specialist privately. Google it and find someone near to you. This would be a very good investment, and as you are abviously keen on good health, the only way you are going to get a definative answer. Ignore your doctor, they cannot be bothered with anything that is out of the ordinary. It takes up too much of their time. Look forward to hearing how you get on.
jess2196 Bumblebea
Posted
I have looked into an allergy clinic, they are quite expensive but I do think it will be a good investment as then I hope I will have an answer to my problem.
I am quite scared to stop drinking coffee as I have read withdrawal symptoms can be quite bad but in the long run it will be for the best if it is coffee causing this. I will definitely try the week by week elimination diet , I think this will help.
thank you for your support Bumblebea
Guest jess2196
Posted
Should you be in england this is a list of the allergic clinics in the NHS
http://www.bsaci.org/find-a-clinic/index.htm
A GP may refer you to one.
I would not even bother to see the same GP, it seems that every time I post I have to recall that a GP is not compulsory, that you can change him at will.
jess2196 Guest
Posted
mrsmop jess2196
Posted
When you withdraw the caffeine, you will go cold turkey and get headaches. It takes about a fortnight to recover.
Caffeine isn't only in coffee, it is in tea and soft drinks, like Coke. It is in some over the counter medication too
I have found a link which I will send you and hope it helps.
Good luck!
mrsmop
Posted
I hope this is approved, it seems a useful link
jess2196 mrsmop
Posted
I have heard the withdrawal effects from coffee can be quite bad but I guess it wil be better in the long run if it is the cause of my illness.
I only drink coffee, tea and water I don't drink fizzy drinks but I think the high levels of caffeine I drink may be the reason.
Thank you for your support
mrsmop jess2196
Posted
As yet, I haven't found a decaf coffee that has the flavour of the caffeinated coffees but with tea, I like the flavour of Yorkshire decaf and Sainsbury's decaf. I like what they refer to as 'builder's tea'!
Have you ever tried Red Bush tea? I drink it with milk, which you can. It is very refreshing and totally caffeine free.
I tried the fruit teas but found they made me very thirsty.
SteV3 mrsmop
Posted
I like this line in your post "I tried the fruit teas but found they made me very thirsty."
My wife drinks these and many others, she asked me once to try one, the smell alone was enough to put me off.
To me tea is "normal" tea, not a concoction of flavours!
Regards,
Les.
mrsmop SteV3
Posted
I only started to drink it because it was caffeine free but to me, it has very little flavour.
jess2196 mrsmop
Posted
i bought some of the Redbush tea you mentioned, I love it, it's got such a nice flavour, thank you for recommending that
im going back to the doctors on Friday so I'll see what my GP says, Im thinking about paying to go private, it will be worth it if they find out my problem.
mrsmop jess2196
Posted
What did you put in the smoothie?
I forget what I was watching on television but they said that it was better to eat fruit as it comes, rather than juice it or liquidise it. And blueberries really are the super foods that they say.
My daughter gave me some Blueberry bushes for Christmas. It appears that they are very easy to grow but you might have to compete with the birds when they fruit!
Good luck on Friday, let me know how you get on.
jess2196 mrsmop
Posted
Oh that sounds a good idea, i would love to grow my own fruit, i might look in to that although the birds would probably get there first!
Thank you
mrsmop jess2196
Posted