more allergens, now I'm overwhelmed!

[janc]

Just got results from AL--T  testing( allergy blood test). It shows I am allergice to Wheat, rye, corn, wild rice, pork, egg yolks, and about 25 other foods.  I had been following a GF diet -- was helping but not 100%, so now what?  Corn was my "go-to" grain!  And Eggs were my main protein .  Help!
Also, I've been told to also research "food family groups" and stay away from all foods within the families, i.e. allergy to coconut = stay away from all foods within the Palm (which are coconut, dates, heart of palm ). 
I am overwhelmed! 
thanks for advice and help.

[CMdeux]

Who performed this testing?

Any idea why those things were suspect foods?

What kind of symptoms have you noticed when consuming your allergens?

The reason why those are critical questions is that it is VERY easy to diagnose someone with a food allergy that they don't actually have, and as you're discovering, some allergens are severely limiting in terms of quality of life.

[janc]

My DO performed the test.
On the result sheet, it shows the "severe, moderate, and mild intolerances." These foods fell into these categories. 
Severe: avocado, cashew 
Moderate:Bay Leaf, paprika, sweet Potato, Walnut. 
Mild: clam, coconut, corn, egg yolk, jalapeno pepper, kelp, kidney bean, lobster, okra, parsnip, pineapple, plum, pork, portobello mushroom, red/green leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, rye, swiss chard, swordfish, turmeric, wheat, wild rice

When I eat a food that is "on my list", I have tingling in my mouth, tongue swells and burns, blisters develop in the mouth, or  I have bloating, gas, diarrhea.

It is limiting, and confusing.  What makes it more limiting is that I choose to not eat red meat.  And I am intolerant of soy products because my thyroid was removed due to cancer.  So I have a couple of other restrictions too.
I love veggies! So that is a plus. I just gotta figure out which ones are the ones I can tolerate. 

I asked the question before and wonder about this..... do I have to follow the "food families" too? 
thanks for any advice!!

[Macabre]

So if you try only turmeric or only okra you have symptoms?

It is certainly possible to be allergic to all of that.  But it's not very likely. You would serve yourself well by going to a board certified allergist who works with food allergies. One who does not just do skin prick tests (SPT).

I would never trust my regular doctor with my allergies--especially if unsuspected multiple food allergies.

You could be allergic to several foods, and it will be important to know which ones. But you are probably not allergic to all those foods, and following a diet that assumes you are will be very limiting--likely needlessly. 

[Macabre]

Was it the ALCAT test? 

If so, know that it is not considered reliable by the scientific community.

Get thee to an allergist.


I'm glad you're here. I do hope that you can widen your diet options.

[CMdeux]

I agree with Macabre--

let me also add, here, that if you are not actually suffering from multiple food allergies, but from something else, it will be important to know that, as well.

For example, if you have celiac, while yes, avoidance is key, you will also need to be regularly checked for some common sequelae.

It's entirely possible that you have only a single food allergy, and that once you determine WHAT it is, and eliminate all sources of that allergen from your diet, you tolerate the rest of that (lengthy) list just fine. 

The other reason that I'd be wary and interested in seeing someone with experience and training specifically in food allergy is that there is no way to determine severity with a blood (or skin) "test" of any kind.

Not really.  There are 'component' RAST tests which predict anaphylaxis risk for some allergens, but that is a different matter.

If you have an IgE-mediated food allergy, you probably ought to discuss carrying an epinephrine autoinjector. 

[janc]

I think one thing that needs to be discussed is the physical reaction.  I have never gone into AFS . The symptoms I experience range from shy of that (swelling tongue)  to "irritating/inconvenient symptoms" and all levels in between.   

To answer your question about one single food item, yes, when I eat only -- pineapple for example, which is on my "mild" list, I have a burned up mouth the rest of the day. Okra causes itching and irritability.

I am seriously considering an allergist -- just hoping I wouldn't have to go to yet another Dr.  But it is so confusing.

I appreciate your advice.

[YouKnowWho]

By all means, avoid foods that cause you discomfort.  I have issues with tomatoes periodically - heartburn, itchy palms but that is more about the high acid content and previous issues with eczema. 

Swelling tongue and issues with diahreah can be signs of an allergic reaction.  But honestly your doctor should have never done a blanket panel.  Food diaries and noting issues to pinpoint what you are reacting to, yes. 

Corn is something that many people test positive to on RAST and other testing but it's rarely a true allergen from my understanding.  It's a hidden ingredient in so many foods that you would probably be reacting on a daily basis.  I'm not saying you aren't corn allergic, but the probability is very low.

[twinturbo]

janc, every single poster here is providing accurate, helpful, specific support for IgE-mediated allergic reactions induced by food proteins. Tests, even when they are the proper tests used by board certified immunologists well versed in food allergies, are but a *single* data point. Not too unlike a mammogram, which in conjunction with yearly exams by a qualified doctor and regular self examinations can make triangulation possible.

There is no predictability of mild, moderate or severe because they are subjective terms. IgE is a well understood type of reaction that can reach at any time the 'constellation of symptoms' called anaphylaxis. Not all instances of anaphylaxis reach shock even, though the frontline treatment for it is the same--particularly in field medicine situations where the individual needs medical supervision and adjunctive treatment.

Where the objective, acute multi-system symptoms present it is not open to subjective terms of mild, moderate* it is the IgE receptors on certain cells in the body that signal an attack on a supposed invader causing the granules on these cells to open and dump histamines, tryptase and other items into the body. It may present differently to different proteins or same proteins differently based on same or different circumstances. This is what makes living with food induced allergies, and by extension a history of acute, objective symptoms in one or more body system so challenging. We have no mediating medications available at this date, which is why avoidance of the proteins responsible is so important, as is carrying epinephrine to inject in case of accidental ingestion whether eaten, injected, inhaled.

*Outside of using anaphylaxis grading chart. The type of reaction is still anaphylactic regardless of chart graded anaphylactic reaction.

[Macabre]

By the same token, sometimes symptoms can be part of Oral Allergy Syndrome, which is not life threatening.

The swelling of your tongue, though, definitely sounds like an allergic reaction. My tongue swelled when I put some lotion containing chamomile on my hands. I was fortunate taking some of my son's Benadryl helped, but I really should have used his epipen. It was before I had my own. A swollen airway Alone is reason enough for an Epi, and the tongue is part of that tract

I would really, really go to an allergist and get properly tested. And get an Epi script of you have IgE mediated allergies.