Food Allergy (multiple) Men?

[tronty]

I've struggled my whole life with blurred vision (especially when I'm under stress and reading a book), energy problems, irritability, concentration issues, unprecedented weight gain, and the inability to lose weight. I also have breathing troubles when I'm under stress and I also have difficulty swallowing sometimes.  Since a sever bout of stress 3 years ago I have accumulated a tone of chest fat and I couldn't understand why.

My Cholesterol is rising and I can't seem to lose any weight.  I notice that when I take on allot of exercise, cardio or weights, I seem to gain allot more weight around the middle.  I'm very strict about staying off sugar.  The stress build up from cardio makes a few old injuries ache (probably from the extra inflammation it incurs).

I'm wondering if anyone recognizes these symptoms as food allergies.  Maybe it started off at the beginning of life as a food intolerance or two.  Not I noticed that going off certain things keeps me calmer.  Peanuts, wheat, oats, and starch.  Anything with bad oils in it really sets me off.    I become uncontrollably furious.  Supermarket peanut butter does this to me.  I stopped eating it years ago.

I get a bad reaction from cat or horse hair.  I thought maybe extra histamine release from food allergies may be causing external reactions like this.  I'm not sure.

Can anyone tell me if the above sounds like food allergies?  If so, is there any advice you can give me.  I'm about to start a diet on just a few simple vegetables and meat like chicken.  I noticed a couple of times in life that suddenly I'm able to lose large quantities of weight when exercising but suddenly it will all go back on and I can't understand why.  Exercise does nothing for my weight usually.

I've had my thyroid, testosterone, DHEA, u/e and other tests done with no significant signs. But....
My bad Cholesterol is high, my insulin levels are just above the recommended range, CRP is just over the recommended range, and Cortisol is just above the recommended range.   I have no sex drive any more.

My doctor is pretty useless.  He won't help and has put it down to normal ageing.  I'm 37. I can't believe he said that. 

Would anyone mind helping me?  I would really appreciate any help you can provide.
Thank you.

[spacecanada]

It doesn't sound like you have food allergies -- possibly animal allergies though.  Granted, I'm not a doctor.

Typical food allergy symptoms happen within seconds and up to two hours (though most are within 30 minutes) and include itchy/runny eyes and nose, hives, mouth/throat/tongue itchiness and/or swelling, difficulty breathing, sudden drop in blood pressure, unconsciousness, etc.  These are all life-threatening symptoms and must be treated immediately with epinephrine (EpiPen) and further medical care in a hospital. 

Whilst allergies may affect mood, it's more in the sense of 'impending doom', fear, and/or anxiety -- all very sudden onset with exposure to the allergen, and usually combined with one or more of the above listed symptoms.

As you mentioned stress giving you symptoms, that can be a real connection.  My brother had a problem where stress caused his blood pressure to skyrocket and created many symptoms you wrote; it was eventually controlled with medication and he's fine now.  I would talk to a different doctor and see if they can do a stress test or refer you to a mental health professional if need be to review stress management to reduce its physical manifestations.  (Exercise is very good for stress management.)  Then, maybe have a physiotherapist look at your old injuries and why they may still be causing you problems - likely they haven't healed properly or require modified exercise to prevent further pain or injury and build up strength in those weak areas. 

However, if you think there may be a link between your symptoms and what you are eating, try eating very simple whole foods (nothing processed) and keeping a journal of what you eat and how you feel afterwards.  If you can find a direct connection with a food and your mood or physical symptoms, you may have an intolerance or allergy.  In that case, have your doctor refer you to a certified allergist who specializes in food allergies - not all do. 

Best of luck and I hope you feel better soon. 

[tronty]

Hello
These are classic low grade inflammation symptoms caused from food allergies from what I know about food allergies. I'm a little surprised to hear that they're not allergic reactions. 
I'm really just seeking to learn what I can about the type of foods to eat and maybe the type of testing.
I'm in Australia and unfortunately there are very few if no GP's who will think outside the box.  It's just part of the culture here and I'm afraid that's another well known fact.

[spacecanada]

Then I repeat my last paragraph of keeping a food journal: eating simple whole foods, recording everything you eat, and all your symptoms.  If food is causing these problems, you should begin to see a pattern of eating something and the resulting symptoms.  Keep in mind that it can take up to two weeks for your body to calm down after eating something it doesn't like, so don't make sudden modifications unless you're confident you've found a problem food; give each change two to four weeks to show improvement (or not).  This tracking and elimination process can take months.  Whilst it is unlikely to be allergies, it could be an intolerance of some kind. (Most intolerances cause GI symptoms, but some may affect mood or energy levels.)

If you suspect an inflammation disorder, you really need to speak to a doctor about it and research foods that can help reduce inflammation.  Unfortunately, foods causing general mild inflammation aren't the same as food allergies, which are life-threatening.

[eragon]

I don't recognise any real allergic problems as such in your description,  nor non ige.

your 37 your joints will ache after cardio.

your first paragraph describes someone who is feeling very stressed. what is your job? what is triggering your stress levels in your life?

Being 'furious' and linking it to food, is more likely to be related to stress, and it explodes out at odd times for no particular reason, like steam from a kettle, esp if you have been coasting along with stress.

how healthy is your daily diet? what is a typical day? and yes extreme diets removing large food groups do make humans loose weight in large amounts.

Over eating causes sudden weight gain, (notice you haven't thrown in any IBS symptoms so assume that your gut is functioning correctly) are you a yo yo dieter?

In your listing you barely mention what symptoms you get near animals, so cant give advice ( hoping its not uncontrollable fury)

To me you sound like the typical 'worried well' that GPs see daily.  Take a breath, change some aspects of your life. Don't think its a problem that needs a label, just time to eat well, and remove as much stress from your life as possible.

If you detect a slight sarcastic tone to my reply, your correct.

[tronty]

Well, I have an intolerance to wheat and oats.  It's probably the gluten and avenin.  After eating these things for a day or two my head fogs up so much I can't focus on anything.  Then my eyes really start to go blurry when I read and I strangely gain whopping amounts of weight around my waistline. I notice that after about one week.  My eyes will also itch (maybe it's around my eyes).  I tend to become tight in the chest and can't breath properly, and this slightest hint of worry makes it worse.  If I stop eating any wheat, oats, tomtos and apples (if I'm eating them regularly) the symptoms alleviate.  In past years I've tried to go back to these two things but it ends the same.    When the blurred vision starts I have to narrow down my food list or I'll start to get these symptoms plus strange swings in blood sugar.  Definitely food related.

I thought maybe wheat and oats triggered this.  An intolerance can lead to an allergy via leaky gut which is no doubt what I have.
Horse and cat hair make my eyes itchy, red, and my eyes water.  I also get itchy skin from both of these animal's hair.  From horse hair I actually get a rash all over my body.   I thought there might be a link with what I'm eating. I believe there is some way this can happen but I'm hazy on how.

My father and his brother both had food allergies.  They were tested in Germany whilst working over there on a building contract. Both have long gone now.  I can't help thinking it's tied in with the symptoms I am getting.  As I'm pretty sure that's an issue with me I'm ready to go to a naturopath on this.  As I said, I only have to hint to a doctor what I think it is and they will fight tooth and nail and waste all my money to prove me wrong.  The pathology labs all grumble about them which is where I got the advice to see a naturopath.

However.. Thank you for taking the time to take the side of the doctor in a matter which sits so close to my heart.  They say some ridiculous things here in Australia, and that's a well known fact.  I believe the attitude is exceptionally better in developed European countries.

It's great that you've picked out the most important parts of my post.  I now know what I sound like and it was clearly vital that you pointed this out.  No doubt I don't have the 20-20 vision you do on these matters and am too simple to be in tune with anomalies in my own health.   It's unfortunate, and this is universal, that those who seek to help themselves by asking a few simple questions to begin with, are subject to negative comments such as these.  After seeing that I disagreed that these weren't allergies, I'm not sure why you commented at all.  I would call it trolling, but with my 20-10 vision I doubt I have the intelligence to judge such a complex matter.  I hope I don't sound too sarcastic....

On the other hand, thanks SpaceCanada for your suggestions.  I will no doubt take your advice on board.  Food elimination is no doubt the best place to start. If it began with a couple of intolerance (however mild), at 37 years old I believe that some damage could be done... (leaky gut, allergies, etc). 

[eragon]

take an antihistamine for animal stuff. if suspect ige response to food take antihistamine again. if it works you have ige allergies.

yes Europe is more open about naturopath and alternative treatments, which is a great shame. I am not a fan of seeing non medicals for medical advice.  I would never advise anyone to see such practitioners as I do not consider them to be safe way of seeking medical advice. I would recommend getting a second opinion with a referral from your GP. 

I would investigate ceoliac, esp if you have gut issues ask for blood test before having gut biopsy as you have to be on gluten for about 8 weeks for that to show up on test. This is important as  current medical professionals have discovered that coeliacs have double the risk of bowel cancer.   

If you are unable to digest gluten without gut damage oat will be a problem as cross contaminated with wheat as grown next to each other.

there other symptoms of ceoliac and ibs  but you haven't listed them as yet.

good luck.

[docjosh]

Many people develop food allergies as they age, but developing allergies is not limited to any age group.  When the digestive system is out of balance, the chances of developing allergies is extremely high.  This is especially true with allergic reactions to Gluten.  Gluten is a combination of carbohydrates and two small glycol proteins.  The proteins are Glutenin (Glutenin) and Gliadin.  Gliadin cause some of the best examples, of food derived pathogens that result in illness and abnormal conditions. Gliadin will cause symptoms like: swelling of the lips, tongue, throat, runny nose, itching, hives, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, gas, belching, bloating, etc.  One of the main reasons this happens is because, the protein Gliadin, in Gluten, is not being destroyed in the stomach. The reason they are not being destroyed in the stomach is because, the peptic enzymes are not active, in breaking down proteins. Pepsin is most active in the breaking down and conversion of proteins, when the hydrochloric acid (HCL) in the stomach is very strong.  Pepsin works at its optimum level, when the strength of the HCL is at 1.0 pH.  When the strength of the acid drops, pepsin is becomes less active, in converting proteins.  At pH 5.0, the peptic enzymes are completely inactive, in the conversion process.  The reduction in the strength, of the hydrochloric acid, is called Hypochlorhydria. Hypochlorhydria is caused by aging, the use of antibiotics, antihistamines, Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs), and other medications.
Hypochlorhydria will allow unsterilized and unconverted proteins to enter the small bowel, resulting in allergic reactions. Hypochlorhydria will also allow bacteria, and pathogens that would normally be destroyed in the stomach, to enter the digestive tract and flourish.  If you have any type of food allergy, you would be well advised to, get a pH diagnostic test, pH capsule test, or pH gastrogram.

Whether you post as a guest or a member, Doc Josh, the warning still stands.  I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt that you posted this prior to viewing the warning I put on your last post.  Please stop. ~Admin

[allergyadventure]

Well, I have an intolerance to wheat and oats.  It's probably the gluten and avenin.  After eating these things for a day or two my head fogs up so much I can't focus on anything.  Then my eyes really start to go blurry when I read and I strangely gain whopping amounts of weight around my waistline. I notice that after about one week.  My eyes will also itch (maybe it's around my eyes).  I tend to become tight in the chest and can't breath properly, and this slightest hint of worry makes it worse.  If I stop eating any wheat, oats, tomtos and apples (if I'm eating them regularly) the symptoms alleviate.  In past years I've tried to go back to these two things but it ends the same.    When the blurred vision starts I have to narrow down my food list or I'll start to get these symptoms plus strange swings in blood sugar.  Definitely food related.

Just because something is food-related doesn't mean that it's a food allergy.

You mention in an earlier comment that your insulin levels are borderline high. A lot of the symtpoms you're mentioning (foggy thinking, blurred vision, emotional swings) are symptoms of high blood sugar. When you say you have "strange swings in blood sugar" are you actually monitoring your blood sugar, or just assuming that it must be swinging? If you are in the early stages of Type 2 diabetes, then eating foods like wheat and oats (which are very high in carbohdyrates) could cause your blood sugar to go quite high and cause symptoms, even if your blood sugar subsequently comes down to normal (many doctors only test fasting blood sugar).

It might be worth asking your doctor for a glucose tolerance test so that you can make sure it's not blood sugar spikes causing your symptoms.