NEW TO THIS- Allergic to Chicken, turkey, beef, pork….HELP

[AllergicMommy]

Sorry for the super long post.

Around September 2012, I began to break out in a red, spotted looking rash every single day. The rash would come and go, but after a few days it began to get extremely itchy, raised, red spotted rash. I had always a sensitive stomach almost anything I would eat would cause me to throw up, from above or below....if you get what I mean or cause pain. Went to the Dr. two weeks into my rash and they told me to figure it out because it was difficult to figure out causes of the rash. I was lactose intolerant but I had never had any allergies at all nor had I ever been to an allergist. The rash would continue but my face, lips, eyes, and cheeks began to swell as well. I would feel as if someone was chocking me, feel pressure on my chest and such.

At first I thought it was a "gluten allergy" since this what everyone said. I eliminated gluten and would continue to break out. Long story short, after months of suffering around November 2012, I finally went to an allergist. The allergist conducted about 40 prick tests on my arms, I tested positive to being allergic to chicken, beef, eggs, milk, lamb, cashews and one other food I had never heard of.

He said this is what you're allergic to but conduct experiments to see if it's true, so I did.

Anytime I would eat chicken, eggs or beef I would break out. I would try one item and within an hour or so I would feel something happening, almost like a tingling sensation on my face. I would wait a couple days and continue my experiment with the other foods. I had a reaction with everything, so I began to eat pork and turkey. Within two weeks of eating this, the rash came back. Anytime I would eat pork or turkey the same thing would happen as if I was eating chicken or beef.

So far I've had a reaction to chicken, beef, turkey, pork, eggs, milk, cheese, and some deserts. However I'm able to eat a donut or bagels with cream cheese without the rash. Odd.

I am constantly starving, but terrified of eating something that would cause a break out. Sometimes it gets so bad that I have to miss work, or go in late until the swelling subsides. This has drastically affected my life. I've lost several pounds, I do not feel healthy, I am tired, exhausted but have to continue on with life; work, school and taking care of my four year old.

Is there anyone with a similar story? Should I go back to the allergist and request more accurate test? What is an accurate allergy test? Please provide me with any advice or guidance, as I am in desperate need.

[Jillian]

I completely sympathize.

I have new allergies.  After I had a baby, I started getting hives all the time.  I got skin prick tests (2 rounds of them- maybe 120 tests in all) and had 5 rxns or so.  I was told to keep a food journal and do an elimination diet- so just eating simple and non-positive rxn foods for a week (no restaurants or processed foods) then re-introduced each food and noting the reaction.  Based on that I think I am allergic to chicken and sunflower seeds/oil. 

But it has been a bumpy process.  Sunflower seeds/oil is hidden in lots of places- food additives/emulsifiers, counterfeit olive oil- and it makes it hard to get food from restaurants and coffee shops.  Even after reading labels and concluding they were 'safe', I would discover that one of the additives could come from sunflower seeds.

Maybe you have already resolved things, since it has been a few months since you posted.  But, if not, I would check carefully about the pork and turkey products you are eating and reacting to, and try to eat them on days where you eat really simple food (like veggies, fruits, rice, etc).  Maybe there is a glaze in the turkey that has an allergen you may not know about.  Or the oil you are using to cook the food contains an allergen. Or some additive is affecting you. 

Good luck! 

[twinturbo]

Advice to both. Journals are great for tracking down unknowns. All the tests for random items aren't very helpful because of the rate of false positives. I don't know what OP defines as a reaction in comparison to what is an objectively measured IgE-mediated food allergy reaction or EE (which Im not familiar with) but when you have already narrowed it down it is time to move on to in office food challenges with a board certified allergist that truly understands food allergy, not an environmental allergist that dabbles. A challenge will help determine and document the allergy and allergen.

[Raw gel]

My son (almost 3) is allergic to chicken, turkey, beef, haven't tried lamb but I assume that as well. If he eats chicken he breaks out in hives and gets swollen lips... For the rest he breaks out in an allergic rash immediately. He has numerous other allergies including corn, soy, gluten and many others. With much nervousness, about a yr ago we finally braved trying grass fed beef. It was out savior!!! My son was Finley able to tolerate a protein!! Sadly, we had no luck with any other free range protein but maybe give it a shot...? It can totally be specific to his allergy but it may be worth the risk of breaking out..: it's really puzzling and frustrated but hang in there!

[YouKnowWho]

Raw gel, I wonder if your son is allergic to the meat protein itself or a solution that is likely corn based that is sprayed on meats to keep them glossy and appealing to customers in a traditional grocery store.  Grassfed beef tends to not have the gimmicks because it's generally vacuum sealed as opposed to ground in store with the shorter shelf life.

My older son was falsely diagnosed many moons ago and the research I read was amazing and incredibly frustrating.