Mental reactions to food

[klynn]

Anyone else react like this? It's horrible and I'm so lonely because no one understands.

[SilverLining]

Are these allergies?  Diagnosed by an allergist?

[rebekahc]

I have heard of some people having cerebral reactions to food intolerances but that would not be a true allergy.  Generally the cerebral reactions I've heard about have not been as severe as you describe.  Which foods do you think are causing your reactions?  How were you able to narrow it down to a food rather than a more typical depression/mental illness?

[klynn]

 I found my answer. Yes, I have real allergies to wheat & casein and a few other things.

Link removed by moderator.

[SilverLining]

Those are not allergists.

NAET kills people.  Literally.

Run...run fast and run far.

And get in to a REAL doctor.  One that went to medical school.

[klynn]

That's not my dr. It explains what's going on with me. Dr's mis diagnosed me for 20 years. I went off all the medicine and lost 70 pounds, quit smoking and now I can jog 5 miles..BUT anytime I  eat wheat or dairy I  get suicidal so I went and had a food allergy test and it was verified. The problem is my dr has NEVER heard of food causing mental reactions and made me think I was going crazy. I would like to find others like me. I feel terrific as long as I'm extremely careful of what I eat. Dr's had told me I was bi-polar. They had me so drugged up for years. I am a new person. From laying in bed for years wanting to die to alive and vibrant and healthy! If you know any people diagnosed with bi-polar maybe suggest they have a food allergy test.

[rebekahc]

So what test did your doctor do to diagnose your allergies?

[klynn]

I went and asked for the test. The dr said it wouldn't be a food allergy as no one reacts like I do..depression,suicidal. I KNEW it was food after I stopped taking all the medicine they prescribed. Anti-depressants, mood stablizers, ativan, sleeping pills..8 altogether.For years they kept changing the medicines cause none would work.After years & years of this I slowly went off all medicine and when I had a bowl of pasta it hit me within minutes. I knew right then why all those years of medicine didn't work. It was FOOD. I begged the dr for a blood test and it came back with about 8 things I'm allergic to.. Wheat and casein having the biggest effect. I don't have the test in front of me so I can't recall the name. Then an allergist did a skin test. I usually can go several months without a reaction but I had a lot of learning to do. Gluten is in everything from lipstick/toothpaste to soy sauce & vitamins. I was depressed ALL the time and couldn't figure out why because I had NOTHING to be depressed about. I've actually started working after all these years. I get the picture that you all don't believe me either. I guess you would have to be in my body to see it for yourself. It's just so obvious to my hubby & I. I'm well for the first time in my life and I'm in my early 50's. All because I gave up wheat and casein (protein in dairy). I just take my own food when we go places.

[starlight]

There are a few different types of body reactions that end up clustered under the word 'allergy'.

An IgE allergy (the true, scientific definition of the word, and ones we tend to focus on here) cause runny nose, congestion, shortness of breath, hives, anaphylaxis, etc. and possible death. aka a histamine response.

An IgG allergy is an intolerance. Just as real and annoying and a major pain to deal wtih, but not deadly if you get slipped a bit. They tend to cause mainly gastrointestinal issues but can cause emotional and behavioral issues too. They won't send you into anaphylaxis, which is why the distinction between scientific allergy and intolerance is important.

Both IgE and IgG can be tested through blood. You mentioned a skin test - did that come back positive too?

From what you've mentioned, it sounds a whole lot like celiac to me. An IgG test would come back positive for gluten if you have celiac, it's one of 4-5 blood tests for it. Celiac causes digestive issues, and when I was concerned I had it, I ran across many people online who 'went off the deep end' so to speak when they got 'glutened'. Do you know if your doc tested you for celiac? It's important to know, because it raises your risk of bowel cancer in the future.

[CMdeux]

The reason why this distinction matters so VERY much to those of us who post here is really not hard to understand, once stated bluntly.

If my daughter or I ate a "bowl" of one of our allergens, we really would die, in all probability-- even if it happened that we were already in a hospital with a IV in place.  I'm not exaggerating.  A single BITE of an allergen that concentrated would probably do it for my daughter.

Nobody is denying that your experiences are real and that you believe them to be related to your diet.  It's great that you have found a way to feel better.  Really!

BUT-- do understand that if you were not seeing a board-certified allergist, and if you were not given an EpiPen-- this isn't a food allergy.  Calling it a food allergy makes it harder for people like my daughter and I to convey the level of care and cooperation that we often must have from others.  Remember that every person you educate about "food allergies" knows others who can die in just a few minutes from a bite of cross-contaminated food.  How dangerous will their assumptions about food allergy be if they've been talking to someone who has an intolerance that they term "allergy" instead?

Please read our thread here to understand what the members of this community are up against.





One more word about IgG testing (well, a couple of words, actually):

http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/resourcespre.php?id=72

http://www.aaaai.org/ask-the-expert/IgG-antibodies-to-food.aspx


http://www.aaaai.org/ask-the-expert/use-of-IgG-and-IgA-antibodies-in-diagnosis.aspx

Basically, if you wouldn't ask your dentist to do brain surgery, then you shouldn't be asking a chiropractor or naturopath to diagnose food allergies.

[twinturbo]

I get the picture that you all don't believe me either.

I get the picture you don't believe all of us.