Introduce Yourself - We're Glad You Found Us!

[rebekahc]

Hi!  I'm sorry you've been diagnosed with allergies, but glad you found us!

[GingerPye]

Welcome!!   Be sure to ask lots of questions.  Lots of people here with experience. 

[Mugsy]

Hi. My 12 year old daughter is allergic to dairy and peanuts. We had thought she grew out of the dairy allergy but recent testing showed that isn't true. She was diagnosed with eosinophilic esophagitis this month so we're going to go back to being much more careful with what she eats.

[mommabridget]

Hi Mugsy!

So sorry you are adding back allergens, but glad you found us!  EE is a tough thing to manage.  I'll be honest, I've never fully understood it   but there are folks here that do!

Welcome!!

[AllergyMum]

Welcome bdif2 & Mugsy!  Glad you found us here

[Swifty]

I'm Swifty and I have two wonderful kids.  Both are asthmatics, but their only trigger is viral infections so it's pretty easy to manage.  And both have food allergies.  I'm very fortunate that both are allergic to the same foods in general - both to peanuts and each to 3 tree nuts (not the same 3, but we just avoid them all and it's good).

I like to think I'm pretty educated on the topic of food allergies - we've been dealing with this for the past 6 years, and I'm a researcher at heart.  Plus I have a pretty cool doctor who likes to get technical with me!

My children also had eczema for years until I started making my own soaps.  We still use commercial detergent based shampoos, but for hands and bodies we use only my soaps and the eczema disappeared.  Perhaps it's just a coincidence, but who knows!  I now make (and sell for the cost of materials and shipping) custom soaps for people with allergies.  And I make lots for people without as well.  It's an amazing hobby if not a particularly profitable business!

We take the allergies in stride for the most part - but once in a while we get kinda sad about it, or frustrated.  But such is life.

[Jessica]

Welcome Swifty! I'd love to find out more about your soaps. I always want to try handmade soaps even though dove unscented works for us, but never have because of worry about nuts. Do you have a website?

[mommabridget]

Welcome Swifty!  Your two are similar to my son.  Although, since he started desensitization, he has had 2 non-viral asthma incidents in the last 18 months.

WELCOME!!

[Vonvoncake]

Hi:

Well, I think I'm really glad to have found you all. I'm Von and though I've had allergies all my life (grass, dogs, dust mites with just a nasal reaction, tomatoes, eggplant and something(s) yet to be determined), I have in the last two months had now two severe anaphylactic reaction to an unknown substance. The first happened over a month ago and was full on head to toe anaphylaxis with a trip to the ER. Scary, scary, scary. The other just happened a few hours ago and I think it was what they call gastrointestinal anaphylaxis, but I'm not sure. From what I've just read through my Benadryl fogged brain, it was.  At any rate, it was...unpleasant, which is maybe too mild of a word.

I've been diagnosed with IBS and now I'm starting to wonder if it is allergies instead. I didn't react to any of the foods they tested me for, basically what I had eaten the day of my reaction, but that was a limited list. I'll be calling my allergist tomorrow for a follow up to be sure.

My mundane life consists of working in sales, raising my two boys, keeping in touch with my daughter, who is an RN in MI, loving my husband and getting ready to go back to school. I live in a little town outside of Seattle and generally love my life.

That's me in a couple of paragraphs. I look forward to getting to know you all.

Von

[SilverLining]

Hi Von!  Sorry to hear what you are going through.

It is possible you are reacting to a minor ingredient, either not listed clearly, or if it's a processed food it may not list *may contains*.  I had a hard time ponpointing my allergens because at the time, most companies didn't list sesame seed as a *may contain* and I was regularly eating products that are produced on the same line.  You might want to try making all your own foods so you can know for certain exactly what you are eating.

[rebekahc]

Hi Von!  I'm glad you found us - just sorry you needed to!  Hopefully you'll soon figure out what caused your reactions.  If you want to post a list of what you had eaten both times and also where you were/what you were doing, we'd be happy to help you play detective.

I hope you're feeling better today.  Do you have an epi pen?  You need to make sure you have one and make sure you know when to use it!  Benadryl will not stop an anaphylactic reaction.  Most anaphylaxis is self-resolving, but if you wait to find out it may be too late, that's why keeping epi on hand and using it is important!

[Shanda A]

Hello Everyone.  Its nice to find a place where we are all in the same boat.  My daughter who is now 6 years old is allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, coconut, and eggs.  The list used to be longer but she has outgrown many things!  I know how hard and tie consuming and worrysome it is to have a child allergic to food.  That is why I am going to school to get my Masters in Nutrition.  I want to help parents with things that doctors and even nutritionists dont always help with or know about.  I have a blog:  shesnotnuts.blogspot.com/ ,  Its not the normal food allergy blog.  I talk about the health aspect of food allergies.  What nutrients kids are missing when you exclude a food group, different ideas for getting the kids the nutrients they need, and other health issues that other blogs dont address. So check that out and if you ever want to talk or have suggestions of things to learn about food allergies then let me know!

[foodallergywarrior]

Hi Everyone,

My name is Janna and I have two children, one diagnosed with life threatening food allergies in 2005.  I've taken to writing on the subject lately and feel so honored to hear words of praise and encouragement from other food allergy families who share my family's experiences and perspective on the topic.

I want to thank "a friend" for supporting this board, inviting me to it, and supporting me individually as I transition from shamed, cowed, overcompensating, cupcake-baking food allergy mom to a food allergy advocate. It's not easy. Actually, it sucks!  We all know that for sure.  However, there is no choice in the matter.

Best to all,

Janna


As Moderator, I have edited out the full name of person who referred you and replaced it with "a friend"

[CMdeux]

    Hi FAwarrier!!

It's great to have you with us here at FAS.  A very warm welcome to our new members.   

[EBrady]

And so, here I am in my regular josie-q-public form.   

Waving Hi. 



It's time.



Cautious, careful people always casting about to preserve their reputation
or social standards never can bring about reform. Those who are really in earnest
are willing to be anything or nothing in the world's estimation,
and publicly and privately, in season and out,
avow their sympathies with despised ideas and their advocates, and bear the consequences.

~~ Susan B. Anthony, American civil rights leader, 1820-1906