Re: Severe Allergic Reaction (Anaphylaxis)

[Guest guest]

This answer will be of no comfort to you whatsoever, I bet. But in my

experience, food allergies like that are very hard to pin down.

I've landed in the ER with food allergy, too. And we were NEVER

able to figure out what triggered it. I had scratch test with

every item of food I could think of for the previous 48 hours.

Nothing. And within the last year, I've had several incidents

of breaking out in allergic reaction after eating things. (None

so severe as to take me to the hospital again, though.) I

think I've narrowed down my personal triggers to annato color

and eggplant. Potatoes and other members of that family are

common allergens, especially if raw. That's why peeling potatoes

can make your hands swell, itch, and feel nasty.

If I were in your shoes, I'd avoid the top 8 allergens for a

while: seafood, potato, milk, soy, egg.

Look on the potatoes and see if there is any OTHER ingredient

that's uncommon to your diet. If the potatoes are new, the

modified food starch would have to say 'wheat' if it's wheat.

There could be other things in the recipe, though. In my case,

I'm wary of annato coloring. And it's such a pleasant color, too!

Good luck!

I hope you feel better too!

And I agree with your doctors based on my own experience and my

own reading - the mechanism of allergy is completely different

than the mechanisms of celiac. It would be truly strange if

an allergic reaction were actually a celiac reaction.

Esther

>

> Hi Everyone!

> I was diagnosed July 2005 and have been quite diligent and have done

> well until last night. I experienced anaphylaxis and wound up at the

> ER on an IV and pumped full of benedryl, etc.

[Guest guest]

As a nurse, I would agree with your Dr.s that you probably had a true allergic reaction to something which is IgE mediated. Celiac involves both IgA and IgG antibodies. I would most definitly go to an allergist to have some food allergy tests done. In the mean time I would ask your regular Dr. for an Epipen to keep with you (get two - one for home and one for your purse). It will give you peace of mind to have something to use incase this happens again while your playing detective and trying to identify the culprit. Kerri "Donna (Whipkey) Hesse" wrote: Hi Everyone! I was diagnosed July 2005 and have been quite diligent and have done well until last night. I experienced anaphylaxis and wound up at the ER on an IV and pumped full of benedryl, etc. I broke out

in hives, having a panic attack, complete and unbearable itching and turned the color of a Valentine! I was a mess. The ER doctor was insistent that it wasn't anything to do with my celiac. However, this evening when I checked the bag of Ore-Ida potatoes we had for dinner last night, it listed modified food starch...within an hour of dinner, I was in the ER...I changed absolutely nothing in the past week, not shampoo, not lotion, not foods I have been eating, with the exception of the potatoes...hadn't had that style, Oven Style.They have me taking prednisone, pepcid, benedryl for the next four days in oral doses. I learned so much about histamines yesterday. Don't understand most of it yet, but I will continue to read as much as I can.Since I have been gluten-free for about 6 months, do any of you think I should have reacted in this way by ingesting gluten. I saw my family doctor

today and he doesn't think my reaction had anything to do with my celiac either...I am scared to death of this happening again if I accidently get glutened again...my blood pressure was 155/96 at one point in the ER...I was not lucid...I definitely had an allergy attack, but the only thing I can think of is the Ore-Ida...I'm thinking I should go see an allergist and there is an Allergy Clinic that indicates they practice Allery Immunology. Sorry to go on, but I have been learning so much from reading all of the posts that I thought I could take advantage of your experiences to see if anyone else had any similar reactions!Thank you all for being there and I rely so much on your experiences that I know I couldn't have gone this far without you.Hugs,DonnaHighlands Ranch, CO

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[Guest guest]

Ask the allergist to test for a wheat allergy. IgE antibodies produce this

type of allergic reaction - so technically it isn't the CD, but CD is known

to induce many food allergies that only become a problem after going gf

(eating gluten causes the allergies to develop, but also suppresses the

immune response - once you go gf, the allergies are free to react

" normally " ). Assuming you eat potatoes otherwise, they should not be the

allergen.

The other allergen that would be suspect is sulfites (one of the allergies

where severe is the norm, as far as reactions go).

What you definitely need and should have been prescribed at the ER is one or

more epi-pens (they delay reactions for 15 minutes, so more than one is

often necessary - you use them while someone drives you to the ER). Also,

carry benedryl with you at all times - taking two orally when exposed or

when a reaction starts will go a long way towards lessening the severity

(and lessen need for steroids, reduce recovery time and possibly prevent

death).

> when I checked the bag of Ore-Ida potatoes we had for dinner last

> night, it listed modified food starch...within an hour of dinner, I

> was in the ER...I changed absolutely nothing in the past week, not

> shampoo, not lotion, not foods I have been eating, with the exception

> of the potatoes...hadn't had that style, Oven Style.

>

> Since I have been gluten-free for about 6 months, do any of you think

> I should have reacted in this way by ingesting gluten. I saw my

> family doctor today and he doesn't think my reaction had anything to

> do with my celiac either...I am scared to death of this happening

> again if I accidently get glutened again...my blood pressure was

> 155/96 at one point in the ER...I was not lucid...I definitely had an

> allergy attack, but the only thing I can think of is the Ore-

> Ida...I'm thinking I should go see an allergist and there is an

> Allergy Clinic that indicates they practice Allery Immunology.

>

> Sorry to go on, but I have been learning so much from reading all of

> the posts that I thought I could take advantage of your experiences

> to see if anyone else had any similar reactions!

---

[This E-mail scanned for viruses by Declude Virus]

[Guest guest]

From my personal experiance I would say it is NOT a celiac reaction

but you do have a severe allergy that you need to figure out. As

far as I have always known Celiac is not IgE related or even

considered a true 'allergy' but instead a complete intollerance.

Ana reactions are generally IgE allergies. My son has Celiac and

has never had an Ana reaction to wheat even at his sickest. My baby

daughter is now 9 months old and we know is Ana to both Dairy and

RICE! Talk about a kicker in a Celic house! We watch carefully

with her for cross contamination issues and she is on special

prescription formula because of her allergies (she has multiple food

allergies in general). As we found out from our allergist Rice is

very very uncommon as an allergin but not impossible. Potatos would

fall under the same guide. Uncommon but not impossible...

Allergies can pop up at any time and you don't have to have had a

severe reaction before to have a full on Ana reaction. I am Ana to

mushrooms but until my last encounter with them I had never had more

than a GI reaction and I ate them for about 14 years (my childhood)

before developing my sensitivity at all.

Good luck figureing out the trigger. I hope you can avoid another

reaction like that... BTW did they prescribe you an epi pen? You

should have one now. I have mine and our babies with me at all

times. Just because you didn't stop breathing with this last

reaction doesn't mean you won't next time!

>

> Hi Everyone!

> I was diagnosed July 2005 and have been quite diligent and have

done

> well until last night. I experienced anaphylaxis and wound up at

the

> ER on an IV and pumped full of benedryl, etc. I broke out in

hives,

> having a panic attack, complete and unbearable itching and turned

the

> color of a Valentine! I was a mess. The ER doctor was insistent

> that it wasn't anything to do with my celiac. However, this

evening

> when I checked the bag of Ore-Ida potatoes we had for dinner last

> night, it listed modified food starch...within an hour of dinner,

I

> was in the ER...I changed absolutely nothing in the past week, not

> shampoo, not lotion, not foods I have been eating, with the

exception

> of the potatoes...hadn't had that style, Oven Style.

>

> They have me taking prednisone, pepcid, benedryl for the next four

> days in oral doses. I learned so much about histamines

yesterday.

> Don't understand most of it yet, but I will continue to read as

much

> as I can.

>

> Since I have been gluten-free for about 6 months, do any of you

think

> I should have reacted in this way by ingesting gluten. I saw my

> family doctor today and he doesn't think my reaction had anything

to

> do with my celiac either...I am scared to death of this happening

> again if I accidently get glutened again...my blood pressure was

> 155/96 at one point in the ER...I was not lucid...I definitely had

an

> allergy attack, but the only thing I can think of is the Ore-

> Ida...I'm thinking I should go see an allergist and there is an

> Allergy Clinic that indicates they practice Allery Immunology.

>

> Sorry to go on, but I have been learning so much from reading all

of

> the posts that I thought I could take advantage of your

experiences

> to see if anyone else had any similar reactions!

>

> Thank you all for being there and I rely so much on your

experiences

> that I know I couldn't have gone this far without you.

>

> Hugs,

> Donna

> Highlands Ranch, CO

>

[Guest guest]

> Sorry to go on, but I have been learning so much from reading all of

> the posts that I thought I could take advantage of your experiences

> to see if anyone else had any similar reactions!

You can develop allergies to anything at any time. You might want to

write down *everything* you ate at that meal (ALL ingredients) and

visit an allergist. RAST testing might pinpoint the offending

substance.

If you do have an anaphylactic food allergy, you'll need to carry epi-

pens and be *very* careful.

I have several anaphylactic food allergies. You can live with these,

you just need to know exactly what is in your food. (Sound familiar?)

good luck figuring this out!

ygg

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone! Thanks so much for the feedback and positive support.

I knew I could count on you all! I just read Judy's post from Ore-

Ida and realized that the potatoes I had 2/14/06 were not on the

list. We had Oven Chips-Crispy " battered, skin on Potato slices " ...I

didn't even see the word " batter " on the package until I double

checked moments ago after reading Judy's post!The listed Allergen is

SOY. I am sos confused and frightened about what caused my severe

reaction, I'm afraid to eat anything right now! I am seeing an

Allergist next Weds. Hopeful I get some answers there...Thanks

again!

Donna

Highlands Ranch, CO

---------------------------------------------------------------------

>

> Ask the allergist to test for a wheat allergy. IgE antibodies

produce this

> type of allergic reaction - so technically it isn't the CD, but CD

is known

> to induce many food allergies that only become a problem after

going gf

> (eating gluten causes the allergies to develop, but also suppresses

the

> immune response - once you go gf, the allergies are free to react

> " normally " ). Assuming you eat potatoes otherwise, they should not

be the

> allergen.

>

> The other allergen that would be suspect is sulfites (one of the

allergies

> where severe is the norm, as far as reactions go).

>

> What you definitely need and should have been prescribed at the ER

is one or

> more epi-pens (they delay reactions for 15 minutes, so more than

one is

> often necessary - you use them while someone drives you to the ER).

Also,

> carry benedryl with you at all times - taking two orally when

exposed or

> when a reaction starts will go a long way towards lessening the

severity

> (and lessen need for steroids, reduce recovery time and possibly

prevent

> death).

>

>

> > when I checked the bag of Ore-Ida potatoes we had for dinner last

> > night, it listed modified food starch...within an hour of dinner,

I

> > was in the ER...I changed absolutely nothing in the past week, not

> > shampoo, not lotion, not foods I have been eating, with the

exception

> > of the potatoes...hadn't had that style, Oven Style.

> >

>

> > Since I have been gluten-free for about 6 months, do any of you

think

> > I should have reacted in this way by ingesting gluten. I saw my

> > family doctor today and he doesn't think my reaction had anything

to

> > do with my celiac either...I am scared to death of this happening

> > again if I accidently get glutened again...my blood pressure was

> > 155/96 at one point in the ER...I was not lucid...I definitely

had an

> > allergy attack, but the only thing I can think of is the Ore-

> > Ida...I'm thinking I should go see an allergist and there is an

> > Allergy Clinic that indicates they practice Allery Immunology.

> >

> > Sorry to go on, but I have been learning so much from reading all

of

> > the posts that I thought I could take advantage of your

experiences

> > to see if anyone else had any similar reactions!

>

> ---

> [This E-mail scanned for viruses by Declude Virus]

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Esther.

Thanks so much for your thoughts and words of wisdom! By golly,

there is annato in the Ore-Ida potatoes I ate! I am seeing an

allergist on Weds. and am hopeful that we will be able to come up

with something. In the meantime, I am scared to eat much of anything

and have insisted that my primary care physician give me an epi-

pen...the ER doctor told me that if it happens again, it would

probably be more serious...that 15 minute ride to the ER was the

longest in my life...

Thanks again so much!

Hugs,

Donna in Highlands Ranch, CO

> >

> > Hi Everyone!

> > I was diagnosed July 2005 and have been quite diligent and have

done

> > well until last night. I experienced anaphylaxis and wound up at

the

> > ER on an IV and pumped full of benedryl, etc.

>

[Guest guest]

I honestly don't know if annato coloring gives me the allergy

or not. I've never gone to the allergist and said " Please do a

scratch test with annato coloring " . But, of the few times in

recent past that I've broken out in hives head-to-toe, wheezing,

itching, sneezing... after ingesting a food that's uncommon in

my diet... I've looked at the ingredients list and found annato

coloring. On the whole, annato coloring isn't in my food. However,

it's a REALLY common additive. But nowadays I just tend to put

food back on the shelves for so many reasons:

- unspecified nature of modififed food starch

- unspecified nature of caramel coloring

- unspecified nature of MSG

.... and a whole bunch of other gluten-related reasons

So, what's the harm of one more reason to put the food back on the

shelf? If I see annato coloring, I'm less likely to buy the item.

See:

http://www.rain-tree.com/annato.htm

This talks about all the wonderful uses of annato. But WAY down

at the bottom it talks about documented cases of anaphylaxis from

annato. So, I just don't bother taking chances with annato.

If Brand X of something has annato coloring and Brand Y does not,

then I'll just buy Brand Y instead.

In my particular case I don't need to know if annato is the culprit.

I just avoid it.

I suppose it would be life-saving to know for certain what DOES

cause me food allergy. But I've already tried walking that road

and we all just got lost along the confusing path. I did scratch

test for SO MANY THINGS, including about every known variety of

edible mushroom (since " mushrooms " were in the meal I ate before

I went to the E.R., but I didn't know what KIND of mushroom...).

The scratch test ordeal was a miserable process. While it revealed

that I'm allergic to certain kinds of tree pollen, what good does

that actually do for me? It's not like I can pack up and move to

where only the non-allergenic trees drop their pollen. :-(

So, I never have been able to determine with specificity and

surety what actual food allergens landed me in the E.R.

But meanwhile, learning to avoid gluten has caused me to change

my way of eating completely. And that helps a lot. Many fewer

processed foods in my diet.

The more processed/convenient a food is, the less likely that

you'll be able to tell FOR CERTAIN what's in the product. After

all, it may not even be IN the product. It may be a leftover from

a previous run on the same processing line.

And that's the really frustrating and discouraging thing about

food allergies, in my opinion. Our culture is SO GEARED towards

the convenience foods. I am in my 40s and raising a family of

young children ... and honestly? I'm only NOW learning to cook

because of the stupid gluten issues!!! How did I get away with so

many years of eating only processed and convenience foods? I'll

tell you how - because the unknown allergen DIDN'T kill me.

It could very well do so, though.

So, far better to learn how to cook.

As much as I **HATE HATE HATE** it, I have to learn how to cook.

I'd rather be doing a gazillion other things. But if I want to

eat, I actually have to learn how to cook.

Sigh.

And here I thought I could live my whole life without that skill...

and that preservatives would make me live longer and healthier...

that if it came in a bag with a well-known name on the label then

it HAD to be good for me............

On the contrary, starting with fresh ingredients and cooking from

scratch is far safer. For gluten, and for food allergy.

But I still reserve the right to HATE the process. :-)

Esther in RI

PS - just curious... does your insurance pay for the epi-pen?

I was RXed an epi-pen once upon a time (because I'm allergic to

bee stings). I filled the RX and then learned that the insurance

wouldn't pay! (They wouldn't pay for a " just in case " medicine

that might never get used.) So, I never filled the RX again, nor

asked for another Rx for the epi-pen. Besides, it rode around in

my purse for so long that it went bad, and didn't get used. I

guess I just like to live dangerously. I look both ways before

crossing the street, sure. But I don't carry an epi-pen.

And a funny little story from the land of motherhood about bees...

I always endeavor to teach my kids to respect bees. They're good

for the environment. They're vital to the planet. They make honey,

yummmy yummy. Just don't bother them and they won't bother you.

Yadda yadda. Well, one day in late September I was leaving the

zoo with my kids. A yellow jacket (type of hornet, not a bee)

got into my car with us. Oh my. It was flying all around my head,

scaring the bejeebers out of me. I didn't dare swat at it. I

just carefully started the vehicle so I could open all the electric

windows. When the silly yellow jacket would NOT get out

of my car, I started to really panic. It landed on me. (I must have

had a food spill on my hands or clothes or something.) I was

terrified and nearly started to cry. Meanwhile, my precious precocious

then-4 year old said " Mommy, I guess you really DON'T like

bees much after all. " NABBED! My secret hypocrisy revealed! Sure,

I respect them. Sure, I think they're good for the environment.

Sure, I like honey as much as the next guy. But DANGNABBIT - DON'T

LET BEES GET INTO MY VEHICLE!!!! We all survived that incident,

including the pesky yellow jacket.

>

> Hi Esther.

> Thanks so much for your thoughts and words of wisdom! By golly,

> there is annato in the Ore-Ida potatoes I ate! I am seeing an

> allergist on Weds. and am hopeful that we will be able to come up

> with something. In the meantime, I am scared to eat much of anything

> and have insisted that my primary care physician give me an epi-

> pen...

[Guest guest]

>

> I honestly don't know if annato coloring gives me the allergy

> or not. I've never gone to the allergist and said " Please do a

> scratch test with annato coloring " . But, of the few times in

> recent past that I've broken out in hives head-to-toe, wheezing,

> itching, sneezing... after ingesting a food that's uncommon in

> my diet... I've looked at the ingredients list and found annato

> coloring.

It would be interesting to read this article:

Nish WA, et al. Anaphylaxis to annatto dye: a case report. Ann

Allergy, 1991 Feb

But I don't know how I'd go about getting it.

Any one able to tell me?

[Guest guest]

In the book by Roben Ryberg, The Gluten-Free Kitchen, (page 3) she mentions

tto as being troublesome for some because wheat may be used as an

extender in the manufacturing process. It is a coloring added seasonally

to butter . She suggest avoiding annatto when possible. It is also in

most ice creams. Because of that, we bought a small electric ice cream

freezer and can make our own in 30 minutes.

Hope you find out the reason and get some relief soon.

Margie in Missouri

>

>Reply-To: SillyYaks

>To: SillyYaks

>Subject: Re: Severe Allergic Reaction (Anaphylaxis)

>Date: Sat, 18 Feb 2006 00:20:17 -0000

>

>

> >

> > I honestly don't know if annato coloring gives me the allergy

> > or not. I've never gone to the allergist and said " Please do a

> > scratch test with annato coloring " . But, of the few times in

> > recent past that I've broken out in hives head-to-toe, wheezing,

> > itching, sneezing... after ingesting a food that's uncommon in

> > my diet... I've looked at the ingredients list and found annato

> > coloring.

>

>

>It would be interesting to read this article:

>Nish WA, et al. Anaphylaxis to annatto dye: a case report. Ann

>Allergy, 1991 Feb

>

>But I don't know how I'd go about getting it.

>Any one able to tell me?

>

>

>

>

>

>