Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: Joyce on November 12, 2014, 04:48:08 PM
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If I asked my GP for testing for food intolerances would I get referred or just get short shrift? Don't want to waste their time.
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It's never wasting our GP time, it's what they are paid for? How about looking on the web-site to see what specialities they 'cover'? Mine is quite comprehensive on what they tell patients to expect. Or visit a Pharamacist in your LLoyds/Boots and see if they know which GPs are more likely to send patients for testing?
You may find that your Hospital has a good web-site, some are better than others but usually list the various Consultants and their Specialities. Usually intolerance is done by withdrawal of what might be triggers …… so it can take a while.
I had pin **** allergy tests in the 1970s - nothing showed up but I have had allergic rhinitis since then. It turns out I have a mild allergy to cat hair - we had 3 cats for years then a gap but I realised when I looked after a neighbour's cats, my symptoms returned. I have been much better since DH began hoovering more thoroughly around our bed! particularly the surfaces close by. Less sneezing. I no longer wake with an itchy nose in the night which means I get better sleep.
I had begun to think that I was allergy to DH :o
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I already know I can't take any form of dairy, even the lactose free stuff, or I end up with the scoots. Egg is a bit of a hit or miss. Was really bad couple of months back after eating eggs. Can tolerate in cakes, meringues. But laid off eating actual eggs. Tried again the other day and was OK, but tried Mayonnaise yesterday, just a teensy bit & tummy a bit upset today. Mayo was full fat stuff, so no cream in. Egg free Mayo is :sick02:
Will check out GP website but not holding my breath.
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Oh I can't digest eggs as an egg - but we kept chooks ;D
In cakes it's OK. The 1st thing I was offered after Wisdom teeth removal was a boiled egg :beaurk: - the Nurse said 'we'll have an egg for breakfast shall we?' - "You can eat an egg if you want to but if you put one in front of me you'll need a mop for the floor" ;D - sorry I digress ???
Do try the Hosptial website too!
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I don't know how this works these days, but I would have thought if you are already experiencing a digestive reaction to certain foods that is causing you discomfort and inconvenience, then it would make medical sense to try to identify what the problem is.
I also had the pin**** tests done in the mid 60's and turned out I was allergic to cats and dust - well we have always had cats, and as for dust .... we have plenty of it! ;D
Hurdity x
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My brother had it done in the 60s too. He already knew fish was a no-no. He suffered with swollen tongue, throat. However, he had very bad eczema & they were trying to find a cause. Only showed up the fish though, which of course he didn't eat. He can take tinned salmon & can tolerate prawns too.
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I had the pin**** tests in the early 60s, but my mum was told I was allergic to just about everything they tested for. Im still here! I'm glad to say that I have become less and less allergic to things as I get older. I do have some some food intolerances, which are much more difficult to identify, as the reactions are usually delayed and not life threatening. I sort help from a nutritionist a few years ago, who helped me identify some of the less obvious foods and several, I have been able to reintroduce back into my diet.
If you are allergic to anything, you have to check when in hospital. My daughter cannot tolerate lactose or eggs and had pre-eclampsia. She had to check all medication as more than once she was given medication with lactose in it.
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My GP told me they did not do certain intolerance tests but he did not say what they did do.
Many years ago I had patch tests. Loads of things put on my back by a consultant dermatologist. It was done privately though. It was not for food. They were trying to find out what triggered my dermatitis.
Why don't you call your surgery and ask. That way you can find out if it's worth while making an appointment.
Honeyb
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She had to check all medication as more than once she was given medication with lactose in it.
Know what that's like. Even my asthma inhalers have to be lactose free. GPs have to get out their "bible" to medicate me. Mine all started after needing heaps of ABs for pneumonia.
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Some injections are egg based …….. patch tests, thanks - that's the word ::)
Oil seed rape when it comes into flower makes my chest tighten up, willow pollen irritates my nose …….
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My idea of hell was being in the middle of a field rapeseed. We used to go and stay with my in- laws every summer, but one year I couldn't go as they had planted it in the field next to the house. I seem to cope better now. Age and better medication, probably.
I suspect my daughter always had an intolerance or allergy to lactose, for she was constantly filling her nappies, had horrendous nappy rash and projectile vomiting, but seemed very healthy otherwise. Her son was fine until she tried him on dairy products and the same thing happened to him. Obviously he didn't have dairy from her milk. When she had breathing problems, she was told she couldn't have asthma as the inhalers didn't work! If she has any lactose or eggs now, she has to rush to the loo within half an hour. The nutritionist I saw was able to identify the problem and her breathing improved and she now responds to ventolin if need be. She is very cynical about doctors now.
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Phoned surgery today. They do refer patients for intolerance testing, so made appointment for Wednesday morning, with new GP at surgery. I really do need to get to bottom of this once & for all. Dairy I know is a big no-no, but the egg one one has me flummoxed & thinking it might be something else, as was OK with egg but not mayonaise. My stomach gurgled like nobody's business for hours yesterday. Then boom running for loo. No pain, just sudden need to go. Ended up taking immodium as I needed to go out. Years ago I was told it was IBS, but it doesn't behave like IBS. I know folk with IBS & they are in lots of pain soon after eating the offending item. I, on the other hand, am fine, then couple of days later it hits me.
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Intolerance and IBS are different. I love onions but they make me ill within 12 hours. Pain. On the loo for hours - and I LOVE onions. Makes eating out hard work and we can't go Indian or Italian …… and sometimes soups are based on onions ::)
Eggs can be difficult to digest. Some people are allergic to shellfish ……….
Glad you have an appt.. Will you make a list of your daily diet to take with you to see if there are any 'triggers'?
My Dad had late onset asthma at aged about 65. He gardened all his life but did use 'dope' - no, not that kind but the 'thinners' painted on fine paper to stiffen it on model airplanes. Smells like a sweetie - name escapes me, oh pear drops ……. we had to ban him from the house with it otherwise we would be coughing!
Mayo is :sick02: ….. prefer salad cream ;-)
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CB, I have IBS and I don't often have pain. The runs can take me by surprise, though usually I have the opposite problem!
I am intolerant to wheat. I used to get spasms in my oesophagus, which is very painful after the smallest amount. I would bring up whatever and be unable to swallow anything sometimes for hours. Meantime, I could be very hungry! Now I can eat wheat in some forms, for eg biscuits, but not others like bread, but the reaction is now mild. A sensation of food getting stuck and slight discomfort, which wears off. Makes eating out less stressful now
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I also have very infrequent pain with my IBS. I have the runs most mornings and on a bad day after lunch and then dinner. Mostly morning problems though.
I don't think that any particular foods set me off. If I eat too many vegetables which I frequently do then I pay for it the next day. However my anxiety triggers my IBS.
I rarely take any medication, I just try and control it with herbal drops which at least let me get out of the house in the morning.
It's a worry though. The thought of getting caught short really bothers me.
I hope you get your tests very soon CG
Honeyb
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I have my first injection for desensitisation on Tuesday, I do feel apprehensive especially that I have to stay in the hospital for an hour afterwards, just in case of a reaction.
Almost wish they had just prescribed an EpiPen, then put me on this programme.
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Oh the fear of accidents..... :(
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It's horrible. I take it you have been there Ju Ju.
The other morning hubby had to be at the hospital at 9 am. It's a good 30 miles away so we had to leave at 8am. I had to be awake at 6am just to get the morning problems over.
The first thing I needed to do when we got there was visit the loo. I spent most of the journey worrying if I would get there on time.
My life is governed by my bum some days especially if my anxiety is bad. :-\
Honeyb
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I've looked up IBS & am going to print off & take to GP. Not thinking it is IBS, but will mark my symptoms down as a reference.
I actually tried taking lactase tablets once to counteract the lactose, ended up gagging on them. Not sure why. Head & stomach were not in agreement over them.
Had tartare sauce the other day & was OK with that. It has egg in too like mayonaise. Bit of a mystery at the moment. Not trying to self diagnose, just need to know what's actually causing problem. Got meal out in couple of weeks & they do a dairy free menu, which is great, but not much use if it's something else. Not expecting to be sent for tests if I'm honest, but will see what this new GP thinks.
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I've kept a note of it sparkle. Will work my way through it. Thanks for the reference.
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Hope it all goes well SL.
Much better to get it sorted than rely on an Epipen. You need to be in a bad way before you use that. Very scary..
Let us know how you get on and what the treatment entails.
Lots of us have had an increase in allergies so it will be interesting to find out how it all goes.
Honeyb
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Thanks HB, the nurse in A&E said the same thing about allergies being on the increase and that you can become allergic to anything at any time even if it has never
happened before. It was very scary when my lips swelled up and the back of my throat started to tighten, I think the adrenaline jab in my bottom scared me even more ::)
The Doctor I saw said his young Niece had the same thing, the first time it happened in a restaurant and she now has an EpiPen.
Since I have avoided all the foods the Immunologist told me to, I have not had the tell-tale ****ling lips and back of throat or the throat tightening.
It really is true that "One mans meat is another mans poison"
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I've had cameras down top and bottom end, but all clear, so put down to functional problems. Concern was shown by the GP when I told her I had the oesophagus spasms when I ate meat or fish when presented whole, but not if cooked till very tender in liquid. How this ties in with the intolerance issues with wheat I have no idea. I have been seeing Body Stress Release practitioner for the past year or so for other reasons, but mentioned this problem to her. She found the muscles round that area are very tight ( I can't bear wearing anything round my neck and even touching the area is uncomfortable.) She has been working on the muscles, which I hate, but has really helped. I can eat tender chicken and even home made hamburgers now. My theory is that I held myself tensely all my life, maybe as an emotional protection from child hood experiences. No longer needed, but a habit very difficult to break, but I think the Body Stress Release treatment, along with yoga and even singing is helping. My dentist I formed me that my teeth are wearing down due to grinding my teeth. I had no idea, but now wear a mouth guard at night to protect what is left. The things we do to ourselves!
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Oh heck stomach well & truly screwed today & don't know what has caused it. Not eaten dairy, not eaten egg. Checked everything. Unless it's something hidden. It's the hidden stuff that I can't account for that's the worst. Whatever it was, I must have had a reasonable quantity of as reaction was quite long lasting. Settling down now.
Darn those ABs I had for pneumonia 18 years or so ago. Stomach been messed up ever since.
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Well having various blood tests done tomorrow. Says they may not show anything. Will only show up if there is a definite allergy. He told me many of these tests are a waste of time. However, he's prescribed peppermint capsules to use instead of immodium. Also suggested lactase enzymes. I'll need to check into that first though as didn't get on too well with them last time.
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Had my first injection she took my blood pressure after she had told me that there had been some deaths, it was high :o no wonder. I am not sure if I can make the commitment needed for this treatment especially when I read that it is not for anyone under five or over fifty.
http://www.allergy-clinic.co.uk/more-about-allergy/desensitization-immunotherapy/
Going to think about this and decide at my next appointment on Tuesday
I had to take antihistamine before the injection and do the peak flow test and then wait to see if there was a reaction, they said don't worry we have all the equipment for resuscitation at hand so don't wander off :o
I am beginning to think that this treatment is for people who are much worse then me.
Woke up with a panic attack last night the first for over three years, the worst worry for me was that my blood pressure was high that bothered me more then anything, I hate hospitals and have white coat syndrome, and the thought of going to one each week for 15 weeks and then every two weeks is putting me into a panic.
Not sure what to do at the moment.
Will post this in the "Allergies" thread too not sure if this is the right thread.
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Collected prescription for Colpermin capsules. It says to take when symptoms flare up, then stop once settled after 1 to 2 weeks. My symptoms settle within a day usually. Sorry maybe I'm thick. The way GP described it I could take for indigestion too, but that would be after food, yet supposed to take before food. He said better than taking immodium, but as I don't know when it's going to flare up........
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Colpermin can be bought over the counter. Cubagirl: I was told to take it within the hour of my main meals - it is used to ease wind high up and helped me enormously. Added to Motillium which I took with the Colpermin, I swallowed 3 small tablets 3 times a day. The combination saved my Life.
Colpermin however made me smell of peppermint when I did a pooh ;D ………
Give them a whirl? If they ease some symptoms you'll be on a winner ;) ……
Silverlady - you are probably stressed, understandably - so your BP will be raised before each injection. 'much worse than you' - subjective? See how you feel on Monday, go along on Tuesday and take a list of concerns with you?
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Just wanted send a :hug: to you Cubagirl and Silverlady - you have both been very kind to me on the forum.
It is difficult when hospitals hold bad memories and then you have to go along yourself.
Hattie X
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Silverlady, I have white coat syndrome too. Yesterday I was convinced GP would check my BP just for the h£#l of it! Started to panic, so did some breathing exercises. Today off to get bloods done in an hour. Told they'd need to take quite a bit for all the tests they're doing. Hope nurse doesn't do BP check before that!!! I really do sympathise with you.
Hugs to all you lovely ladies. :hug:
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You are all so lovely :-*
I have almost decided not to go ahead with the three year program, after reading the posts on the "allergy" thread lots of us have "Oral Allergy Syndrome" and it can be managed by avoidance once you know you have it and what foods and cross pollinated foods can cause reactions.
http://www.allergyuk.org/oral-allergy-syndrome/oral-allergy-syndrome
It seems that it is raw foods that are the problem mostly.
The injections that I am to have are for Birch sensitivity which involved injecting small amounts to start with and increasing until the immune system stops reacting to it.
I do have numerous air borne sensitivities, but they can only use immunology therapy for no more then two. I have read also that immunology is not suitable for people who have numerous sensitivities.
So who knows, you trust them to know what they are doing ::)
Hope it goes well for you cubagirl, I have had the blood tests for intolerances, the results are interesting, for me it came up with what I did know about and some I didn't.
What was more interesting that it showed up exactly some the same results, that I had about 20 years ago when I had tests at Holland&Barrret when the tester put a probe on the side of my thumb, the sort of test that is frowned on by sceptics.
Food for though so to speak :)
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I had the thumb one done many moons ago too. Test then showed dairy, yeast & beef. Dairy I knew about, yeast & beef not. I've continued to take things with yeast & don't eat much beef anyway, maybe once a week at most.
15 things being tested for this time. Some of them the usual others include CRP, IGA, BONE PROFILE, RAST, B12, COELIAC DISEASE. Will know in a week to 10 days.
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I hope you get a definitive answer CG. At least you would know what you were dealing with and what to avoid.
I'm surprised that your GP gave you Colpermin (sp). It does nothing for a case of the runs. My herbal drops are very good at that if you wanted to avoid meds. They are also an anti spasmodic so help with pain.
SL, I can understand why you would want to stop this treatment. Do you think you can manage to avoid everything that gives a reaction. Would you be able to get an Epipen for peace of mind if nothing else.
Honeyb
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Daughter said similar HB. GP said it would slow my gut down. Have to say on reading the blurb, I'm not sure he's given me correct stuff either. Fine if it's IBS, but symptoms don't add up. I don't get pain for a kick off, just sudden urge to go to loo. However, will see what transpires in next couple of weeks.
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I rarely get pain. Either slow transit or have to rush ::) - Colpermin eases upper gut wind ;)
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Well results came back for dairy, no allergy. GP wants to see me next week to discuss further. What should I be asking him? I understand allergy & intolerance are different, but not sure what to expect. Is he likely to send me for colonoscopy or some other examination? I've had barium tests done 3 times in the past, during early days of this intolerance & nothing was found. Also had to drink barium, which I'm really not prepared to do again, because of my gag reflex. It was truly awful.
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Allergy can be dangerous, intolerance can be background, intermittent, or a nuisance. Maybe a different diet?
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Diet changes have been in place for over 15 years. Dairy I already knew about, but it's not an allergy, it's an intolerance. Could have told him that. Problem is, it doesn't appear to be just dairy. Will probably have to work out myself, like last time.
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Also some companies alter the ingredients in food stuffs which can cause problems: [my cats knew ::) ] ………… are your intolerances seasonal at all?
I react to fresh onions …… I used to have heartburn when DH first began using fresh garlic but am OK now. Ginger can help the diet too! If my stomach is empty it can set up anxiety, odd feelings, slow transit ………. :kick: ……… I can't remember what starts off your symptoms …...
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No, not seasonal. Thought eggs were maybe a problem & took out of diet, but have eaten since & been fine. Read somewhere that it's sometimes what the hens are fed, but cannot find it now. Anxiety has always had me running, but this is different.
If I've accidentally eaten something with dairy, it's usually 1 to 2 days later I get grumblings, then after couple of hours off I run with the runs. Leaves me shattered when it's really bad.
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It can be draining. Onions take a few hours before they 'go through' and it's so fast, it's like having a 'trip' :sigh: ……… and I LOVE onions. I probably said before that I can't digest eggs i.e. boiled/poached/fried but in cooking - cakes, pancakes - I am OK.
Dairy can be oily = aggravation of gut. As can some nuts. Pizza ……… fresh tomatoes can set me off too so I try to take off the skins. Freshly roasted chicken can be oily and helps bowel movements the next morning.
Spicey foods however don't have any effect.
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Well saw GP today for final results. My tummy problems are intolerances only, yeah tell me something I don't know! Colpermin to be taken if necessary. If intolerance symptoms become problematic, then take more often.
All other tests were fine, in fact apparently my FBC was excellent. Bones are fine too. Anxiety I have said I'll deal with in my own way, as it's not bad enough to need treatment. I'm not wanting to take meds unless it gets really bad. My mum was on anxiety/depression meds for over 30 years & I'm not wanting that. My brother is like me that way. He goes off for a game of golf to de-stress, I will just do breathing exercises & pop Bach's rescue remedy pastilles.
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So nowt serious, nuisance value only. However ::) Colpermin is for upper gut wind ……. I took a capsule 2/3 times daily, when I had a poo the air smelt of peppermint ::)
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Thankfully, nowt serious CLKD. But always best checked as they say. It is a blooming nuisance, but as GP said nothing can be done to alleviate it, just watch diet. It's definitely more than dairy, but haven't sussed out what the other thing is yet. But if it's only an intolerance I'll just have to live with it, like many others.
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It is inconvenient though :-\ …….