Got (food) Allergies?
New IgG/IgE results are in… IgG results are looking better than ever; but, IgE results are worrisome. And because of that, we can kiss the easy life of GFCFSFEF goodbye. We’ve gotta add some more letters to that string… Now it’s more like:
GFCFSFEFBFSFCFBYFPFPFPBFNFRF
gluten, casein, soy, egg, beef, shrimp, corn, baker’s yeast, pork, peas, pinto beans, nuts, chicken, and rice free. Whew, that’s a mouthful!
Shrimp?!? Shrimp!?!? Oh Lord, not the shrimp! O.M.G… RICE?? Corn??
It’s okay, I’m just having my initial shock response. I’ll be fine in the morning. I’ll have a plan and I’ll make up some new recipes. Charlie will still be the best fed kid around. And he’ll still be happy. ‘Cause that’s how he rolls dog… happiness above all else.
Damn, my recipes are about to get very interesting (for lack of a better word). Stay tuned, I’m still trying to figure all of this out. I wonder if he is allergic to bumble bee wings and fairy dust…
September 5th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
OK, breath in …. and breath out…
Are the additional ones actually IgE allergies or IgG’s? I pray that you got the IgE/IgG thing mixed up, as if they are all truly IgE’s, then yes, they’re gonna have to go.
Assuming that the *list* are IgG ones, then let’s talk.. my boys have a lot of the same allergies. We can talk off line if you prefer. Are all of these full blown, highest category responses, or do you have a bunch of +1’s. As the +1’s we can rotate at once a week (that’s what I do).
September 5th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Petra, Petra, Petra, oh wise one…
The allergies are IgE (the IgG’s have actually improved with very few anomalies popping up this time). Mostly they are +1’s; several are borderlines, a couple are +2’s. I was told that anything causing a reaction should be pulled and then slowly added back in down the road. The theory being that even a slight reaction could cause behavioral issues, and discomfort (especially being that Charlie seems to have headaches and migraines with every allergen he is exposed to), so why put him through that if I can remove the problem (temporarily).
Having said that, still… I like your plan better… only because (and I can’t believe I’m going to say this) it’s easier. I know, I know. It’s a horrible thing to say, horrible. I love my son and I will take away whatever needs to be taken away…. BUT, if I don’t really need to take the item away, just control his exposure… well, I’d be game and he’d be a hell of a lot more happy NOT losing all that stuff from his diet.
There is the matter of corn though. I’ve been considering removing corn for a couple of months. I’ve narrowed his intake down to NonGMO products (the majority anyway). But, the experts say corn can be as problematic as soy to some kids…
I guess I have some research to do and some talking to the doc. I need to do what is best for Charlie, regardless of cost (just restocked the old GFCFSFEF pantry.. of course I did), and effort involved. Whatever it takes, no matter how difficult, no matter what – just want to get my son feeling better.
I will email you regarding this, I do have some questions for you. Thanks, as usual, for the very useful information… you’re a freakin’ walking ASD encyclopedia! We should get you published!
September 5th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
Anything I can do to help, just name it.
Re: corn, all I can say is that that one WILL have to go. Corn is so hard on the gut, especially Charlie’s gut. And for Potatey, for whom corn did NOT show up on either IgG or IgE.. well, removal of corn was HUGE in the GI department.
On the +1s, I kinda agree that everything that shows up can potentially be a BIG problem. BUT if you end up completely pulling this many foods, and while Charlie’s gut is still the way it is, then what will be your guarantee that the foods you still have left (of which Charlie then will be eating more, as well as more frequent) will not become a problem??? Plus another thing to keep in mind is that sometimes the +1s are not really the actual food that you’re reacting to, but a weird cross reaction of the immune system (case in point; Potatey’s results showed allergies to, are you sitting down, garlic, ginger, clove, nutmeg, pepper and a whole bunch of other spices. Nutmeg??? I think not.. I think crazy wacked out immune system cross reaction. So I knew I needed to work on calming his immune system down as well…in addition to removing irritants..)
MY biggest fear when I realized that there were at least 33 foods that had to go between both boys (and then I am NOT counting the ones that did not show up on IgE or IgG but where I noticed problems after the boys eat them.. like pinto beans, quinoa, sweet potato, rhubarb and a few other odds and ends), was that I was going to create an allergy to the foods that were left as a result of increased consumption.
So paranoid little me right from the get go tried to get to a 4 (and now 7) day rotation on all starches first, and then I worked in a rotation on the +1s that I really could not pull (like for example rice.. as I hardly have any starches left, and I cannot do a high protein diet like SCD due to ammonia processing issues). At least that way, as there are certain foods the boys only get every 7 days, I can see if a particular food is starting to become a problem…
Do I make sense?
Yes, setting up a diet plan like that is a TON of work.. and I drove myself almost insane trying to get it right (as in rotation right).
But after almost 4 years with Salamander and almost 2 years with Potatey we’re in a routine. The best part of a 7 day rotation plan? No arguing over food. The boys know that, for example, Thursday is potato day (as their main starch), so they know that they don’t even have to TRY and ask me to make them a rice dish. As it’s a no go…
And please don’t feel guilty about going the ‘let’s limit exposure’ vs ‘total elimination’ route. Charlie HAS to eat. And you have to keep your sanity. And I am sure that Dr. K has many tricks up his sleeve to get Charlie’s gut in better shape in addition to any and all dietary changes (he’d better!!!)
Email me.. and we’ll sort this out..
September 6th, 2008 at 10:25 am
Yes, yes, yes! I completely agree! I’ve always said I believe most of these “allergies” are not allergies at all; but immune system responses. Most times I just pull them for a bit and then slowly add them back in – so far that has worked.
I recognized that the more we eliminate foods from our kids diets, which in turn increases intake of what few foods are left, that we are (potentially) setting the kids up for responses to those few foods… and if we keep that up, what would they be left with.. right?
And I can name plenty of allergies that have popped up that I’ve said, “No way is that real – it’s an anomaly.” And I was right each time as the next time around there was no response at all – but new responses to new things.
As you know, Charlie is like your boys in the sense that he also cannot do a high protein diet due to ammonia issues; therefor it is important that I be able to keep starches in the rotation.
I need to get on a schedule similar to the one you have the boys on – each day means a different food – as you said, Thursday is potato day (as the main starch).
I’m emailing you right now… so many questions.