Critical - multiple food allergies

Here's an interesting document you might want to read:

"Mast cell activation disease: a concise practical guide for diagnostic workup and therapeutic options"

It was just a thought. I'm not an expert. I just thought I'd mention it. Please do your own research, if you want to know more.

The H2 receptor antagonists are a class of drugs used to block the action of histamine on parietal cells in the stomach, decreasing the production of acid by these cells.

So yes and no. Less histamine, less acid in stomach, which decreases irritation and inflammation. But may cause ingestion problems and further histamine problems around the body. However it appears, at least in my case that inhibition of H2 in stomach causes less problems than by not inhibiting it. Lessor of two evils?

I also note that I never began taking Ranitidine until fairly late in the process, so none of my symptoms can be attributed to reducing H2.

BTW, isn't diamine oxidase a histamine inhibitor also, and thus possible leading to the exact same problems?

Rusty can't get Britts in the UK, very little here in the way of gluten free and then they think of a number and double it cost wise. The one I have is acceptable but not the best ingredient-wise, the last one I used they decided to add folic acid to???? so stopped using it.
I tried my making my own - that was a laugh back to shop bought, I sometimes buy organic rice cereal but usually can't be bothered in the mornings,and its very expensive too.

One thing I know is that stress causes mast cell degranulation. It is possible the fear of triggering a reaction is enough to set it off.

Sorry Mary. Got you confused with someone else who lives in Australia. Living in UK eh, there's your problem, lol. Yes the rice bread is expensive, but fairly heavy, so I use it less. Besides, my didactic preaching about failsafe aside, it is best to take it one step at a time. To follow failsafe is very difficult, especially for me/cfs patients. It took me a couple of months to sort out equivalents and where I could buy them. But it did give me a sense of purpose trying to track down the cheapest etc. Kept my mind off my health problems.

Regarding costs, I find that by not buying biscuits and drinks and sweets, etc, I end up spending less on food, even though I am spending more on bread and milk (only use organic). I should also only eat organic eggs. Some producers are now feeding their chickens dyes to color egg yolks.

Still I recommend going to the failsafe site, there will be UK equivalents. You can also order the Elimination Handbook from the Prince Alfred Hospital. Not expensive. They aren't in it to make money, just cover costs.

It's quite remarkable that a country like Australia, with access to so many whole foods, should have almost everything tainted with additives.

There is a good theory that the additives buildup in our bodies lead to the intolerances of the natural food chemicals, and until those additives and their effects are negated, our intolerances will not improve. The older you are, the higher the levels and the longer it will take to restore (that is if no other factor is involved).

Thanks, will read up and ask my GP tomorrow to do some tests.

adreno: whilst eating or trying food, am totally relaxed, meditate and have turned to bhuddism
Reciting bhuddist mantras which I found very useful in terms of not allowing stress thoughts
am seeing food as a life saving experience right now, which it is. When I react, I go on to the next
one hoping. I don't see food as a threat nor do I see my responses as the enemy.

I realize that stress and maladaptive behavior would worsen symptoms.

I also know that stress can trigger but not the cause.

Other than emotional responses there could be physiological stress
such as infections, or environmental.

Good point though.

nanoNug: good point there too. Could be both allergic reaction and some instances MCD?

No, it will be less stomach acid but way more histamine!

Enterochromaffin-like cells (ECL cells) are stimulated by (mostly) gastrin to release histamine. Gastrin is stimulated by food in the stomach but inhibited by presence of acid. If the parietal cells don't release acid, gastrin levels just rise. With higher levels of gastrin, more histamine is release. Therefore, what the H2 inhibitor is doing is forcing higher levels of histamine due to lack of feedback inhibition by acid.

Diamine oxidase is an enzyme responsible for the degradation of histamine. Some people take it with food to help degrade food amines. I take it on an empty stomach in the hope of getting it into the blood stream and degrade plasma histamine.

Not sure if you are suggesting an alternative to what I am doing at the moment. If I don't take the H2 inhibitor, I can't digest food. My stomach is full in the morning. In addition the reflux would rip my throat out. I have a hiatus hernia which doesn't help. I also won't be able to sleep without the rani.

As I said, all of my symptoms began more than a decade before I began taking Rani. They have not really worsened since taking it, but rather improved considerably. I would love to be off Rani for the reasons you stated.

I am already on the methylation protocol but not taking the DO. I will give it a try, but from what you are saying it treats plasma histamine.

I might, but I need a little bit more info.

This is the opposite of what I would expect. Acid helps food get digested. No acid helps food stay in the stomach.

Two questions:

1. Do you have biopsy-confirmed gastritis?
2. Have you been tested for Helicobacter pylori infection?

Indeed, it doesn't. Have you thought about surgery? Personally, I would not want to just "manage it"!

Diamine oxidase's primary function is to get rid of histamine in food. However, I am using the enzyme in a different manner as my problem is not associated with exogenous histamine.

I think the bracelet and the pendant work the same.
Naet is not rocket science. You can try it at home. Just hold the allergen with one hand laying down on your front whilst somebody else massages/stimulates both sides of your spine.
This is repeated three times. First after inhaling and holding your breath, then exhale and hold your breath and thirdly by panting like a puppy.
Then you repeat that again by holding the allergen with your hand against your forehead.
After that hold the allergen in your hand for about 15-20 minutes whilst relaxing. At the end rub your hands. After that avoid any contact with the allergen for at least 24 hours.
There are other twists but those are the basics.
Alternatively you can place the allergen in your navel while tapping relevant meridian points. may be worth a try.

I had bought the pendant hoping it would help with fatigue but I could not wear it. It made me kind of hyper and uncomfortable and thought it might be something psychological. So it ended up in a drawer and I forgot about it.
When the MCS later hit me, my doc mentioned that things that could help were usually things that would calm the autonomic nervous system/brain stem possibly acupuncture and other I don't remember.

One day at the peak of my crisis, and feeling quite desperate, as I was clearing that drawer I saw the pendant and the accompanying leaflet where it mentioned something about its actions on the nervous system.
That connected with what my doc had said so I wore it that night. For the the first time in weeks I could sleep but the next day I woke up shattered, all my muscles feeling like jelly and feeling weird. So I took it off. The following day, I tried to eat and had a really horrible reaction so I wore it again. Within half an hour I could feel the reaction subsiding. I took it off and felt it worsening and so back on again and felt easier. I tried this a few times as I couldn't believe it could do that.

Note that reactions did not went away, they were just more bearable and which it allowed me to eat.
Also note that I did not have tingling rather palpitations, seizures and feeling like I was going to die.
Now that I'm relatively well, I can't tell the difference between wearing it and not, it doesn't seem to do anything.

All the best

If its any help to anyone for food reactions (obviously not for those serious enough to need medical help) Break/spear advocate tri salts and vit c every hour until the reaction subsides, I used this method after the last attack I had and it does work.

Yes, the only salt I can tolerate right now is Himalayan Salts, not Vit C though.

I also read that bicarbonate of soda can help specially during anaphylaxis. Need
to read more on that.

I came across this protocol which looks interesting, based on supps such as TMG:

http://restoreunity.org/natural_method_antihistamine.htm

I have read other of other posters with the same complaint, so it is not uncommon on this forum.

I was treated for Helicobacter and ulcer, then cleared of it by biopsy, at the same time they should have checked for gastritis I guess. At time still had problems of slow clearing of stomach and reflux. Not sure if this is definitive, or it can come back. I do not have an ulcer, and I read that many people have H without ill effect.

I recall talking to the biopsy people about my problems and they indicated it was a recognized issue. They did not know the cause and could suggest no treatment.

Surgery would not solve bloating/slow clearing issues which in itself prevents me from sleeping, and I have read of quite a few dissatisfied stories with the surgery.

This is precisely how I react as well. IT is MCS. I am certain of it. These kinds of reactions developed when I hit the spreading stage of MCS.

So, you had an upper endoscopy and your stomach was fine? No ulcers and no H. pylori?

If you had gastritis, I am pretty sure they would have told you. Did they tell you to continue to take an antacid medication?

So, you still had problems after clearing the H. pylori infection?

In my case, it took me a year and four rounds of antibiotics to get rid of it. The thing might still come back, though! I also had to take antibiotics to get rid of bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine.

Are you talking about gastroparesis?

OK, bloating is a different beast. Have you been tested for bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine or parasites? Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth may cause both bloating and gastroparesis (in this latter case, if it slows down motility.)

Yes to the problems after clearance of Helico. I recall now they suggested going gluten-free (I tested negative for celiac), but positive to an allergy test to gluten. When I went off gluten my gall bladder vomitting episodes disappeared and I did get some relief with bloating and reflux, but other food intolerances built up and bloating and reflux increased. Oddly enough when I went back onto gluten my gall bladder episodes came back. Ultrasound showed stones. Went back to gluten free and haven't had an issue there.

As soon as you mentioned small intestine halfway thru your post, I realised that was one avenue that had possibilities, then you asked the question yourself. Thanks for your concise responses, btw. I went a little post crazy, yesterday - went till three am, then couldn't get to sleep, before I had to go to work (just a couple of hours) - so I was a little wired.

If I have small intestinal aliens, do you have any thoughts on why would rani helps? I have made an appt with GP to investigate further, though I am a little worried he may not be all that interested or informed. I am a little puzzled that this wasn't investigated when I complained about continuing symptoms to the endoscopy people (not sure if there is a division of work rule between them and colonoscopy mob, lol).

To be honest, I am still at a loss in understanding how an H2 inhibitor would help. However, if you have bloating issues it would probably be a good idea to suspect either small intestinal bacterial overgrowth or parasitic infection. Both have the potential to cause bloating. One possibility would be to blast your bowel with high-dosage rifaximin for two weeks and see if the bloating goes way. If you tend to have constipation, neomycin in addition to rifaximin would be warranted. If treatment with antibiotics doesn't help, then going after parasites would probably be a good idea.