The Body Chronic: testing

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Really?!? No food allergies, huh?

Round two of The Forced Allergy Experiment took place this morning with about 48 more pricks in the back. I tested positive for the mold with the interdermal tests (more sensitive). But I did not test positive for any food items.

Now I'm at a fork in the road. I was kind of hoping we'd find a food allergen that was causing stomach problems and we could rule out IBS. I was just not looking forward to another chronic and misunderstood illness. With food allergies you can explain them away pretty easily. It's harder telling someone that your bowels don't like to color inside the lines.

But I guess the food allergy...or should I say food intolerance...experiment is not really over. There is a difference between food allergies and food intolerances. The symptoms are different and seeing as I've rarely had a wheezing fit over food (other than curry, which I don't think they tested), it shouldn't be a shock that I don't have a food allergy. In fact, very few people have true food allergies.

Food allergies cause:

Rash or hives
Nausea
Stomach pain
Diarrhea
Itchy skin
Shortness of breath
Chest pain
Swelling of the airways to the lungs
Anaphylaxis

Food intolerance causes:

Nausea
Stomach pain
Gas, cramps or bloating
Vomiting
Heartburn
Diarrhea
Headaches
Irritability or nervousness

And maybe since the IBS symptoms are so akin to food intolerance symptoms, I may never know. What an discomforting thought.

In any event, the experiment is over. I was put on a new daily inhaler for my asthma and Singulair in addition to Allegra for good. We'll see how this works out. But in the meantime, my stomach rages on.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Allergy Testing: Round One

I am officially allergic to:

ragweeds of almost every variety
trees of many varieties including birch trees
grasses of many varieties including "Timothy" grass which is very common around here and is pictured above
cats
dogs
dustmites (like extremely allergic)

Round 1 of the testing was pretty simple. They did a baseline lung function test for my asthma. Then they pricked me 48 times in the back which, although it sounds rough, was actually not that bad--it felt like someone tapping you with a ballpoint pen. Only then it started to itch. Afterwards my back was red and itchy and looked like I had been bitten by a bunch of mosquitoes. Nothing much. I can take singulair (which the doc gave me samples of) now, but I must wait until after next Tuesday to take any antihistimines as we are doing the food panel and a more indepth mold panel that day.

Overall the experience was nondescript and not evasive. Of course, these weren't the big worries for me. The food panel was. But I'll have to wait a bit longer for that. (They need the reaction on your back to go down to do another set of tests--so since it's Wednesday, Tuesday was more than enough time.)

I can't tell if the singulair is totally helping--i'm still itchy (not just my back, but all over) but i'm not as congested.

Just another day in The Body Chronic.

Chronic Glossary

Note: The information on this site is intended to create a support network amongst those living with chronic illness and/or pain and their loved ones and friends. It is not meant to be nor should it be used as an alternative to medical advice.

celiac disease--Celiac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have celiac disease cannot tolerate a protein called gluten, found in wheat, rye, and barley.

chronic fatigue syndrome----CFIDS is characterized by incapacitating fatigue (experienced as profound exhaustion and extremely poor stamina) and problems with concentration and short-term memory. It is also accompanied by flu-like symptoms such as pain in the joints and muscles, unrefreshing sleep, tender lymph nodes, sore throat and headache. A distinctive characteristic of the illness is post-exertional malaise, a worsening of symptoms following physical or mental exertion occurring within 12-48 hours of the exertion and requiring an extended recovery period.

chronic headaches/migraines--By definition, chronic daily headaches must occur at least 15 days a month, for more than three months. The signs and symptoms vary depending on the specific subtype: chronic migraines, chronic tension-type headache, new daily persistent headache and hemicrania continuua.

fibromialgia-- Signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia can vary, depending on the weather, stress, physical activity or even the time of day. Common signs and symptoms include:widespread pain, fatigue and sleep disturbances, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), headaches and facial pain, heightened sensitivity. It's common for people with fibromyalgia to report being sensitive to odors, noises, bright lights and touch.

insulin resistance--Insulin resistance and pre-diabetes usually have no symptoms. You may have one or both conditions for several years without noticing anything. If you have a severe form of insulin resistance, you may get dark patches of skin, usually on the back of your neck. Sometimes people get a dark ring around their neck. Other possible sites for these dark patches include elbows, knees, knuckles, and armpits. This condition is called acanthosis nigricans.

interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome--Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a condition that results in recurring discomfort or pain in the bladder and the surrounding pelvic region. Symptoms may include an urgent need to urinate (urgency), a frequent need to urinate (frequency), or a combination of these symptoms. Pain may change in intensity as the bladder fills with urine or as it empties. Women's symptoms often get worse during menstruation. They may sometimes experience pain with vaginal intercourse.

irritable bowel syndrome --Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder characterized most commonly by cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea. IBS causes a great deal of discomfort and distress, but it does not permanently harm the intestines and does not lead to a serious disease, such as cancer. Most people can control their symptoms with diet, stress management, and prescribed medications. For some people, however, IBS can be disabling. They may be unable to work, attend social events, or even travel short distances.

pelvic floor dysfunction--Pelvic floor dysfunction, or obstructed defecation, results when the external anal sphincter and/or puborectalis muscles do not relax appropriately when defecation is initiated. People with pelvic floor dysfunction strain excessively in a feeble attempt to eliminate stool from the rectum.

polycystic ovarian syndrome-- If you have polycystic ovary disease, you are likely to have some of the following symptoms: Abnormal, irregular, or very light or infrequent menstrual periods; Absent periods, usually (but not always) after having one or more normal menstrual periods during puberty (secondary amenorrhea); Acne that gets worse; Decreased breast size; Development of male sex characteristics (virilization), such as increased body hair, facial hair, a deepening of the voice, male-pattern baldness, and enlargement of the clitorus. Diabete; Increased hair growth; body hair may be in a male pattern; Infertility; Poor response to the hormone, insulin (insulin resistance), leading to a build-up of insulin in the blood; Weight gain.

vulvodynia--The International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease (ISSVD) defines Vulvodynia as chronic vulvar discomfort or pain, characterized by burning, stinging, irritation or rawness of the female genitalia in cases in which there is no infection or skin disease of the vulva or vagina causing these symptoms. Burning sensations are the most common, but the type and severity of symptoms are highly individualized. Pain may be constant or intermittent, localized or diffuse.

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Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Really?!? No food allergies, huh?

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Allergy Testing: Round One

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