Pollen Food Allergy Syndrome

I had my follow up appointment with the Allergy Specialist. I find doctors so frustrating! Why can they not give you the information you are looking for!

After a long chat about allergy related issues (mostly his story and his grandmother's story) he says well there were three things that did come up on the Skin Prick Test (most did not react at all due to medication... as I was told after the test!)

Orange and Orange allergy can be because of a LTP Allergy. Other things in the list of LTP (Lipid Transfer Protein) are Kiwi, Peach/Plum/Nectarine/Apricot, Green Beans, Apple, Hazelnut, Tomato, Corn, Cherry & all types of Melon.

Ragweed Pollen with related allergies to Curcurbitaceae (cucumber, zucchini), all types of Melons & Bananas.

Dust mite allergy he didn't say much on.

Suggested staying off these foods for a week and then testing the ones that I am not sure of (as opposed to the ones I know I am allergic to being Orange, Kiwi, Green Beans, Apple & Corn)

Being the Researcher that I am. I came home and promptly spent hours on the computer researching LTP Allergy, Ragweed Allergy & Dust mite Allergy.

I find it interesting that in trying to discover the cause of my food related allergies I have said to the doctors I have been to that I am not so worried about the Hay Fever type allergies as them I can live with. Seems I was wrong and oddly they did not think to correct me! It is typical for Pollen type Allergies to Cross-React with Fruits and Vegetables sometimes referred to as Pollen Food Allergy Syndrome. This is well documented. There is also a specific although expensive blood test for these allergies - this I was not told either!

I have been reading many many Medical Papers from all around the world and info from many Allergy Specialists. I will try to give an over view of what I have read as well as providing links to articles should you like to read them yourself. I am sure there are many other frustrated allergy people out there whom this would relate to!

Click here to read more on Multi Allergies & Pollen Food Allergy Syndrome

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Allergies!

My Sister & I in Fancy Dress!

Camping with the aid of Cow Skulls

Floating in the Dam with Julie

Cow & Old Wagon in the Hay Barn

Uncle Bill & Dad at Dip Yards

My pet Calf Sharnie

Allergies! The most frustrating and inconvenient of things!

Ever since I was a very young girl just starting school I have had stomach issues. My Dad's paternal Grandmother had a disagreeable stomach and it seems to be a common occurrence in her family line. Anything from mild to severe Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Food Intolerance's & Allergies & Celiac Disease. I am fascinated with Genetics but I do prefer the more favourable attributes!

I grew up on a Dairy Farm but my Father and His Father and Uncle, all Dairy Farmer's, did not drink milk! When I was somewhere around 6-8 years old I took myself off milk as well as it just made me feel so ill. Gradually over the years my Dairy intake lessened. I still was having regular bouts of IBS sometimes quite severe to the almost passing out point. It always left me exhausted. Along the way I learned different things that seemed to either help or hinder.

When I was married and my babies were born, they all came home from hospital as the most happy content little Angels, feeding and sleeping happily. Until the two week mark where the Lactose content of Breast Milk takes a dramatic upward spiral and then suddenly I had not so happy babies who screamed and pulled their little legs up in pain and did not sleep well! Not so fun! Not knowing this information in the time before Internet, I struggled through. It was not until my fourth baby girl that a very helpful Chemist told me this info and handed me some lovely little 'Miracle' drops that broke the Lactose sugar down into more soluble sugars that were easier to digest. I thanked God for her knowledge! This made such a difference with a much happier baby and Mummy too.
Click this link for more information Lactaid Drops

There were not so many options for Dairy free back then and it was difficult with four young girls who were all Lactose Intolerant at best and possibly whole milk Intolerant. I just avoided dairy as much as possible and chose lower lactose when possible. The girls were on soy milk for a while until it became evident that this was maybe not such a good choice for children. Now there are much better options available.

As for me I continued to struggle along. Eventually after a few hospital trips I was given an anti-spasmodic that helped stop the episodes from progressing to the hospitalization point. I still always have them with me. This however did not help to treat the problem only the symptom.

Since my Kidney Disease become a prominent part of my life, my Allergies have become much worse. At one point I was breaking out in hives with every couple of days adding more itchy red lumps. I took myself off to the Health Food Shop to get some testing done, though I'm not real sure about this type of testing it did reveal a few things that I promptly avoided and the hives did settle down. But as before this was not a real fix. I just seem to be getting more sensitive to Allergens. A few years later I went and had some 'skin prick' Allergy testing and blood test done which again revealed quite a few more troublesome foods. That seemed to be the best testing but I was still not confident in the Dr. I have recently found a Immunologist & Allergy Specialist who seems to know his stuff so am hopeful for a few more answers.

Dairy at front, Hay Barn & our old Farm House at back

Right now my Allergies are Gluten/Grains including Rice & Corn, Legumes including Green Beans, Green Peas, Guar Gum, Carob, Soy & Peanuts, Pork, Prawns & Shellfish, Strawberries, Pineapple, Kiwi Fruit, Oranges, Linseed/Flaxseed, Cabbage, Asparagus, Sulphur, Sulphites, Benzoates, Vinegar, Latex as well as the Dairy Intolerance.


Some things I am super sensitive to and it only takes an accidental cross contamination to put me back for weeks and and to a lesser extent months!



In blogs to come I will share some of my Multi-Allergy Cooking experiences and recipes and blogs I have found helpful!

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