Im reacting to rice, what the heck do i eat now!!

[BassistKara]

Along with the known yeast allergy, wheat/gluten intolerance...Ive been on a low fructose diet as my dietitian suspects i may have fructose malabsorption, which means i have been eating meat again, and had to try eggs, which was the worse reaction to something i have ever had!
But i have noticed everytime i eat rice, either by itself or in ready made products, i get really short of breath and get muscle aches too....Which is really really worrying as i am having enough trouble eating at the moment as it is!
I was just wondering if anyone had any advice on how the heck to cut rice out of my diet(whist i wait for my dietitian to call back), and what things i could substitute for it and all that, as i have absolutely no idea where to start as everything seems to contain it!

[lorka]

try buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth, teff... they are all healthier, anyway. i'm allergic to rice and buckwheat, and have never had an issue eating other grains. just think outside the box!
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If you're hungry, I'd love your support!

[mrsppmrxky]

I m sorry that you are having such a horrid time with the allergies!

I may list something that you can't have, but over look that one and go on to the next. Lorka listed some really good ones.

I use millet, sorghum. I haven't tried coconut flour and we can't use corn flour, but those would be good for fiber and helping to bind together. My DD uses Almond meal a lot to cook with.

if you can't use eggs, somewhere on here in the last month is a thread for egg replacements. I made a cake for a lady that her son could not have eggs. I subbed with the flax meal. The cake did not rise much, but it tasted really good.

Your reaction to the rice really bothers me! Shortness of breath is not something to play around with. You might want to go and see an allergist and have some extensive testing done. He also might want to RX you and EPI pen to have on hand 'just in case'.

Stay well!
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[BassistKara]

Thanks for the replies, i just went and picked up some buckwheat and millet flour, so heres hoping i dont react!
Mrsp- I just found a bunch of different things to try for different uses for eggs in recipes, so im kinda good on that front!
And ive been their done that with the allergist, the first guy i saw was really good, was going to get me an epipen and do really extensive testing, then the next time i go back i end up seeing a different doctor(damn public hospital system!), and he just said to me point blank, after i had no reactions to the food skin prick tests that "We have no proof of any allergies, its all psychological, and you are obviously depressed and need medication and counselling". Despite the fact i had a letter from the hospital stating "Acute angiodema and urticaria" from the pumpkin soup incident, since when has psych issues caused lip, tongue, general facial swelling and hives so itchy ive got scars on my arms from scratching! Since i ate the rice saturday night, i felt like ive had the flu, and the whole blocked ear/off balance thing is back too!...I just feel like im going around in circles....Oh and i couldnt even get any almond milk because the shop(yes just a normal supermarket, the only thing open this time of night!) only had ones which had rice syrup in them! Why on earth does milk need rice syrup?!?! AHHHHHHHH! Sorry, im just majorly frustrated by all this!

[nancw]

I understand your frustration with not being able to eat rice or rice products. I am reactive to rice per IgG testing (delayed allergy).
I suggest that you limit your grain intake right now. It may be too much for your system. It sounds extreme but it's the only thing that has helped me deal with multiple allergies/intols and keep my system somewhat balanced. Meat, eggs, fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds- whatever you can tolerate.
Oh yeah, rice syrup is in so many GF items - that's one reason why I'm eating almost all basic foods - nothing processed.
Is there any way you can get back to the original allergist you saw or seek out a gastro who "gets" food allergies?
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Nance

gluten, dairy, soy, rice, corn, yeast and 99% grain-free

[mrsppmrxky]

Honey, I can so identify with you on this! when we were trying to figure out what all was sending MrP over the edge I thought that we WOULD lose our minds!

After a while, many drs. do think that you are a nut job who enjoys sitting in waiting rooms for hours on end and spending money. (Makes you wonder who really is the 'whacko'. LOL)

Keep the faith! I hope that you are keeping a food journal and making sure to keep a list of the reactions you have to certain foods. You need to carry this with you at all times.

Dr.K, our PCP, said that if MrP ended up in the hospital, that he didn't know what we would do because of all of the chemical, food, and additives to medications.

If you have such severe reactions to foods with tongue swelling and shortness of breath, then you need to make sure those are in your wallet so that emergency workers could hopefully not give you something that will make it worse.


You might want to try making some chicken soup with cabbage in it to help clear out your system. (If you can have those ingredients of course.)

I hope you feel better soon!
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[HadassahSukkot]

aww, big hugs to you!!

I second the reccommendation to drop some of the grains and go on a repair diet of meats, fruits and veggies. Before I knew for certain I was pregnant, and two months after we knew for certain, I had some major issues digesting and handling a lot of our GF grains, and I have no issues with any of them... I just would get sick..

I kept telling my DH (who needs bread at least a couple times a week like every good German ) that it was the baby that was making me sick.. I had to even go off of meat for a while and just let things pan out on their own!

I can have some breads now, but some are still making me icky-sticky.

MrsP is right too. Take it in stride, and when you see your GP or Dietitian ask and see if you can get your allergy testing done by BLOOD TEST since they did it by skin. More often than not, if you have a reaction, it will show up there more readily than it will on your skin. Some things just don't react the same dermatologically.

I had asked my MIL about having my Husband tested again for some of his childhood allergies since he tends to eat so much dairy and certain fruits and has started gaining weight again + having skin reactions (which he swears is due to his clorine allergy due to our water being treated but it looks like a combination of ezcema and DH!), and she suggested having both the skin and blood test. After checking behind her (she's a nurse and has been over 25 yrs) and doing my own research, I have to agree - if he is going to pop positive, those are the two least invasive ways other than a food diary to find out what it is causing it.

Log everything you eat, from that tiny seed to each spice and what brand - to the big meals. You may even want to put where to find the recipe in case you have to identify a small ingredient in it... and eventually you'll figure out what all it is either with or without the doctor or dietitian or allergist's help.


don't play around though when it comes to chest pains, throat/tongue/mouth swelling and breathing problems... that is dangerous territory!
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[Fidissimus]

I understand still wanting some carbs in your diet too. Baked potatoes are awesome as is soy pasta or bean flour based pastas and breads. Bob's Red Mill makes a lot of mixes with NO rice flour (bless them), though I'm not sure about their yeast content.

I'm sorry for the struggle (I just axed rice from my diet a month ago) it's hard at first but once you get your new staples in place it's much smoother sailing. You'll do fine!
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Cheers!
Jenn

GF BD: Feb. 2001
Free of wheat, barley, rye, oats, rice, dairy, eggs, almonds, pineapple and brewers yeast.
http://graindamaged.blogspot.com/

[BassistKara]

Wow, thanks for all the support everyone!

Nance- Limiting my grain intake at the moment is a good idea, but im not that sure i could survive, as i have to also try a low fructose or even fructose free diet at the moment too. Well the original allergist i saw has apparently left the hospital, and according to the new doc he "doesnt know what he is doing as he is just a registrar!". But i guess i should try the gastro doc path, i really liked the one who did my endoscopy's, so i'll speak to my GP and go see him, the day of the scopes he even said "It seems like irritable bowel, but it would be better to know if certain foods cause it!", so i could be on to something with him!!

Mrsp- Im far beyond the point of them thinking im a nutjob, one even said i probably had Munchausen's!! I feel like an idiot now coz i havent been keeping a food journal, i'll start on it right away! Those bad reactions scare me so bad, i think i may talk to my GP about and epipen, just incase. I wish their was a compound chemist around me, ive got the worst sinus headache from not being able to take the antihistamines! I'll start keeping a list of my known reaction causing foods in my wallet, can never be too careful! Chicken soup sounds great, minus the cabbage, makes me too gassy! Not sure what to about the stock for it though, as they all have stuff i cant eat in them!

Hadassah- Thanks for the hugs, i sure need one at moment!! I have quite a few of the Blood tests, for Wheat, Soy, Banana's, and 2 or 3 others i cant recall, the only one that was positive was Yeast. And plus through my GP medicare only covers 4 of those tests a year, otherwise its about $400 to get even just a few done. Im thinking i may have to save up the cash and get it done! I know i'll figure it out eventually, its just im very impatient in general, and getting sick everytime you eat is rather frustrating lol! And yep i know the chest pain and swelling is dangerous, its just the docs who seem to just put it down to anxiey!

Fidissimus- I'm about to try sweet potatoes today, as asked by my dietitian, she said try sweet potatoes, as new potatoes give me shortness of breath. Not sure what the difference is but anyways! Not sure if Bob's Red Mill is distributed here in Australia, but if they do i'll check for yeast and all that and definatly get some!

[mrsppmrxky]

For the chicken stock......just boil the chicken with salt and a few spices. If you can tolerate the following, throw a few carrots, celery, and an onion in there.

The cabbage does make one 'gasey', but those tend to 'heal' if you are not allergic to it.

From now on, when you have a whole chicken, pick it pretty clean and then boil the bones.......it makes a wonderful broth that you can freeze in containers or even ice cube trays and then into ziplock bags.

You can also boil beef if you can tolerate that to make up your own stock.

My husband can not tolerate anything in the pepper family.

If I am not mistaken aren't tomato and potato in the same nightshade family along with eggplant? That might be what you have trouble with.

Are you allergic to banana? You sound like you really have some salicylate problems. (natural sulfa from veggies and fruits.)

With your gut being so 'irritated' for the time being, you need to take it down to as basic of a bland diet as you can tolerate.

How about peeled pears?

If you can't locate milk that you need without rice in it, there are sites that you can locate that tell you how to make your own milk form almonds or whatever. Here, I notice HEMP milk that is GF. Hazlenut milk, I didn't look to see if it was rice free, but I remember looking at those for someone else that needed something nut free.

Can you tolerate corn? If so, polenta.........or a mush hot cereal can be made from corn flour.

If you make a list of EVERYTHING that you can think that you need to avoid, and post it, maybe we can scratch our heads and come up with something that will work for a week or two to help you heal over this latest flare.
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[BassistKara]

Thanks for the stock info Mrsp! Definatly going to try the boiling the bones thing and then freezing it, saves making it up everytime i need it!!
Im not up to eating beef yet, up until last week i was vegan for 4 1/2 years prior, so chicken and fish are where its at right now lol!

Interesting you mentioned the eggplant and tomatoes and potatoes being in the same family, i react to eggplant too, but can have a tiny little bit of tomato paste, not fresh tomatoes, on some things, anymore than about a teaspoon and it sets me off!

Im not allergic to banana, and the RAST test was negative, but i sure do react to it, unbearable stomach pains, followed by the big D and foggy headedness....Im having a hydrogen breath test on the 29th of Feb to test for Fructose Malabsorption, and if thats negative, i think the dietitian is going to focus on the salicylates thing...But either way, fruits and vegies are the main culprit now, but i can manage to eat spinach and lettuce thankfully!

Pears are totally out, as are grapes...the last time i had grapes i got major dizziness, lost my hearing for a bit, blacked out, had unbearable stomach pains(im talking in tears and shaking from it), and vomiting.

Thanks for the milk info too...i think i may have to invest in a good food processor, coz my mums old one im using couldnt handle almonds lol!

Yep a little bit of corn is alright now, i havent tried corn by itself, like corn on the cob or anything, but corn thins i can tolerate.

I'll try and make up a list of all the foods later on today!

[HadassahSukkot]

Kara, you sound like you have some of the problems my MIL has with fruits!

She's not GF, so I have an interesting time when I make things remembering what she can and can't have, since I've gotten so used to figuring out what I can have, and whether or not recipes I can have are ones MrsP can convert for MrP or not.

She can't have nuts, bananas (severely allergic), citrus (incl tomatos and grapes), most cheeses...

I'm still not certain which veggies she can and can't have.

You may want to take the diet down really bland for now like everyone suggested and just take it super slow. As my sister used to say 'what do I do now? Lick a tree? ' - but when you have reactions this badly, you do have to go really slow.

I got into some stuff when I was on my honeymoon and it took a LONG time to bounce back. I took to down pretty bland there for a bit, and I got sick again the first two months I was preggers, so I had to go to a bland almost vegan diet then, as everything was setting me off, and the sinus infection I had wasn't helping matters either.

You may want to check out these sites, as it does sound like Salicylates!

http://www.webmd.com/allergies/guide/salicylate-allergy
http://www.salicylatesensitivity.com/
http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/06/02/08/what_are_salicylates_could_salicylates_be_zapping_your_energy_and_making_you_feel_ill.htm
http://www.zipworld.com.au/~ataraxy/Salicylates_list.html
http://www.safekids.co.uk/AllergiesSalicylatesChildren.html
http://eklhad.net/foods/foods9.html
http://www.foodsmatter.com/Conditions/Allergy%20and%20Intolerance/Sal.%20Intol.html

I dunno if this will or won't help you, but I found it via google and it's in Australia: http://www.cs.nsw.gov.au/rpa/Allergy/resources/foodintol/booklets.cfm
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[BassistKara]

Just thought id say first of all, as of last night i now cant have corn!! Ive been up all night vomiting and also got the big D, and now ive got all those flu-like symptoms back as well!

Yep im just doing the really really bland diet now, as well as keeping a food/symptom diary, which helped me realise it was the corn!
I'll mention the salicylates to my dietitian when i speak to her later about the corn reaction and see what she says....Im just getting to the stage now where i want to just stop eating again because im so scared of the reactions. But doing what i did last time and not eating for 2 weeks isnt going to do me any favours!!
Thanks for those links Hadassah, some good info in their, but one thing i did notice, is i react badly even to the foods low in salicylates, but are fine with frozen spinach which has moderate levels of salicylates!

[mrsppmrxky]

Okay, you said that you noticed CORN. Please do not take offense at what I am going to ask you next............because this was my problem when I started looking at the corn free diet for my husband.............I have a 'can do' attitude. When I saw the list, I cried! Are you reading the food lables to make sure you are not consuming corn?

Table salt........that has iodine is corn based
Ctiric acid..........you think citrus, nope, it is corn

Many paper plate, napkins, paper towels, paper cups, milk cartons made out of paper ............they can have corn in the make up of the paper.


That could be your problem more than all the other foods unless you are eating only fresh foods.

EVEN FROZEN foods will have salt and citric acid added sometimes. I avoid it if it just says salt. That might be overkill, but I have seen MrP suffer so badly from reactions. We only purchase SEA SALT in the listing or no salt added.

Even the Mrs. Dash can be an offender because of the other things in it.

Vinegar is corn based. Alcohol can be corn based. All of the mouthwash, toothpaste items are corn based. (I even went to the natural health food store and can't find a replacement for toothpaste other than just baking soda.)

Personal care products have corn in them. Maybe even the gas in your car.

I will be glad to help you as much as I can. CORN is in just about everything that comes from the store in a bottle, jar, or bag.

You can still eat great food, you just have to learn to do everything yourself.

I never thought about confectioner sugar as having cornstarch in it. Baking Powder can be corn based and is most often. I purchase HAINES baking powder because it is potato based.

Gelatin is corn based. EVEN the pharmaceutical grade capsules........they come from corn. You will have to remove the meds from the gel cap. IF they are not time released. This will mean that you will need to have nearly all of your medications compounded because most are corn based. This requires an RX from your dr. for even tylenol or motrin to be compounded.

I am so sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I have been down this path for over a year now and I am here to help hold your hand and walk you through it. I think there are some others on the board that also have corn issues and they will hold your other hand and we will encourage you all we can.

Keep asking questions about everything.

Read all of the labels on EVERYTHING that you put in your mouth.

Sorry this post is rambling, but I have a killer headache tonight and have to fast for blood testing in the morning.

Ask away and I will try to point you in the right direction tomorrow or later on.
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[BassistKara]

MrsP, your just a well of useful information!!
All that probably explains why i had a reaction to toothpaste, after i brushed my teeth my face was tingling really badly for the next few hours.
I only use sea salt nowadays anyway. Vinegar and alcohol are already out coz of all my other food probs, as well as citric acid. Gelatin was already out as i was a vegan.
Im only eating fresh foods, and ive rang up all the companies of food i have that was suspicious to confirm it...especially after i wanted to make your Mock Corn Bread, thankfully that baking powder is free of corn and everything else!
So, i just brush my teeth with baking soda do i?!?!