This is a follow-up to last week’s post with the results from our visit to the allergist. Cate and I were vastly relieved to find out that she is not allergic to either wheat or dairy.
She is, however, allergic to soy, which as we have recently discovered, is found in pretty much everything but water.
(not really)
(it just seems like it)
Still, it feels so good to have a game plan! In addition to eliminating the allergens from her environment–as much as possible, anyway–the doctor recommended the following:
- A bleach bath once or twice a week (It sound worse than it is. You just add a capful of bleach to combat the bacteria.)
- 1000 units of Vitamin D daily
- A prescribed nasal spray
- The daily application of Vanicream mixed with 2.5 % hydro-cortisone cream on all affected areas
- A topical steroid 2x/weekly. He recommended Protopic but our insurance wouldn’t cover it. As such, he switched us to Elidel.
Cate mentioned to the doctor that sometimes her mouth and throat itched after eating apples. He nodded vigorously and told us about something called “Oral Allergy Syndrome.” Have you heard of it? Apparently there are cross-reacting allergens found in both pollen and raw fruits/vegetables. It’s not as severe an allergy as some, but as you can tell from the picture above, my girl definitely reacts to pollen!
We stopped by Wal-Mart on the way home, both to get the prescriptions and buy dust mite-resistant bedding! They’re such gross little creatures, don’t you think? Proof that heaven will be way better.
We also got McDonald’s french fries, which I’d promised as a treat for all those obnoxious pokes.
And then later found that they’re cooked in soy oil!!!
So yeah, as I’ve said (once or twice) before…
Heaven will be way, way better. : )
I'm glad you got answers. I've heard of Oral Allergy Syndrome – neither of my kids can eat the majority of fresh fruits and vegetables (cooked is okay) because of it – and I've started to notice it in myself too. Makes it hard to encourage healthy snacking.
I'm so happy you have some answers! We go for testing on Tuesday. (Please no wheat!)
You'll figure out which products are safe and then stick with them (but still check labels because I have found some of our safe products became unsafe when manufacturers changed the process/recipe). Thank goodness none of her allergies are life-threatening. You will find that it's just easier to eat whole foods, but that's a bummer about cross-reacting allergens. I know my Joshua has said his throat gets itchy when he eats some foods, but I had no idea it was an allergy. But it makes sense as his allergist always says "you're allergic to everything" which he's really not, but lots and lots of outdoor stuff (ie pollen).
I am so sorry to hear about the soy allergy! All of my kids have had soy intolerances as babies and thus I get to avoid it as well when nursing (so, like, for the past 10 yrs). Things are getting a bit better now. There is now mayo, tuna and cooking spray that are soy free. Yahoo!
I am debating on mentioning this but will just in case, did the allergist mention that a wheat allergy and gluten intolerance/celiac disease are different? Wheat allergy is pretty uncommon in comparison to gluten intolerance. Gluten testing involves more. http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/celiac-disease/celiac-disease-diagnosis-tests. I only bring this up because if she or others who are looking for answers don't feel better there may be another answer.
I don't mind your bringing it up at all, Betsy! I'm glad you speak your mind.
Frankly, I think we'd all do better if we gave up wheat, especially the refined, white stuff. We're not there yet, but baby steps. I *did* tell Cate that she needs to watch the gluten, and she's trying (despite her passion for bread!).
Send some good gluten-free recipes my way sometime!
Oh Margaret, I just didn't want to give "bad" news. 🙂 BTW love that pic of Kate at the top. Very funny.
I'm quite sure that "good" and "gluten-free" do not belong in the same sentence!
Most of my family has celiac disease. We have lived gluten free for many years now and I promise, GF does not mean not delicious! One does have to commit buying quality products for baking and or for ready made foods. But it is perfectly possible to bake truly delicious breads, cakes, muffins and more!
From the age of about 13, I suffered with oral allergy syndrome and now my 16 yr old daughter has it too. I can now successfully eat almost all of the fruits I was allergic to thanks to allergy shots. Because allergy shots made such a difference for me, my daughter started getting shots in the spring and she is starting to see a change for the better. She can now eat apples! It's worth talking to the allergist about this. Just my two cents….
I'd second the comment above. I suffered with horrific pollen/dust/dog/cat allergies (and itchy responses to certain fruits, I had no idea it was related!!) for years. I used nose spray along with oral meds, but it never addressed the root issue and I still had less severe symptoms. I started allergy shots and it has truly been life changing. I had no idea it wasn't normal to wake up and blow your nose every morning! I completely regret not starting them when I was younger. It's a big time commitment, but worth considering. Erin
That bleach bath sounds terrible. I suppose it's better than swimming at the Y…their pool is very strong with the chlorine.
I pray this helps and that she outgrows it.
What a lot to think about…and figure out.
Bless you sweet Cate.
Yay for a game plan!!! It doesn’t make everything better, but it is definitely helpful for moms when they can do something and know what to do. 🙂
Oh my goodness … I have the same allergy. Oral allergy and SOY. For me I can still use a small amount of soy sauce when cooking (I guess it is fermented), but I can not eat anything with soy protein. I can do soy lecithin … thank goodness because that is in CHOCOLATE. I've had to eliminate lots of fruits/veggies.. Most of them I can eat if they are cooked, but not in their raw state … potatoes, carrots, apples, pears, kiwi, cherries, pea pods, and probably a few more that I can't think of. I went through allergy shots, but honestly they didn't do much for my food allergies. I have an epipen and I always carry Benadryl (I've been known to down 6 at a time if I felt a reaction coming on). It's scary, but it just means that you really need to be a label reader. I also have a nut allergy (almonds and tree nuts). Surprisingly I can eat peanuts (legumes). Best wishes …