It Smells Fishy To Me...

[wmonique2]

Hello friends,

Has anyone been tested for fish or shellfish intolerances? Enterolab just tests for tuna, what about the rest of it? I eat mostly fish...MRT doesn't test for it either.

Any thoughts?

Love,


Monique

[Joefnh]

Monique...as a lover of all things seafood, I guess I 'test' myself every so often. I have found that when the MC / Crohns is flaring up that I find that I am somewhat sensitive to shellfish and fish (salmon mostly). I was hoping that the MRT testing would have been more detailed as well.

One thought that has been discussed is that especially with shellfish that it can cause a histamine reaction which would tend to cause issues with mast cells. For the past about 9 months I have been avoiding foods high in histamine like fish and tomatoes, although I did enjoy several Maine lobsters the other week. The goal has been to help bring the other autoimmune issues under better control without immune suppressants.

Of course I've been craving seafood lately.

I wonder if others have noticed this type of reaction with seafood when their MC is acting up.


vielen Dank für die gute Frage

[JFR]

I can eat cod with no problem. Canned salmon caused an immediate histamine type reaction about 6 months ago and I have avoided it ever since. I used to eat it regularly. Then a couple of months ago, feeling adventurous, I tried some calamari, fresh frozen nothing added in the processing, prepared at home. That was a very bad idea. I was in the bathroom about 1/2 hr after eating it, histamine again I guess. For the time being I am sticking with cod. I love lobster but haven't eaten any for a long time and after my calamari debacle I am leery of going there. I also love scallops and clams but do not intend to try them any time soon. I do not want to rock the boat. Most seafood just feels dangerous.

Jean

[Polly]

My MRT tested for sensitivity to:

sole
clam
shrimp
tuna
tilapia
crab
salmon
catfish
scallop
codfish

I was negative to all, fortunately. As a lifelong resident of the Chesapeake Bay region, I'd be lost without my seafood!

Love,

Polly

[Joefnh]

Jean I think it's definaltly the histamine reaction that kicks in with me especially if I am already flared up a bit. Similar to Polly my MRT showed all clear on the same seafood list as mentioned except for the Tilapia, I was highly reactive to that one.

It is interesting that there is not only the reactions as measured in tests like MRT and Enterolab, but there is also the element of any histamine reaction as seen with mast cells sensitivities. I don't think my reactions with mast cells are bad, but they are noticeable and like others a H1 blocker like Claritin or Allegra really does help.

Polly I still think about that crab dinner.....Maryland crabs are incredible!!!

[JeanIrene]

Monique, my Enterolab results showed highest reaction to tuna in the meat category. I already knew this, as it didn't like me at all when I tried to eat some. But I am able to eat all other types of fish and shellfish without a problem.

Jean

[ldubois7]

Jean,

I can't eat canned salmon anymore either....and I grew up eating salmon cakes once a week!

I can eat cod and haddock with no problem, though.

What is MTR?

[Zizzle]

Monique,
I tested moderately reactive to shrimp on MRT, but never noticed any symptoms after eating it. I avoided shrimp for several months, and recently reintroduced it with no issues, but I'm on prednisone, so I wouldn't expect a reaction. I LOVE calamari and scallops, and don't seem to react to them either.

[KD]

My homeopathic allergy testing showed and allergy to all shellfish. That is fairly new for me. About 4 years ago I bought some shrimp at Costco and my DH and I shared them for News Year Eve. By the next morning we were both sick with a nasty headach and kind of a toxic feel unlike food poisioning. Not long after that Mr. Mercola posted and article about how shellfish is grown in Indonesia, Taiwan etc. and it was very disturbing. Most of what is available in the US is grown in filth and chemical ridden beds and I swore off of anything that was not labled WILD or from Alaska. I had not eaten any until this last Feb for my B-Day we shared a lobster tail that we got at the regular grocery. Who knows where it was from big mistake. I had another horrible reaction and was sick for a couple of days, my DH was lucky and did not react. It was just a few days later I had the testing and I reacted very strongly!! I really wont miss it.

The good news is the allergy elimination diet and desensitivation are starting to work today I had the first formed BM in I cant tell you how long I think the last time was when I was on high dose prednisone in the hospital in nov 2011 for my Pericarditis. My diet is the most limited I have ever tried. I have been GF, DF but sloppy, yeast free since Enterolabs( that is all they found), SF by choice. Now egg, coffee , chocolate, all dairy except sheep and that has been going well. Also all beans green and legumes, spinach. lettuce, plums, oranges, cane sugar, walnuts. Thats all I can remember now, the chocolate and coffee are killing me but if my gut is better it is worth it, at least I think. I am down to loose stools 2 a day and rarely at night which has haunted me since all of the drugs I had to take for the chronic recurrent pericarditis.

I am celebrating one good at least, lets hope for many more!!

[Deb]

KD, my daughter was having issues with shrimp and crab. Her lips would swell; her throat was scratchy. We discovered that there is a preservative that is used sometimes. The name of it escapes me but I will try to locate it. Anyways, we go to the gulf coast every winter and bring back a S#@t load of it from sources that don't use the preservative and it's wild caught. She has no problems with it now.

[ldubois7]

KD...so you do well with sheep milk/cheeses? What about goat? I have been dairy free for a few months and would like to try goat milk cheese, but I'm afraid. I would like to try hard cheeses, too.

[KD]

I have done Goat before and actually prefer it over cow but it showed a no,no on my allergy tests and sheep was ok. Could be cuz it is aged I don't know. I have been cautious cuz I tested positive to casien on Entrolabs but I thought I would try it, I dont seem to be able to live without cheese It has only been 4 weeks in another 4 I go back for retesting so we will have to keep leary at this time. And good God sheep cheese is expensive!! looking for a cheeper source since all I have found at this time is Whole Foods where I am paying $18-26/lb, so i only get little pieces at a time.

[wmonique2]

OK. From what I gather many of us are allergic to shellfish AND fish...And then there is the issue of being allergic AND the mast cell issue which is all together different. You can test negative for it and then have a reaction to it if you have a mast cell issue (and I do). The negative test DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT YOU CAN HAVE IT.


I haven't done the MRT but I haven't reacted to fish (nor tuna) which enterolab tests for...

KD---your homeopathic allergy test? where did you conduct it and what is it about?

Thanks,

Love,

Monique

[KD]

Monique,
I have been seeing Homeopaths for more than 25 years. I find they are more reliable and less dangerous than allopathic medical doctors. Each has their place and I do see allopathic MD's if necessary. All homeopathic physicians are MD's also. Some use traditional Chinese medicine also. I am lucky to live in Nevada as our Medical board is accepting of most alternative techniques and we even have our own homeopathic medical board. unlike where Tex lives where some of the most talented Homeopaths in the live and are constantly being hassled by the medical board like Dr. Stanislaw Burzynskyi who has developed a cure for some types of cancer and has been harrassed by the Texas medical board for many years. Fortunately just a few months ago won his fight.

Anyway the allergy testing I had done is referred to as EAV electro acupuncture you can read about it here
http://www.biomeridian.com/allergy-study.htm.
This is the technique my homeopath uses for diagnosis also. Last year when I was so sick with chronic recurrent pericarditis he was the one that was able to wean me off of the Prednisone and help me recover with hi dose Iv vitamin c numerous supplements and low dose Naltrexone LDN. Has anyone else here used or read about LDN? I will save that discussion for another post. Anyway if I had left the treatment to my cardiologists I would probably be dead by now. On my first hospitalization they wanted to open my chest to do a pericardial biopsy. On my third visit they suggested I have my pericardium completely removed!!

I trust my Homeopath and don't care if others call homeopathy quackery. I have lived that life for 32 years being married to a Chiropractor. I keep my mind open and use what works for me.

[Deb]

I trust my Homeopath and don't care if others call homeopathy quackery. I have lived that life for 32 years being married to a Chiropractor. I keep my mind open and use what works for me.

AMEN!