Combination Allergy Triggers

[tex]

Hi All,

This is a problem that I believe is widespread, and yet little attention has been devoted to it by medical researchers or other medical authorities. I'm referring to allergy symptoms that either only appear when a combination of conditions are present, or the symptoms are made much worse when certain additional conditions are present. Typically, it's claimed that allergic symptoms are caused by either x, y, or z. I claim that the cases that are the most difficult to resolve are caused by x+y, or x+z, or y+z, or even x+y+z.

Case in point:

You may have read my post in response to another thread, about how I was having an allergic reaction to an unlisted ingredient in Vitacost chelated magnesium, namely magnesium oxide. Of course my biggest complaint was that by cheating on the chelated magnesium content (by substituting magnesium oxide) the Vitacost product perpetuated my magnesium deficiency. I couldn't understand why I wasn't absorbing enough magnesium when I thought that I was taking plenty. But magnesium oxide is poorly absorbed, compared with chelated magnesium (magnesium glycinate). Besides that, unlike magnesium glycinate, it tends to promote D.

But another problem with magnesium oxide, that I was unaware until very recently, is the fact that some people are allergic to it, and apparently I am in that category. Now if I had reacted every time I took the supplement, I probably would have figured it out much sooner, but that didn't happen. For me, magnesium oxide causes intense itching of my lower legs and ankles, but it only does so under hot, humid conditions. So I never had a problem during the winter, and only rarely in late spring or early fall. Taking an antihistamine helped, but sometimes I would wake up in the wee hours of the morning, and my lower legs and ankles would be itching like mad, even if I took an Allegra before going to bed.

So after I switched brands, stopped taking the Vitacost chelated magnesium several days ago, the problem slowly faded away.

But the complicating condition of requiring a combination of triggers in order for the symptoms to appear is what made tracking it down so tricky. The magnesium oxide only caused the reaction during hot, humid weather. I have a hunch there are other allergy mysteries that involve the same key — more than a single trigger is necessary in order to cause a reaction.

Tex

[Polly]

Hi Tex,

I'm sure you are correct. We have always noticed that exogenous conditions affected our sensitivities. How many times have people mentioned increased problems with the change of seasons, with pollen season, in the heat/humidity, etc., even with no changes in diet? And many have also noticed that there is often a tipping point for sensitivities. Multiple triggers do indeed challenge our ability to be successful with our detective work!

Polly

[Gabes-Apg]

This is why i frequently mention the 'non food' enviro type triggers when people are struggling to get improvements.

I know from my own experience they can be a big influence on inflammation levels /wellness.

during childhood/early adulthood i was majorily allergic to horses and cats, to extent i could not walk into a house where there was a cat, and could not be in the same room as someone eating a banana...
could not walk past a paddock of horses on a windy day type thing without reacting.

post MC dx, and removal/minimisation of various triggers, (food, environmental, stress etc) and fixing key deficiencies that manage histamine inflammation, I no longer react to horses and cats, can have cat on my lap and pat it, no symptoms! and do not have issues being near banana's, can even feed banana to a baby. just have to wash my hands thoroughly afterwards..

We cant avoid all things, albeit with awareness and a bit of planning/management we can minimise our exposure and potential for reactions. ie I wont have some of my sometimes foods if there is weather change / excess exposure to chemicals / or I am overtired, as the likelyhood they will cause inflammation is higher.

[Patricia]

post MC dx, and removal/minimisation of various triggers, (food, environmental, stress etc) and fixing key deficiencies that manage histamine inflammation, I no longer react to horses and cats, can have cat on my lap and pat it, no symptoms! and do not have issues being near banana's, can even feed banana to a baby. just have to wash my hands thoroughly afterwards.

That's amazing, Gabes! You continue to inspire me

Love, Patricia

[Gabes-Apg]

hugs Patricia
(and based on the comment in the other post, thanks for the offer of accommodation and gabe safe eating for 'when' i get to USA )

It has taken me a few years to get this point, but all the changes, sacrifices, mental and emotional work, strict eating plan, diligent supplement plan are SOOOO worth it...

the decline into niggly health issues is soo gradual, we dont realise it is happening.
In the last 6 months, I have come to the realisation and acceptance that I am healing 30 years or so of inflammation. It will take time.

also these improvements are the 'GIFTS' that came with my MC diagnosis, I woke up, I became aware of what my body needs, what I needed to do to optimise health and wellness. The changes that MC kinda forced onto me have actually enhanced my life.

[Erica P-G]

I am so on board with the Trigger thing. Until I removed all offending foods sometimes the slightest thing could set off a bathroom trip, car motion, heat, noise, drinking water! I still am a bit shaky when the weather changes, I only eat safe foods and even at that it can set off a BR trip but not like it used to when there used to be 10-20 trips a day

[tex]

Another thing I've noticed now that I'm no longer ingesting any undeclared magnesium oxide, is that I no longer need to take an antihistamine when I eat a banana each day, 2 or 3 days in a row. Obviously the magnesium oxide kept my histamine level high enough that it didn't take much to cause the bucket to overflow. Bananas are no longer a histamine problem for me.

Tex