Please help - unkown aligment

[dukercook]

Hi all! I know this is a parenting area, but I need your help. My husband is having a mixture of aliments, and I would like to figure this out, beacuse my daughter is already following some of his skin and allergy things.

Here are the symptoms:

Breaks out in hives, maybe only a few.
Sometimes swelling in lips
Diarreha comes soon after.
Somtimes happens if he eats burnt foods.
No vomiting.

He does get sever ezcema, but may not be related.

He has no know food allergies. But primarily happens after he eats.

He has been dealing with this for over a year, and I am scared if we dont figure this out, I will find him lying on the floor.

I think he is starting to worry about it, and doesn't know where to turn.

Please help! ANy ideas will be helpful.

dc

[StaceyTX]

What do you mean by no known food allergies? Has he been tested? What kind of testing? Have you kept a food log or daily journal to see if you can connect the dots?

What do you mean by burnt foods? What kinds of things does he eat?

Hives, lip swelling, diarreah to me means allergic. Add ezcema and I really think food allergies.

[dukercook]

The ezcema doesn't occur at the same time. He has been tested by a doctor for food allergies, and nothing even came up. He was more allergic to out door items, but these syptoms don't pop up when he goes outdoors. We have tried to keep a food diary, but it never pops up with the same things.

Burnt, meaning charred like steak from the grill.

The first time it happened, was severe and happened shortly after he ate at a mexican restaurant. We tried items at home that would have teh same seasonings, but nothing. He has eaten mexican since then and nothing.

The other morning, he had a coffe that he normally doesn't drink, muffins and eggs. He eats eggs alot and never has problems.

We were starting to think could it be gall bladder, but that doesn't explain the hives.

We have wondered about gluten or wheat.

I just don't know where to start. The doctor made a comment that it might be something he is eating that is metablosing into something else.

That is why we are at a lose.

Just trying to narrow down what is allergic to.

[BC-Cel]

Were the allergy tests skin prick or blood tests? Do you know what they tested for? He might try to see a gastroenterologist or an endocrinologist...not sure which would be the best to look at his metabolism. Have you tried removing anything from his diet or try an allergen free diet to see if that helps?

[dukercook]

All the tests were done on the skin.

As of right now, trying an allergen free diet, I wouldn't know where to start. He drinks milk and eats eggs on a regular basis without any issues. The DR told him not to try a wheat free diet or gluten free diet until after he had been tested for that.

I feel like this is a moving target and each time we get close to thinking we know what it is, it isn't.

We have even gotten to the point of wondering if it wasn't allergies maybe gallbladder. But the symptoms aren't right. Everything leads back to an allergy.

[BC-Cel]

It seems like he needs a full allergy work up with an allergist. It certainly sounds like it could be an allergy, or some other type of immune response. Many allergists also specialize in immunology. Good luck! I can imagine how frustrating this has been for both of you!

[dukercook]

He saw an allergist. But didn't get anywhere. So he is planning on trying to get a second opinion. I know it bothers him, beacuse most of these things he would just ignore. But I think he is worried that it is a deeper problem. He hates going to see the DR. And he typically doesn't worry about things like this, but I worry that he thinks it is getting serious.

[BC-Cel]

There's nothing wrong with a second opinion. If there is something else going on, the sooner he knows about it, the sooner they can help him. It's often hard for men to deal with health issues, but he sounds motivated to do something and that's very important. If he doesn't get anywhere with the second opinion, maybe try to get him to a larger university hospital with a good diagnostics dept. If he finds anything out, let us know! It certainly a strange problem; I hope he can get some answers soon.

[dukercook]

He did point out that the hives always show up in the sme places. He spoke a doctor today and is getting a referral back to an allergist, we moved since he visited the last one. The DR wants him to start there and then move onto internal med or endro...... I will let you all know. Thanks!

[Monchhichi]

My SIL had similar symptoms and she was allergic to salicylates. They are in many, many foods, and many medications, so something like that is hard to pick up with a food diary. You mention charred steak... do you put bbq sauce on steak? Tomato is high in salicylates. If you google a list of foods high in salicylates, you can check and see if maybe that is the cause.