01 February 2012

Bug season.

krank 027 2

40 degrees fever and a big fat stomach bug.
Both of them.
Oh dear!

Also: I got some lab results back, and it turns out I am allergic to everything. I mean, everything.
The only things I am not allergic to are: egg whites, fish, milk, cabbage, rice. And dust mites. That's it!

Oh dear! (Though, honestly, I feel oddly empowered by the knowledge and even somewhat ecstatic.
If you have any advice on how to live without wheat, gluten, fruits, or most veggies, please share.)


PS Thank you, Apartment Therapy.
:)

32 comments:

chaton de luxe said...

Isa oh no! I went through the same thing (lab tests, allergic to everything) do you have an email adress I will send you what I've learned over the last couple of months!!!

Kaylovesvintage said...

poor baby , get well soon

R said...

Hey,

few allergy questions as I'm pondering myself. Did you have allergy tests taken? How did your allergy show, what kind of symptoms did you have because of those ingredients in your everyday life?

Isa said...

R, I react to most foods (fruits/vegetables) with the "normal" symptoms: itchiness, sensitivity in the mouth, swollen lips, sensitive stomach, difficulty breathing/asthma, sore throat, dry itchy skin, etc. Some of them are more obvious than others, and it has taken me many years to become aware of them. In recent years things have gotten worse.. in addition to the symptoms above I've had more hidden symptoms like excessive tiredness and low energy levels, and some dry patches on my skin simply wouldn't go away no matter how much cortisone cream I spread on it. So I had a blood allergy test (instead of a prick test) done, a very extensive one. Turns out I'm also allergic to wheat, yeast, and mold etc, things that I had never had any recognizable reaction to! So, I recommend you get yourself tested. You might be allergic, even if you don't realize it. The blood test is very easy and fast. I hope that helped! I, for one, feel like I can start a new life now, and it feels quite nice.

Nina said...

Oh ihr ärmsten - alle krank (auf die eine oder andere Weise). Wo hast du den Test denn machen lassen, beim HAusarzt. Ich vermute sowas ja auch bei mir. Abgesehen von meiner Pollenallergie gegen Frühblüher, Gräser und Roggen schätze ich, dass mir einige Lebensmittel nicht gut bekommen. Aber nachweislich weiß ich das nicht. Ach ja... gegen Katzen bin ich auch allergisch... aber das merke ich zum Glück nicht. Und wenn es irgendwann doch mal ausbrechen sollte, dann muss ich mir eben Nacktkatzen kaufen :/. Warum sind wir heute nur alle so kaputt?

Isa said...

Ja, einfach beim Hausarzt (sowas Tolles gibt's in Finnland nicht, aber einfachheitshalber, ja! ). Ich weiss leider nicht wie er auf deutsch heisst, aber es hat was mit IgE zu tun. :D Es war wirklich sehr einfach und sehr schnell, viel besser als der Hauttest (den hatte ich mal als 15-jaehrige machen muessen). Empfehlenswert!

Kate said...

Oh dear, well, better to know that and to be able to do something about it. Is gluten free stuff okay still or are you allergic to all wheat, even the 'not so common around here'- varieties? Or do you even know yet?

Isa said...

Und ja, warum sind wir heute alle so kaputt? Gute Frage.

Isa said...

Kate, I'm allergic to all four proteins found in wheat (gluten, and three other ones... can't remember the names.) I'm also allergic to rye. And given that I'm allergic to rye and wheat, it's likely I'm allergic to all the other gluten-containing grains, too (I still have to test for them specifically). How annoying is that! But, I have to say that it all makes sense. I've been so unwilling to eat any food lately because it makes me feel so weak. Food is supposed to energize you, and with me, it's the other way around. I wonder why I hadn't made the allergy connection earlier.

Salla said...

Wow, what news. Hope you start feeling better as soon as you get your new diet.

Thanks for the pinterest invitation! I already signed in.

K is sick too, 39C fever, Just waiting H to be sick within few days (luckily I'm going to Stockholm on Friday, if not sick too).

Isa said...

Salla, oh no. They probably got it from Fe then (she started with the fever Friday, one day after you were there.)

Lily said...

so cute!

sarafiina said...

Oh no, poor you! All of you. But I'm glad you've gotten some answers!

Anonymous said...

we should have get together sometimes and search some recipes through internet. something that you can eat. Then I could make/(scrapbook) a cookbook for you.
Get well all of you!

HUGS!!

millefeuilles said...

Isa, I am so, so sorry to hear your news. I understand what you mean about knowledge being enpowering though. I was recently tested and it has been confirmed I am asthmatic - allergic to dust mites and other things too. I think I am mostly dismayed for you about the fruit and vegetables results though...

Dear, dear Isa just think how much better you will feel when you embark on a suitable diet for your needs. If you need to 'chat' feel free. I feel relieved to know (I have always known I was allergic but not asthmatic and in October I could hardly breathe :-( ) but I also feel a little sad that I have to be on daily medication until I find another solution.

You also have ALL my sympathy about the gastric bug. If there is one thing I loathe it is vomiting!!!

Stephanie

Isa said...

Suvi, oh you are so sweet! :) That's a good idea, I've been thinking that that's something I should do. Make myself a cookbook. Maybe I could do it, and then have you all over for food tasting party! ;)

Stephanie, oh you are a darling. Thanks for your sympathy, your encouraging words, and for sharing your own story. Sorry to hear about your asthma! Asthma is horrible indeed!
- The fruits and veggies is what I'm most shocked by. I am one of those people who loves fruits and vegetables. I have no idea how to live healthily without them. But it'll only be temporarily, and then I can try to re-introduce some of them, and see if my body has healed.

Thank you everyone! You are all so sweet. :)

ommu said...

Oh, poor Isa, I'm very sorry for you, but glad that you know now more. And you can live full life even with all kinds of allergies (ask Heini).

Hugs to everyone, and especially to little sick princess Fe.

Unknown said...

Hey Isa, first I'm so sorry everyone has the stomach bug! Ah, we had a pretty nasty virus in our house beginning of New Year's. Was very stress-inducing. lol. Hope everyone feels better soon. Next.. you are such a cool mom! Letting your kids draw on blinds (cool!), tables (awesome!).. love it. : ) Eh, maybe not on my couch though. Third, sorry to hear about the allergies. I used to be allergic to pretty much all fruits and nuts but now, I can eat some of the things I could not a bit. Depends. Most grocery stores have a gluten-free section for pasta/breads now. A lot of natural health stores have popped up with a whole variety of gluten free products and other products.
Oddly for the fruits, when they're canned.. it's easier to digest for allergy sufferers. I would only suggest that once hayfever looms up, to cut out as much of the allergy-prone foods as possible. It just builds so much histamine in you system and you're left incredibly tired and worse case of hay fever than before. Good luck!

Anonymous said...

I feel how Fe looks - I have pneumonia :(

Celebrate that you don't have to dust! :)

Karin said...

Hallo, lies deinen Blog schon länger. Ich habe Fruktose Intoleranz und bin auch intolerant gegenüber Hafer etc. Zwar keine Allergie aber genauso blöd! Es ist mühsam,aber sobald du dich umstellst,fühlst du dich sooooo gut! Leider nicht einfach....

Meg said...

My friend had to go without many of those things due to her son's severe allergies while she was nursing him. She really loved this blog:

http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/

There are many others. Gute Besserung!

Anonymous said...

I'm so sorry to hear about your allergies :( that can't be easy! Hopefully you will start feeling better soon with food that is good for you. What about vitamins? Are you able to eat them? I'm sure at least some will be important now that you have to leave out so many things. D-vitamin helps with energy levels and against winter depression (not saying you have one :) 30-50 micrograms a day are recommended!

Mutsch said...
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Mutsch said...
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Mutsch said...

Ihr Armen! Hab ein gutes Saaristoleipä- Rezept, falls Du das magst.

Katarina said...

Oh no...hope they get well soon.
I'm allergic to everything too, mostly citrus fruits and chocolate...dust too. I can't live without them though, so I can't give you any words of advice :(

Franziska Patterson said...

Wow...that's a lot of allergies!!! I have no idea how to live with such food restrictions. My guess would be to start eliminating some of the major "culprits" and take it from there (like switch to a gluten-free diet, and eliminate some other foods you can eliminate without going crazy).

Anyway, sorry things are so crazy for you! But I agree - knowledge IS power. At least when you know what's going on you can make a plan.

Good luck! We'll keep our fingers crossed for you to figure out a good diet that works for you as we munch on our fruits and veggies.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Isa said...

thank everyone for the sweet words and advice :)

Fran, yeah, I think I'll try to cut out the big allergens first and work from there.

Katarina, haha. :)

Chantale, thanks for the canned fruit advice! I will try that!

Meg, thank you so much for those links! In my feeder now. :)

Karin, danke, das ermutigt mich. Es ist echt schwer!

ommu, thanks, I didn't know about Heini.

Cecilia, Thanks for the reminder to take Vitamin D.

Yanyan said...

Oh you poor thing. I am sorry. Sending you a mega big hug! Yanyan

Heli said...

oh no! i just read the whole thing. not nice. but i'm sure you will find a way!

Anonymous said...

There's a blog where you can find MARVELOUS recipes (because of your allergies), I'm allergic too, so these recipes are safety.

http://www.cannellevanille.com/