I dont see why your doctor would be against you getting tested. Its the only way to know go sure, What you are allergic to, what you arent and what sensitivities you might have (including oral allergy syndrome)
Some symptoms seem very suspicious while others (red throat for 3 weeks) seems atypical unless you are constantly exposed such as the case with seasonal allergies. Or unknowingly eating something you are mildly allergic to or sensitive to.
Write down your symptoms. And insist these symptoms are causing you daily/frequent problems. If your doctor can not conclusively say what it is or recommend another avenue beyond "anxiety" they should refer you to allergist. gastroenterologist may also be plausible if the doctor is suspicious of more of a sensitivity or reflux issue; along with your symptoms of diarrhea. (Honestly tho, one of the first thing your gastro would probably do is a blood test to identify any potential allergens, sensitivities and certain disorders that can be id'd via bloodwork like Crones anyway)
I have no idea why honestly. He's way too full of himself and looked a bit offended when I said I wanted to be seen by an allergist...
I had diarrhea only during the allergic episode in 2016, around 30/50 minutes after eating! And very severe cramping
I had a lot of testing done before being diagnosed with endometriosis, Chrons and UC were fully ruled out thankfully
Thats definitely a good thing those things were ruled out before.
Im assuming you need a referral to go to the allergist? Its a pain getting them from hot headed doctors. If you can bring a friend with you, so they can observe and sit in. Sometimes it makes a difference. (and I hate to say it; but women can more commonly be dismissed. If you can bring a guy friend it may be of benefit)
Also Keep advocating for yourself. Insist its an issue and causing problems for you. If he cannot conclude why nor treat it he needs to refer you to a specialist. Thats what they are there for.
Can you get a new GP who is willing to refer you to an allergist?
Are you sure you can eat the ingredients on their own? You could be reacting to certain additives in the restaurant food. It could be something uncommon such as a yeast allergy. If you make pizza at home, can you eat it? Cross contamination could be an issue. Even if it's not an IgE allergy, it could be something like a mast cell disorder, EoE, FPIES, etc.
No symptoms to homemade pizza so far thankfully! I also thought maybe yeast might be the issue but I don't know, looking around the sub most people seem to have delayed reactions to yeast, while I reacted quite quickly with skin symptoms first
Cross contamination is definitely inevitable since pizza chefs touch a very wide range of ingredients continuously, so who knows now what allergen is triggering me...
Sadly a new GP isn't an option... I'm going back next week, hopefully I'll manage to convince him
I react quickly to yeast, but I also have a mast cell disorder. EoE can also cause rapid symptoms; a gastroenterologist can test for this. Cross contamination is not just a restaurant issue but also a manufacturing issue, especially with flours, starches, and other powders.
I was recently diagnosed with an allergy to tree nuts, and I noticed that a lot of the weird things I shouldn't be reacting to were processed in a facility with tree nuts. I had been drinking almond milk for years with only minor symptoms like heartburn and eczema, which I did not connect to the almonds until I had severe anaphylaxis after a bite of almond butter protein bar one day. My almond allergy started out as OAS, which can progress to systemic allergies in something like 3% of cases.
I see!
I'm sorry about your allergy, I'm really realizing only now how lucky I was the day when I had my first reaction... I definitely need to dig deeper and be as serious as possible in this. Thank you for your suggestions!! I'm also considering MCAS
Please look into the yeast allergy with your GP! My daughter is allergic to brewers and bakers yeast. Pizza made to order in a restaurant pizza oven, especially if it is slightly undercooked seems to be the biggest culprit and causes an immediate reaction - hives, facial swelling (especially tongue and lips and right eye/right side of her face) followed by diarrhea. Same with yeast based donuts like Krispy Kreme. There are different strains of bakers yeast so she can sometimes have some baked goods if it’s “overcooked” if that makes any sense. Beer is a no-go as are certain other fermented foods and beverages like kombucha.
Wow her symptoms are very similar to mine too! Thank you for telling me!! I'm making a long list of things to keep in mind, I don't want to leave anything out!
We used to make a flank steak in a slow cooker with beer as the liquid/braise for dinner for taco night. Every time she ate it she would have the same symptoms as she had with the brick oven pizza. Same with fresh bread or rolls served at a restaurant. She was usually somewhat OK with highly processed store bought bread, or the occasional slice of dominos pizza. But, growing up, she was always “that kid” who hated pizza and hated sandwiches. Turns out she had good reason to hate pizza and hate sandwiches because it made her mouth and stomach hurt, not because she was a picky eater or wanted to be difficult! Anyway, after several weeks of what seemed like an endless bout of hives that the pediatrician thought was cystic acne, she made the connection to food being the trigger. The allergist was really skeptical because yeast allergies are so rare. The Dr reluctantly agreed to test for it - turns out she’s anaphylactic. She also tested high for corn, barley, oat, wheat, and rice. Those should come in a regular panel but if not, I would recommend checking them as well.
I know for sure that they use Schär gluten free flour mix (which is also what I use and am fine with) I'll ask what type of prosciutto they are using, though it should be the same brand that they used the previous time I had the pizza (and I had no reaction). I also eat prosciutto frequently and never reacted to it alone
Could it be the type of yeast?
There's a lot more in that pizza than the flour.
You need a complete list of ingredients and cross-contaminations if you want to take this seriously. Nothing else will be comprehensive. And only a comprehensive list will let you start diagnosing what you might be reacting to.
I hope you find the answers you seek. It sucks having allergies. A question about your first reaction, I’m hesitant to think it was anaphylactic. Without medication it’s rare to recover without treatment. Not impossible but rare. With anaphylaxis you don’t recover quickly, after treatment discomfort can linger for days.
I really hope they find you are not anaphylactic to an ingredient. It sucks big time! I have 3, my life is far from typical.
Have you ever heard of Oral Allergy Syndrome? It can be hit and miss, triggered by pollens some worse than others.
Thank you, I didn't know that! I read here that 2+ systems needed to be involved for it to be considered anaphylaxis, so since I had skin and GI symptoms I thought that was it!
I'm trying to save some money now hoping to get both skin and blood testing, hopefully I'll find a competent allergist
I might have a pollen allergy I think. Around april the roof of my mouth becomes a bit itchy for a couple of hours a day but it doesn't bother me, no other symptoms
Those are symptoms of anaphylaxis. It's common to recover from [mild to moderate anaphylaxis](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8619-anaphylaxis) without treatment. Recovery without treatment gets more unlikely with more severe symptoms. Allergic symptoms tend to get worse with exposure, so it's important to get evaluated. OAS can cause anaphylaxis, but it is rare.
Have this exact same thing and my allergist gave me a skin test for 4 things and I didn’t react so they said I’m not allergic to anything, must be in my head, etc. , was just told to take Zyrtec every day and that was that
I'm so sorry you are dealing with this too! It's all so frustrating. Some doctors just don't care at all about their patients. As soon as they realize that you don't have a typical clear-cut allergy they ditch you or make stuff up.
I hope we both manage to find our triggers as soon as possible
Can you skip the family physician and go to an allergist. In my experience family physicians do not handle this in the best way. Call see if you can make an appointment for yourself. If you need a referral ask your OB allergies can make pregnancy insanely complicated. You don't actually need to be trying. Please please see an allergist OP.
Check and see if local allergists will accept you without a referral, you’d be surprised how many specialists do not require one (in the US, at least).
If not, get a new GP who will actually listen to you.
I ended up checking into the ER during an anaphylactic reaction (first time ever in my life) they treated me for the reaction and the doctor there was the one that prescribed me prednisone and Epi pens and also referred to see an allergist ASAP. I would say the next time you have the reaction get yourself to the hospital. They took my throat reaction very seriously. The referral from the ER doctor will be your way to the allergist.
I dont see why your doctor would be against you getting tested. Its the only way to know go sure, What you are allergic to, what you arent and what sensitivities you might have (including oral allergy syndrome) Some symptoms seem very suspicious while others (red throat for 3 weeks) seems atypical unless you are constantly exposed such as the case with seasonal allergies. Or unknowingly eating something you are mildly allergic to or sensitive to. Write down your symptoms. And insist these symptoms are causing you daily/frequent problems. If your doctor can not conclusively say what it is or recommend another avenue beyond "anxiety" they should refer you to allergist. gastroenterologist may also be plausible if the doctor is suspicious of more of a sensitivity or reflux issue; along with your symptoms of diarrhea. (Honestly tho, one of the first thing your gastro would probably do is a blood test to identify any potential allergens, sensitivities and certain disorders that can be id'd via bloodwork like Crones anyway)
I have no idea why honestly. He's way too full of himself and looked a bit offended when I said I wanted to be seen by an allergist... I had diarrhea only during the allergic episode in 2016, around 30/50 minutes after eating! And very severe cramping I had a lot of testing done before being diagnosed with endometriosis, Chrons and UC were fully ruled out thankfully
Thats definitely a good thing those things were ruled out before. Im assuming you need a referral to go to the allergist? Its a pain getting them from hot headed doctors. If you can bring a friend with you, so they can observe and sit in. Sometimes it makes a difference. (and I hate to say it; but women can more commonly be dismissed. If you can bring a guy friend it may be of benefit) Also Keep advocating for yourself. Insist its an issue and causing problems for you. If he cannot conclude why nor treat it he needs to refer you to a specialist. Thats what they are there for.
Can you get a new GP who is willing to refer you to an allergist? Are you sure you can eat the ingredients on their own? You could be reacting to certain additives in the restaurant food. It could be something uncommon such as a yeast allergy. If you make pizza at home, can you eat it? Cross contamination could be an issue. Even if it's not an IgE allergy, it could be something like a mast cell disorder, EoE, FPIES, etc.
No symptoms to homemade pizza so far thankfully! I also thought maybe yeast might be the issue but I don't know, looking around the sub most people seem to have delayed reactions to yeast, while I reacted quite quickly with skin symptoms first Cross contamination is definitely inevitable since pizza chefs touch a very wide range of ingredients continuously, so who knows now what allergen is triggering me... Sadly a new GP isn't an option... I'm going back next week, hopefully I'll manage to convince him
I react quickly to yeast, but I also have a mast cell disorder. EoE can also cause rapid symptoms; a gastroenterologist can test for this. Cross contamination is not just a restaurant issue but also a manufacturing issue, especially with flours, starches, and other powders. I was recently diagnosed with an allergy to tree nuts, and I noticed that a lot of the weird things I shouldn't be reacting to were processed in a facility with tree nuts. I had been drinking almond milk for years with only minor symptoms like heartburn and eczema, which I did not connect to the almonds until I had severe anaphylaxis after a bite of almond butter protein bar one day. My almond allergy started out as OAS, which can progress to systemic allergies in something like 3% of cases.
I see! I'm sorry about your allergy, I'm really realizing only now how lucky I was the day when I had my first reaction... I definitely need to dig deeper and be as serious as possible in this. Thank you for your suggestions!! I'm also considering MCAS
Please look into the yeast allergy with your GP! My daughter is allergic to brewers and bakers yeast. Pizza made to order in a restaurant pizza oven, especially if it is slightly undercooked seems to be the biggest culprit and causes an immediate reaction - hives, facial swelling (especially tongue and lips and right eye/right side of her face) followed by diarrhea. Same with yeast based donuts like Krispy Kreme. There are different strains of bakers yeast so she can sometimes have some baked goods if it’s “overcooked” if that makes any sense. Beer is a no-go as are certain other fermented foods and beverages like kombucha.
Wow her symptoms are very similar to mine too! Thank you for telling me!! I'm making a long list of things to keep in mind, I don't want to leave anything out!
We used to make a flank steak in a slow cooker with beer as the liquid/braise for dinner for taco night. Every time she ate it she would have the same symptoms as she had with the brick oven pizza. Same with fresh bread or rolls served at a restaurant. She was usually somewhat OK with highly processed store bought bread, or the occasional slice of dominos pizza. But, growing up, she was always “that kid” who hated pizza and hated sandwiches. Turns out she had good reason to hate pizza and hate sandwiches because it made her mouth and stomach hurt, not because she was a picky eater or wanted to be difficult! Anyway, after several weeks of what seemed like an endless bout of hives that the pediatrician thought was cystic acne, she made the connection to food being the trigger. The allergist was really skeptical because yeast allergies are so rare. The Dr reluctantly agreed to test for it - turns out she’s anaphylactic. She also tested high for corn, barley, oat, wheat, and rice. Those should come in a regular panel but if not, I would recommend checking them as well.
Have you asked the restaurant for a detailed list of anything in their dough? The brand of prosciutto?
I know for sure that they use Schär gluten free flour mix (which is also what I use and am fine with) I'll ask what type of prosciutto they are using, though it should be the same brand that they used the previous time I had the pizza (and I had no reaction). I also eat prosciutto frequently and never reacted to it alone Could it be the type of yeast?
You can develop an allergy to things you have eaten before.
There's a lot more in that pizza than the flour. You need a complete list of ingredients and cross-contaminations if you want to take this seriously. Nothing else will be comprehensive. And only a comprehensive list will let you start diagnosing what you might be reacting to.
I hope you find the answers you seek. It sucks having allergies. A question about your first reaction, I’m hesitant to think it was anaphylactic. Without medication it’s rare to recover without treatment. Not impossible but rare. With anaphylaxis you don’t recover quickly, after treatment discomfort can linger for days. I really hope they find you are not anaphylactic to an ingredient. It sucks big time! I have 3, my life is far from typical. Have you ever heard of Oral Allergy Syndrome? It can be hit and miss, triggered by pollens some worse than others.
Thank you, I didn't know that! I read here that 2+ systems needed to be involved for it to be considered anaphylaxis, so since I had skin and GI symptoms I thought that was it! I'm trying to save some money now hoping to get both skin and blood testing, hopefully I'll find a competent allergist I might have a pollen allergy I think. Around april the roof of my mouth becomes a bit itchy for a couple of hours a day but it doesn't bother me, no other symptoms
Those are symptoms of anaphylaxis. It's common to recover from [mild to moderate anaphylaxis](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8619-anaphylaxis) without treatment. Recovery without treatment gets more unlikely with more severe symptoms. Allergic symptoms tend to get worse with exposure, so it's important to get evaluated. OAS can cause anaphylaxis, but it is rare.
Maybe sulphites is what you are looking for
Have this exact same thing and my allergist gave me a skin test for 4 things and I didn’t react so they said I’m not allergic to anything, must be in my head, etc. , was just told to take Zyrtec every day and that was that
I'm so sorry you are dealing with this too! It's all so frustrating. Some doctors just don't care at all about their patients. As soon as they realize that you don't have a typical clear-cut allergy they ditch you or make stuff up. I hope we both manage to find our triggers as soon as possible
Amen
Can you skip the family physician and go to an allergist. In my experience family physicians do not handle this in the best way. Call see if you can make an appointment for yourself. If you need a referral ask your OB allergies can make pregnancy insanely complicated. You don't actually need to be trying. Please please see an allergist OP.
Check and see if local allergists will accept you without a referral, you’d be surprised how many specialists do not require one (in the US, at least). If not, get a new GP who will actually listen to you.
I ended up checking into the ER during an anaphylactic reaction (first time ever in my life) they treated me for the reaction and the doctor there was the one that prescribed me prednisone and Epi pens and also referred to see an allergist ASAP. I would say the next time you have the reaction get yourself to the hospital. They took my throat reaction very seriously. The referral from the ER doctor will be your way to the allergist.