Well, the testing continues. When last I posted, I explained the unfortunate results of giving in to bread in France. This week, I gave in to dairy, wheat, AND egg all in one delicious allergy-fest and wound up with hives. Not immediately. No, for the first couple of days I just had a lot of random itchy bumps on my legs and arms that seemed like they were bug bites. Then I went out to dinner two nights later and came home with hives.
Here's the deal. I decided to go off the allergy-reservation on a Saturday morning while camping and have a delicious home-cooked egg and cheese sandwich. Yes, it was SO good. Man, I miss cheese and egg. So I think I'm okay, because my colon is not releasing contents prematurely. I'm just getting random spots that I attribute to bug bites. I'm thinking that I have escaped unscathed. Because according to Hidden Food Allergies, and Dr. Braly, if I don't have any of the allergen for four days before or after an exposure, the IgG antibodies disappear and I am fine. So two nights later (this makes it Monday night), I meet friends for dinner at what appears to be a very organic, local, fresh, veggie friendly restaurant that I've always wanted to try.
I am giddy with the ability to order more than one thing on the menu, so I order three different entrees. I get chicken strips dipped in garbanzo beans instead of wheat flour, chicken fantasia with rice and marinara, and tamales with hummus and olives and beans...it all seems really good. And it is all supposedly allergen free. No dairy wheat or egg. But by the time we're ready to leave -- two hours later -- I'm starting to itch. Why am I starting to itch? My right forearm is already in trouble. Little bumps and definite itch all over. Argh.
By the time I get home, my right forearm is a red sea of inflammation awash with little itchy bumps. An hour later the left forearm is fully involved and matches the right. Allergies suck.
So why? I still don't know. I even emailed the restaurant to see if they could tell me what it might have been, but either they don't know, or they're not sayin'. Maybe it was just coincidence, but I don't think so. This attack happened almost exactly two hours after dinner -- that's just about when stuff normally starts happening to me. So I think it's unlikely that this was the result of allergens ingested 2.5 days earlier, and most likely there was something in the food. Maybe even as simple as the fact that they fried the chicken and the fries in the same oil they used for foods with wheat on them. Wow -- hope I'm not that sensitive. But it is what it is. Again, allergies suck.
On the up side, I got to test vitamin C as a treatment. I downed 10 grams of C and a Benadryl and was able to get some relief and sleep for half the night. The inflammation lingers (it's Wednesday night now, so it's been two days), but the itching is gone and if I don't re-offend for a week, I'm sure my skin will go back to normal.
Oh, and I just ate the leftover chicken strips and fries. Oops. My bad. We'll see if I'm rashing out in two hours!!! I'm a genius.
