Barbara (Atlanta, Ga) on 03/22/2017
Marcela (Jacksonville, Nc) on 11/11/2016
Mala (Florida, US) on 08/02/2014
I should mention that my husband is a physician who clearly does not believe in alternate medicine, but EE is an inflammatory disease and ginger and turmeric are anti inflammatory!
Lorraine (Mississippi) on 11/06/2013
Renna (Sacramento, Ca) on 08/19/2013
J_stone (Indy, Indiana ) on 05/13/2013
Elvira (Barrie, Canada) on 09/08/2011
Greg Lagsdin (San Mateo, Ca 94402) on 04/19/2011
Jazzdanca59 (Highett, Melbourne, Australia) on 12/20/2010
Kpack (Ruston, La) on 12/09/2010
Elimination diet helped with alot of my symptoms- no more headaches (Daily, debilitating stress headaches $thousands of dollars in meds, MRI's and testing only to find no known cause and was on Lortab 10's 2x a day just so I could hold a job), less asthma, less fatigue, less anxiety and also it increased the range of motion in my neck by reducing the inflammation in my neck and shoulders. Before I felt so bad all of the time I didn't realize how inflexible I had gotten. My Dr.s just kept saying exercise more, that I was getting older and was out of shape. :(
I still have insomnia, anxiety, IBS symptoms, occasional dysphagia and I am always bloated with water retention- I mean BAD bloated whether I am taking the steroids or not. It hurts to sit for more than an hour because I'm so bloated with water. After 2 years on elimination diet- my food allergies have mysteriously disappeared as quickly as they came. I only have a slight allergy to peanuts, but still have EE symptoms because I have many inhaled allergies like pollen and dustmites- but I have always had those allergies. My Dr.s don't know what has reversed my allergies (Lord knows it wasn't anything they did).
Last year I started eating only organic foods, much more whole foods- no processed stuff (Mainly because processed foods are all made with wheat and things I am allergic to) I wash my fruits and veggies religously and I try to grow a couple of veggies on my patio when I can. That way I know what's on them. My husband is a hunter so we ate mostly meat he killed which is very organic and untreated with antibiotics. I also started eating yogurt pretty regularly because it was convenient for me to pack for lunch since sandwiches were out of the question. I believe that my diet accidentally becoming more probiotic and less antibiotic and that along with getting away from the allergens has helped my intestines heal. This started me reading about leaky gut syndrome. Intestinal wall is damaged- leaks large protein molecules of food you eat across into bloodstream- white blood cells attack that protein and instantly you have food allergies. Before you are identified EE/ or allergic your Dr. may treat the symptoms with antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and antacids all of which further destroy the flora in your GI tract that is thought to protect your guts from leaking and you have a perpetuatal cycle. Stress, processed food diet and antibiotically treated food are also thought to destroy flora in the tract.
So elimination diet made me better- next I decided to start an actual probiotic regimen. 2 weeks in and I am not bloated AT ALL!! Since I've been sick I gained 30-40 Lbs. I felt hungry all the time, I craved sugar, I was exhausted so I didn't excercise and my body was in anaphylactic shock daily for years before I was diagnosed. The day I started elimination diet I was so sleepy for 3 days all I did was sleep. I hadn't taken a nap in almost 5 years my constant adrenaline rush made me too anxious to rest well. It was hard for me to diet because I would eat chicken and whole wheat when I did which was what I was allergic to. I'm still a big girl but Jeans with no bloating and no muffin top is such a blessing for me!!! I'm eager to learn more about the possible probiotic/ EE link and am currently looking into digestive enzymes, but haven't had time to read much about it. Is the probiotic thing anything you have looked into?
Sherri In Bc (Surrey, Bc, Canada) on 12/09/2010
She has also sent us to a 'chiropractor' that does visceral manipulation. She 'listen's' to my son's stomach (hands on stomach, eyes closed) and does cranial adjustments to put him 'back in sync'. She has recommended that we see a Constitutional Therapist. At this point we've spent several hundreds, if not a few thousand, searching for a cure for EE. I'm not interested in putting out more money because someone thinks my son has a 'sulphuric' constitution and therefore needs some Essence of Sulphur. So.... He has chosen to stop the diet, go back on the Nexium and live his life. Hopefully the Nexium will continue to work and he will continue to eat most of what he wants. (He cannot eat potatoes! )
We are discouraged and I was hoping that this discussion might be able to direct us to a legitimate 'natural' cure for EE. Sherri
Lavoras (Chicago, Il) on 12/06/2010
Currently I took him off prevacid and I am trying the alternative route (chinese medicine). He is back on all foods due to chinese teas including ginger and we have 1 more week, no vomiting for 2 days and then yesterday only 1x. I must exhaust this avenue before I start pumping him up with steroids, etc. We havent gone down the road of a gtube because he is gaining weight. Let me know if I can help in anyway.
Angel (Concord, Nh) on 10/17/2010
Krissi M (Washington, Pa) on 05/21/2010
Ed (Heber City, Ut) on 05/01/2010
Khloe (Fresno, Ca) on 11/09/2009
Try reading about leaky gut. I was diagnosed with EE several years ago after I had a gallbladder surgery, and they overdosed me on antibiotics. Several weeks later, I ended up developing leaky gut syndrome, which I believe is the altrenative medicine's name for the same condition. I could not eat anything without having an allergic reaction, and was down to just lettuce and brown rice and cooked vegetables. The only raw items I was able to eat was lettuce. I also ended up not only being allergic to mostly all food, but became severely chemically sensitive as well. It took me over a year and a half being on probiotics and supplements, mainly Zinc,digestive enzymes, NAC, and l-glutamine to help rebuild my intestines. I also did plenty of colonics and sauna treatments to help detoxify my body. Finding a good naturopath is extremely important. Especially someone who can test you for deficiencies.
When you take antibiotics, it destroys all bacteria, whether good or bad. The good bacteria never have a chance to colonize in the gut unless you replenish by taking probiotics. The bad bacteria end up creating tiny holes in your intestines. When you consume certain foods, the undigested proteins cross the blood barrier through these holes, and cause an allergic reaction.
I currently am on several vitamins and supplements daily, but I am now able to have a wider range of choices to eat from. I recommend also getting an ALCAT test to figure out what foods you may be intolerant to. These foods can be trigger foods, and set you up with a whole host of immune reactions from other seemingly safe foods.
Currently I try to avoid all gluten containing products as well as corn, soy and especially sugar. Try limiting your fruit to only two pieces, and make sure that they are not too sweet. Green apples work well. Get plenty of vitamin D (sunshine, fresh air, and spiritual time, and try to relieve stress through exercise. Stress makes it much worse.
Good Luck.
Angela (Tonasket, WA.) on 08/13/2008