I'm still trying to get some clear answers to exactly what foods I am allergic to. The not knowing for sure has made me terrified, and I'm wondering whether any of you have gone through this stage with your own allergies or those of your kids. Please share your stories, as that might help me cope.
I'm frightened to eat more than just a few foods, and whenever I have a slight reaction, as the other day to apple, I start googling to see what cross reacts with that, then get scared of the cross reactors (now carrot). It's all well and good to try telling myself I've never had a problem with Food X before. What's been going on is that I'm having reactions (and one positive RAST test) to foods I always thought were fine. I also take claritin twice a day and am now wondering whether it's actually hiding any problems I would be better off knowing about. I.e., fearing that I would have an anaphylactic reaction to the food if I didn't already have the claritin in my system.
I have a call in to my new allergist about going through with skin prick testing, but he's out until Monday. He hadn't wanted to do that before, but over the past month I've gotten so afraid that I feel I'd be better off knowing and then trying food challenges on the foods that come back as safe. I hope he agrees to test, and that his office is equipped to do challenges. If not, I guess I'll ask who he recommends for that.
I do have tons of negative RAST tests, but they even show up as negative to things I know I'm allergic to, like ragweed. So I don't feel I can trust those the way my GP wants me to.
I guess I just really need some help and support in dealing with the intense fear of food. I just found an article this morning that compares having a food allergic reaction to PTSD. That seems like the road I'm headed down, and I can't stop it by myself any more.
percycat