Histamine intolerance powerpoint

mbeezie · Post by **mbeezie** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 4:05 pm

Here is a powerpoint on histamine intolerance that may help some understand it better. If you have mastocytic enterocolitis or experience the following symptoms in addition to D, nausea and abdominal pain, take a look at this: headache, itching, hives, seasonal allergies, flushing, swelling, tachycardia, blood pressure changes, panic attacks

http://www.allergynutrition.com/resourc ... 833%29.pdf

Mary Beth

MBombardier · Post by **MBombardier** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 4:10 pm

Mary Beth, I can't get that link to work, either by clicking or by copying and pasting. And I didn't really know where to look for on the site. Do you think you could post that again?

mbeezie · Post by **mbeezie** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 4:34 pm

I think this is a problem maybe Tex could fix . . . the url is quite long and I think it gets cut off when I post it.

If you want to type it manually it's http://www. plus the following

allergynutrition.com/resources/seminars/Pivotal%20Role%20of%20Histamine%20in%20the%20Symptoms%20of%20Food%20Intolerance/PowerPoint%20Slides%20(33).pdf

Mary Beth

Post by **tex** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 4:50 pm

Try this:

http://www.allergynutrition.com/resourc ... 833%29.pdf

EDIT: It should work in Mary Beth's first post, now.

Tex

MBombardier · Post by **MBombardier** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 11:44 pm

Yeppers. Thank you!

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 12:21 am

Wow, I can't say I have the symptoms you describe (headaches, pain, hives, etc), but I have dermographia and their list of high-histamine foods looks like my list of intolerances. My kids' too. Wine, beer (not anymore), pineapple, tomatoes, eggplant, etc. My 3 yr old daughter just had an allergist appointment. She is the youngest case of tree pollen sensitization they have ever witnessed. The pricks on her back for tree pollens and histamine are red, swollen and angry more than 36 hours later! She was allergic to Yellow #5 (tartrazine?) and cinnamon as a baby (contact hives) too. Her allergies are inherited from my husband and his mother. They've got major airborne allergies, chronic hives, asthma, etc in the family. My MIL is finally getting celiac bloodwork after my insistence (she's got textbook symptoms plus Hashimoto's thyroiditis). Turns out she's allergic to yellow dye too. My poor kids are doomed. Do mast cell issues happen more frequently in Celiac disease?

The powerpoint mentions that colonic bacteria play a role in clearing histamine or producing extra histamine in the body. So it figures a bad mix of bacteria might be to blame for histamine-related symptoms in MC. What I don't understand is whether histamine intolerance can cause MC or is simply a side-effect in some cases of MC?

mbeezie · Post by **mbeezie** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 7:23 am

Zizzle,

There have been a few of us who have definitley had histamine issues. What comes first no one knows. My symptoms appeared around the same time. Not enough is known about mast cells - they are just now starting to be studied more.

I feel like my son is doomed as well. He has many sensitivities and it breaks my heart that he has to deal with this at such a young age. I have 2 siblings with symptoms too, so there may be a genetic link. Maybe it's a deficiency of one of the enzymes that clear histamine.

I found it interesting about the colon bacteria too. I am one of the few people here that has said Ifeel better when I take a probiotic. When I finish my current batch of Culturelle I am going to buy a different brand. Consumer Labs did a test recently and showed that live bugs in Culturelle were far lower than stated.

Mary Beth

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 9:45 am

Mary Beth,

Let us know which brand of probiotic you choose. I've been taking DF Culturelle and would like to know which others tested higher.

Gloria

harma · Post by **harma** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 2:13 pm

Before I was diagnosed with MC, I did my own research. One of the things I thought of than was histamine in food and histamine releasers. Also because a have non-specific nose allergy, if I don't take zyzal (or zyrtec) I am just like a cat with sneezing disease. I found a dietician specialized in food allergy and started an histamine low diet. I think I did it for about 6 weeks and nothing at all changed, so I quit. If there are some members here that do gluten, soy and diary free diet and want to combine it with an histamine low diet (and also avoid histamine releasers), I can assure, your diet really will be complicated.

I thought I also read somewhere there are methods to be tested for this food intolerance, something with a skin biopt or a skin test. But I am not 100% sure.

Thank you for posting it here mary beth.

By the way, that dietician I was talking about, she was the first one who pointed out a possible gluten reaction. I had to keep a food diary. I couldn't find any correlation in it, in what I had been eaten and how often I went to the bathroom. But she could.

mbeezie · Post by **mbeezie** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 2:33 pm

Harma,

I do avoid gluten, dairy, soy/all legumes, tapioca, lettuce and also add low histamine restrictions at times when I am flaring. The low histamine diet does work for me, and while it complicates things a bit, it is not unmanagebale. I am thankful that I have figured out reactive foods and can manage without taking mast cell stabilizers or high amounts of antihistamines.

Are you thinking of the urine histamine test to show if you are excreting large amounts of histamine? This test will only yield a positive result if done in the middle of a flare. You can also test tryptase to determine if you have extra mast cells, but other than that I am not sure what test that would be. Histamine intolerance, from what I know, is difficult to diagnose. I think I am proof of that.

If you find that you have some of these symptoms and they are relieved by antihistamines, you might see if the diet works to help bring your overall histamine load down. BTW, that takes time and doesn't happen overnight.

Take care,

Mary Beth

Gayle · Post by **Gayle** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 4:24 pm

Mary Beth,

In your case, your PLAN A is dietary management, and it does sound as though you are able to work with within that approach very successfully.

As we all know though, sometimes the best laid plans go awry!

Just curious ... what is your fall back (or) PLAN B? Do you occasionally use one of the OTC H2 blockers -- or IOW, might you also be keeping such handy for so called 'emergency use' ?

Gayle

mbeezie · Post by **mbeezie** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 5:05 pm

Gayle,

Since I've had a serious reaction in the past I always carry an epi pen wherever I go. I use Claritin prn, a few times/day if needed. I also carry claritin reditabs that go under the tongue. I never take an H2 blocker.

Diet is important to avoid reactions. Antihistamines work after the fact, after histamine is released - it's important to try to stop the release of histamine. It's not either diet or drugs, it's diet and then drugs if needed.

Mary Beth

Gayle · Post by **Gayle** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 8:13 pm

Mary Beth,

OK --- I had forgotten

that you had had a very serious reaction early on with the histamine issue -- which is what dictates your carrying an epi-pen.

I was just picking your brain a bit because the DH here has an allergy to fresh water fish, … (but not shell fish). He can eat canned salmon (red, not the pink) but not fresh salmon. Go figure.

Anyway, when he was a child his Mother could not even cook fresh water fish in the house if he was home as he would react to what-ever was being released into the air while cooking. Because of this history – I do not cook fresh water fish in our house. Hence, fish lover that I am, I almost always have fish when we go out. About a year ago we were out with friends when by sheer accident he got a mouthful of fish (I think it was Red Snapper) that was intended for me. And the fun began!!

He does not get into serious respiratory difficulty, however his skin flushes and he feels that his mucous membranes in mouth and throat are becoming swollen and funny etc., etc., etc. and then he wonders if his breathing might be affected (i.e. he’s scared, --- and rightfully so) which of course makes things worse.

I made him take a couple Benadryl as soon as this began, but of course, as you say, that is after the fact and does take a few minutes to kick in -- and if he were to be getting into more serious difficulty that could be to little to late.

I do always carry Benadryl (along with my Imodium)

. But was just wondering what you do in the face of the Histamine problem (although know these are only similar problems with different origins and different degrees of severity).

Gayle

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 8:44 pm

Mary Beth,

I just looked at the Power Point presentation. It was very good - a lot of it over my head, but plenty there to ponder. I'm convinced that histamines have played a role in my MC symptoms.

Thanks for posting the link.

Gloria

mbeezie · Post by **mbeezie** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 10:02 pm

Gayle,

Before I figured out what this was I went to the ER several times but the event would subside by the time I got to see anyone (other than after the flu shot when I did get iv benedryl plus epi). It can be a very scary impending doom feeling. I would get tachycardia, headache, sweating, diarrhea, feeling of throat swelling all at once. Since I have figured out many triggers and am diligent about avoiding them I don't have big reactions like that, but trust me, the fear is there that it could still happen, and happen within a few minutes. My symptoms are more minor now, but I am so tuned into them that as soon as I feel symptomatic I take claritin. A big concern for people with histamine intolerance is bee stings/venom reactions, so he should be very careful with that.

I have reacted to smells before as well, such as certain perfumes, bleach and wood smoke. There are many mast cells in the lungs. This doesn't tend to bother me unless I am flaring. I never took singulaire, but sometimes that is recommended. If I know I am going to be in a situation where I could potentially react, I preload with claritin. So maybe if he is going to be around fish he should take claritin or zyrtec ahead of time. Zyrtec is the preferred H1 for many but I can't tolerate it due to the drowsiness it causes. Carrying the claritin reditabs in his wallet (and benedryl too) in case his throat does swell and he can't swallow is also proabably a good idea. Getting an epi pen isn't a bad idea either - everyone should have one at home at least.

Mary Beth