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I'm afraid to eat

The TVClubHouse: Archives: 2004 January - Arpil: I'm afraid to eat users admin

Author Message
Abbynormal
Member

08-04-2001

Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 10:53 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
The last 2 times I have eaten chinese food, I almost died with what I thought was food poisoning. This past Saturday, I thought hey it's been a couple years (that pain really sticks with you) and tried it again, in a different state. I felt safe, what are the odds. I LIERALLY almost died! Hospital and all that good stuff. Apparently I am allergic to MSG. I have been doing a bit of research on common foods that have msg and boy it's in everything! It comes in food naturally, but is also added to ALOT of foods we eat everyday, just with a different name. I am terrified to eat! Since Saturday I have had 4 bites of oatmeal and 2 cheese sticks. Both hurt really bad. My stomach is still SO sore and still has shooting pains. I am living off of sweet tea and water. I am grown and realize I cannot keep going like this. I called today to set up an appointment to have an upper GI that I have been avoiding for too long. I guess what I am asking is does anyone know of anything that I could start back eating that would be safe? I am seriously panicking here. Afraid to eat, afraid it will kill me, but know I have to to live.

Jmm
Member

08-16-2002

Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 11:21 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Abby, I haven't had a chance yet to do a lot of research on this, but a couple of thoughts for you until I can get into this deeper.

1. Most baby foods are MSG free (not the junior foods but the baby foods), this would give you something safe to eat until we can find better resources.

2. Also found this website that lists other "MSG's" that you might not be aware of:
Hidden MSG

I'll keep looking and let you know what else I find. Hang in there kiddo'.

Egbok
Member

07-13-2000

Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 11:31 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
My gawd Abbynormal! After I read the first sentence I knew you were having an allergic reaction to MSG.

I'd suggest eating a BRAT diet for now:
Banana
Rice (steamed white)
Applesauce
Toast (dry)

and drink your tea and water until Jmm gets back to you.

Also, please go get that EGD (upper GI) asap!!

Take care!


Egbok
Member

07-13-2000

Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 11:49 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Also Abbynormal, you really should call your (PCP) doctor and ask what he/she suggests you eat until you see the Gastro doc for the EGD.

Sage
Member

07-20-2000

Thursday, February 12, 2004 - 12:03 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
My God, Abby, what a horrible experience to go through. No wonder you are so afraid to eat. I have no additional advice right now, but JMM's suggestion of eating the baby food is exellent advice for right now. I hope you get this all taken care of soon, and can have some peace again about eating.

Abby7
Member

07-17-2002

Thursday, February 12, 2004 - 12:30 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Sorry to hear about this Abby. Hope you get better soon.

Are you only allergic to MSG when it's in Chinese food? (since it's been 2 years since you tried it).

Where I live ALL menus (even flyers for take-out) specify "NO MSG".

I didn't know it was in many common foods. If that is the case....why haven't you been sick before the 2 years? I didn't realize this. I know dh is sensitive to MSG, and we won't eat at a place that uses MSG.

Anyway, hope you get better soon!

p.s. could you let me know the common foods MSG is in so I can inform dh?

thanks for informing us about this abby!

Zachsmom
Member

07-13-2000

Thursday, February 12, 2004 - 12:30 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Don't you also have Crohns Abbynormal?

Eat the baby food!

How is your sensitivity to milk? If it's not too severe try Ensure. Try very very small meals (like a few bites) at first of saltine crackers with butter/margerine on them. If you can handle that, try saltines with peanut butter.

feel better sweetie!

Abbynormal
Member

08-04-2001

Thursday, February 12, 2004 - 1:10 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Thank you everyone for you concern and thoughts. I will go tomorrow and get some baby food and also try the BRAT diet. I'm just a little freaked out right now.

Yes, I do have Crohns, so am always sick on some level. So I have no idea if it is the disease or the everyday things that have added MSG. Definately something to bring up with my doctor. I do know that apparently chinese food has a boat load of msg added. I wonder why they feel it necessary to even add it. Would it taste crappy otherwise? I am also going to talk with my dr. about seeing a allergist.

Abby, check out the link Jmm provided, it is really informative and eye-opening and downright scary for anyone with this sensitivity.

Thanks guys!

Abby7
Member

07-17-2002

Thursday, February 12, 2004 - 1:46 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Abbynormal: i did check out Jmm's list.

my question is: in the last 2 years since you ate Chinese food, have you eaten any of the "other" common foods that have MSG? (foods that you LATER learned had MSG?) if so, did you get an allergic reaction?

as i posted above, most chinese restaurants can tell you if they use MSG or not if you ask (if they don't mention it on their menu...where i live even flyers with chinese food menus state "no MSG"). i realize that the chinese restaurants that you visited may not have mentioned it (and you may not have thought it was important at the time).

dh and i are not even sure if it was MSG that made his heart race that one time. (i think it was something else).

i guess my question, abbynormal is this: have you eaten any of the foods on Jmm's list (not regular chinese food), that gave you the same allergic reaction?

it seems you didn't have this allergic reaction until you ate chinese food again.

so,i'm wondering why you are afraid to eat (other foods besides chinese????). (i would understand if it's because some foods on Jmm's list that contain MSG you ate....but if those same foods didn't make you sick in the last tow years....????)

Abby7
Member

07-17-2002

Thursday, February 12, 2004 - 2:12 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Abbynormal: I hope I was clear that your health is what is important to me and I hope you are feeling better. I was just wondering about the rest of your post, about being "afraid to eat".

why?

Abbynormal
Member

08-04-2001

Thursday, February 12, 2004 - 2:15 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Well, Abby, I am ALWAYS suffering with my stomach. I have Crohns Disease and that in itself is almost like feeling you have a chronic case of food poisoning. What I was trying to say in my last post was that since I had such a severe attack the last three times I have eaten chinese food and it is known to have alot of added msg that maybe I really need to re-evaluate what I have been eating everyday. Maybe it is aggravating an already existing condition. If you went through what I have for the past few days you wouldn't want to eat anything either. I am sorry and I don't want to be snarky but you are making me feel like an idiot for sharing my problem and asking for advise. I didn't expect to have defend myself here.

Abby7
Member

07-17-2002

Thursday, February 12, 2004 - 2:20 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I am truly sorry, abbynormal for making you feel that way.

Honestly, that wasn't my intention.

I feel so bad now.

I will be more careful about posting in the future.

Again, I'm truly sorry for making you feel that way..

Abbynormal
Member

08-04-2001

Thursday, February 12, 2004 - 2:27 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Abby, I apologize also. I am a bit testy right now to say the least. Please forgive me?



Azriel
Member

08-01-2000

Thursday, February 12, 2004 - 2:40 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Abby7, sometimes food allergies come on you slowly. You can eat peanuts all your life and then one day you eat a handful and your tongue swells up and your doctor tells you never eat peanuts again or you could die next time.

The Chinese meal loaded with MSG might have been the straw that broke the camel's back for Abbynormal.

Abby7
Member

07-17-2002

Thursday, February 12, 2004 - 3:12 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Abbynormal: again, i'm the one who is sorry, you have no reason to apologize at all. sorry that my reply made you feel that way.

Zachsmom
Member

07-13-2000

Thursday, February 12, 2004 - 8:25 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Abbynormal, I have Crohns also. I totally understand what you are saying about being afraid to eat.

It could be a combination of the Crohns and perhaps a food sensitivity in one of the spices in Chinese food. Could be allergic reaction to MSG. I don't know, I am not a doctor

I do know that there are times when I can eat a certain food, and then when I am having a flare I have severe reaction. There are times I just can't eat and no one can understand why. It's more energy to explain. lol

I am glad that you are scheduled for an upper GI. If it doesn't show anything, insist on an endonoscopy. Give your intestines time to heal and eat small meals frequently.

I don't want you to feel like you are alone--I totally understand what you are going through. I am sending positive vibes your way and I hope you feel better! Keep us informed!

Faerygdds
Member

08-29-2000

Thursday, February 12, 2004 - 11:04 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Abby, please don't take offense. I wasn't here yesterday or I would have added to the discussion. I also have an allergy to MSG. But for me it's a little different. If I have a little, like in regular foods, it seems to be fine. But if I eat Chinese food with MSG (and, yes, they add LOADS) then I blow up like a puffer fish. It's the concentration that kills me.

Every time I walk into a chinese restaurant I have to be sure they don't use MSG. Once I find one that doesn't -- I stick with them until either I move or they do! :-)

Also... please don't take offense to those of us lucky enough to NOT have Crohn's Disease. We have no idea what it's like! We are the ignorant ones in that respect. I had a roommate several years ago with the disease and because of her I learned a LOT about it. It was hard watching her suffer and always having to plan meals (I did most of the cooking) that would be gentle on her system, but still taste good. But he average person does not know what Crohns is or what it's like to have it.

I'm glad you are going to the Dr. again. Hopefully you can find some foods that will be better suited to your system. In the meantime, most of us may not know what you are going through or what it's like to worry every time you get hungry, but we are here to listen and support you when you are worried or scared!



Urgrace
Member

08-19-2000

Thursday, February 12, 2004 - 1:11 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
((((Abbynormal))))

Ketchuplover
Member

08-30-2000

Thursday, February 12, 2004 - 4:44 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I second urgrace

Tabbyking
Member

03-11-2002

Thursday, February 12, 2004 - 4:59 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
i was hospitalized for 3 days in 1994 after having chinese food. i was alone with the kids. i drove myself to the hospital, knowing i could be there faster than an ambulance could get to my house and i didn't want to scare my kids. i left the front door unlocked and drove down the main streets in town, so i could pull over and set of my car alarm if i needed to.
when i got to the hospital my normally low (80/40) bp was 140/98. the put me in a telemetry unit immediately and gave me nitro tabs under my tongue. they told me women's heart attacks often felt like 'pressure' on the chest, not really pain.
after 3 days, i got to go home. they could find nothing wrong.
i have always suspected the new chinese restaurant used large doses of MSG and that was what my problem with the racing heartbeat, chest pressure and high bp were from.
since then, i have made sure to ask about MSG and avoided chips that have them as flavor enhancers, etc., and no problems. knock on wood!

Herckleperckle
Member

11-20-2003

Thursday, February 12, 2004 - 5:43 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
{{{Abbynormal}}} heart

I am so sorry to learn of your situation. Not an easy road, I am sure. I hope you have sought out the best physician you can in your area. Did you know you can go to AMA Doctor Finder (http://dbapps.ama-assn.org/aps/amahg.htm) to locate docs and see where they trained as well as their board certifications? Doesn't guarantee anything, but it's a start, if you need to do that. Interesting to check to see if your doc is on there, anyway.

Let us know if you learn anything new that helps you and may help others.

Moondance
Member

07-30-2000

Thursday, February 12, 2004 - 6:32 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
{{{Abby}}} I hope you feel better real soon!!!!!!!:-)

Deesandy
Member

08-12-2003

Monday, April 19, 2004 - 5:09 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
How are things with you now Abby?

No chinese food for me either...

Darned Atkins Diet!