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Q: GI distress immediately after eating buffet ( No Answer,   4 Comments )
Question  
Subject: GI distress immediately after eating buffet
Category: Health > Medicine
Asked by: sarleo-ga
List Price: $20.00
Posted: 06 Jul 2004 21:03 PDT
Expires: 05 Aug 2004 21:03 PDT
Question ID: 370648
I eat out once a week at TGIF's with no problems, eating broiled
chicken. I cook the rest of the week at home and I am fine. Two years
ago, while in a good restaurant in Maine, I got terrible diahrea a
half hour after eating shellfish. It happened ten times after that, but
since my husband ate the same meal and didn't get sick, I just thought
it was a virus. Since then, every time I have shellfish, I get the
same symptoms, knocking down anyone in front of me in order to make it
to the bathroom. We now put two and two together.

But it seems that this is not the whole answer. When we are on
vacation and I eat at a buffet, I don't go near the shellfish, not
even taking food that is next to it on the buffet. I don't eat much at
all. No rich food....yet, I have the same reaction. I suddenly get
cramps and try to run to the restroom, hoping that I make it on time.

I have an allergy to iodine contrast and I have gone into anaphylactic
shock in the past. The only other allergy is to jelly fish venom, for
which I carry an epipen.

I am so disgusted, not being able to make sense of this illness. I
wonder if the buffet uses some chemical to keep the food fresh, or if
the people handling the shellfish touch other food. I do eat so
little, not gorging myself at all. Also, no alcohol. The only other
factor is that I am on chronic steroids for an adrenal gland problem.

No physician is able to help me, so if anyone knows of a similar
reaction that could explain this new found health aggravation, I would
appreciate your help. I'd just like to complain----I WANT MY COCONUT
SHRIMP that I make as a special dinner!!!!Ah, the sacrafices I make
not to stink up the house.

Thanks in advance.    Sarah Ann
Answer  
There is no answer at this time.

Comments  
Subject: Re: GI distress immediately after eating buffet
From: arinate-ga on 07 Jul 2004 04:36 PDT
 
First of all there is a real link between shell fish and iodine allergy. 

If you have a real iodine allergy, you may be allergic to iodine salt
to. I mean in some countries, for instance the Netherland, so can get
several types of kitchen salt, one is called Nezo the other Jozo. The
Jozo variety is ordinary sodium chloride, but some iodine has been
added for diet supplementation. In most places people have a shortage
of iodine in their diet, and this needs to be supplemented.
Therefore it might be that the salt used in a foreign country contains iodine. 


The following website gives more details about the link between iodine
and shell fish allergies. This might be very useful to you also . See
link below

Good luck, 


http://www.wdxcyber.com/ngen22.htm

Does Iodine Allergy Mean a Shellfish Allergy Too?
Frederick R. Jelovsek MD, MS
"I am highly allergic to iodine. During surgery recently one of the
medical attendants told me if I was allergic to iodine I must be
allergic to crab and lobster. I actually years ago had a reaction to
crab. Are there any other things I should be wary of?"

Donna 

Allergies are a serious business. Sometimes a skin rash is the main
manifestation of an allergy but it can also range from
gastrointestinal upset to asthmatic wheezing and even to death (1).
People who are allergic to one compound may also have other allergens
they are sensitive to. For some reason certain allergies get linked
together even though they may be totally unrelated. This is what has
happened with iodine and shellfish. There is no actual relationship
between iodine allergy and the various seafood allergies. You could
have a reaction to both iodine and to ingested crab, but it is much
more likely that you are not truly allergic to either.

A true food allergy such as that to shrimp or crab starts within about
thirty minutes after ingestion. The reaction is to a muscle protein in
the food. Since a true allergic reaction can be life-threatening,
intravenous glucocorticoids, antihistamine and sometimes subcutaneous
epinephrine is required just like a bee sting kit for people allergic
to bees (2). To know for sure about both the iodine and the crab, you
should see an allergist and at least be skin tested or use one of the
home tests using IgE antibodies to see.

Most allergies to xray contrast media are to the specific media
itself, not necessarily the iodine component. It just so happened that
when most of the allergies to xray contrast dyes were initially
reported that all of the dyes contained iodine in some form so it was
assumed that the iodine was the allergen. There are also allergies to
non-iodine containing contrast media which are almost as common as to
the iodine containing ones. Therefore you have to have a skin test to
the specific contrast media to know for sure.

Does an allergy to iodine mean I cannot have iodized salt? 
No, it does not. Iodine is a natural element and part of many proteins
in the body. Iodized salt is not known to cause an allergic reaction.
Even if you have a skin sensitivity to iodine containing products, you
can still ingest iodized salt without worry.

Iodine contact allergies are sometimes seen to providone-iodine
(Betadine®) scrub used as surgical preps. In one study, 10 people who
had skin reactions to providone-iodine were further tested and only
one was found to be skin allergic to the iodine, 5 were allergic to
the providone-iodine solution itself and the other 4 just had direct
skin irritation reactions but not allergic responses (3).

Iodinated contrast material used in certain x-ray studies has the same
variability as far as true allergic responses. One study of 165 people
who had reactions to iodine containing radiographic contrast material
identified only 2-3% who had true allergic responses as measured by
IgE antibody response (4).



Is a shellfish allergy the same as an iodine allergy 
An allergy to shrimp or crab or salmon, for example, has nothing to do
with allergy to iodine. A person could be allergic to both but the
allergy to shrimp is due to a protein in the shrimp, not to iodine.

Identified seafood allergens belong to a group of muscle proteins,
such as the parvalbumins in codfish and salmon and tropomyosin in
crustaceans (shrimp, lobster and crabs). In addition, tropomyosin is a
cross-reactive allergen among crustaceans and mollusks such as oysters
and scallops (5). Eating the seafood is not the only way to have an
shellfish allergic reaction; it has also been reported to be air-borne
in places such as a fish market (6).



If I am allergic to shrimp, am I likely to be allergic to other seafood? 
Yes. There are some seafood allergies that tend to run together(7).
People allergic to shrimp may also be allergic to crab, lobster, clams
and oysters. Salmon, trout and mackerel allergy may frequently occur
together just as does cod and tuna, and octopus and squid.

The most accurate way to find out what one is allergic to is through
skin testing by an allergist. If someone seems to have multiple
seafood allergies, however, the true test is to be given the actual
food in a double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge,
administered under the care of an allergist or other physician (8).
Blood tests for food antibody specific IgE are not quite as accurate
as skin tests or food challenges, however you do not have to be
exposed to the allergen (and its probably allergic response) in order
to be diagnosed.



Why can I sometimes eat shellfish and other times I get quite sick? 
Not all reactions to seafood are allergies to the seafood protein
itself. In fact a parasite called anisakiasis which frequently
contaminates seafood is a major cause of gastrointestinal upset that
many people interpret as a food allergy. This parasite is killed by
deep freezing the shellfish so if you find you can tolerate shrimp
that has been frozen but sometimes get sick eating fresh shrimp, it
may be the parasite contamination rather than a seafood allergy (9,
10).

Also, you may just be having a show of food intolerance and not an
allergic response. Food intolerance and food allergies are NOT the
same. A food allergy that stimulates the immune system to cause a
serious reaction such as:

hives, itching or skin eczema 
swelling of the lips, face, tongue and throat, or other parts of the body 
wheezing, nasal congestion or trouble breathing 
dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting 
is much more serious than a food that your body may be sensitive to
resulting in nausea, vomiting, cramping and diarrhea but not a true
allergic response.

What is food intolerance? 
Food intolerance is a direct irritation of the body by a food or
associated chemical or toxin rather than one which stimulates the
body's own immune system to attack itself. Food intolerance may be due
to the lack of an enzyme such as lactose which results in many people
having a problem eating milk, ice milk or other milk products without
becoming bloated along with cramping, diarrhea and excess gas.
Sometimes food may contain a toxin from bacteria that causes you to
react adversely. This does not mean that you cannot ever eat that food
again; it just means you should not eat that food when it is
contaminated again. Mushrooms, rhubarb, and spoiled tuna or other fish
are foods more likely to be come contaminated with toxins. It can be
very difficult to differentiate an intolerance to the food itself or
to a substance or ingredient used in the preparation of the food. This
is especially true of foods containing lactose, wheat or sulfites. For
example, wheat can cause a food intolerance but it also can cause an
immune allergic response known a celiac disease or sprue.

On the other hand, if you are truly allergic to a food such as: 

cow's milk 
eggs 
peanuts 
Wheat 
soybeans 
fish 
shellfish 
tree nuts 
even a small amount could give you a serious health reaction. If you
suspect that any food is causing you a serious allergic response, be
sure to see an allergist to have it diagnosed thoroughly. Skin tests
for allergies are considered the best way to diagnose an immune
response but sometimes you may have much less of a reaction by just
having a blood test known as an in-vitro allergen-specific IgG or IgE
antibody test. The home tests use a drop or two of blood from a finger
stick which check IgE allergic sensitivities.

Does an iodine allergy mean I cannot have xray dyes? 
Again no, it does not. But you need to let the radiologist know about
the iodine allergy. Sometimes the dye used can be switched to a non
iodine containing contrast material and at other times it may just be
suggested to have a skin sensitivity allergy test to the actual dye to
be used if there is not a suitable substitute dye available.
Subject: Re: GI distress immediately after eating buffet
From: wrunk-ga on 19 Jul 2004 12:42 PDT
 
You mentioned getting sick after eating a buffet that did not contain
shrimp so I would doubt that you suffer from a food allergy towards
shellfish.  What did catch my attention is an ingredient that is
common to both shellfish AND salad bars- Sulfites.

Sulfites are often used as a preservative to prevent spoilage and
discoloration (like the browning of potatoes) in food, particularly
fruits and vegetables (dried fruits too).  Sulfites are still used to
help prevent black spot in shrimp and it is supposed to be labeled if
the SO residue is 10 ppm or more. They are also effective in
preventing discoloration of fresh cut, refrigerated potato products.
The products are cooked in some manner prior to use which reduces the
SO residue. It is also naturally occurring in products such as red
wine which is what causes some people to get "red wine headache."

Only one out of one hundred people are sulfite sensitive but for those
who are sensitive, a very small amount is all that is needed to cause
a reaction.  Most of the research seems to show sulfite reaction as
respitory but the reaction might be different for you.

There are government regulations on the labeling of Sulfites in food
products and lots of information is available on the internet.  In the
meanwhile, I thought this article from ehow on How to Live with an
Allergy to Sulfites would be of some interest: 
http://www.ehow.com/how_3960_live-with-allergy.html

Good luck and I hope this is useful information.
Subject: Re: GI distress immediately after eating buffet
From: sarleo-ga on 20 Jul 2004 17:38 PDT
 
Thank you very much for all the information you have provided me. What
I thought could be simple, has turned out to be so multi-faceted. Some
much of the information falls into place. I now know the questions to
ask and what to avoid. I very seldom eat out, maybe once a week at the
most, but on vacation I have run into quite a few problems. Thanks
again.

Sarah Ann
Subject: Re: GI distress immediately after eating buffet
From: laur4-ga on 19 Jan 2005 18:24 PST
 
You probably were warned about this already, but I'll mention it just
in case: if you are found to have a shellfish allergy, avoid
glucosamine!  The supplement is often derived from shellfish.

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