Absolute Tragedy

[Sarah]

Yeah, so I've got like a ton of food allergies now, and I can't eat pie anymore. Whatever am I to do?


*poke* *poke*

[Keisuke Takahashi]

Pastries Maybe? or the dare I say.... Cake?! *gasps*


*hides*

[Sarah]

Nope, nope. None of that. I can only have grains, soy, egg whites, and some vegetables/fruits, but I have to be careful as hell. I don't know if a pie would even stay together with that stuff. I would seriously have a realistic doom pie here. As in the pie is doomed from the start.


*flails* Yarhggherad!

[Taco-Calamitous]

That's an odd allergy. I've never heard of that one before.

What about the PIZZA pie?! I love those!

[Sarah]

=( Nope. No pizza unless it's just crust and sauce. I have to figure out some kind of recipe. I need to have pie for the sake of having pie. Perhaps some kind of chocolate soy pudding pie or something. With home made oreo like crust!

[Taco-Calamitous]

So are you telling me that you can't have any milk products?! That's INSANE!! I am sad for you

You should talk to my brother or something. He used to be some kinda vegan. Not anymore though, as per he eats fish, eggs, and has some milk products now.

[Sarah]

I do have some recipes for stuff, but they all call for crazy ingredients that I don't want to pay for.

I can kinda have egg whites! I do get crampy from them, though. Sorry to bitch, haha. I need an outlet. I'm still not over this, "NO MORE GOOD FOOD FOR YOU EVER, SARAH!!!" thing.

I might just try coming up with something on my own. I'll let everyone know how my the suck pie comes out... maybe with pictures. Whenever I get around to it. (Cooking and food depress me now.)


I still like pasta, though! Maybe I can make a pie out of pasta.

[Korova]

Your stomach is plotting to destroy you.

[Sarah]

It is. It's probably going to take over the world.

On a good note, I have found a way to appease it. I found cookie/brownie/cake recipes/mixes that I can have. Yay! Now, I can keep my stomach at bay. If anyone is going to take over the world, it's going to be me and not my stomach.

[Korova]

At least it likes soy milk right? I use soy milk these days anyways. Mostly because i'm dating an Asian and I think they all have lactose issues.

It just occurred to me last week I've never seen a Chinese cheese.

edit: oh shit, i hope you can have cheese. I would be seriously depressed without cheese.

[Sarah]

No cheese for me. No dairy at all. Soy milk is a staple, though.

I used to date a Korean guy that drank several gallons of milk a week, so I don't know how true your statement is. He was fine. Never gained any weight from it either. Skinny ****, you could say.

I haven't seen Chinese cheese, either. Very little Asian anything with milk that I can think of. Of course, in America, milk gets injected into that kind of food, anyway. I hates it.

Tid bit of information: soy cheese is an abomination. I feel like I am eating the plastic wrap from Kraft singles when I have that stuff. It made horrible, plastic-tasting, nacho dip. DON'T EVER HAVE IT!! It will just make you cry for real cheese. CHEESE!!

[SOLDIER #819]

So are you lactose intolerant, or do you have a milk allergy or something similar? I don't get this stuff.

[Sarah]

It seems to be not just a milk allergy, but a complete inability to digest most things. Just imagine having all of the symptoms Pepto plus other medicines are supposed to help (and the lovely fun of bleeding). Now imagine that they're caused by almost all foods, and that when you accidentally have said foods, the symptoms don't go away for months, even after you've stopped having the foods.

It just damages me. I can't explain it. All I can say for sure is that one major reaction is that my intestinal lining swells a lot. Doctors have been useless. After months of being a nazi about what I eat, I've finally gotten some form of better.

So I'm down to grains, soy, and very limited fruits and vegetables (cooked only). That is it.

I wish I could give you a specific answer. It doesn't help that after being probed every way imaginable, all I've gotten is "I don't know," from the doctors.

Bah, I'm sorry to complain. I just really wanted recipe ideas/ ridiculous pie ideas.

[Korova]

Ouch... That's so ****ed up.. I remember years ago (2002) it was just "no meats" now its no cheese? i couldn't live without cheese.. pepper jack.. mizithra... omg.... i feel so bad for you :'(

We should think up awesome recipes that you can still eat.

[SOLDIER #819]

Maybe it's a bad, bad case of food intolerances. Like lactose intolerance is where your body doesn't produce enough of the enzyme necessary to break down a sugar or something, while an allergy will have to break out in hives or something in addition to all the usual suspects. Something something?

What fruits and veggies can't you eat? The acidic ones? The GOOD ones?

[Sarah]

Anything high in insoluble fiber equals bad. Honestly, I've been avoiding most. I seem to get nauseated from most fruits. Watermelon and strawberries seem to be bad. Apples are in question. Bananas are good. Plums seem to be okay. Grapes are okay in small amounts. Clementines are my favorite, but they seem to make me really sick. All citrus fruits pose a problem. Most fruit juices are even worse, specifically apple and grape. With fruit, it's a lot of near vomiting and spitting up.

Vegetables are okay cooked, but still cause all kinds of abdominal pain plus other problems. Roughage is all that is evil in this world.

Fats are also a major issue. I don't seem to absorb them. I drop weight like crazy if I'm not careful. (Often 5 - 10 pounds in less than a week. For 5' 3", that can be scary. Equivalent to a dress size or 2.) I seem to be able to control the run away malabsorption if I keep it around 20 - 50% of daily recommended value, with ideal being around 30%.

There seems to be intestinal swelling associated with all of this. (I've seen it via sigmoidoscopy.) That's part of why I think it's in the spectrum of allergies, beside the fact that I tend to get a runny nose, headache, and occasional very low grade fever from eating some of this stuff (or just simply from going to the bathroom). Also, using lactase did nothing to improve the issues with dairy. It appears I'm no longer able to break down the proteins casein and whey.

You know, it's like the flu, but caused by food. Most of my explanations use comparisons that people can easily understand. (If I say "allergy" at a restaurant, I'm far less likely to have to go the the doctor or hospital due to negligence.) There is still no official explanation. I hope to someday be able to find a doctor that will be willing to actually help, because living off of this little food is not acceptable in anyway.

Heh, sad thing is.... even though I've proven to myself time and time again that I can't eat most things, I do try to go back to them. I'll isolate one suspect food and have only that. The results are always the same- nausea, pain, weakness, headache, abdominal swelling (feels hard to the touch), constipation and diarrhea. (Yes, I do get both. It often switches between it.. like in the same week.) HOURS in the fricken bathroom. Soy is one of the things that causes all of this, but if I cut that out, I get no protein.

I've considered going back to baby food. Start all over again. Until I do that, though, I'd like to try to eat things. I have several recipes for things that I could theoretically eat. However, the ingredients are insanely expensive and most have to be ordered online. I'm hoping to come up with recipes that include ingredients from a normal grocery store. I've been asking around for what seems like forever. I figured that I may as well ask the completely dead EBG. It gets me about the same amount of answers, haha.

Thanks for listening, guys.

Here's a basic list of what I can make things with. (Can never be whole.) *= iffy ^= soothing
-wheat flour
-barley flour
-rice flour
-corn flour
-soy milk
-soy margarine
-canola oil
-olive oil
-soybean oil
-random cooked vegetable* (broccoli, carrots, turnips, onions, green peppers, et cetera.)
-dairy free chocolate powder/chips
-rice^
-pasta^
-barley
-lentils*
-soluble fruit*
-texturized vegetable protein
-beans***
-peppermint^
-fennel^
-ginger^
-spices in general* (basil is my favorite)

This is where the problem comes in. All I can think of is breads, rice, pasta, cookies, soy ice cream, soy pudding, soup, brownies, crackers, pancakes, waffles, and sandwiches.

[SOLDIER #819]

And meats are just as bad or worse? Can't have anything like fish (have you tried recently)? Bread can have a good bit of protein in it if you buy the right kind, and you only need about 40g or so to survive. But cramming in the equivalent of a loaf of good bread per day can get pretty pricey...and somehow I'm going to guess half the breads at most stores will send you crawling to the Porcelain Gates.

There is that "milk" for babies with serious allergies, but I'm not sure if that's for allergy allergies or if it's milk-based. Are you able to digest vitamins, by the way? POTATOES?

I really don't want to be doing this homework right now.

[Sarah]

Heh, sorry. I suck.

No meats. That was ruled out a long time ago, and it was recommended by a doctor that I don't try to go back to eating meat. Unfortunately, for me it includes all poultry, fish, shellfish, in addition to remaining types of meats.

You can survive on less than 40 g. I probably get 30 g tops a day with it usually around 20 g. I do constantly feel weak, though. When I can manage to get in 40 +, I start to feel a lot better. It just requires me to have several glasses of soy milk and veggies burgers, plus my usual foods (ie pasta and rice). Sometimes it works out. Sometimes I just end up in pain from forcing myself to have that much food.

I could take a look at baby formula when I'm in the store. I feel pretty pathetic having to go back to eating like a baby, though.

I have no idea how much nutrients I actually absorb. I would not be surprised if there was a problem with that as well. With my digestive system in constant turmoil, how is it ever going to function normally and absorb what it is supposed to? I haven't had my blood tested in a while for nutrient levels. They never seem to say anything about it when they do, though. Of course, I'm usually getting guff about my weight, rather than detailed information on my blood test results.

Potatoes are good as long as they are not green and lack skin. I just have no idea what to make without having real milk, butter, or cheese. Those are staples for potato dishes. I have considered home fries, though. Baked home fries. Home bakes?


I have to say that right now, I am so thankful that I have this egg free, dairy free cookie mix. I need a damn cookie. *eats a cookie* I can eat a ****ing cookie!!

[SOLDIER #819]

NO APOLOGIZING. THAT IS MY REALM. I NEED TO HAVE 100% CONTROL OVER IT TO FEEL SECURE. RAAAAAAAAAH.

You can survive on less, but I think it's better to go farther if you're young and/or remotely active. Though like you said it really does suck getting it all down on a limited diet. At one point I was eating boiled eggs whites just to get my daily protein while dieting. Uuuuuugh. Baby life is high life. If I was told that from today on I didn't have to chew what I ate, I'd sign up.

I recently made some baked fries. They were pretty good, but they were smothered in some sort of seasoned oil before baking, which you may or may not have been able to taste. I'm guessing things like onion or garlic powder wouldn't be very good. Same with ketchup or fry sauce?

Are you sure it's not just insoluble fiber that's the issue, but soluble as well? It does help with controlling weight, which you may or may not have enough of. If that's the case, I think sweet potatoes have even more fiber than the common brand (and less protein), so that may be something to beware of. But then, those are good too.

[Korova]

hehe you said "fry sauce"

It would be awesome if fry sauce caught on outside Utah. I'm tired of asking for Mayo packets at restaurants so I can make my own at the table.

Fries are the only potato dish i can think of that doesn't have cheese (besides a very basic baked potato which NEEDs butter.) Although I love fries with skin

At least you can have basic meal foundations like rice and pasta, but what the hell can you put on it?

[SOLDIER #819]

It's catching on with me! I made what I think was fry sauce. The recipe called it burger sauce, and people said it was a little different from Arctic Circle. But I have no clue if Arctic Circle had both a burger sauce and a fry sauce. How many distinct ketchup/mayo/pickle combinations can there be...?

Butter makes a potato great, but I'm used to eating it dry now. I don't even bother with a knife and fork usually...Mmm, warm hand food. It'll be winter in a short while. Perfect.

Are there any pasta sauces you can use? Or are things like tomato and seasonings a no-no?

[Sarah]

Tomatoes are fine. I have them often. Onion and garlic are still in my diet. I question garlic, though. I kind of refuse to give it up, anyway. I need some flavor, dammit. Fry sauce equals no way and ouch. (Blame the mayo and buttermilk.)

I also balance my fiber regularly. I make sure to get a small amount of insoluble (even I need at least some), and I make sure I get plenty of soluble fiber (add fiber to water and food). Soluble fiber used in the right amount helps tremendously. It sort of acts like a barrier of... um... mush... around all of my food. Helps it pass without causing so much inflammation. Plus, anything that helps me not feel the food the entire way down my tract is a huge bonus. (I hate feeling everything.)

I had been on medicine that was supposed to help this. I've been labeled with the blanket term "Irritable Bowel Syndrome" and have been given medicine accordingly in the past. However, the prescription made no sense. I was prescribed amitriptyline, a tricyclic anti-depressant that did more damage than help. I ended up stuck in bed, with severe fatigue, all while having the worst kind of messed up dreams I've ever had. Oh, and my abdomen ballooned out to the point where I couldn't wear pants when I was on it. Enteric nervous system theories fail to come up with successful treatments.

I think my diagnosis is wrong. Everyone I have ever talked to that has "IBS" has very different symptoms than I do. In fact, they all have different symptoms from each other. I see IBS to be doctor terminology for, "I don't know why, but you have digestive issues. Here's a diagnosis to make you go away. Oh yeah, and just deal with it. No one is going to help you." It's how many people are treated. US doctors simply suck when it comes to treating most digestive issues unless it is among the few buzz diseases like celiac's, crohn's, ulcerative colitis. or cancer- then they're somewhat mediocre.

I've been asking around and looking for a good doctor for a while now. I want to have the whole slew of tests done again. This time without fasting for most, if possible. The one time I didn't fast, they actually saw inflammation. Wow, a physically observable reason for my symptoms! I'll keep trying until I can find someone that is at least willing to help and can come up with some form of definitive answer. (IBS is not a definitive answer, dammit.) A doctor who stops trying and says "Deal with it," is no doctor at all. Hippocratic oath, my ass.

I did find one doctor that may have been able to help, but, alas, my ****ing health insurance was not accepted. ****ing **** pickles. I'll have to wait a few years until I have some money and better insurance. The tests are very expensive. $250 copays, minimum for major ones plus time lost as a result. (Colonoscopy prep makes me sick, sick sick for days.) Also, paying for the medicines, doctor visits, and everything has left me broke and will be even more costly in the future.

I don't know where I was going with this now. I guess my point is I don't fully know what's going on. I do know that several signs point to food allergies. I just have internal reactions rather than external. I feel like it's similar to a "dermatitis of the intestines", for lack of good analogy for descripton. (Except the problems start in my stomach. Immediate nausea and stabbing pain being the reason I think so.)

To quote Death to Smoochy, "I'm ****ed up in general, so it's kind of hard to gauge."

To help treat myself, I have used a few things. Fennel, ginger, and peppermint seem to alleviate some of my symptoms, even if only slightly. Mostly just helps with bloating and pain. Doesn't always work, though. Vitamins helps when I manage some form of absorption, usually when I stuff myself with bread to slow down passage. Probiotics help sometimes, but like everything it doesn't always work. Exercise helps some, by kicking my immune system into action, but this only works when I'm not weak as hell.

So with this overload of information that's probably made you all very uncomfortable and develop some kind of creepy love for you food.... What did I eat in the last 24 hours?
*1 Peppermint/fennel/ginger pill
*A medium serving of pasta with tomato sauce
*A few dairy free, egg free cookies
*1 Thai Kitchen Spring Onion Soup Bowl (Somehow, these seem to be safe for me.)
*2 servings of soy milk
*Half of a tea

Thats it. I feel okay today, although somewhat hungry. I seem to feel best in the semi-starved state.

EDIT: Any antibiotics I've been on have made it worse. Usually takes a while to recover from the aftermath, too. I thought I would add that, in case someone thought of suggesting it.

[Korova]

I'm told when you turn 30 Doctors start listening to you.

[Sarah]

I'm told when you turn 30 Doctors start listening to you.

Well, that makes perfect sense. Everyone wants to waste their youth by being unhealthy.

[Taco-Calamitous]

Well, that makes perfect sense. Everyone wants to waste their youth by being unhealthy.

I know I do!

[Korova]

It's catching on with me! I made what I think was fry sauce. The recipe called it burger sauce, and people said it was a little different from Arctic Circle. But I have no clue if Arctic Circle had both a burger sauce and a fry sauce. How many distinct ketchup/mayo/pickle combinations can there be...?

You'd be surprised. Each burger joint in Utah has their own variation. One uses BBQ sauce instead of ketchup.

Arctic Circle uses the standard recipe.

If you get lazy you can just buy 1000 Island dressing, it's almost the same thing. I will use that as Fry Sauce in a restaurant if it's available.

[SOLDIER #819]

You eat the fiber supplement by itself? Owwwww. I usually mix it in with some oatmeal. Water + sugar/splenda is enough to get by. Maybe you could throw some cinnamon/fruit/(ginger?) into that? Or are oats bad too?

What does your health insurance actually cover? Have they actually referred you to a gastro, or have you been going to general physicians all this time?

You really should try making some fries though. If you're able to take up frying (and you can have olive oil, so why not?!), it shouldn't hurt much considering your restrained diet. It's better than becoming severely underweight anyway...But baking works too. I think just about any fry recipe can be adapted for the oven, and most use things like garlic powder, onion, paprika; that sort of stuff. Even with pepper off limits it works out well. I think?

Let's hurry up and make this into a recipe thread.

You'd be surprised. Each burger joint in Utah has their own variation. One uses BBQ sauce instead of ketchup.

Arctic Circle uses the standard recipe.

If you get lazy you can just buy 1000 Island dressing, it's almost the same thing. I will use that as Fry Sauce in a restaurant if it's available.

The recipe I use tends to make really smooth and pickley sauce. Thousand Island is a lot more tangy to me. Since I've never tasted "fry sauce" outside my house, I have no clue if what I'm having is remotely close to the real thing, lol. BBQ sauce sounds reeeeaalllly goooooooood. Onion ring burger with BBQ sauce.

Hungry.

[Korova]

So start with the recipes, S! You're the master chef here

You're always telling me how you're going to try to cook this and that. You've made a chicken parm for godsake

Share some of your findings

edit: we should make an "official" recipe thread. I'd love to hear new recipes.

edit edit: I mean a recipe thread in an Evil Bad Guys forum is pure comedy anyways.

[Sarah]

No, the fiber goes in my food and drink, if I remember it. Yes, been to a specialist. He sucked.

I have wanted to do potato things. I just haven't gotten to it yet. I was considering making home fries by first baking them in the oven, then lightly searing them in a pan. Then spices away.

Recipe thread is a good idea.

[nix]

how the **** liek ? You just woke up and your body developed allergies over night?