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Our boy is a mystery!

April 20th, 2010

We saw the allergist Monday. When he had his rash the last time, we were almost out of his special cream for bad outbreaks. When I called to see about a refill, they said sure a small amount but the Dr. wants to see him.

They tested him for;
almonds, peanuts, brazil nuts, cashews, walnuts (two kinds)
peanuts, eggs, milk, wheat, soy and shellfish (the same he had at his last visit)
oats, rye, barley, rice, wheat, soybeans, corn

He is still allergic the same +5 to peanuts. She felt that given it hadn’t gone down, it’s likely he will always be allergic to them. Continue with no peanuts, oils, or processed in around or ect having to do with peanuts. He will need an epi pen when he’s out of our care primarily.

He also showed 3+ to almonds and walnuts. These should be avoided.

He had no other reactions. If you remember he showed a 3+ to milk & wheat at his last appointment, which prompted the change to soymilk which resulted in sludge in his diapers and the $70/month rice milk change.

We are transitioning him back to 2% milk, very slowly. 1/2 and 1/2 for a week and then 3/4 and 1/4 for a week and then he can go full on back to it. She said to expect some digestion issues while he transitions.

His wheat allergy is what spun into the thought of Celiac. Though as I’ve mentioned before no one had heard of someone having celiac and a wheat allergy. Celiac being an autoimmune thing and the allergy being a exterior hives/swelling, itching thing.

We are confused! As recent as 2 weeks ago he had an issue after eating a saltine cracker!
While we are hopeful, we are taking baby steps. This is a kick to us, after seeing our portion of the bill for J’s endoscopy - $700 and are wondering what the heck is his troubles, and wishing someone could tell us. He’s not the same child on wheat, and we are frustrated with people not getting that.

But, having spent around $400 on gluten free special foods in the last year, being;
$5 loaves of 10 slices of bread half the size of a normal loaf? $6 for 10 gluten free chicken nuggets? $12 for xanthan gum to make him baked things, not to mention the $5 rice flour, $4 tapioca flour and $6 potato starch to blend together to make his ‘gluten free flour’. Then the $6 fruit bars and $3 crackers that feed him 2x and on and on
we’d happily have that stop too, this last month has added about $150 to our grocery bill for his special foods (plus the $70 rice milk!)

It is just a mystery.

Boy has wheat, boy get sick, boy has wheat no more, boy doesn’t get sick anymore. That has to mean something.

Obviously James feeling better is most important but it’s very frustrating to know your child isn’t well and to think you finally have an answer, then that’s not it, but it might still be it tomorrow, be on a path that makes him feel better and then a new Dr says, wait he’s not allergic to this anymore.. why are you on this diet?

Well, his GI tract is happier.

Now I’ve read that these scratch/prick tests are subjective to the person that day and from day to day. That you can be nothing today and 5+ tomorrow.
She also said though, his ears aren’t really that clear. Could this all have been just chronic ear infections?!?! blech, blech, blech! I’m just blech!

There is a potentially good thing to come of this, which with the way the last few weeks have been going and the news we’ve had from other areas of our life… we could really, really, really use something good to happen in the next few weeks also… when we hopefully get good news.

Entry Filed under: Baby