Is this a food allergy? (sinuses, pains, doctor, diet)

[Adrian4488]

I had chicken lo mein. I got competely congested in my nose and wars. Sounded very nasal. Also felt like my sinuses swelled to the point I had trouble reading the fortune cookie due to slight double vision. I recall this happening once before at the same place
Both times I said no MSG and I think they listened because the meal tasted less salty like it usually does without MSG.

[in_newengland]

Originally Posted by Adrian4488

I had chicken lo mein. I got competely congested in my nose and wars. Sounded very nasal. Also felt like my sinuses swelled to the point I had trouble reading the fortune cookie due to slight double vision. I recall this happening once before at the same place
Both times I said no MSG and I think they listened because the meal tasted less salty like it usually does without MSG.

It sure sounds like a food allergy or sensitivity. Maybe it's to soy sauce or soy itself. Try to think of what was in that food that you usually do not eat and that could be it. Or they didn't leave the MSG out.

[Jo48]

People can have different reactions ranging from breathing problems, pains in the stomach, to hives.

Both of my daughters get stomach pains from dairy, beef, and soy. I used to break out in hives eating strawberries. I saw a child in school once who had a peanut allergy and couldn't breathe.

What my daughter does when she goes out to eat Chinese, is to tell them not to use soy in her food. They sell a soy substitute made from molasses and vinegar. She brings a bottle of that with her when she goes out to eat. You can find that substitute at places like Whole Food, etc. Just a tip.

Try using some soy sauce on something at home. If you have no reaction to it, then the restaurant probably did not take out of MSG.

[wit-nit]

OP you had a reaction to one or more of the ingredients in the food you ate. Happens frequently. When you find out what it is then try to avoid it.
Most allergists test for plants/vegetation only. Find a food allergy specialist. That's what I did. Took me 7 try's with allergy dr's 'til I found one that did food testing. Immediate relief after that visit.

[BrooklineBiker]

Hi,
Try eliminating each of the following of the Big 8 plus 2 allergens from your diet to see if your overall health improves:
1 Wheat
2 Soy (it is in almost every processed food. Also people with allergies to it may not react to all forms of soy, e.g., fermented soy like in soy sauce)
3 Sesame seeds
4 Dairy
5 Eggs
6 Peanuts
7 Tree nuts
8 corn
9 Fish (You don't mention eating it but a lot of people have trouble with it. It is common to have multiple sensitivities.)
9 Shellfish (You don't mention eating it but a lot of people have trouble with it. It is common to have multiple sensitivities.)
10 Yeast
Try to find a functional medicine doctor to test you for IGE and IGG allergies.

[aspecialist]

Hi, Adrian4488! I'm aware of some food allergies because I also am allergic to dairy and sometimes egg and shellfish too. I'm not allergic to soy though, but I'm trying to cut back on gluten and casein.

Have you tried any diets so far? If yes, then is it working for you? How about natural medicine or remedies? I know there are doctors that are expert in naturopathy, like the doctor I'm working for. His name is Dr. Sundardas Annamalay and he's really a trained professional when it comes to natural healing techniques.

I did try other methods before but clearly it didn't work for me and I still had those allergies, but now I'm getting a lot better, I think it's because of going back to the basics because I believe that our bodies are capable of healing itself. We have that innate tendency and with a holistic type of healing then, I think we would all go a long way.

Let me know how it goes with your allergies and what method worked for you.