About a month ago, I got an email from a lady telling me a story that, as soon as I read it, I knew I had to share with you! I asked her permission to share it, and she graciously agreed. It is a must read, and goes right along with my thoughts that the body functions as one, and if you treat the symptoms and don't get to the heart of the matter, the results can be devastating. It is my hope, and hers, that you will read this and understand that just because your reaction is not typical, does not mean that food allergies or sensitivities are not the issue. Search it out, ask questions, and get all the facts before you agree to treatment, especially expensive or life changing ones. Sometimes the solution is a lot simpler than you realize!
Without further adieu, please welcome my new friend and fellow blogger, Darla!
My allergy is to all dairy products. I am 50. I have been living dairy-free for about 12 years after a simple blood test with a allergy testing facility proved my allergy to dairy was off the charts. Prior to that test, I was being treated for epilepsy because the doctors didn't know why I was having seizures. Well, it was the dairy they told me to eat because they thought I was hypoglycemic! I was told to eat a chunk of cheese every couple of hours for strength! Crazy when I think back.
Here's the whole story...
Here's the whole story...
I had been having Grand Mal seizures since I was around 9 years old. At around age 17, with concern of my driver's license, a neurologist ran a battery of tests, only to tell me that they don't know why I was having seizures, but take this medicine (Tegretol) so he didn't have to report me to DMV. The medicine did not work. I knew in my heart I didn’t have epilepsy, but did not know what was going on.
I was told that perhaps I grew too fast. Hypoglycemic. Pre-diabetic. I asked to be tested for allergens but was asked, "What do you think you are allergic to?" When I said I didn't know, they said they don't just run a battery of tests when you have no allergy indications, and seizures are not related to an allergy.
Every year, I would go to different types of doctors to figure out what was wrong with me. EKG, MRI, Brain Scans, Chinese medicine, acupuncture, chiropractic... Nothing worked, until 2001.
2001, I called a doctor in Berkeley. He agreed to see me. After a short meeting, Dr. Tim Smith said reassuringly that we would get to the bottom of this. I giggled and told him, with no disrespect, that I have been told that before! He sent me away with a battery of test to be taken; the first being blood work. He said, "Do the blood test and let’s get the results before you do all the other tests."
On 10/23/01, blood was collected.
On 10/30/01, I got a phone call from Dr. Smith that said, “Quit eating and consuming all forms of DAIRY! You are killing yourself!"
That day I stopped eating all dairy. Soon thereafter, I was off all meds and my seizures miraculously stopped. Who knew, a dairy allergy would cause all that!
No doctor wanted to test me for allergies because people "don't have seizures from allergies". Well, my mean glucose was below 60, which can cause seizures. (Note from Julie: It is my theory that the dairy allergy was affecting her blood sugar, causing it to go low enough to cause the seizures, probably due to a lack of proper absorption of nutrients. This seems to be confirmed by the lack of seizures and hypoglycemia since removing dairy from her diet.)
I can't be the only person who has had this type of experience, and if I hadn't have continued to explore options, I would still be on anti-convulsive meds and not having the full life I now live.
Until about two years ago, this was my little secret. If you were having Grand Mal seizures and didn't know the real cause of them, wouldn't you be living with a huge secret, too? Now I realize how important it is to share my story… I know I am not the only misdiagnosed person living with an allergy that caused/will cause me to have seizures when the smallest amount of dairy was/is consumed.
My greatest concern is that, since I was diagnosed, I have had allergy blood test done through LabCorp. They all came back that I am not allergic to anything. If I trusted that test solely, I would be living a VERY different life.
I was told that perhaps I grew too fast. Hypoglycemic. Pre-diabetic. I asked to be tested for allergens but was asked, "What do you think you are allergic to?" When I said I didn't know, they said they don't just run a battery of tests when you have no allergy indications, and seizures are not related to an allergy.
Every year, I would go to different types of doctors to figure out what was wrong with me. EKG, MRI, Brain Scans, Chinese medicine, acupuncture, chiropractic... Nothing worked, until 2001.
2001, I called a doctor in Berkeley. He agreed to see me. After a short meeting, Dr. Tim Smith said reassuringly that we would get to the bottom of this. I giggled and told him, with no disrespect, that I have been told that before! He sent me away with a battery of test to be taken; the first being blood work. He said, "Do the blood test and let’s get the results before you do all the other tests."
On 10/23/01, blood was collected.
On 10/30/01, I got a phone call from Dr. Smith that said, “Quit eating and consuming all forms of DAIRY! You are killing yourself!"
That day I stopped eating all dairy. Soon thereafter, I was off all meds and my seizures miraculously stopped. Who knew, a dairy allergy would cause all that!
No doctor wanted to test me for allergies because people "don't have seizures from allergies". Well, my mean glucose was below 60, which can cause seizures. (Note from Julie: It is my theory that the dairy allergy was affecting her blood sugar, causing it to go low enough to cause the seizures, probably due to a lack of proper absorption of nutrients. This seems to be confirmed by the lack of seizures and hypoglycemia since removing dairy from her diet.)
I can't be the only person who has had this type of experience, and if I hadn't have continued to explore options, I would still be on anti-convulsive meds and not having the full life I now live.
Until about two years ago, this was my little secret. If you were having Grand Mal seizures and didn't know the real cause of them, wouldn't you be living with a huge secret, too? Now I realize how important it is to share my story… I know I am not the only misdiagnosed person living with an allergy that caused/will cause me to have seizures when the smallest amount of dairy was/is consumed.
My greatest concern is that, since I was diagnosed, I have had allergy blood test done through LabCorp. They all came back that I am not allergic to anything. If I trusted that test solely, I would be living a VERY different life.
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You can further connect with Darla on her blog:
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Thanks for being a guest, Darla! Here is a badge for you if you'd like to use it!
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I hope you will all take a moment to leave some comment love for Darla below and take some time to visit her blog and offer her some support.
(This post was originally posted on both of my original sites, Fibro, Fit and Fab! and Natural and Free.)
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