Allergies Community

Hello. My name is Kim and I am 40 years old. I have 4 children and literally after I gave birth in the hospital to my daughter who is now 14 1/2, I became allergic to potatoes, even though I ate them all my life.[br>I didn't know it right away because I didn't eat potatoes all that often but when I did, I would have a terrible reaction…..my heart would start racing, then my throat would close up some….lips tingle….but I never was aware of food allergies and didn't know what was happening….at the time, I also had a lot going on so I thought it was panic attacks. This went on for a few months. I finally realized it was the potatoes…went to my doctor and told him, he told me to just avoid them, gave me a script for an epi-pen and sent me on my way. So over the years, I avoided them and as long as it wasn't a fry, potato chip, baked potato, mashed….I never read labels.[br>Last week, I was eating jolly ranchers chewy candy and after a few, started to have a terrible reaction.[br>I grabbed the pack and read the and saw it ingredients had potato starch. Since that day, I have been having reactions to a lot of things to the point that I guess I build up enough allergy that the slightest potato carrying product now effects me. Vitamin A Palminate which is in ALL LOW FAT DAIRY PRODUCTS….even imitation milk products like Soy Milk, Almond Milk because it is used as a filler. This is one of the hardest things to avoid because its in everything boxed! Also I have to avoid potato starch which is in everything too. Most yeast contains potato, except Red Star. I have to avoid all refined flour because of the vitamin A, its potatoes. I have to avoid Cellulose Gum. Very important….never realized this but for years, below my mouth would get irritated and red every time I would brush my teeth….red patches..that inflamed and itched…well, Cellulose is in most toothpaste!!! I did switch a few days ago to Arm and Hammer which doesn't contain it and seems to be ok. I am freaked out about Dextrose cause its in everything too and unless if I call each food item/company, I will not know if its potato based.[br>All shredded cheese contains potato starch. It keeps it from sticking together so now I have to buy blocked cheese and shred it myself. I did read that I can do that and freeze it in larger amounts.[br>Instant oatmeal packets contain potato. Almost all cereal contains Vitamin A Palminate. I love cereal and always used 1% Milk and low fat dairy so this is very hard for me. I love bread and bought a bread maker last night. I am used to fast food restaurants cause I am always on the go…..now its impossible because everything on the menu I can't eat. Even salad dressing is dangerous. I can only have homemade oil and vinagar dressing. All this time I ate Hellmann's Mayo…not realizing it contains potatoes. I can't have Iodide salt either. The list goes on an on.[br>Its as if a switch clicked on for all this to avoid. I feel like I am forced into diet mode (which I needed to go on one anyways and never did good sticking to them. But this is the rest of my life…Not something I can just give up on now. A week ago, my life wasn't so bad avoiding the basics of fries and chips. Now, this just sucks. Its depressing and I am scared to eat out anywhere. My life has been turned upside down.[br>I feel so bad for parents with kids with severe allergies because its a lot of reading, avoiding, prepping, and its just very very discouraging. : ([br>If anyone out there knows of other words in ingredients that I need to avoid that I have not listed, please take a moment and comment. I need all the help I can get right now.