Thursday, December 29, 2011

Top 10 Signs You Might Have a Corn Allergy

Top 10 Signs You Might Have a Corn Allergy: 

10. You have a non-life-threatening condition with no cure and no tests that prove the disease, but a long list of complicated symptoms, and a bunch of tests which say what it isn't. 
9. You find it nearly impossible to maintain/reach your ideal weight no matter what you do.
8. You look at people strange when they aren't sleepy or don't have heartburn, reflux, diarrhea, or digestive distress after eating.
7. You're completely addicted to sugar, especially at night.
6. You've heard more than once that it's just "stress".
5. You take allergy medication like candy.
4. You have eczema or other skin condition which never goes away nor improves.
3. You have a tendency for mood swings or impulsive behavior.
2. You routinely suffer from migraines or cluster headaches.
1. Your doctor (and possibly your friends/family) is pretty sure you're a hypochondriac.

What do you think? Did I miss anything? What were your top 10 signs looking back that should have clued you in that you had a corn allergy?

(also bonus points if the treatment for #10 includes steriods or corticosteriods.)

15 comments:

V said...

If it's your child, signs of autistic behaviors, learning problems, delayed speech, social problems.. can also be signs of a food allergy.

Violets said...

Anxiety is another misdiagnosis. I used to get so sick at the movies, and 'they' (drs, family) were convinced it was anxiety attacks. I'd get sick in restaurants too. I thought I had the weirdest anxiety ever, it struck after events were over,

drsg said...

I'd actually change the title to "you might have an undiagnosed food allergy, which may be corn"

1) you frequently experience rashes/acne which no medicine seems to relieve and/or treat

2) You have chronic sores in your mouth and/or your gums frequently "hurt"

3) After eating at your favorite restaurant or enjoying the food that you are "addicted to" you frequently have severe stomach pain from constipation/diahrea, but never really know why. And/or develop a fun headache

4) certain foods actually make you feel high (without any associated caffeine)

5) your sinus/ear infections are either in the process of developing, being treated, or recovering from one, but they never ever go away

6) you think a food might be making you sick, but the only time you get relief from your headache/pain is when you are eating said food

V said...

Good Points Drsg! Though for most of these, you'd have to be allergic to a prevalent food in your diet, so generally milk, eggs, soy, wheat, or corn. I suppose some diets might involve enough rice for that to be an option as well.

Karen said...

Wow, all of these things pretty much describe me. I'm still dealing with them all. I'm finding it hard to quit it completely because I'm never sure whats alright to eat, especially when i'm eating dinner out...but i'm learning. I thought that my ezcema and stomach issues were the result of the corn, never though that the headaches, moodiness, extreme sugar cravings and weight gain would be a part of that too! I thought That was just how I'm supposed to be, maybe it is. Maybe its not. Worth finding out.

Ann Azurite said...

Karen I feel you! I thought I was a freak who lived on pizza and sweets and its really tricky to learn how to grow away from those habits. I have been feeling much better trying to eliminate corn completely but I still crave the sweets so much at night, carbs too! My anxiety has almost completely vanished and I was able to wean off my depression medication within months of beginning my CORN FREE journey (of course with help from an Md and a clinical nutritionist)
Anyway just wanna say thanks to all the fellow corn avoiders out there on the web, you've helped me tremendously and also you inspire me to accept that life can actually be better without all that corn.

Anonymous said...

How did you find out it was corn that was the issue?

V said...

Most find they're corn allergy by accident or by doing websearching and then doing food avoidance and challenges. If you suspect a corn allergy, you'd do best to avoid it as much as humanly possible for a month and then eating corn (in various forms - starting with whole kernel corn, then maybe corn meal or corn chips, or corn syrup) to see what happens if anything.

As with any food allergy challenge, always be safe with epipen or liquid antihistamine (absorbs easier) and someone to call 911 for you or drive you to the ER.

Anonymous said...

The main sign of my corn allergy was severe stomach cramps. Everytime I ate anything with corn in it, I would get a severe cramp every 15 minutes for the next 2 days. It was awful. At first I thought I had an egg allergy, but it turned out to be corn.

I find that corn starch has the worst impact of all corn products.

Jaime said...

When I ingest something with corn/corn products (ie Corn starch, corn syrup, etc) in it, I have terrible stomach cramps. Depending on the amount of corn in the food I can be sick for as long as 12 hours with violent flu-like symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cold sweats, dizziness, headache, kidney pain, and the shakes... am I forgetting anything? ... It really, really is terrible. I have considered going to the emergency room because of my reactions but have not since I don't think that they will believe me that it is a corn intolerance.
I also breakout in hives if my skin is exposed to raw corn husks.
Yes, I have an epi-pen.

BamagirlMegan said...

I have extreme mood swings or crying after eating some foods..thought it might be pms but now that gluten is out I think corn might be another culprit..also I can't think clearly after eating it.I have allergy tesys next week..we will see.

Christina said...

I had allergy tests a few years ago and the allergist said I was allergic to corn. BUT he said it was ok if I ate cooked corn. I'm really confused because I am seeing nothing that backs this up in any of my research. Any ideas?

Joy said...

Interesting post! I have been diagnosed with a number of allergies. In addition to that, I track my dietary intake with a food diary, although most often lately in my head since it becoming quite clear what to avoid. My recent suspicion is corn, hence my hopping on over to your blog! :)

Unknown said...

We have had both a natural pathic doctor, who did a FIT test, and an allergist tell us that my son has a corn allergy. We have been trying to figure this out for 2 years. He gets flu like symptoms such as: headache, body aches, nausea, constipation, and extreme fatigue. He does not have any stomach pain or cramping. The constipation is relentless and even with multiple capfuls if mirilax and a dosage of ex lax every day, his bowels will not move until the allergic reaction stops. He is 13 years old and it ha been a real struggle.

Unknown said...

Christina and VY, there are a number of people who can eat things in cooked form that they're unable to eat raw. Cooking denatures the proteins and changes the body's response to them. I can eat cooked apples or carrots, for example, but not when raw. This isn't that uncommon, and is often (but not always) true of people with Oral Allergy Syndrome.