I want to compare notes if you're willing.
I have recently found out about nightshade vegetables. I had no clue.
All my life I've had severe leg cramps all the way across my stomach. Sometimes when reacting to the cramps my back and even my tongue and hawking will go into cramps. It's horrible. Been having this since I was five.
The doctors all say it's just electrolytes imbalance, go eat a banana.
I've had such bad joint pain and a friend suggested Paleo, which lead to no potatoes. I had been off potatoes for about 4 months, no cramps. But I didn't correlate it to the potatoes. I assumed the Paleo was working.
One long afternoon, after 12 hr shift I just gave up and ran to Wendy's. My thought bun less burger and tonight I will splurge and eat some fries.
Omg. About 2 am it hit me! Severe cramps, spasms and I awoke from sleep and my jaw and tongue cramped into a locked position. I thought I was going to die.
I finally managed to get up and move which helped a bit. I pry ed open my mouth and swallowed pickle juice. It's all I could think of.
A few minutes passed as I hobbled around and then they left for a few minutes like it never happened to only start again. This went on all night, til around 8 am.
Then it all went away... literally I couldn't tell it happened in my body.
I knew it was the potatoes. The fries...
That's what I typed in a Google search.. that's how I learned about nightshade vegetables.
No doctor ever told me! All my life in pain...
So, I've been off nightshade vegetables for a few months now. No cramps. Joint pain is gone. I have a lil pain after 12 hr shifts but it leaves with rest. It's amazing.
I grew up (and live) in the South. I've had potatoes every imagined way... along with peppers and tomatoes.
I suppose I'm "allergic" "intolerant " to them.
So now, I'm changing things. I feel so much better it frightening to think it will come back.
I recently found they add Vitamin A to milk.
So now I'm wondering if I am truly allergic to milk OR is it just the Vitamin A derived from potatoes they add to the milk.
I can't eat some corn chips if they're made in the same factory as potato chips (Tostitos by Lays for example)
I too was afraid because during the diarrhea episodes I experienced severe cramps, pouring sweat and full numbness of arms and legs. I could not stand until it cleared up.
I just today remembered I was diagnosed by an allergist years ago with a potato allergy but laughed it off because I grew up on potatoes. I guess as you get older it must become more of a problem.
My stools were also red. That's how I figured it had to be the red potatoes. It was so strange.
Best of luck to everyone!!
Potatoes are unfortunately in everything. Niacin, riboflavin, and thiamin are in every white pasta, white and wheat flour, cereals and even peanut butter. You have to read the labels carefully. Dextrose is another one to avoid which is added to bacon and sandwich meats and a lot of pastries. There's a website that lists everything to avoid potato based and what common items don't have potato derivatives in it, like yeast or baking soda and even salt, certain brands are clear. Good luck because I know how much trouble it is to avoid it for me, especially when eating at a restaurant.
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Hi everyone. I have had issues with potato for 40 years, but it has only gotten to the point of hospitalization level in the past 10 years. 8 years ago, I finally got a diagnosis. I am technically not allergic to potato but I have a SEVERE migraine trigger to it. Never had a migraine headache in my life, but I get vertigo to the 1000th degree (in bad episodes, I collapse and apparently my eyes start dancing in my open eye sockets, trying to figure out up and down)....................
Sadly the gluten-free and vegan revolution has lead to manufacturers trying to replace items made with traditional starches or gelatin with potato based products. Great for vegans and gluten intolerances but terrifying for me. Check out the Avebe company. Jump to the applications categories of each item and it is frightening. And this is just one company. ..................
Manufacturing aids are also switching to potato derivatives. New CLEAN LABELING and deregularization means it can often be listed as just "natural flavoring". ....................
If it is used to help manufacturing of the product it is almost impossible to ID on the label. Many supermarket ground meats are now sprayed with potato derivatives to make the extrusion process better. And it can still be listed as 100% turkey. "Added water with natural flavorings" in meats like turkey can mean potatoes-- and a lot of it. Fresh and dried noodles are sprayed with it (apparently it helps keep the strands separated and it is not listed as potato). Low fat milks and "creamy drinks" often use potato derivatives to replace the gelatin based products used before. I suspect the new generation of sports drinks may use this because they have a "creamier mouth feel" boasted by potato derivative manufactures, and are now listed as corn free. A lot of almond and nut manufactures now dust their almonds with potato starch -- especially the yummy flavored types. .....................
I have long known that I cannot eat anything cooked on a diner griddle, because they have made hash browns there. Same for ANYTHING fried. They are not supposed to share oil, but they do. Avoiding soups and sauces is a given. My go-to at a restaurant is salad with no croutons, no cheese, no dressing..........
So glad I found this thread. Thought I was alone in the world of potato hell. Didn't know about the salt thing and the vitamins. Thank you!