I didn't know this when I posted before but prior to my swelling and allergic reactions to food that I had never had before in my entire life I had just returned home from a trip to SE Asia. I was there for about 3 months. Parasites of all types can cause this trouble, it is important to not just give a simple stool sample to your GP but really look into multiple ways to test for all sorts of parasites. May require some extra cash for testing.
I did test positive for some, hard to treat, may have some that go undetected that cause the majority of my problem such as liver fluke. But this is all a gander.
I recently went to an applied kinesiologist who uses muscle testing for nutritional problems. I'm on a strict diet that when followed pretty much ensures no reactions. He is hoping with a clean diet for 90 days and supplementation I may slowly be able to reintroduce some foods.
My husband started having problems after surgery last July, the Sodium Benzoate thing seems to make the most sense to me. We have tried keeping track of everything he eats or comes in contact with and every time we think maybe we have it figured out he swells up again, and God knows the dang Dr's can't figure anything out. Thanks
This message is for anyone suffering with facial swelling and or persistant hives. I have now had 3 periods of swelling...in 2001, 2008, and most recently in 2014, since March. Though shellfish and wine seemed to be triggers, at other times they weren't. Like a lot of people, the attacks were "idiopathic"...no specific food or cosmetic. My own doctor has been of no use.
***Here's what I have put together: At each time this was happening, I was either or both, majorly stress, and or exhausted. Recently in this past year, I was treated for adrenal exhaustion....sever lack of energy....it could have been happening for a long time, but for a year I have not able to work. Just a few months ago I was about to start a course that I tried to cancel, but couldn't. I felt the timing was going to conflict with wome other engagments. A few days before the course started, I got a bout of hives...okay...annoying, but nothing else....a few days after that, I woke up with a rock hard jaw on my left side. It was so swollen, it hurt...then after that I had other attacks that spread to my lips, etc.
Recenly, on top of the challenging course, my husband and I moved...to a much quieter area of town. The final exam of the course took place as well. Now that we are settled, I have not had a single swelling or bout of hives. Coincidence? I don't think so.
A specialist that I have been seeing sent me for tests on my thyroid. I suffer from low thyroid, but she was interested to see what my T3 and T4 levels were. It seems I have loads of T4, but am low on the T3 side. If one has lots of T4, it should be converting to make more T3, but it isn't...I'm wondering if low T3 has something to do with this. I think general low adrenals might also be part of it...and that can affect men also by the way. There is no doubt in my mind that if the body is weakened, exhausted and stressed, it cannot cope as well with challenges...One last thing...these attacks only occur in the early spring and summer. My doctor says that heat doesn't help. She also thinks that my liver might not be metabolizing proteins, so she has me on liver supporting vitamins.
I hope this post can help. I sure know how upsetting and unsettling this all can be.
Swelling of the tongue can occur due to inflammation of the tongue (known as glossitis), the presence of abnormal substances (such as amyloid protein) in the tongue, the collection of fluid in the tongue as a result of different disease processes, or tumors that infiltrate the tissues of the tongue. An enlarged or swollen tongue can also occur as an allergic reaction to medications or other substances. In this case, the swelling is due to fluid accumulation in the tissues of the tongue, medically known as angioedema. A dramatically swollen tongue can lead to breathing problems and may be a medical emergency. Treatment of allergic reactions that include swollen tongue can include epinephrine, antihistamines, and/or steroid medications.