Llama

[Cate]

Sounds like a wonderful plan, Lama

 

[Llama]

Thanks Cate. The lab results from my allergy test were in the mailbox yesterday and I just had a closer look at them. Yesterday I mostly just scanned the numbers and brought it to my GP to add to my file but this morning I actually noticed it contained recommendations and I´m kind of shook.
Last time (or probably the time before) I went there the doctor told me to get used to the fact that I´m sick and have stomach/gut problems and not worry too much about possible allergies, except for the peanuts. Which made me feel not seen at all because I was really struggling at the time.
This time I really just went to check my subjective perception of how I was doing (and because I´ve been told to come in every other year) and I got the advice to adapt my living space (even though we´d already ticked all the dust mite elimination boxes during the intake; I grew up with a severely asthmatic sister and we´re all allergic to dust mite poo so that stuff is second nature to me), strictly monitor symptoms during pollen season and come in to reevaluate right after, strictly avoid ALL nuts, seeds, legumes, AND banana, carry an emergency med kit, and avoid cats completely or take meds beforehand (aka always take meds before work because there´s at least one person per shift who comes in smelling of cats). So... there´s that.

Ok, I was going to post this before family exercise but didn´t have time to finish and it turns out that´s a good thing! I talked it through with my sisters (who have allergies themselves) and some friends (one of them with a med background and one with a biochemistry background) and while they all agree it´s weird that the recommendations changed so much it´s no good to get worked up about it. The emergency meds they recommend this time don´t have to be kept in the fridge and have a much later use-before date than what they used to recommend so that´s something I can actually do this time. Safety is good! And all in all I had a LOT fewer reactions on both the skin test and the blood test so I´m going to take that as a sign I´ve been doing something right. I´ll call for an appointment to talk about the results on Monday and unless they have a sensible explanation I´m not going to avoid any of the nuts, seeds, or legumes I´ve never had a reaction to. The only legume they tested was peanut (I used to react to both of the allergens they test and now only to the more dangerous one, yay!) and the only seed they tested was sesame (which I didn´t react to anymore in the skin test OR in the blood test, woohoo!). No nuts in the test at all even though I tested positive to hazelnut, almond, and walnuts in earlier years. But I will be better about washing my duvet, pillow, and mattress cover every month and airing the place extra thoroughly. And get that emergency med kit. Now going into town for that calendar and maybe an extra mattress cover: the one I have is cotton (because skin) and takes forever to dry so being able to alternate would be useful.

 

[Llama]

Ok. Bought calendar (which doesn´t start until January, but hey) with 6 wide columns and a narrow one. The wide columns will each hold a numerical score for the day. One for gi health, one for my airways, one for mood... Those are the clear-cut ones. Definitely musculoskeletal health as well. I´ll experiment a bit over the next two months, either scoring here in my diary until the start of the new year or doing so in my phone. One column could be food I tried which I don´t normally eat or activities that are out of the ordinary. And one for high scores on the pollen calendar would be probably useful. Ok, that sounds like a start. And the narrow column is for a gold start sticker each time I hit a certain number of ticks on my activity list (which I started above and should work on some more before I copy it into a doc on my phone for easy reference). I´ve never done any kind of structured journaling but this might be helpful to get a better insight in my allergies and mental health.

Also ordered an extra mattress cover and will go to Ikea for an extra pillow this afternoon. As far as I can remember the recommendation used to be to wash soft stuff every 6 months rather than every month and I used to time it to hit quick drying times (mid summer because warm and mid winter because dry air) but that´s not a thing if I have to do it every month. Also some of my sheets are wearing very thin from weekly washing at 90 degrees.

 

[Emilyrose]

All I can say is that the results from the allergy test are simply recommendations and not rules. It's up to you to figure out what works for you. If you've never had an issue with certain nuts or legumes before, I don't see why you need to stop eating them now.

I really hope the calendar works out. I have tried the sticker reward thing myself. I generally don't stick with it, but it's definitely given me a boost when I've been trying to get out of a rut.

 

[Marsia]

Wow, interesting that your food allergies can change so much. Do you know why that is? I think it's a really good idea tracking good behaviors and how you are feeling to see what really works so you can stick with those things!

 

[Llama]

All I can say is that the results from the allergy test are simply recommendations and not rules. It's up to you to figure out what works for you. If you've never had an issue with certain nuts or legumes before, I don't see why you need to stop eating them now.

Thank you. Food is difficult enough without extra restrictions!

Wow, interesting that your food allergies can change so much. Do you know why that is?

Not really. I think it´s to do with my skin and gut improving. Which I don´t really know what caused it either, except possibly the extra greens.

I really hope the calendar works out. I have tried the sticker reward thing myself. I generally don't stick with it, but it's definitely given me a boost when I've been trying to get out of a rut.

That´s a definite possibility in my case as well! We´ll see how it goes...

I think it's a really good idea tracking good behaviors and how you are feeling to see what really works so you can stick with those things!

Yup. Need to be careful to keep it as a positive thing rather than as a way to put myself down though.

 

[Llama]

So far my list of "things that are good for my body and mind" has 18 items on it. I think 4 checks in a day make a gold star. May change that over time but for now 4 checks feels doable. And for today I have... walking time, amount of water drunk, dust reduction, and 3 meals eaten. I guess I also did enough chore time all in all but I think I´ll make that continuous time and I didn´t hit that one (yet).

Edit: GI health gets a 6.5 today, airways a 6.5, musculoskeletal system a 7, mood a 7.5. No noteworthy things and the only non-green score on the pollen calendar is for alternaria (2/3), which I have never tested positive for. Took 2 5mg tablets of desloratadin.

 

[Llama]

Plan for tomorrow:
- Sichuan chicken and rice
- Morning hike
- Low-fat blueberry quark with fresh plums added for a snack
- Whatever I find for lunch
- Red lentil stew

 

[liza]

You're sounding really motivated and organized LaMa-That's great! I think i might start a proper journal as well to work on both the food and anxiety issues. I'm glad you are feeling better about the allergy test outcome after talking to your sisters.

 

[Cate]

Lama- I only just read your post about your allergy test. This happened to me too. I used to be really allergic to just about everything I was tested for, but now hardly react to anything. The allergist I saw said it seems a switch was flipped & now it's the synthetic fragrances that have taken over instead. I used to be SO allergic to cats & flowers & dust &.......
I love your calendar idea, but I especially like the 4 check-ins a day idea. I might try something like that.

 

[Llama]

Thanks Liza It's strange that the advice should have upset me so when the actual outcome was so positive.

This happened to me too. I used to be really allergic to just about everything I was tested for, but now hardly react to anything. The allergist I saw said it seems a switch was flipped & now it's the synthetic fragrances that have taken over instead. I used to be SO allergic to cats & flowers & dust &.......

Do you remember when the change started, how long it took, and if the synthetic stuff came on right away or with a delay? I wouldn't be surprised if it was simply age-related (I could absolutely be in perimenopause at 41).

Slept... reasonably well but woke up quite often.

 

[Llama]

It's strange that the advice should have upset me so when the actual outcome was so positive.

The penny just dropped: the "advice" I got this time felt just as impersonal as the time I basically the exact opposite advice. I just don´t feel seen by these people. I´m used to having to find my own way through my allergies by now so if you´re not going to tailor your advice to me at all just shut your gob. And that´s the last I have to say about the topic.

No hiking today but my chore list is shrinking and I´m feeling good about it. And since chores are also on my point list I don´t have to feel bad about the change of plans Comfortably on my way to 6 points for today.

 

[liza]

No hiking today but my chore list is shrinking and I´m feeling good about it.

Sometimes so good to just stay home and get all the chores done. i love days like that!

the "advice" I got this time felt just as impersonal as the time I basically the exact opposite advice. I just don´t feel seen by these people.

Yes, i can certainly see how that would be frustrating and irritating!

 

[Llama]

I did indeed end up with 6 points but I ate so much chocolate my stomach is screaming at me. Mostly because I didn't get out this weekend, even if I did quite a bit of useful stuff.
So... gih 4, msh 7, mood 6. Didn't move much. Pollen the same as yesterday.

 

[Cate]

Do you remember when the change started, how long it took, and if the synthetic stuff came on right away or with a delay?

I think it was a long, gradual change, LaMa. A few heavy exposures to fragrance triggered the intense reactions & my now strong sensitivities & of course the world's obsession with pushing out fragrance into the air at every opportunity. I really only noticed that I wasn't so reactive to natural triggers in the last couple of years.
Ouch to all the chocolate.
Yay for getting so many chores done.

 

[Marsia]

Hi LaMa, do you have healthier snack foods on hand, or would that just tempt you to eat them all up if they are in the house? I have to stop buying big tubs of gorgonzola cheese for the same reason as you with chocolate. I really like your system for chores and such! It seems like you'll be able to tweak your system so it works as good incentivizers.

 

[Llama]

Thanks Cate, I hope that means I don't have your future to look forward to regarding allergies because it really sounds miserable. For me the change clearly started when my skin improved. So... I should probably get back to what I was doing then so things can improve further.

Hi LaMa, do you have healthier snack foods on hand, or would that just tempt you to eat them all up if they are in the house? I have to stop buying big tubs of gorgonzola cheese for the same reason as you with chocolate.

I have lovely fruit and protein pudding in the fridge as well as an assortment of crackers and I still go out to get binge fodder over grabbing what's there - even yesterday when it was Sunday so the nearest open store was further away and didn't even have the stuff I really wanted. So it really isn´t the ominous scarcity mentality we hear so much about these days. It´s wanting to sit on the couch and eat until I explode. Or until I´m numb. Or... until I no longer mind doing nothing? There´s something there but I can´t quite get at it yet. Whatever it is I need to do better while I figure it out because my weight this morning was back up to 81.3 kg and my bodyfat percentage was at 35.5% And that´s just not who I want to be, especially because I know exactly how slippery that slope gets. So I have to be strict with myself again, but this time without losing the compassion and kindness. Tall order, but let´s try! Also: I was going to find a massage therapist, wasn´t I? There, I just booked a massage for tomorrow afternoon.

 

[Llama]

Negative feelings as noticed during my walk home from the bank: a sense of futility, vulnerability, and loneliness. Those aren´t real feelings because they´re not in the official list? Then the list isn´t good enough because I don´t currently identify with any of the options on offer.

 

[Llama]

I have a rotten headache and another weird schedule today. This one was in Friday's plan though, so I mustn't grumble (grumbling right here and now like the rebel that I'm not ). Plus an extra-tight mask which really isn't helping with the headache. I feel like my ears are about to get torn off. Two more hours then it's only 10 minutes to go...

 

[Llama]

That was a miserable shift. BUT I made it through and didn´t tumble into the grocery store for binge ammo on my way home. Meaning I did not binge today!
7 points for the day, an 8 for gi health, 8 for musculoskeletal health, 6.5 for airways, 5 for mood, had a headache and tomorrow´s massage got cancelled (they overbooked), alternaria spores 2/3 and nothing else. Will get up and prep wraps for tomorrow´s breakfast in a minute. Will probably have dürüm kebab for lunch and make that red lentil stew I was planning for dinner. Can´t remember which puddings are left but I´ll pack a protein pudding and some fruit as well.