Testing food allergies

[Lemons]

I was diagnosed with MS almost three years ago, but am just now starting to accept it. I am starting my acceptance with a membership to this forum and some changes in my diet.
I think I have already decided that soy is a trigger food and I need to start taking, subtracting, and tracking how I feel after every meal..my question is: how soon after should I pay attention??
Example: I made a fruit smoothie with soy chocolate milk one day and a few hours later was feeling exhausted - would the cause be the soy milk or something I ate earlier in the morning??
Thank you for your help!

[Alicious]

Generally with an allergy you wouldn't be feeling exhaustion. You might feel itchy or wheezy, but not fatigued from it. That's not to say it couldn't affect you in other ways; all I can speak to is that it's probably not an allergy.

I'm allergic to soy. Food issues are no fun. Good luck finding what is happening with your diet!

[Sequoia]

Generally with an allergy you wouldn't be feeling exhaustion. You might feel itchy or wheezy, but not fatigued from it. That's not to say it couldn't affect you in other ways; all I can speak to is that it's probably not an allergy.

I don't know a lot about allergic responses, but food sensitivities can indeed cause fatigue.

I have a sensitivity to gluten, and have eliminated it from my diet. When I was getting used to my gluten-free regimen I "fell off the wagon" a few times and the increase in fatigue (several hours later, as I remember) was obvious to me.

My husband has recently gone gluten-free too, and he's noticed the same thing.

[Alicious]

Yeah, we may be talking semantics here.

[Lemons]

I meant sensitivity - not allergy. Sorry!!

I guess the question is how quickly should it affect me if I am sensitive to that food?

[Sequoia]

Sensitivity and allergy are two different things, all right, but many people do use them interchangeably.

Tara will be able to answer your question to your satisfaction, I'm sure. She only checks in once a week or so, though, so keep an eye on this thread for a while.

[Bob698]

I was diagnosed with MS almost three years ago, but am just now starting to accept it. I am starting my acceptance with a membership to this forum and some changes in my diet.
I think I have already decided that soy is a trigger food and I need to start taking, subtracting, and tracking how I feel after every meal..my question is: how soon after should I pay attention??
Example: I made a fruit smoothie with soy chocolate milk one day and a few hours later was feeling exhausted - would the cause be the soy milk or something I ate earlier in the morning??
Thank you for your help!

Be careful that you don't wind up "chasing your tail" on the diet stuff.
In my experience, diet doesn't effect the actual "mechanics" of MS, that is your immune system attacking your nervous system. You can have flares and symtoms while eating a healthy diet. You can make the case that MS and inflammation is a bad combo, but you'll also find many opinions on which types of inflammation are caused by which types of food and which locations of inflammation "effect" your MS symtoms more.
As I learned to see it, we eat a healthy diet now to keep us in shape for as long as possible.
Its kinda hard to put this into words, but the way I look at it is that if I were to lose my mobility, I don't want to be over weight as well. That's just begging for some serious collateral damage. Plus, staying fit helps my overall mobility.

[Lemons]

Be careful that you don't wind up "chasing your tail" on the diet stuff.
In my experience, diet doesn't effect the actual "mechanics" of MS, that is your immune system attacking your nervous system. You can have flares and symtoms while eating a healthy diet. You can make the case that MS and inflammation is a bad combo, but you'll also find many opinions on which types of inflammation are caused by which types of food and which locations of inflammation "effect" your MS symtoms more.
As I learned to see it, we eat a healthy diet now to keep us in shape for as long as possible.
Its kinda hard to put this into words, but the way I look at it is that if I were to lose my mobility, I don't want to be over weight as well. That's just begging for some serious collateral damage. Plus, staying fit helps my overall mobility.

Very interesting perspective. I just recently lost 25 pounds and go to the gym attending classes that any "normal" person would be able to attend. I guess I'll just keep doing what I am doing and hoping I am doing the right thing!!

Thank you all for your responses!

[redeemed]

FOOD SENSITIVITIES

HI LEMON,NICE TO MEET YOU.
I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH MS 5 YRS AGO.FIRST SYMPTOMS IN 1979.I STILL SAY MAYBE ITS NOT MS.

I HAVE ACCEPTED IT AFTER SO MANY YEARS OF "CRAZY"SYMPTOMS.BUT FOR ME,ALITTLE DENIAL WORKS WELL.

I HAVE NUMEROUS FOOD SENSITIVITIES.A FOOD ELIMINATION DIET WORKED FOR ME.ALL MY BLOOD TESTS WERE NORMAL IN THE FOOD PANELS.

MY ALLERGIST TOLD ME THAT 1 OF MY MEDS HAS AN ANTIHISTAMINE IN IT,SO A FALSE POSITIVE DIDN'T SUPRISE HIM.

3 YRS AGO I STARTED WITH DAILY SKIN HIVES/SWELLING.BLESSING IN DISGUISE.I COULD PINPOINT THE FOODS EASIER THAT WAY.

SOMETIMES I WILL VOMIT WITHIN 5 MINUTES AND GET ITCHY.
OTHER TIMES DEYLAYED 4-5 HOURS.ONE TIME MY SYMPTOMS WERE ANAPHYLACTIC.I DO CARRY 2 EPI-PENS.I ALSO DON'T EAT ANYTHING I'M NOT SURE OF.

ANOTHER SYMPTOM I GET,UGH,IS INTENSE HOT FLASH SWEATING IF I ATE AN "OFF LIMIT" FOOD.

FOR ME,ELIMINATING MY "BAD"FOODS HAS MADE MY MS SYMPTOMS BETTER.WHEN I DO CHEAT,I'M NOT ONLY SICK,BUT MY MS IS MORE ACTIVE.

I WISH YOU WELL...