unusual allergies since WLS?

Have any of you developed any unusual allergies or autoimmune disorders since your WLS? Those of you that remember me from when I posted regularly have heard this before but I'm still looking for someone to commisrate (sp?) with or perhaps someone that knows what this is. Since about 8 weeks post-op I've, I've had hives and occassionally angio-edema (swelling of the face) on a regular basis - I mean almost daily! I'm so frustrated! I've been to many docs and no one can figure this out. I've recently figured out that one of the main culprits is my vitamins of all things. YIKES. I've tried every format there is (I think) and I still get hives. My doc even insists that I carry an Epi pen wherever I go. I can't go without any vitamins. I've started juicing to hopefully get more vitamins from food. Any ideas? Ronda still grateful for the surgery in spite of this complication!

Hey Ronda, nope haven't experienced weird allergies, but...I have experienced a weird problem with hot and cold...and that is just it...I am either burning up or freezing cold...no in between...my poor husband!! RAE

Ronda, I've always had really bad allergies, I also have excema and roseca (not sure about the spelling on those!) I have to keep up with my claritin, if not I'm a mess!! When I was a kid every time I'd get out of the shower I'd break out in a rash all over my body, and it wasn't from the soap or my shampoo, because we tried everything, little did I know that it was just part of it! So I can't say that I've developed any but they perhaps have gotten a little more intense, but nothing I haven't faced before...I couldn't take any type of allergy medication while I was pregnant!! I was absolutely misreble!! Sniffing and coughing and itching and burning, it was terrible!! But go figure, I can't wait to have another baby, when the time is right!! You've said you have been to many docs, are those regular physicians or dermatologists? (again with the spelling) I never knew I had the excema and roseca untill about a year ago when I took my son in to have him examined, and asked him about myself! I don't know if this is relivant or not, but I noticed that after surgery, every time i took even just a sip of alcohol (didn't even try it until I was 10 months out) my entire face lit up as red as rudolf's nose!! and it burned for hours, I asked my surgeon and he didn't know but asked the derm and he said it was due to my roseca, BUT I've had the roseca forever, (never understood as a teen why my face was as red and broke out as it was and only in certain places but it makes sense now)but my face only started burning after surgery, hmmmmm??? I think our bodies change so much that there is no telling what could be lurking around the corner.

Thanks Amanda. I'm sorry you've suffered so. I can certainly empathize with you now. I went to internal medicine, dermatologist, allergist, and even chiropractic and kinesiologist. I finally went back to my allergist yesterday and we are doing a trial with my vitamins - we'll see. I know what you mean about the baby thing. Something happens in our brains that makes us forget all the bad stuff and want to do it again. Don't worry, it won't last forever. When my babies got old enough, all of the sudden, I lost that urge and it was then that I knew I was through. I agree with what you said about our bodies changing so much after surgery. I think there is still a lot they don't know about how much it affects our systems. Does regular Claritin still keep your allergies in control? My allergist mentioned that she may put me on regular Allegra for the hives after we try to figure out what is causing them. hang in there! Ronda

Ronda, I really hope your allergist can get to the bottom of this for you!! I have been on several different meds for my allergies, and this Claritin, or it may actually be called Clarinex, I don't know, I get the generic form (cheaper!!$$) and that is what my insurance covers. It has helped me the most out of everything I take. I am thinking back to when I was a teenager, and I think the first type of allergy medicine they put me on (well the first I can remember) was called Seldane (sp?) I was also on allergy shots for years. But I have learned that if the doc even suggests anything with a "D" in it, you know like Allegra-D. I back away very very slowly, and then run!! The "D" is terrible for me, it's like it has the opposite effect on me, instead of helping it just makes everything worse! I remember the first time I took it I wanted to take it and shove it up the Dr's.....ummm well you know!! I'd settle for just a round of paintball with them and hit em good a couple of times really hard!! Ok I know it wasn't their fault, but I sure was misreble! Oh well, good luck!!

Hi Ronda, I'm sorry that you suffer so from these odd allergies. To date I haven't developed any kind of allergies. However my skin is so darn dry since surgery that I itch scabs and sores all over myself. I figure it's probably got something to do with vitamins and water. For the most part my issues have all gotten better since the surgery. Thank the good lord. I'm just having eating issues again. Not sure if I have developed an ulcer or what but my eating is like a 3 month post op. Take Care! Donna Paige

Thanks Donna! I'm sure you use LOTS of lotion. I've found that Quench by Olay is one of the best for handling dry skin! Hope it helps you too. I hope you don't have an ulcer. YIKES! Don't wait too long before getting it checked out, ok? Take care. Ronda

My skin has been very dry as have my eyes. The eye doctor said to take 1000mg of Flax seed oil 2x/day. It has helped. I have developed the milk allergy, coffee allergy, and many more foods that give me migraines than before. Dianne

Ronda, i'm so sorry to hear you are having issues. I started with severe hives and swelling at about 30 pounds of loss. have had them since. i see a doctor in nj for a condition called idiopathic edema where in your fat cells store water. The body then attacks the fat cells because they contain a foriegn substance (who would have though****er was foriegn, but in your fat cells it is). Hence you breakout in hives and swell and your checks can flush at any time - usually with heat. Also, you tend to pee more at night - when you have to get out of bed then you do in the day time.... Basically, your body is holding on to fluids..there are many causes. You could do a web search on it...you could also ask your doctors to contact a Dr. Jerome Check at Cooper Center for Reproductive Medicine. I know the reproductive part is weird but he is a board certified endocrynologist who has a practice full of idiopathic edema patients and pcos patients. i was referred to him by my allergist after exhaustive tests. my allergist said since i did have pcos i would be better served seeing him...was he right. since i've been seeing dr. check, i no longer get hives - unless i miss my medications. he has a specific treatment regime for idiopathic edema which he has worked on for over 25 years. anyway, i sound like a commercial...it's just that i dealt with these hives and problems for about a year before i got real help...most doctors just kept saying it was stress and depression even though i wasn't stressed or depressed....my god i had just lost a massive amount of weight for me. and then i found out that one of my real weight issues was this wonderful syndrome and there is a solution...not a cure....but a solution and it wasn't in my head. anyway, you can look in my profile there is some info there - not much...but please do a web search and take a look for dr. check...his cv is amazing and so is he in his slightly excentric way. 4/19/2004 -85 looking for another 40

Oh My Goodness !!!!! I love you! Thank you thank you ! You have no idea how comforting it is to me to find someone who suffers from the same problem as me! WOW. Just knowing it's not "in my head" is a relief. Of course I'll check it out with a Dr. but for the first time in a long time, I have hope. I'm going to go read your profile now. Thanks, Ronda