Tami’s Story…
As if every other pregnancy symptom isn’t bad enough (at times) I developed a gluten and dairy intolerence during my 2nd pregnancy. Neither me nor anyone in my family has any history of food allergies.
Boy am I lucky or what?
During my 4th month of pregnancy, I started feeling nauseous at random times, diarrhea a few times a week and horrible stomach cramps. After several weeks of this, my midwife suggested I remove gluten from my diet. The neasea went away but the diarrhea and stomach cramps did not, though they lessened. A month later, she suggested I remove dairy from my diet. I did not go “hard core” until several weeks after my son was born.
By that point, I was feeling better and when he was born, I thought I could go back to eating the foods I was always used to eating. I was fine for about five weeks and then the nausea returned. From that point (6 months ago) I decided gluten free was the only way I was going to feel good. I never went back on milk (didn’t like the taste of it anymore) and continue to eat cheese and yogurt, though in small amounts. I’m still trying to figure out why I don’t feel good a lot of the time.
Hopefully I can figure it out soon. But for those struggling with feeling icky all the time and doctors/friends/family telling you to remove a certain food from your diet, you have to want it for yourself. It wasn’t until I was tired of feeling sick that I made the choice to go 100% gluten free and BE OKAY with my new diet lifestyle.
Tami can be found blogging at Pink Mama in a Blue World! Thanks for sharing your story and the great advice!
This is a new allergy concept to me…has this ever happened to you?! Or someone you know?!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I also developed celiac disease after my first pregnancy. But celiac disease is not technically an allergy, it’s an autoimmune disease. For some reason (maybe the change in hormones and/or stress on your body), pregnancy can be a trigger for those who have a genetic pre-disposition. I remember Dr. Peter Green noting this in his book Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic.
I developed a full-blown milk allergy at age 34 after the birth of my daughter 2 years ago. I have always enjoyed dairy products, but now must carry an epi-pen and have been to the ER because of milk. When I went to the allergist, he assured me that adults do not develop milk allergies. I urged him to test me anyway and as suspected, I am very allergic. Through that testing i also found out that I have a “sensitivity” to wheat. I have also developed asthma which has been an entirely different set of frustrations.
Please be careful continuing to consume dairy, as every exposure will bring a more intense reaction if you are in fact allergic. I used to just get an itchy throat, but now I have respiratory distress as well as other reactions. Trips to the ER are not fun, especially when you have small children to be there for. I am wondering if there is some connection between pregnancy and these allergies.