Well, the diagnosis was all at once but I have had problems for a very long time. I will try to make it as brief as possible on here (Its a pretty long story).
I have always been an "allergic" person. I found out recently from my almost 80 yr old mother that when I was 2 or 3 that I had some type of stomach infection and they had to basically start over with my foods and reintroduce things one at a time. (why did I not know this before????lol-thx mom). In high school I constantly had digestive issues, rashes, not feeling well, etc ( I wonder now if it was sesame?) I was diagnosed with an ulcer "disease" when I was a senior. My parents just chalked it up to being a perfectionist, nervous-type kid. Looking back I always thought it was weird that I would get stomach bugs, etc...when no one else around me was sick. I have random illnesses, especially digestive all along. Fast Forward..we move to TN....home for allergies...blah...I'm sick alot, breaking out in huge welted together kind of hives -go to allergist they say I'm very allergic girl, pat me on the back (environmental allergies were off the chart) hand me an epi- (I had hives that day after eating a bowl of cornflakes). They give me some prednisone, give me some allegra, nasal spray. I feel better for a while but not great (I never went back). About 3 years from there I go vegetarian. Start breaking out in hives even with the allegra, I notice its after I eat, major digestive issues again. I give up wheat (its in everything right??). Some of symptoms start to improve. I have a bowl of certain brand of Organic Corn Cereal, with Silk Soy-my eye starts swelling shut, throat is getting tight, red face, hives start appearing. I think its corn, & wheat for like 7 years. Eating really very clean. Always still getting low level reactions-mention it to my GP he pretty much ignored it. Never went to see GP except to get an epi-prescription. Never pursued going to an allergist (yes, dummy self-diagnosis-we won't even go there....). Brings me up to this past summer, it was pretty good summer eating not many grains. Then enters fall...my worst time of year, and then I always want to cook/experiment close to Thanksgiving time. I increased my nutbutter and seed intake. I'm itching all the time, losing weight, feeling very ill. Finally break down and call an allergist. Thats when the 52 foods came up (and I truly felt like I was reacting to everything.) I finally went to my GP, he thinks I'm depressed...I insist that I'm not- that I just don't feel good. I was having tingling in my hands and tremors. He prescripes anti-depress. I leave don't take the anti-depress. That very our family gets a letter from him stating that he is going to be serving as a hospitalist and that he will no longer be running his private practice (honestly even though I was very angry and sick it was the best thing that ever happened) I find a new doctor (he starts looking for cancer and having all these test run -I've given soooo much blood...(he also refers me to a g.i. doctor) in the mean time, I find a new and highly recommended allergist and immunologist. I have truly never, ever, been to the doctor so much in all my life. I've had every test run that you could imagine. My endoscopy showed atrophy of my duodenum. They thought I had celiac, a very rare autoimmune disorder, crohns,h-pylori, thyroid, etc....I'm so blessed and thankful that everything has been allergy related. I feel sooooo stupid that I didn't get medical help sooner. Now I'm trying to do the "right" things, going to my doctors appts(things other people just do that I didn't).etc...I hardly ever went to the doctor when I was a kid and food allergies weren't widly known about like now. My allergist wants me to try wheat and eggs again, in a few months adding them back one at a time (they were IgG?-delayed reactions. I'm just glad to finally be making headway to feeling better and yes, on the seeds I've had major reactions and quite a few times I should have and will use the epi in the future. I've had severe drops in blood pressure, hives across the face and neck, swelling of eyes, and face. When I eat sunflower I wheeze, my face turns red, I get hoarse and my throat feels tight. I get cold, I get hot/flushed. Blurry vision. Runny nose-Sunflower oil in chips will make my nose profusely run and I get dizzy, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, waking during the night gasping for air (that hasn't happened for a long time), ezcema (sp?), dark circles under eyes, breakouts on face, extreme fatigue, concentration issues, you name it-its probably happened. . Not all of these at the same time but depending on my exposure. I work in a private school where some of my children bring hummus and just smelling a strong batch will make me dizzy. I'm fearful of fall that something will get worse again but right now I'm just trying to focus on finally getting to the bottom of things and feeling better. I think the sesame allergy has always been?
I will never know that.
Sorry-even condensed this still turned out longer than what I had wished.
. I'm very grateful to have found this forum and the already useful information I have gathered.