Symptoms of food allergies/sensitivities or virus?

For the past few years I've been avoiding gluten due to sensitivities. I don't think it's celiac and I haven't been tested for that (although I did have some allergy testing a few years ago) because you need to be eating gluten to be tested. 

My initial symptoms (why I gave up gluten initially) include eczema and joint pain. 

Last week after dining out I had these symptoms plus I could barely get out of bed. I felt like I had the flu but no other flu-like symptoms. Then I felt fine for two days, but again Sunday the same thing happened, but this time I did have some nausea, chills, etc. and it continued for two full days. 

Today I'm feeling almost normal, still achy but at least I can get out of bed.  I'm just trying to figure out if there are other food triggers I need to avoid or if maybe it was a combination of food and or virus. 

If it was a virus there's probably nothing I can do at this point anyway. And even with certain food allergies, testing can be inconclusive, so it's trial and error. 

Any advice? (And to make it worse the eczema is all on my face...whaaaa!!!) 

See an allergist! Dr. Brown in Summit is wonderful! He will help. 

http://www.dkb-allergy.com

he's actually on my insurance. Thanks. Since it's probably been five years maybe I should go.

Absolutely go! He's a fantastic doctor. 

also when was the last time you had a full blood panel done? The idea behind this is to look for inflammation markers. And agree with the allergy check too. Somethingyou were exposed to isn't stilling well with you. 

I had that happen to me after one dose of Boniva (for bones.)  Literally knocked me down for two days.  Have you taken any new Rx?  (I have had very similar viruses as well though too.)

Blood work done at my last physical, and I'm due for one, (actually think I am a few months behind, but nothing has ever shown up so I don't think I technically need to go every year). 

I don't take ANY RX. The more I think about  it and read, the more I think it's some allergen that hit me hard. I did drink vodka which I thought was safe, and I was adding just a small amount to seltzer, but I just read that some types of vodka can have traces of gluten. Not sure which brand it was, but I don't think I had more than two very small drinks with vodka. 

It's very upsetting because I was consciously trying not to drink a lot, but anytime I drink even a small amount of alcohol with gluten in it (or even have soy sauce or other liquid with gluten) it has this flu-like effect. It doesn't usually last for this long though. 

I'm thinking if I was exposed to an allergen Weds which knocked me out Thurs, Saturday there were still residuals in my system and it was much worse. From various things I've read it actually can last several days. Ugh. 

FWIW, my family doc just had me go through blood tests for allergies despite us all knowing for almost 30 - 40 years that I'm allergic to a whole swag of stuff. 

Things you previously could only test for via RAST can now be checked via blood markers and genes. Other things we previously worked out via elimination and guesswork are now tested via blood and genes. She and I are in disagreement over what foods you're allowed to be 'allergic' to (here, now you can only be "sensitive" to food chemicals even though you might carry an epipen and the reactions may cause death; the definitions have something to do with Medicare rebating). 

It's an interesting exercise, compared with the late '80s. I may still need a RAST in January, and referral to a(nother) specialist. 

Sounds like an allergy flare up. :/ Check your vodka. Also consider anything else you may have eaten. Alternate idea...virus. 

I was pretty careful with the food but I'm not sure what kind of vodka, and didn't even realize it can have gluten. Usually if I have a vodka drink out it's only one. 

Aside from my face being a mess   I feel better, but I think I'll avoid vodka—aside from Titos which I know is GF. 

Vodka is usually ok for people with gluten sensitivity but if your sensitivity is to wheat or other grains (as distinct from gluten) you might want to see if you tolerate potato vodka better than a grain-based one  

wheat specifically was the first grain I realized I had issues with, especially in a liquid, like soy sauce. I thought vodka was potato based so I didn't do much research, especially since I hadn't  been drinking it too often. 

@joanne, that's very helpful information. I've been playing more of a guessing game for the past few years because at the time I went to an allergist testing was handled differently. Now it makes more sense to go back. 

I'll let you know how my results tie in with what I've kept clear of for the past thirty-odd years. Won't know for a couple of weeks; doc's on vacation! 

Especially over the past 5years or so, there's been an enormous amount of research at the gene-marker and various protein/enzyme etc levels. I don't understand it enough, but the people who do now know more about how the various diseases and syndromes fit together, how the metabolic processes depend on particular 'keys' or 'switches' etc so they can work out a lot more from small samples of blood. But they have to know to run those tests, routine bloodwork won't pick up allergies. 

j_r said:

Vodka is usually ok for people with gluten sensitivity but if your sensitivity is to wheat or other grains (as distinct from gluten) you might want to see if you tolerate potato vodka better than a grain-based one

If you are not celiac but have a sensitivity to wheat or even if you are both, gluten-free vodka/alcohol made from grain is gonna knock you on your ass. The process takes out the gluten but not the wheat. I tried Ciroc--made from grapes--many years ago and I tolerated that well. Well, as much as any hard liquor, which in general I just avoid.

Most widely available popular brands of vodka are grain-based. My understanding is that the distillation process removes the gluten, but not the allergen.

 Here is a list that seems to have some interesting suggestions (figs!) for gluten- and grain-free alternatives:

http://celiacdisease.about.com/od/GlutenFreeAlcohol/a/Gluten-Free-Vodka-List.htm

j_r said:

Most widely available popular brands of vodka are grain-based. My understanding is that the distillation process removes the gluten, but not the allergen.

Here is a list that seems to have some interesting suggestions (figs!) for gluten- and grain-free alternatives:

http://celiacdisease.about.com/od/GlutenFreeAlcohol/a/Gluten-Free-Vodka-List.htm

On that link, "I'm Allergic to Wheat, Can I drink Vodka?":

http://foodallergies.about.com/od/wheatallergies/f/vodka.htm

I'm just about ready to give up alcohol. 

Shh, I got the results of my tests this week. Firstly, although I was referred for RAST as well as blood tests, my skin wasn't touched except for swabbing to jab for the needle for the blood tests (IgE). 

They tested for reactions to: dust mites; "staple food mix" (egg whites, codfish, milk, wheat, peanuts, soybeans); grass mix (Bermuda, perennial rye, Timothy, June, Johnson and Bahia); and "nut mix" (peanut, hazelnut, brazilnut, almond, coconut). 

Individually, they decided I wasn't allergic to any of these things. However I was clearly reacting to something, because your IgE count is meant to be below a certain range, and I was above that just not alarmingly so. In all categories. There is a footnote: elevated total IgE is present in many people with atopic diseases such as asthma, eczema, allergic rhinitis and some persistent infections. 

Now, I know I react to the things they tell I don't, I know that I quickly develop skin welts, hives, throat closures, diarrhoea, swelling and that I have no control over this - it will happen even if I don't know the irritant is there. So I've  been referred to a new allergist to see what's going on. 

Hope your mystery has been resolved.