| Author |
Message |
Amy Taylor
| | Posted on Saturday, August 21, 2004 - 9:11 pm: |    |
Can anyone lead me to resources for my 28 year old friend on MSG sensitivities in the San Diego area? She became very sick in November- she had complained of reflux before then but it became unbearable and painful to eat,(this happened after the October wild fires here, and a car accident she was involved in, and an allergic reaction to a gelatin coated Advil- I know, there seems to be no correlation, but I thought it might be helpful info) and the doctors did not believe there was a physical cause for her digestive problems, blurred vision, racing heart etc, so they put her in a PYSCHIATRIC WARD!!! My friend is perfectly sane- she is/was a science teacher before she became ill! The doctors believe it is all in her head, and so do her boyfriend and parents! The medications she was given in the intensive care there made her feel even more terrible. She now eats hardly anything and must weigh about 85 pounds- her clothes hang on her and she has dark hollows under her eyes/cheeks. She is too weak to walk around or drive or do anything else. Please, if you know anything I can do to help her...I am afraid she will die because she refuses to eat- it causes her so much pain when she does. My email is ataylorhome@hotmail.com or ericswifey27@yahoo.com
Thank you so much- I am in pain seeing my friend hurting so much and any information would be useful! |
Roy Piwovar
| | Posted on Sunday, August 22, 2004 - 7:40 pm: | |
Amy,
The blurred vision could be from low blood sugar due to not eating enough. The racing heart could be from the heart muscle being starved from not eating. Coenzyme Q10 supplements are known to help the heart (if you can find any without a gelatin coating), but you have to get some safe food into her. Deb's book may help. So will avoiding caffeine and other things that aggravate reflux.
She needs to see a doctor right away, one that won't think it's all in her head. |
Tom Fernstrom
| | Posted on Monday, August 23, 2004 - 7:53 am: | |
Amy,
Could it be possible she sustained an injury to her Gall Bladder? Many of the symtoms described above seem to be similar to an imprperly functioning Gall Bladder or liver toxicity.
Other NoMsger's,
While looking up Gall Bladder symptoms I ran across this website http://www.newhopehealthclinic.com/
Does this doctor sound like those that others of you have tried? |
Carol H
| | Posted on Monday, August 23, 2004 - 8:12 am: | |
Amy, Look up info on this site about reflux. I have not gotten to putting a page on reflux on MSGTruth just yet. But I strongly believe there is a link there. The main thing in the reflux preps that helps is magnesium which seems to help us MSG sensitive folks too. Also, has her doctor checked her for H. Pylori infection? Before my diagnosis, I felt like I was a character in Alien - it felt like something was trying to claw it's way out. (Sorry for the awful mind pictures  )
MSG increases histamine, histamine relaxes the muscle that keeps stomach acid where it belongs - the stomach. I might be tempted to take an anti-histamine if my reflux was really bad.
Not having enough carbs will definitely mess up someone's brain chemistry. She should eat as soon as possible. |
Carol Guilford
| | Posted on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 8:12 am: | |
HI,
Your friend has aspartame (Equal,NutraSweet) poisoning.
In 1995, the FDA was forced, under the Freedom of Information Act to disclosed 92 symptoms caused by aspartame.
Vision loss is No. 6. Racing heart is No. 15.
Go to www.dorway.com for all the info (there is a support group) and/or you may write me, a reluctant expert on aspartame,at Carolg8@att.net. |
Carol H
| | Posted on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 12:34 pm: | |
It may not be just aspartame. A doctor should really investigate this. But, I agree that it would be a great idea to avoid aspartame as well as MSG. Please be aware - Nearly all chewing gums - even the regular ones (NOT sugar-free) have aspartame nowadays.
Carol, I have also been a victim myself of aspartame poisoning. Nasty stuff. I have a pituitary tumor that messes me up on a regular basis. What were your symptoms? |
Amy Taylor
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - 1:32 am: | |
Thank you so much for your responses! I feel like there a million different directions to go in my research... it is a bit overwhelming. I have printed out MANY pages from the links you have suggested, thanks to your help 
My friend has been to several different doctors at Kaiser (that's who she has insurance through) and also an allergist/ immunologist? who recommended some tests that she was unable to complete since she couldn't give a stool sample within the proper time frame. (TMI!) I am pressing her to see the allergist specialist again but I think she's at a point where she feels hopeless and no one will help her so why bother? It is very depressing to watch her so sick and feeling hopeless. As soon as the book arrives I will be bringing all this info to her and I am hoping along with the help of her parents we can sort out a "plan of action".
I will keep you all posted.
Thank you so much for everything. |
Jackye
| | Posted on Friday, September 03, 2004 - 1:22 pm: | |
Amy,
Your friend may want to visit the Environmental Health Center. There are two. I visited the center in Dallas, TX. Within a few days they had completed panels of exams, identified the toxicity in my body, developed a plan for detox and a healthy diet. I, too, looked like walking death. I am 5'10" and weighed 108 pounds at one point. I have gained weight and feel really good. Best wishes. |
Amy Taylor
| | Posted on Monday, September 13, 2004 - 12:16 am: | |
Hello all!
I visited my friend a few days ago and showed her more research/books that I have found, including the MSG Myth book (AWESOME, by the way, and THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!!) Actually, I want to cook from it even though I am not MSG sensitive you have all made me aware of all the junk that is out there in our foods... After showing everything to my friend's parents, and them seeing so much proof of illness provoked by food, I finally feel like they are on "our" side and more willing to believe that this is not all in Cammy's head. I gave them info on Celiac disease too....has anyone here been diagnosed with Celiac disease?
I had Cammy take a questionaire in one of the books on yeast related illnesses....and she scored way over the minimum for someone "highly likely to be suffering from yeast related illness"...which is the problem...
I want to help Cammy start eating something that is not toxic for her body but I am having trouble finding any recipes/products that meet all 3 of these requirements:
1) MSG free
2) YEAST-trigger free (i.e. without sugar etc.) 3) liquid only
There is a really yummy banana shake recipe in the MSG Myth cookbook... does anyone know if this is safe for someone with a potential yeast related illness?. My friend does not even want to try solid foods, but she is SO weak and not getting any nutrition. I just found out that she goes up to two weeks without a bowel movement. (Sorry if too much information ) How is she possibly getting any nutrition this way?
Thank you for your support, and if it's not too weird may I ask anyone who is willing to, to pray for her? I am not super-religious so this is out of character for me to ask (and she is Jewish by the way) but I really feel like she needs something "higher" to help her out of this situation since she has basically given up her will to live. It is tearing me up to see her this way- I have known her since kindergarten . And I know she should go to the doctor. But she is terrified they will just hospitalize her again, do all kinds of tests, and make her worse.
If anyone knows of a doctor in San Diego...
Thanks... Amy |
JK
| | Posted on Monday, September 13, 2004 - 4:03 am: | |
Your friends case reminds me of the author of the Makers diet. I have used some of his suggestions and it has helped me. I am sensitive to MSG and any form of glutamaic acid so some things don't apply, although over all it has helped.
JK |
Deb A.
| | Posted on Monday, September 13, 2004 - 8:52 am: | |
Amy, instead of using sugar (if trying to cut back on sugar for any yeast) for the shake, you might try to use stevia...either the liquid or white powder. I have talked to so many people over the years who blamed a yeast infection for all their misery. I believe MSG compromises the digestive tract and immune system, and sets one up for a yeast infection, among other diseases. MSG does such a number on the stomach and causes acid reflux, IBS and colitis (and according to the news about MSG river contamination in China as posted yesterday, most likely, stomach cancer). My aunt died of colon cancer, but not before years of stomach distress. She is the first in recorded history in our family to die from cancer. She ate a lot of processed foods. I suffered for years with colitis and know what your friend is going through. Just be sure that it is just stevia and there are no fillers like dextrose or rice product. I use Wisdom of the Ancients brand. You can freeze any fruit like bananas, berries or peaches (or just use fresh) and use them in a smoothie or shake. You can use organic cream and ice or Breyers original vanilla ice cream. I'm happy that your friend's family is beginning to listen to you. I hope and pray your friend will listen and learn from you. |
Amy Taylor
| | Posted on Monday, September 13, 2004 - 11:22 am: | |
Thank you JK and Deb A. I am going to do a search on Yahoo for "Makers Diet" and "Stevia"
I also realized I have been posting under the email section, so I think I'll repost the previous message on another part of the board as well.
Amy |
Roy Piwovar
| | Posted on Monday, September 13, 2004 - 5:41 pm: | |
Amy,
I found a link to "The Makers Diet", but find it unbalanced.
http://www.makersdiet.com/diet_menus.shtml |
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