Tomato Allergy??? - Digestive Disorders Message Board

1+1 · 08-04-2006, 09:39 PM

Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone has heard of this or has any suggestions. I grew up eating Italian foods. I LOVE tomatoes, but now I can't eat them. When I do eat them, I get gassy the next day, then the following day (the cycle takes 1 1/2 days) I get severe cramps then explosive diarrhea. It's at the point that I can't use ketchup, BBQ sauce, or even pick the tomatoes off because the juice gets me sick. I had a similar, yet very less severe reaction to grapefruit juice. I talked to my primary care dr and he kind of dismissed it. My gyno said it was probably IBS and to look it up on the internet. So I guess my question would be, is there anything out there that can be taken to avoid the reaction so I can have some of my favorite foods again? (antacids don't work).

Thanks.

Harry · 08-06-2006, 07:43 AM

This sounds like an intolerance to Tomatoe not a food allergy.
But the results are the same -- You may try going to a Doctor for testing.

With Food intolerances -- many times you can get over it by not eating them for some period of time??

1+1 · 08-06-2006, 07:41 PM

Yeah, I know it's not a true allergy, but it's the word I use when I go to restaurants. Certainly gets the attention of the servers so they take my tomato free food request seriously. I hope that this will pass, but it's been going on long enough that I'm thinking it won't. But thank you for taking the time to answer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harry

This sounds like an intolerance to Tomatoe not a food allergy.
But the results are the same -- You may try going to a Doctor for testing.

With Food intolerances -- many times you can get over it by not eating them for some period of time??

Sept.girl · 08-30-2006, 11:53 AM

Hi!
I know it's been awhile since you posted this - how's it going with the tomatos? I'm allergic - well I guess the word is intolerant - to tomatoes as well. I had the exact same symptoms, it was like that all the time because I ate those foods on a daily basis. I was going to the GI for 4 years and finally they just said IBS, which it wasn't. I stopped eating tomatoes and products containing them and haven't been sick since. It hasn't gotten better with time, I still definitly can't eat it, but I've gotten used to it. I eat white pizza, pesto sauce, mustard. You definitly have to say allergic at restaurants or they won't take it seriously. It's wierd, but thats the way they are I guess. Hope you are doing alright, hang in there!

KathMorgan · 08-30-2006, 02:33 PM

Get used to it. I have the same problem. I used to grow them when I was young and eat them like apples. In about my mid-twenties I started having the same problems you do. Everytime you get exposed (eat tomato products) the symptoms will get worse. I am very up front when I'm out about the seriousness of the "allergy". My symptoms also include vomiting and the other end things start within 8 hours and last for days.

Kathy