Food Allergy????????

[Al321]

I'm a 47 yr old healthy male in good shape but have had chronic pressure around eyes and forehead pressure + mental fog out-of-it feeling for 25+ yrs and have no clue what could be causing it. Pressure seems worse upon wakening in the morning and eyes are normally somewhat puffy when I get up.  

To summarize my medical history regarding this situation:

1. Sinus surgery in 2002; sinuses all clear. ENT's don't see any issue at
    all with my sinuses.
2. Thyroid tests al normal.
3. All routine physicals over the years have been normal.
4. Currently on the 4th round of allergy shots in 15 yrs. Pollens, dust, dog/cat, candida in the latest round I'm
    currently on.
5. Wasted $1500 to have expensive (and controversial) food allergy testing done @ an ENT. The results
    came back that I'm allergic to all foods except chocolate and pork!!  Don't think I could live on that:)
5. I truly don't feel I'm depressed (other than the incredible frustration from dealing with this situation over the years).
    However,  I tried taking Paxel and Selexa at physician's recommendation but couldn't tolerate either; made me
    nervous and couldn't sleep.
6. Recently went to a Neurologist who put me on Amitriptylin (10mg) for a month or so with no improvement in  
    symptoms. Dr. then ordered a brain MRI w/contrast. Results were normal. Had a followup
    lumbar puncture with a pressure reading of 180 mm (normal). Dr. gave me a trial of Ritalin on my last appt. that
    made no difference at all in symptoms. Have a followup in a few weeks but I get the feeling the the neurologist is  
    running out of things to try on me.

Could food allergies be causing my symptoms? Is there such a thing as yeast overgrowth in intestinal tract that could cause symptoms? Looking for any help as my symtoms have basically crippled me from ever reaching my full potential in work or in my personal life. I have no clue what to do.

[brilmont]

I feel your pain!  Your story sounds alot like mine.  I'm 47 years old, suffering from headaches for the last 22 years.  The last 2.5 years have been chronic.  Lots of doctors including neurologists and endocronologists and they can't find anything.  Most don't even try.  I've done alot of my own research especially in the last 2.5 years since I haven't been able to do much else.  I finally figured out just recently.  You've hit the nail on the head....HISTAMINE OVERLOAD!  Please do some research on histamine intolerance.  Try a low histamine diet for at least 3 weeks.  NO CHEESE, TOMATOES, CHOCOLATE, RED WINE, SPINACH, STRAWBERRIES, ETC.  Try an Anti-histamine (ie. Zyrtec, Claritin, Benadryl) until the headaches are gone.  I also think I have Candida but haven't been tested.  I do believe it has something to do with the inability of the body to process histamine.  GOOD LUCK.

[National Jewish Health]

It is very unlikely that food allergy or yeast overgrowth is the cause of your symptoms.  Also it’s very unlikely that further diagnostic studies will reveal a cause.  I assume that your neurologist is an expert on the causes of headache "chronic pressure around eyes and forehead" and has ruled out migraine variants and other types of headaches.  Also I assume that all eye diseases, including those that could arise outside the orbit and press on your eyes, with increased pressure either in or around the eyes, have been ruled out.

If so, your best bet might be to seek therapy that could enable you to live better with your illness, to better tolerate the chronic pressure, and get on with your life, much as people with chronic pain are able to do.  This might require psychotherapy to address the "mental fog-out-of-it feeling, sometimes referred to as depersonalization with or without a trial of other psychotropic medicines.

Good luck.