Link between neurological symptoms and soy

For the past 8 weeks, I have been experiencing some strange symptoms.  I have been a vegan for about 4 years now.  Six weeks ago I ate a vegan cake (it contained Tofu, wheat, soy milk, sweetner, etc.), within seconds I could feel a lump in my throat.  It felt as if my throat was tightening up.  I got scared and asked someone to get me some Benadryl.  Within minutes (before I took the Benadryl) I started to experience involuntary muscle movements.  My head started "ticking" to the right and my mouth began moving by itself.  I could understand everything going on around me but I could not speak.  When the paramedics came they said my eyes were blood shot red and my heart rate was very rapid.  I was drooling a bit and had some difficulties with walking.  I had a CT-scan and it showed some "abnormality at the back of my brain indicating a neurological problem.  I had MRIs and MRAs done and they all showed nothing abnormal.  To make a long story short, I noticed that everytime I had soy-based products, I would experience a funny feeling in my throat, involuntary muscle ticks, muscle stiffness, blood-shot red eyes, difficulty walking, and difficulty speaking.  I wonder if I have throat cancer and the soy intake is affecting it.  I've stayed away from soy but am now extremely fatigued and I have tightness in my jaws with some difficulty speaking.  An ENT scoped my throat through my nose and saw inflamation (inflammation) in my upper throat and behind my voice box. He thought it may be due to Gerd, an autoimmune disease or allergies.  I went to the Allergist and nothing came up positive on teh skin test (not even soy), I'm awaiting blood results. Do you have any idea what could be going on with me??????? Please help!

[caregiver222]

Clearly you have had an allergic reaction to some substance. It might have been the soy. It might have been something else.

You must be extremely careful in the future and I would avoid soy, if you feel this is the substance.

The problem is this. The next reaction might be ten times worse than this one.

Caregiver222 learned the hard way about allergic reactions. There was a patient who told caregiver222 he had mild reactions to shellfish and had inadvertantly eaten some in a restaurant. The fellow looked bright and chipper and had normal blood pressure and vital signs. With one brain-cell in my left toe, I suggested that perhaps he might see a physician the next day. Caregiver222 thought he knew everything in those days.

That's how I learned about the severity of these reactions.

Within thirty minutes he "fell off the cliff", and ended up in cardiac arrest, which was, fortunately successfully converted by application of electro countershock, and following endotracheal intubation, and delivery to an acute care facility, he recovered nicely.

By the way, after I visited him in the hospital he told me: "stop giving advice to people".

It sounds to me, like you have an allergy. An allergy that might be life-threatening. I don't buy the "clean bill of health" given you by the allergist.

Soy is an interesting substance. It contains female-like hormones, for example. That could be thr trigger.

It is possible that the events come from another direction and that the food ingestioin is incidental. I don't think so.

If you have another reastion do not hesitate to call 911 immediately.

I would pursue the issue with another allergist.