Allergies and Autoimmune Diseases

[fig65]

Hi,
I am undiagnosed and experiencing many symptoms which may be related to an autoimmune disorder. I have been tested for many things and all comes back negative.
I have a question about allergies. I am not currently on any medication. I always had pretty bad seasonal allergies and had been on an allegy medication of some kind or another for a good part of the year for many years. Since I started noticing all of my strange symptoms, about 2 years ago, my allergies disappeared. I can breathe through my nose better now than I ever could and feel great as far as allergies go.
When you have an autoimmune disease, are you more likely to have allergies or not? I'm just wondering if I have something of this nature going on in my body, if this is why my allergies suddenly disappeared. I'm ceratianly not complaining, I'm glad not to have the allergies anymore, but would take them back if it meant trading them for all of the lovely new symptoms I have developed over the past 2 years.
I don't know if this is relevant or not, but in trying to put the pieces together, I'm trying to look at everything I can possibly think of that has changed in the past couple of years.
Thanks for listening. :)

[sindy518826]

Allergy is a disorder of the immune system which is a form of hypersensitivity.[1] Allergic reactions occur to normally harmless environmental substances known as allergens; these reactions are acquired, predictable, and rapid. Strictly, allergy is one of four forms of hypersensitivity and is called type I (or immediate) hypersensitivity. It is characterized by excessive activation of certain white blood cells called mast cells and basophils by a type of antibody known as IgE, resulting in an extreme inflammatory response. IgE that can specifically recognise an "allergen" has a unique long-lived interaction with its high affinity receptor, so that basophils and mast cells, capable of mediating inflammatory reactions, become "primed", ready to release chemicals like histamine, leukotrienes and certain interleukins, which cause many of the symptoms we associate with allergy. Common allergic reactions include eczema, hives, hay fever, asthma attacks, food allergies, and reactions to the venom of stinging insects such as wasps and bees.[2]

Mild allergies like hay fever are highly prevalent in the human population and cause symptoms such as allergic conjunctivitis, itchiness, and runny nose. Allergies can play a major role in conditions such as asthma. In some people, severe allergies to environmental or dietary allergens or to medication may result in life-threatening anaphylactic reactions and potentially death.

A variety of tests now exist to diagnose allergic conditions; these include testing the skin for responses to known allergens or analyzing the blood for the presence and levels of allergen-specific IgE. Treatments for allergies include allergen avoidance, use of anti-histamines, steroids or other oral medications, immunotherapy to desensitize the response to allergen, and targeted therapy. IgE may be an important target in treatments for allergy and asthma, but not without consequence. Although it is not yet well understood, IgE may play an important role in the immune system’s recognition of cancer[3], in which the stimulation of a strong cytotoxic response against cells displaying only small amounts of early cancer markers would be beneficial. Of course, if this were the case, anti-IgE treatments such as omalizumab might have some undesirable side effects.

[karajo]

Actually allergies are observed in 10% of the general population and in 20-25% of those with Sysemic Lupus.  Does that mean that people w/ allergies have an autoimmune?  I would certainly think not.  People w/ autoimmune diseases also have a lot of other symtpoms going on as well.  

I would encourage you to research your options in the field of supplements.  I've heard that stinging nettles helps w/ allergies.  Vit C and the herb cat's claw would help boost the immune system.  Drinking lots of water and cutting back or eliminating dairy products would help too.  

I "had" horrible allergies as a child.  Never underestimate the power of believing prayer.  

God bless, Kara