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[racjen]

Anyone on here got any experience of histamine intolerance? I've been struggling with major menopausal anxiety and depression for the last couple of years, despite being on HRT - just never really seem to be able to find a combination I can tolerate and feel stable on for any length of time. My partner was doing some research the other day and discovered the section on Louise Newson's website about histamine intolerance, which I'd never heard of. It can be closely linked with menopausal problems, as histamine and oestrogen work in a sort of feedback loop where each increases production of the other. Symptoms include anxiety, headaches, nasal congestion, exhaustion - all of which I have and which've been worse since the beginning of hayfever season, which has been particularly bad this year.

Trouble is, it's not easy to diagnose - taking regular vit C and antihistamines can help, but in the end the main thing is an incredibly stringent diet with no dairy, no gluten, no fermented foods or yeast, no processed meats, some fruit and veg but not others etc. And the Histamine Intolerance association recommends you don't try that without the help of a doctor. But it seems to me the sort of thing your average GP would have no idea about whatsoever. Don't know if I'm just clutching at straws with this or if it's worth pursuing, maybe even getting a consultation with Dr. Newson? Nothing else is working and I'm getting really desperate.....

[KBallinger]

Hi Rachel Tina Peers is a menopause dr and specialises in histamine intolerance. it's a path I'm pursuing myself. X

[Kathleen]

Hello racjen.

Histamine intolerance is not something I've heard of but sounds interesting so I will investigate when I have the time.

You may be interested to know that the diet you've described sounds like a whole foods plant based diet that I have been  following for a few years although I don't avoid any particular fruit or vegetables.  I don't have any allergies and of the problems you listed the only one I have is anxiety. I am post meno and not on HRT.

I agree that it is probably pointless asking your GP for any guidance so a specialist like the one suggested is  likely the way to go.

I am sorry to learn that you are still having problems despite HRT and I hope you find the solution soon. Many of us find that HRT doesn't help with all our symptoms so it is always worth investigating other treatments. 

Wishing you well.

K.

[Wrensong]

Hi racjen, if you put histamine into the search box you'll find other threads where it's been discussed.  I particularly remember a couple of threads by a member called RebJT who had terrible probs with histamine & I think saw Tina Peers about it.

[racjen]

Thanks, I'll look up Tina Peers but wonder whether it's worth spending ?250 for what feels like a long shot...

Kathleen, it's not a plant-based diet, you're allowed fresh meat, eggs and fish, just not dairy or meats like bacon and salami. Also not really wholefood as no nuts or pulses and no gluten. Just as well you can eat meat as not an awful lot left!

[CLKD]

I don't think that you have enough variation in your diet!  The gut is designed to work on various food stuffs that we feed it, extracting what it requires at different rates during 24 hours in order to give the body energy and to process waste into excreta and urea.  What is the point of histamine in the body ........ it's now something I'm familiar with, can you tell 

Louise Newson would be my route ;-)


OK - talking to myself here:

NHS web-site

How antihistamines work

Antihistamines block the effects of a substance called histamine in your body.

Histamine is normally released when your body detects something harmful, such as an infection. It causes blood vessels to expand and the skin to swell, which helps protect the body.

But in people with allergies, the body mistakes something harmless ? such as pollen, animal hair or house dust ? for a threat and produces histamine. The histamine causes an allergic reaction with unpleasant symptoms including itchy, watering eyes, a running or blocked nose, sneezing and skin rashes.

Antihistamines help stop this happening if you take them before you come into contact with the substance you're allergic to. Or they can reduce the severity of symptoms if you take them afterwards.

[CLKD]

Criky - sometimes I wonder why our bodies contradict what we actually require 

What are the effects of too much histamine?
The ingestion of histamine-rich food or of alcohol or drugs that release histamine or block DAO may provoke diarrhea, headache, rhinoconjunctival symptoms, asthma, hypotension, arrhythmia, urticaria, pruritus, flushing, and other conditions in patients with histamine intolerance.

2019 - Does estrogen increase histamine?
This means that estrogen can cause the production and release of histamine; it also decreases DAO levels, so estrogen can certainly cause higher histamine levels. Progesterone naturally lowers histamine levels, so if you have estrogen dominance (and thus, lower progesterone) you'll have higher histamine levels.22 Oct 2019

My head is buzzing  . I can see why u are trying a restricted diet.

[Kathleen]

Hello again ladies.

racjen-   I misunderstood  and assumed no dairy also meant no animal products. This diet does sound a bit of a mixture and now I'm even more intrigued! I can understand the exclusion of nuts and gluten as allergies to these foods are well known but I think pulses mean peas, chickpeas and lentils and I've never heard of any sensitivities to those. I'm certainly interested to learn more.

Good luck  with your research and take care.

K.

[racjen]

CLKD, I'm not doing the diet, just found out about it during my research. I can assure you I understand how nutrition works and if I was to go on a stringent diet like this I'd make sure I had enough variation.

Kathleen - I'm confused about the whole histamine thing tbh. Don't think what they're talking about is the same as an allergy to specific foods like nuts, it's the histamine itself that's causing the reaction. So it's irrelevant whether pulses are known to cause allergies, they're high in histamine and that's what causes the problem...

[Wrensong]

Kathleen, I think from what I remember that the issue with peas, beans & other lectins is that the form of protein they contain is thought to cause release of histamine, which may not be a problem for those of us who can produce enough of the enzymes that break it down, but may be for people who are deficient in those enzymes or for whatever reason need to reduce their histamine load. 

I followed a histamine-reducing diet for a while in perimenopause to see whether it would help with very troublesome rhinitis, flushing, insomnia & other symptoms thought to be associated with histamine intolerance.  I forget many of the details & Racjen will be more up to speed with it than me, but from memory the idea is twofold: 1) to reduce intake of histamine rich foods & drinks eg fermented foods & drinks, aged cheeses etc & 2) to limit those foods which cause release of histamine in the body.  So reduce intake of histamine as well as limiting its production in the body.

Racjen, I remember extensive lists that grouped foods according to whether high, moderate or low in histamine/substances causing production of histamine (I kept one in my handbag to take shopping & when eating out!)  As it's so restrictive avoiding the lot, could you maybe try cutting out just those thought to be most problematic to see whether your symptoms ease at all - that might give you more of an idea whether histamine is behind your symptoms so you can then decide whether it's worth forking out to see a specialist?

[CLKD]

I think it's worth forking out, if I needed assistance I wouldn't [didn't] hesitate.  One can after all take or leave the advice ?  Will you let us know how you get on?

Maybe take a list of symptoms etc. with you so that nowt gets missed?

[racjen]

They're not doing face-to-face consultations at the moment, so it would be ?250 for an unspecified length phone call with no opportunity for a 15 min preliminary call just to see whether there's any point or not. That feels like too much money for me - I haven't been able to work for several years due to severe menopausal symptoms, so i'm living on benefits. ?250 is way beyond my means...

[CLKD]

I wonder why very few places are doing face2face?  Hospitals and Clinics should be according to the government, open for business 

[racjen]

I wouldn't be able to get there anyway as I don't drive and wouldn't use public transport at the moment.

[CLKD]

Always an issue, travelling.  4 me it's anxiety about the journey 

How R U this morning?