18 replies to this topic

[detlef]

It appears I have to give up red meat, at least for some time.

So, back up a few weeks, we had a late night wine dinner at one of my restaurants and I was eating everything.  Nothing we served was anything I hadn't eaten 100s of times before.

That night, about 4 hours later, I woke up in a panic.  Hives everywhere and I could barely breathe.  After vomitting, the acute symptoms basically went away and I spent the next day taking benadryl and sleeping.

I went to the doctor who, in turn, sent me to an alergy specialist.  Dude mentioned a relation between tick bites and developing an alergy to meat from non-primate mammals.  I got tested, and they came back positive.  Of course, he did say that false positives are almost common.

But then I thought about it.  While that one episode was the only one that was truly frightening, it's not really the only one.  I have been feeling, well, itchy, often since that episode.  I also had a realy bad and sudden onset of skin irritation while swimming at a local lake, just days before the major episode.  Could have been a reaction to a tick bite.

Having done some research, they say that not every episode is like the rest, sometimes they're very minor, sometimes they send you to the hospital.  Of course, the only way to avoid it is to stay away from mammalian meat.  Which sucks for anyone, and particularily a chef.

I am so effing bummed out.  Looks like lots of birds and fish for me.

The only bright side is that it does wear off after a while, provided you're not again bitten by a lone star tick.  So there's that.

[RC94]

Sorry to hear that and I hope you get better soon.  I know I would have a really hard time cutting steak and burgers and other red meat meals out of my diet.

[Zooty]

holy crap, I heard about that.  that really stinks

[Chief Dick]

I went to the doctor about 6 weeks ago for my first physical in years. High cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, definitely some warning signs. And my weight right now is proportionate to my height.

Complete change of diet for me. Hardly any red meat, more veggies, fruits, more exercise. They wanted to put me on medication for cholesterol, but I talked them into giving me 90 days to control it with diet and exercise.

So det, I feel your pain a bit. Hard for me to give up a lot of the things I love to eat. Just can't any more.

[Bier Meister]

[tazinib1]

At least you got to enjoy some grilled green chili brats on the 4th!

[HowboutthemCowboys]

detlef, on 04 July 2012 - 06:31 AM, said:

It appears I have to give up red meat, at least for some time.

So, back up a few weeks, we had a late night wine dinner at one of my restaurants and I was eating everything.  Nothing we served was anything I hadn't eaten 100s of times before.

That night, about 4 hours later, I woke up in a panic.  Hives everywhere and I could barely breathe.  After vomitting, the acute symptoms basically went away and I spent the next day taking benadryl and sleeping.

I went to the doctor who, in turn, sent me to an alergy specialist.  Dude mentioned a relation between tick bites and developing an alergy to meat from non-primate mammals.  I got tested, and they came back positive.  Of course, he did say that false positives are almost common.

But then I thought about it.  While that one episode was the only one that was truly frightening, it's not really the only one.  I have been feeling, well, itchy, often since that episode.  I also had a realy bad and sudden onset of skin irritation while swimming at a local lake, just days before the major episode.  Could have been a reaction to a tick bite.

Having done some research, they say that not every episode is like the rest, sometimes they're very minor, sometimes they send you to the hospital.  Of course, the only way to avoid it is to stay away from mammalian meat.  Which sucks for anyone, and particularily a chef.

I am so effing bummed out.  Looks like lots of birds and fish for me.

The only bright side is that it does wear off after a while, provided you're not again bitten by a lone star tick.  So there's that.

Chief Dick, on 04 July 2012 - 11:29 AM, said:

I went to the doctor about 6 weeks ago for my first physical in years. High cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, definitely some warning signs. And my weight right now is proportionate to my height.

Complete change of diet for me. Hardly any red meat, more veggies, fruits, more exercise. They wanted to put me on medication for cholesterol, but I talked them into giving me 90 days to control it with diet and exercise.

So det, I feel your pain a bit. Hard for me to give up a lot of the things I love to eat. Just can't any more.

sorry guys

[detlef]

Chief Dick, on 04 July 2012 - 11:29 AM, said:

I went to the doctor about 6 weeks ago for my first physical in years. High cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, definitely some warning signs. And my weight right now is proportionate to my height.

Complete change of diet for me. Hardly any red meat, more veggies, fruits, more exercise. They wanted to put me on medication for cholesterol, but I talked them into giving me 90 days to control it with diet and exercise.

So det, I feel your pain a bit. Hard for me to give up a lot of the things I love to eat. Just can't any more.

The bummer for me is that my bp and cholesterol numbers are totally on-point despite the fact that I'd been eating the hell out red meat.  But I still can't.

At any rate, I've read more info that illustrates that this does wear off even in 6-8 months if you don't get bitten again.  So, I'm going to get tested again after a while and see if I'm still positive.

[SEC=UGA]

Det, is it possible that you could have ingested some microbe while at the lake that caused this?

[detlef]

SEC=UGA, on 05 July 2012 - 07:32 AM, said:

Det, is it possible that you could have ingested some microbe while at the lake that caused this?

Yes, and my Doc did say that false positives do happen in the tests.  But, the fact remains that some things line up.

1) Obviously the fact that I tested positive for this allergy can't be ignored.
2) The typical onset for reactions is 3-4 hours.  My first major reaction took place at 3 am, after a night where I had a late meal that included meats that ended around 11:30.
3) They say the reactions range from mild to intense, and I have had bouts of itchiness in the weeks since.  Not constant.  I can't say if they've always been 3-4 hours after I've eaten meat.  Then again, because I'm at the restaurants all day, I tend to snack on bits of meat throughout the day.  So, 3-4 hours after which morsel?

Honestly, I'd rather not find out the hard way that I certainly have this allergy, so I'm just going to lay off the red meat for a while and then get re-tested.  Seems like the only logical thing to do.

[bpwallace49]

Thank God you can still drink copious amounts of soda

[detlef]

bpwallace49, on 05 July 2012 - 09:33 AM, said:

Thank God you can still drink copious amounts of soda

I know, it's the little things that keep me going.

[loaf]

That sucks, hope it does go away in 6-8

[detlef]

Today is the worst.  I've pledged to take this seriously, and I've been told that it doesn't matter how much meat I eat.  Rather that, if I have this, any amount can potentially cause a really bad reaction.

We're rolling out a new menu next week and are phasing things in/ working out recipes for them through the end of this week.  And I can't freaking taste a bunch of it.  I've got to get my manager or others around me to taste these things hoping they understand where I'm trying to go with it and whether we got there.  Not just, "is this tasty".

It's frustrating as hell.

[Scorcher]

Sorry to hear this Detlef, I am sure it is very tough on you, probably more so than people who are not chef's, at least they have a better chance of avoiding temptation. I hope it clears up soon not just so you can eat red meat but for the sake of your health as well.

[gbpfan1231]

detlef, on 05 July 2012 - 01:31 PM, said:

Today is the worst.  I've pledged to take this seriously, and I've been told that it doesn't matter how much meat I eat.  Rather that, if I have this, any amount can potentially cause a really bad reaction.

We're rolling out a new menu next week and are phasing things in/ working out recipes for them through the end of this week.  And I can't freaking taste a bunch of it.  I've got to get my manager or others around me to taste these things hoping they understand where I'm trying to go with it and whether we got there.  Not just, "is this tasty".

It's frustrating as hell.

Look at it this way....  You will be ahead of the curve and be that much more prepared when the govt bans red meat.  Look on the bright side dude.  

[RC94]

detlef, on 05 July 2012 - 12:21 PM, said:

I know, it's the little things that keep me going.

Soda is my favorite caffeine delivery system.

[detlef]

gbpfan1231, on 05 July 2012 - 07:30 PM, said:

Look at it this way....  You will be ahead of the curve and be that much more prepared when the govt bans red meat.  Look on the bright side dude.  

[Sugar Magnolia]

Did you see this tick on you?  I got hives really bad for about 9 months off and on when I was a kid.  I finally learned what was causing it was root beer of all things.  I stopped drinking root beer for about a year, and one day forgot and drank a glass.  No hives from root beer ever since.

Too bad you are allergic beef; hopefully it goes away.