[suzfromWi]

My16 year old DGS is lactose intolerant, but thats the easy part. He also has a problem with food eaten in all resturants. the minute he starts to eat anything he gets diarihha. I swear to you the only resturant that doesnt affect him is Mc Donalds....No its not that he just loves Mc donald food. Theyve run tests at the clinic and so far no answers. Just thought mayber some of you have known something like this. Any ideas???? I feel so sorry for the kid....Oh also, food at home is ok....suz

 

[morrowsmowers]

Has he been tested for allergies to MSG? I had bad reactions to food in the past and finally found it to be from the MSG in things. If I stay away from MSG I feel pretty good but if for some reason I indulge, well, cramps and the tidy bowl man come along later.

Ken in Glassboro, NJ

 

[RoseGarden]

Sounds like me and my mother.... Funny though, the only boughten hamburger I can eat without those consequences is McDonald's plain little hamburger or Whataburger's junior burger.

Could it be something like irritable bowel syndrome or colitis caused by preservatives or some other additives in restaurant food? If he can eat at home and not have that problem, then there is something in restaurant food that is not in home cooked food, and I would try to narrow that down. I gave up on trying to figure it out, myself, and just have accepted that I can't eat certain foods (Long John Silver is the worst, also Olive Garden, any other hamburgers or chicken nuggets or chicken sandwiches, taco bell, nice restaurants, Asian food, you name it if it is from a restaurant.) I can make the equivalents at home and not have the problem, and my mom too. I just avoid eating out most of the time.

I don't know what would be in restaurant food that isn't in home cooked food except for preservatives, maybe liquids added to meats to plump them up, flavorings, ????

I hope he's able to identify what the problem is.

 

[LvDemWings]

I fully understand how frustrating this can be. My DS and I both have this problem and it is very difficult to eat out or try new things. We are sensative to dairy, corn, fatty foods, deep fried foods, pork and meat tenderizers. The only thing I can suggest is trying small servings of simple foods to come up with a list of thing that he can comfortably eat and at which restaurant. For myself, if I know that I am going to be out all day eating at strange restaurants (like if I'm on vacation) I take 1 amodium ad as a preventative and keep another in my pocket. Beings nervous, scared or worried can bring on symptoms.

 

[suzfromWi]

Thanks all, this does seem odd to all of us. Were are waiting now for blood tests on other things. I keep thinking it may be a certain oil the resturants use. WE stopped for Italian after golfing yesterday and the poor guy said he,d wait to go home to eat. I felt terrible. Why would he be able to eat Mac donalds food and not be bothered? Every where else they've tried, its right into the bathroom for him. He very tall and thin and I worry about the loss of vitamins and fluid.

 

[Patty0315]

I have this problem also. And Mc Donald usually does not bother me .


Drinking Kefir has helped. I drink ALOT before we go out . The other thing I take is acidophilus . I have even taken anti diareha pills before going out , which usually does not help.


Patty

 

[Denise K.]

Watch out for the perservatives in many prepared foods. I find that that will set me off. With in 15-20 minutes I will need to use the bathroom. Over the years I have pretty much learned what will affect me and have narrowed it down. Watch out with salad bars (sulfites) Prepared foods with MSG. It can be a hassel if I am traveling..................you learn what to eat and not eat before getting on an airplane If I am traveling by car I always have a cooler with me with stuff I can handle. Good Luck to him, I hope he can sort out the triggers so he can avoid them.

 

[BeeFree]

My Dh has had this problem for almost 10 yrs now. They can't find out what it is. McDonalds bothers him just like any of the others. Anything he eats does this. Doesn't matter where or what it is.

Still hoping the drs can eventually find out the problem. It really gets embarassing. Sometimes he doesn't make it to the br.

 

[suzfromWi]

I have this problem also. And Mc Donald usually does not bother me .


Drinking Kefir has helped. I drink ALOT before we go out . The other thing I take is acidophilus . I have even taken anti diareha pills before going out , which usually does not help.


Patty

What is kefir????And I told them now about the acidophilis.

 

[largentdepoche]

Could he have colitis or IBS? Maybe heliobacteria?

I lost 80 pounds when I had heliobacteria, I couldn't keep food down and I had diarehha all the time. It might be good to get him checked out for intestinal disorders.

Kat

 

[Nancy]

I feel for him. I had problems for almost 10 years before being properly diagnosed with celiac disease and colitis. I pretty much gave up on eating out as so many things have gluten in them even things like "natural flavoring, and carmel coloring". I've research a lot to find who has what in their foods, read labels very carefully etc. It's best just to eat a home and take food with me when out and about, at least for me. Once I accepted that fact, life got a lot better. Hope they find out his problem soon. Luckily for me I had the 50 pounds to lose before I got things settled down more permanently. Some folks aren't so well padded

 

[TNnative]

This sounds odd, but try having him eat a few raisins before he eats anything, then a few more after he's thru eating. My dad and brother are lactose intolerant and they found that eating raisins, or drinking purple grape juice, helped them a lot. Something in the raisins and purple grape juice counteracts the effects of the milk product. Their doctor had never heard of that before and refused to believe them, but it works for them.

They now both have celiac disease and have to be very careful about wheat products. Mother has to read every label before she buys. It's a wonder she can find anything they can eat. :shrug: As far as restaurants, both of them can eat Mexican, as long as they stick with corn tortillas, and my brother eats Japanese, but avoids the wheat products there.

 

[Maura]

Kefir is these little grain like thingies that you put into milk. Where as yogurt has usually four or five active cultures, kefir has over 30. Because the grains use lactose, kefir will have all or most of the lactose removed from the milk. It creates a sour or tangy milk, and if you leave it long enough you will get a smooth cheese. I don't like the taste and cut it in half with regular milk before drinking.

I agree with the MSG, monosodiumglutamate. It is derived from corn (no good if you have a corn allergy) and is a known carcinogenic. This is what Accent is. You are less likely to find it in high end restaurants, but not guarenteed. When eating in a restaurant, you can usually specify that you don't want MSG in your food. Asian restaurants will comply, but in other restaurants, the wait staff may not know that MSG is used.

 

[Patty0315]

Yep on the kefir facts above. I use goats milk with mine . I have extra grains that I can send you for the cost of shipping.

Patty

 

[Cheryl in SD]

My dd is a celiac. We have found that if we are eating anywhere but home she may have trouble. If she takes a STRONG digestive enzyme with her meal, even if she gets a little gluten it doesn't affect her. Get a digestive enzyme that is for meat, protein, fats and other foods.

HTH