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Hi All;

I have a number of related questions for you all here, related to 1)
allergy desensitization and whether you think that would be dangerous,
as well as 2) corn allergy and CD, and 3) whether anyone has experience
with enzymes and food allergy/intolerance.

I am wondering if any of you have experience with immunomodulation, i.e.
allergy desensitization therapy, as it relates to gluten (i.e., did any
of you, before knowing you were a celiac, do testing for food allergies,
perhaps, and try desensitization?)

The eminent Dr. Doris Rapp, a famous doctor of food and other allergies,
and author of several books on the topic, especially as relates to
children and behavioral disturbances caused by food allergies, referred
me to a doc in my area that does testing and desensitization for food
and other allergies.

I have had many allergy tests done at this doc's clinic. I am allergic
to almost every pollen and about a third of the molds. I also tested
allergic to some foods that, based on my subsequent elimination and
challenge testing, are not true allergies. I also reacted, of course to
wheat and rye. [I am an "unofficial" celiac--as in, no biopsy proof, but

have a grandmother--deceased--lymphoma (didn't stay on gf diet) and two
children who are also unofficial celiacs, and have bunches of symptoms
related to and consistent with CD, as well as some lab tests that
indicate that it is a likelihood--trouble is--we went gf before
testing--will not return to gluten diet to do biopsy.]

So, what I'm wondering is whether it would seem to be a bad idea to try
the desensitization. I think yes, and the doc says no. Of course the doc
does not believe I have CD, and I can tell his knowledge is outdated, he
looks at me and thinks, "This person doesn't look like she has celiac
disease, let alone any serios disease."

We (my kids and I) are also allergic to corn and dairy, with corn being
the worst, because of how hard it is to avoid and how bad the symptoms
are (I really think that corn sets off an autoimmune reaction because of

the symptoms--incontinence in my kids, and activation of my occipital
neuritis). It was my hope to reduce our sensitivity to these foods
through this treatment. However, I did not test positive for allergy to
corn or dairy on these allergy tests, so the only one that this therapy
could supposedly help with is the gluten problem.

The whole reason I started down this path is that our sensitivity has
increased so much since we went off these foods (gluten, corn, dairy)
that we are frequently bothered with symptoms because we apparantly are
ingesting trace amounts, even though my knowledge of what products to
avoid is quite good, I assure you, and almost nothing we eat is
processed. So, I figured, if our sensitivity could increase so
dramatically by removing these allergens from our diets, perhaps we
could modulate the sensitivity somehow to decrease it and thus not be
bothered so much by these low level reactions.

One other question: anyoone have any experience with corn allergy in
addition to the CD? I cannot use so many of the gf products, because
 they contain corn or corn derivatives. We cannot even use regular
baking soda because it contains corn starch. We can't use xanthan gum
because it is grown on corn sugar. These substances cause symptoms,
we don't avoid them just because they are sources of corn.

Oh, and one more question: anyone have any experience with enzymes?
Supposedly many autistic children do better when they are given enzymes
that help break down the gluten and casein proteins. These children
still have to maintain a gfcf diet, but apparantly the enzymes help to
break down the prolamins which can affect the central nervous system
when improperly digested. Our symptoms have elements of CD as well as
autism. There is more info on this to be had at GFCFdiet.com.

I would be particularly interested to hear from anyoone who has CD along
with corn (and even dairy) intolerance and has found an enzyme product
that seems to help.

I've really appreciated the interaction with you all. I'm so relieved to

find the support that is provided here. Any comments or suggestions are
welcomed.

Thanks,
Sheila