Soyed By Labelling Error

A week ago I bought a deli item at my local, organic grocery coop. I've eaten their other deli items,which were labeled free of my allergies, and never had reactions. However a week ago, I saw an item which was originally free of soy (tamari or gluten free soy sauce). However, the deli began adding tamari to their recipe and correctly labeled that ingredient on their ingredients card. So I didn't eat it as long as I saw soy on the label. Nevertheless, during my last visit I saw that item with ingredients free of soy. I read the label twice and asked my husband to verify that he didn't see soy either. Then I asked the deli counter person if the label was correct and she said it was. So I bought a pound of the vegan rice casserole and mixed it with a few other vegies and sunflower seeds for 2 meals' worth.

As I ate some that night, I felt the need to recheck the label on the carton. To my horror, soy (tamari) was plainly listed in the 2nd line of the ingredients. I was absolutely certain that the deli case label had omitted the soy ingredient. So I called the deli department of that deli. The person who answered the phone said the they always use tamari in that recipe. Then I asked why that ingredient wasn't included in the deli counter label. The person in the deli department checked the counter label and sure enough that sign had omitted tamari (soy). Of course I learned all that AFTER I had eaten about 1/3-1/2 cup of the soy laced casserole.

Next I talked to the manager who told me to come in the next day so that they could refund my money. She also wanted to offer me a gift certificate to compensate me for the pain and suffering I would endure, because I'm very allergic to soy. I was so angry at the point that I asked her if chewing and swallowing the gift certificate was supposed to relieve my pain. GRRRRR!!! My husband later told me that the gift certificate was all they could offer me. I told him that made THEM feel better, but not me. What I needed was a guarantee that their labels would always be accurate. Instead I decided that I will never again buy food from their deli department.

One week later I'm still suffering soy reaction symptoms. For the first few days I had more and more cramping intestinal pain and bloating. By the 5th day I had loose stools which turned into outright diarrhea for the past 2 days preceded by excruciating gut cramps and bloating each night. This was my first soy consumption incident in about 5 years or so. The longer someone abstains from a delayed reaction allergen (soy is an IgA mediated allergen for me), the stronger (more intense) and longer lasting reaction symptoms will be. That's exactly what I've experienced. I've been reacting to soy for over a week now. I hope it ends soon. I used to spend 5-7 days reacting to soy. The past 2 days (6 and 7) were the worst. Usually my symptoms are most intense in the middle of the reaction period and then taper off toward the end. So I may spend the next few days still reacting. I hope not!!

The good news is the DHEA seems to be working to improve my immunity (or all the T-cells activated by soy are attacking cold viruses LOL). I've had less sleep lately (because cramping gut pain keeps me awake), but I haven't had any cold symptoms, despite being out in public, touching and possibly picking up germs, for the past week. I'm still taking a tiny bit of arabinogalactin (less than one teaspoonful each night), but that amount previously did not prevent cold symptoms. Also my hair doesn't seem to get so dry between shampoo/conditioning treatments.

I've developed a rhythm to taking my daily sublingual DHEA dose each morning. I wait about 15-30 minutes after taking my thyroid supplements so that I'm fully alert to measure out the 2.5 mcg dose in the oral hypo. After taking that dose I wait 10-15 minutes until I no longer taste the cherry flavored solution (under my tongue) before drink or eat anything. So I know I have absorbed as much as possible.

I hope I can enjoy my improved immunity after I stop reacting to the soy. SIGH