Defining a food reaction

[jamietwo]

I took the following quote from this link about how you approach the elimination diet viewtopic.php?f=22&t=48950. Great information!

...So, finding the baseline of foods that are non reactive to the individual, and establishing some time on the baseline with these foods is important and may be different for each person...

Makes sense, but how do we define reactive? I have a long list of Lupus symptoms I know to watch for, but would I also consider a food reactive if it causes loose stools (for example)? Or would that be considered acceptable?

Thanks!

[JeffN]

It depends on you and your condition and the symptoms that are driving you to do the ED.

Could be pain, inflammation, discomfort, bloating, headache etc

In Health
Jeff

[jamietwo]

Thanks for your response, Jeff. My condition is great; I feel good, but fear has kept me on Plaquenil for nearly 5 years. My goal is to get off Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine), by identifying my food triggers. I was in the midst of an elimination diet in 2013, when I had such a bad lupus flare that I consented to the medication. It seemed like I reacted to everything I tested on my ED back then.

I assume that the medicine is masking my symptoms, so I lowered my dose** around 48 days ago ... until I was feeling joint pain in my feet when I woke up. I started my ED with brown rice only. My foot pain went away! After 3.5 days on brown rice, I introduced kale (brown rice and kale have been my staple foods for years). I added kale 2 nights ago, and the loose stool symptom is getting progressively worse. That's not something I think of as a Lupus symptom, but it seems that my body is reacting to the food. Which prompted my question of whether I should remove a food that causes a reaction but is not a typical Lupus reaction....?

** My doctor believes I will be on Plaquenil for life, but she has given me free reign to adjust my dose as needed as long as I don't exceed her original prescription. I'd like to get a few safe foods under my belt, then lower it even further before stopping it altogether.