THANKS to you all

[val]

Hello Everyone,

I have been reading your messages for a couple of years now, and I feel like I'm not a complete nut job.

Your comments have helped me understand some of the reactions that I've been having for years but the doctors have always told me I'm imagining all my symptoms.

I would just like to say THANK YOU.

Val

[colormist]

Hi Val!
Glad we could be of assistance. We've pretty much all been in your exact same position. It's very relieving to find others that have the same condition.

[ukbill]

Yes its great to know we are not alone!

I was very happy to find other people who were as weird as I am.. (OK maybe not quite as weird.. )

There seem to be quite a contingent of HFI in Australia.. far more than in the UK given comparative populations.

Although that might be more to do with medical practitioner knowledge, that more are being diagnosed in Ozzyland

Some people do not say what part of the world they are from so its difficult to know for sure.

Please feel free to give your 5 cents worth on any topic. the more opinions from HFI people about HFI matters, the better help we can be to others.

[charlie]

Welcome properly Val, good to meet you, yes this site is a complete sanity saver for all of us.

Yes bill, australia is way ahead of us in more than just time!!!! The dietitians there are much more clued up and have been doing alot of research on fructose related problems.

[val]

Thank you Colormist, Bill and Carlie for your kind replies.

I wish I knew where in Australia the dietitians and people who have HFI reside, because so far I have been unable to find any, only some that can help with FM.

I had blood tests two years ago and was told I was in the 20% unable to be diagnosed. I have been given a medic alert necklace and was told by the specialist in Perth there was nothing more he could do, so I was on my own. He did refer me to a dietitian who had never heard of HFI.

The Dietitian was supposed to have rung all around Australia when she posted me the diet chart, which I didn't like the look of. Anyway I went with what she said, and tried things out to see if they would help. One of the things she wanted me to try was spinach. I had to cut the veins out of it, boil the crap out of it, throw away the water and eat what was left. That to me was like eating paper.

After many many years of asking Doctors and getting nowhere, it was a Naturopath who worked out I had HFI by going through all the tablets he had prescribed for me over a two year period to see why I couldn't eat most of them and there was only a few that I could eat. The ones I could eat didn't have any sorbital or sugars in them.

After I received the blood tests, and checking I had received the Medic Alert, the Naturopath decided there was no more he could do for me, so he joined me up to HFI-INFO Discussion Board.

After a long time spent working out how to read information off the Discussion Board, and getting myself hopelessly lost on many occasions, I finally found that you had a lot to offer that couldn't be found anywhere else. Gradually I found the confidence to forget about the dietitian and listen to what you all had to say, and use my own instincts as I have done for the majority of my life.

Thanks for all your encouragement.

[ukbill]

Val always go with what makes you feel good.. particularly about 20min after eating it.

I feel so much better after a meal that is rice or pasta based rather than potatoes even mashed.

However in the interests of not getting bored with my food I do eat the odd meal of potatoes.. its almost as if I need them occasionally.. instincts are good.

My eldest son will be in Perth just before xmas.. working for Caterpillar on the Mining side.

I am sure some of the people in the east will be able to put you in touch with their specialists if you need them.

[kim55]

I eat potatoes frequently without a problem, but potatoes can vary greatly in the amount of sugar depending on the variety and how they are stored. I usually eat "Idaho" or "russet" white (Irish) potatoes. The red potatoes can be sweet, and of course "sweet potatoes" are sweet. I haven't had the Yukon Gold variety for a while, but I remember them as either the same as russet or a little sweeter.

It could also have something to do with geographic location. I live in the American South and grew up in the midwest.

The one thing you should never do is store potatoes in the refrigerator or in a cold area. That makes the starch in them turn to sugar. The other day I had some I had scrubbed but didn't have a chance to use so I went ahead and cooked them, then stuck them in the fridge for a couple of days. Then took them out and took a bite and yuck! threw them away. I don't remember having that problem with leftover mashed potatoes, but we don't have those very often and it's possible that the milk and butter in the mashed potatoes disguise the sugar while I am eating them.

I was doing historical research for work and ended up doing some research on storage of sweet potatoes and how they are stored at a controlled temperature to increase the sugar content. I wouldn't doubt that this also happens with regular white or Irish potatoes, so that could also make a difference.

Oh, and of course never eat any potatoes that have turned green from exposure to sunlight. That produces toxins that can make anyone sick.

[val]

Thanks Bill,

I generally find that it is the next day after eating the wrong food that things start to play up.

I am getting on well with rice, when you mentioned pasta is it the wheat pasta or rice pasta? Rice pasta seems ok for me but wheat pasta I still have a question mark after.

I hope your son enjoys his trip to Perth, just hope its not too hot or humid for him.

[ukbill]

He is used to Brisbane where he has lived for over 5 years now

Rob is coming home for new year and his youngest Brothers 21st birthday party on Jan 1st.. (shh Tim is not to know )

[val]

Rob would be used to the hot weather, and able to tolerate it far better than I can.

We live south east of Bunbury on a small farm. It is hotter than near the coast but not nearly as hot as Queensland.