Why am I having a cough and cold with a food allergy?

Question

Hello doctor,

I have a cough and cold, and I have been allergic to citric foods such as mango, lemon, vinegar, okra, taro roots, and green chili for the last 15 to 20 years. High-protein foods, like the yolks of eggs and potatoes, cause high acidity and make my stomach feel blocked. I cannot drink cold water due to a burning sensation in my stomach caused by a severe cough. When my acidity is high, I get rashes all over my body with itching. I take Rabeprazole and avoid foods that trigger the issue. I have had a sonography and liver and kidney function tests done.

Kindly help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern. Based on your description, you have been suffering from cough and cold, with allergies to citrus foods and high-protein foods, which can worsen stomach acidity, causing burning sensations, rashes, and itching all over your body. You have been unable to drink cold water for the past 15 to 20 years.

From your symptoms, it seems you may be experiencing GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) alongside your cold allergies. Cold drinks can hinder digestion by lowering the gastric temperature below the normal body temperature, which affects the efficiency of digestive enzymes. If you experience GERD-related symptoms such as bloating, burping, belching, diarrhea, food allergies, or other issues, cold drinks with meals might be a contributing factor.

I recommend undergoing investigations such as a CBC (complete blood count) with eosinophil count, upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy, barium swallow, skin prick test, and RAST (radioallergosorbent test) to identify the underlying causes.

In the meantime, you might consider taking antacid oral suspension, Domperidone, Fexofenadine, and Montelukast along with your Rabeprazole, and avoid cold drinks with meals to help alleviate your symptoms.

You can reach me at icliniq.com.

Thank you for consulting me.