Do you know, California, whether you may be entering menopause?
I developed allergic asthma during menopause. To this day, I cannot eat most of the foods I'd loved all my life. Anxiety, bloating, really amazing fluid retention, inability to concentrate, word searching ~ all those things began happening. Vitamin B was helpful to me, and evening primrose oil. I no longer eat gluten or chocolate or bananas (of all things) or peanut butter. I cannot do dairy.
Or blueberries.
Or avocado.
Or oatmeal or beans or rice or peas.
No beef. No seafood.
I would experience symptoms similar to yours before I knew to connect what I was eating to what was happening. My blood pressure had always been remarkably low. During that time, it began to elevate. Now, I am back to normal. Partly, I think, because I have calmed down hormonally but mostly because I have learned what I can and cannot eat.
I can do salads and apples (except for "Delicious" apples ~ isn't that strange) and chicken and pork and eggs. No soy. No MSG. No corn and no corn syrup or any of those things.
I can eat salmon, and fresh or frozen tuna.
It took a long time for me to connect all the disparate pieces, but I wonder whether something like this could be what is happening now for you?
Are you familiar with the Paleo Diet? Basically, that is how I eat. Whenever I slip, I suffer in those same ways. I need to use an inhaler when I've eaten something I shouldn't. The reactions can take place as far as three days out ~ sometimes more ~ from the
allergen exposure.
Wine. I can't do wine, anymore. Or raisins or any dried fruit. Or cheese. I do eat cottage cheese sometimes, and yogurt. If I have too much of these foods, I have leg cramps at night. And I know those two things are not supposed to go together, but for me, they do.
It was scary and frustrating as I went through it. With so many allergies coming on all at once, there were times when I didn't believe myself that these things were happening because of what I was eating. Now, I do know this is so. That makes it easier for me. Many times, there is a physical cause, even for anxiety. For me, sugar and anxiety go hand in hand.
But I didn't know that at first.
I am sorry this is happening.
Cedar