Hives!

Well six months down the line and I've got hives big time - I'm itching all over. It's the first time I've had this kind of itching since an incident during a summer holiday a couple of years ago before I realised what was wrong. At the time I put it down to unwelcome insect attentions. I've just spread anti-histamine cream all over me.

This is odd because I have not eaten anything dodgy for days. Today we had carrots and green beans with lunch and I drank a glass of cheap lemonade mixed with whisky. Also had a glass of whisky last night and had sausages for dinner.

However last week I had a couple of "Mediterranean" lunches because I was away from home. Although I chose carefully - eating fish, steak and lettuce, undoubtedly some herbs and peppers were used by the chefs. At one restaurant I also had an Italian ice cream covered in chocolate sauce. It turned out be made with fresh fruit, orange, lemon and raspberry. Delicious but totally illegal - although I think I am meant to be trying lemon. But that was Thursday and there were no obvious massive ill-effects as a result.

So what's the theory, doctor? I suppose it could be some kind of overload. Carrots and green beans are meant to be low salicylate, but not salicylate free. I'm meant to be trying them as part of reintroduction - and have remained a little uncomfortable with them. And sausages, even cheap ones, may also contain herbs. So if I used up my quota of salicylate last week, even very small amounts may have pushed me over the edge. And I do wonder whether whisky is really salicylate free - after all brandy is not.

I haven't written much here for a while as I have been busy. I do have some eating ideas I want to share and will post them soon