Quincke’s edema and nutrition – Thomas Hettmann

Quincke’s edema and nutrition

Thomas Hettmann’s face swells up overnight: His mouth, cheek and lip area are sometimes so thick that drinking is also made difficult – “some of the fluid simply runs out of his mouth again on the side that is not swollen”. He was diagnosed with Quincke’s edema in November 2013. The swelling is caused by a sudden increase in the permeability of the vessel walls. “During the bad times, my face swelled up every 14 days.”

Thick lip

Initially, Thomas Hettmann opted for the classic treatment approach: “‘If you have a thick lip, just take cortisone,’ my doctor said.” Cortisone reduces the swelling after four to six hours, but does not change the cause. Thomas Hettmann cannot determine whether certain foods are the triggers. An allergy test (prick test) does not provide a useful result either. After two years with a frequently swollen face, Thomas Hettmann is ready to follow his wife’s recommendations and consults a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine.

The edema migrates

Thanks to treatments with acupuncture and medicinal herbs, the symptoms begin to change. The edema moves deeper into the body, to the arms and legs. Swelling no longer occurs as frequently. As the face is no longer affected, Thomas Hettmann no longer uses cortisone when swelling occurs. He simply waits several hours to a day until the swelling goes down on its own. “That was already a great success for me, not least because the swelling in the face can also be life-threatening if breathing is impaired.”

Cytolisa nutrition program – “That’s no good”?

The doctor for traditional Chinese medicine is not yet satisfied with the success of the treatment after one year and recommends the Cytolisa test with a corresponding change in diet to Thomas Hettmann. “I found some negative reports on the internet about IgG tests for food, so I was skeptical at first. But I trusted my doctor, who had already been able to help me a lot with traditional Chinese medicine. I had also rejected Chinese medicine at first and only went there after considerable persuasion from my wife.”

The test result is a shock – March 2017

“When my test result came, it was a shock because almost every third food had reacted. I had suspected it for some foods, but they didn’t react. But foods such as cauliflower and peas reacted, which I would never have thought could not affect me.” Thomas Hettmann is lucky that he lives in Munich and that four organic supermarkets are just around the corner. It is also helpful that his wife supports him in changing his diet and cooks suitable meals for him.

The craving for sweets disappears, as does the Quincke’s edema

“I started to change my diet at the end of March 2017, and since May 2017 I have been completely symptom-free and no longer have any wheals or swelling.” Even if the change in diet is not easy, Thomas Hettmann finds it worth persevering. “I thought the nutritional advice from the Cytolabor was good. It’s important not to be left alone with the test result, but to be put on the right path and shown alternatives. I also found the practical tips on drinking water regularly and the acid-base balance very helpful.” Since changing his diet, his craving for sweets has disappeared: “I used to always need something sweet in the afternoon: coffee and a packet of cookies, but not any more.”

There are suitable alternatives and a pleasant side effect

Over time, Thomas Hettmann realizes that there are suitable alternatives for him from every food group and that he can eat without any deficiency symptoms. “I am pleasantly surprised that after four weeks I can say: it works. I’m symptom-free and if I get wheals today, I can clearly attribute it to food that doesn’t suit me. A pleasant side effect of the change in diet is that I have lost weight – 13 kilograms in 8 months.”

Perseverance pays off

Thomas Hettmann’s advice is: “Get through the first 3-4 weeks. The first few weeks are the hardest. I was sometimes hungry and had a huge craving for sausage sandwiches and meat salad. It’s worth persevering and the sometimes arduous search for alternatives. After about 4 weeks, the cravings get better.”

 

Find out more about the Cytolisa Immune Test and the nutrition program here

 

Recorded on October 27, 2017

*Photo does not show Thomas Hettmann