topic Chinese Restaurant Syndrome in Wellness

Chinese Restaurant Syndrome

LTT1 — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 13:09:18 GMT

Has anybody had this happen to them?

I attended a Book Club meeting last night and (apparently) had this happen.

While eating my sauce-covered, "chow fun", I felt myself flushing!

Next, I broke out in an uncomfortable sweat!

I will mention it to my doctor at my next appointment, however, I have been having trouble digesting Chinese food for a number of years and it was never very clear as to WHY?

I'm guessing this was my body's rxn to MSG.

If you have ever had this happen, would you provide any info, suggestions, etc, as to how you handle this or what you order instead?

The lady who organizes our meetings really likes this place for the location and service...so if I continue to go, I'd like some alternatives!

Thank you in advance!

Chow FUN

Re: Chinese Restaurant Syndrome

Goldengate8361 — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 13:21:25 GMT

Oh my...that doesn't sound "fun" at all. It's impossible to know what's actually in the foods that we eat when we eat out or order in. That's another reason I prefer eating my own food at home. Hope you're ok, @LTT1

Re: Chinese Restaurant Syndrome

Shelbelle — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 13:23:28 GMT

I was also going to say could be MSG

Re: Chinese Restaurant Syndrome

Bookplate — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 13:28:42 GMT

Yes, it happened to me when I was in college and my roommate's parents took us to a Chinese restaurant. Fortunately, they knew what my reaction was when it happened. From then on, when I ate Chinese food I would ask that MSG not be added. I think it is being used less these days than in the past.

Re: Chinese Restaurant Syndrome

haddon9 — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 13:29:16 GMT

Yes I have had that happen to me a long time ago.

Today most Chinese restaurants in my area abstain from using MSG. You can tell this person in your book club that you can't eat the food because you've had an allergic reaction to the MSG that was put into it.

Maybe she can request that her order not have MSG put into the food in the future?

Re: Chinese Restaurant Syndrome

on the bay — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 13:34:50 GMT

My mother took us to Chinese restaurants when we were very young. I would get piercing headaches like a knife in both temples and cry. My mother didn't know what was happening. We figured out it was the msg.

So really you have to find a restaurant that doesn't use msg. Not all Chinese restaurants do.

But I don't know if it doesn't bother me anymore or if most Chinese restaurants don't use it anymore.

But that is what you probably shouldn't eat anymore-anything with msg.

Some people do have reactions to it and though the FDA lists it as safe (naturally they do), it has to be listed as an ingredient because of adverse reactions from some people.

Re: Chinese Restaurant Syndrome

Effie54 — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 13:56:37 GMT

Yes, this happens to me whenever I eat Chinese food. The additives, MSG, pepper, or whatever they add to their food gives me wicked flushing and hives. I can't eat it any longer.

Re: Chinese Restaurant Syndrome

LTT1 — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 14:36:21 GMT

@Effie54 @on the bay @haddon9 @Bookplate @Shelbelle

No, it wasn't fun...but I've learned my lesson!

This group I joined because my DD invited me.

I didn't want to embrace her in front of her friends, but I did go sit in the car until she paid our bill and joined me outside!

I can eat the "cream cheese wontons" (of course they are fried and nothing particularly nutritional about them.

Next time DD and I agreed that we would order just the won tons ...at least I will.

DD used to roll her eyes at me when I would tell her I couldn't at certain things. Now I guess she believes me! In fact, she too me he felt nauseous after eating her order last night too!

[imo...this restaurant is having trouble staying in business. I think competition and lots of food spoilage are important problems hindering restaurants these days. I have had a couple of bad experiences with this restaurant's food in the past which is too bad because when I first moved here I purchased their salmon sushi at least once per week

but stopped because when I picked up my order it was room temperature and not chilled.]

Re: Chinese Restaurant Syndrome

Jersey Born — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 14:44:05 GMT

@LTT1 - First off, I LOVE Chow Fun, so having that kind of reaction to that particular food entree would really make me upset. Sorry it happened to you.

I did have a problem that was actually worse than the one you described at a Chinese restaurant that I did not frequent on a regular basis. I ordered a chicken dish that featured sauteed mushrooms. Certain mushrooms are used to make MSG, as it turns out. So, I am sitting at this restaurant with my mother, and eating the food, and suddenly, I feel this weird sensation in my head-- a pounding, throbbing, unnatural kind of headache I had never felt before. My entire head, including my brain, felt bizarre, and I was struggling to speak. I had not eaten all of that food, either, prior to having that reaction. The head pain and oddness of sensation began after only a few bites of the food. I was able to tell my mother about my problem, and I stopped eating the food immediately, because it was most definitely the cause of the problem I was experiencing. I actually thought I was going to have a stroke if I continued eating the food, or perhaps, even if I did not feel any improvement after stopping eating the food. All I did after that point was drink water. I told the waiter I could not eat the food, and that I did not want to order anything else, either. I asked about MSG, but was told they did not use it in their food, which I think was a lie. That, or perhaps the mushrooms they used in that dish were poisonous mushrooms.

Here is a list of foods/flavorings to avoid from an article entitled "10 Foods High in Glutamate and Why You Should Avoid Them":

Foods With Glutamate

Most foods contain glutamate, so it’s challenging to eliminate it from the diet completely. The easiest way to reduce MSG consumption is to read nutrition labels. Many processed foods contain MSG, but may be listed under a different name in the ingredients list.

In addition to “monosodium glutamate,” look for:

Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
Autolyzed yeast
Hydrolyzed yeast
Yeast extract
Soy extracts
Protein isolate

"You will find these flavor enhancers most often in sauces, soups, gravies, salad dressings, snack foods, and ready-meals."

If I were you, I would explain to the woman who holds those Book Club meetings that that particular restaurant is not safe for you, due to your reaction to their food. She will have to select a different restaurant in order for you to continue in the club. Chicken, beef, or pork chow fun does not typically contain mushrooms, so it must be some soy or yeast product they are using at that restaurant, and that product might be in many of their other dishes, too, especially if the sauces are brown sauces. Perhaps shrimp with lobster sauce paired with white rice might be a safe option for you, but not if you eat it with fried rice (which would contain soy sauce)?

Re: Chinese Restaurant Syndrome

CelticCrafter — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 15:21:45 GMT

@LTT1 wrote:
@Effie54 @on the bay @haddon9 @Bookplate @Shelbelle

No, it wasn't fun...but I've learned my lesson!
This group I joined because my DD invited me.
I didn't want to embrace her in front of her friends, but I did go sit in the car until she paid our bill and joined me outside!
I can eat the "cream cheese wontons" (of course they are fried and nothing particularly nutritional about them.
Next time DD and I agreed that we would order just the won tons ...at least I will.
DD used to roll her eyes at me when I would tell her I couldn't at certain things. Now I guess she believes me! In fact, she too me he felt nauseous after eating her order last night too!

[imo...this restaurant is having trouble staying in business. I think competition and lots of food spoilage are important problems hindering restaurants these days. I have had a couple of bad experiences with this restaurant's food in the past which is too bad because when I first moved here I purchased their salmon sushi at least once per week
but stopped because when I picked up my order it was room temperature and not chilled.]

@LTT1 I'm not sure there would be a next time and I would find a way to bow out gracefully.

Re: Chinese Restaurant Syndrome

Kachina624 — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 15:32:05 GMT

@LTT1. Why don't you call the restaurant ahead of time, tell them you have an allergy to msg and ask for menu suggestions? Surely they have some foods without it.

Re: Chinese Restaurant Syndrome

Happy2BHere — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 16:21:23 GMT

Oh yep, my husband had a terrible reaction x 2 to MSG - I'm talking "laying on the floor so he wouldn't fall down" type of reaction. One time with Chinese food, and he stopped eating Chinese food altogether.

The other time I had made tacos and the same thing happened - he said he felt hot all over, then felt like his blood pressure was falling fast.

We couldn't figure out why, because surely tacos didn't have MSG? I checked the Taco Bell seasoning pouch I used (the kind that you tear open and add with some water to your browned meat) and aha! Look there's MSG!

Ingredients

Dried Onions, Dried Garlic, Wheat Flour, Salt, Chili Peppers, Spice, Monosodium Glutamate, Paprika, Contains less than 2% of Sugar, Silicon Dioxide As An Anticaking Agent, Soybean Oil, Malic Acid, Autolized Yeast Extract, Soy Sauce (Salt, Soybeans, Wheat), Beef Extract, Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed and Soybean Oil.

I NEVER want to see my DH on the floor again because he feels like he is going to pass out and fall over. Really imagined he was having a heart attack, ugh.

Re: Chinese Restaurant Syndrome

haddon9 — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 16:26:02 GMT

@LTT1 wrote:
@Effie54 @on the bay @haddon9 @Bookplate @Shelbelle

No, it wasn't fun...but I've learned my lesson!
This group I joined because my DD invited me.
I didn't want to embrace her in front of her friends, but I did go sit in the car until she paid our bill and joined me outside!
I can eat the "cream cheese wontons" (of course they are fried and nothing particularly nutritional about them.
Next time DD and I agreed that we would order just the won tons ...at least I will.
DD used to roll her eyes at me when I would tell her I couldn't at certain things. Now I guess she believes me! In fact, she too me he felt nauseous after eating her order last night too!

[imo...this restaurant is having trouble staying in business. I think competition and lots of food spoilage are important problems hindering restaurants these days. I have had a couple of bad experiences with this restaurant's food in the past which is too bad because when I first moved here I purchased their salmon sushi at least once per week
but stopped because when I picked up my order it was room temperature and not chilled.]

"DD used to roll her eyes at me when I would tell her I couldn't at certain things." Don't you find it annoying when you tell people something about yourself and you just feel like they don't believe you?

My brother who used to live in the Midwest moved this past year to live closer to me. He's now 10 minutes away. His spouse (he's gay...not that it matters but it does add to the story since his spouse rarely went home to visit family because of this in the Boston area) passed away last year.

So his spouse's family (sister & brother in law) really wanted to do a religious service and burial. So I supported my brother by going up to the Boston area with him last June. My brother's close friend also went and Bob drove 90% of the way there and all the way back. bob likes to drive. My brother is not a confident long distance driver.

Now my brother wants to go up & visit (along with delivering two large tubs of china dishes that his spouse had) to this sister and brother in law in the Boston area.

These people refuse to pay for shipping (it's very expensive but they are not poor...they just moved to an exclusive over 55 and also have a beach house on Cape Cod) and wants to know if I would like to go sometime in early November with him...we were invited!...umm not really!

All I can imagine is a miserable 6+ hour drive there and then we get to spend money by staying in a local hotel for two nights.

I told him that I CANNOT share in the driving. I physically can't drive for more than 1 1/2 hours. Something to do with my sciatic nerve. He probably thinks that I'm making this up and says we can take our time getting there...umm that would take forever and I don't think he's keen on the long drive himself.

So why is he keen on this drive? Because he's a do gooder wanting to please others by delivering the promised china dishes while not realizing it affects me as well.

I can't drive nor do I wish to spend a few hundred dollars if I were to pay my half of going up there...then there is the issue of watching his dog. My husband can do so but one should just not assume..

I also thought at the very least it would have been nice if this sister and brother in law "invited" us to come up during the summer season so we can spend an afternoon on the beach in Cape Cod. It's seems like it's more convenient for them to have us come up after beach & fall foliage season, but before the holidays....anyway this is my perspective!....and I am annoyed!!!

Sorry for this long vent but it's really starting to bug me. Yes I can refuse to go but I really don't want him driving that distance up there himself...Hopefully his friend Bob might be interested in going.

Re: Chinese Restaurant Syndrome

NYCLatinaMe — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 18:23:38 GMT

@LTT1 This happened to me once, but much worse, I almost choked and couldn't breath. I ate a pepper in a delicious general tso chicken. That is how I found out I was allergic to peppers. I think it was an anaphylactic reaction. (I was tested later. Lots of food allergies. No chocolate for me.) I was in college (1980s) and recovered on my own. I was on a first date so trying to act like nothing had happened. We did continue to date for many years...

Re: Chinese Restaurant Syndrome

LTT1 — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 18:39:01 GMT

@NYCLatinaMe

I'm so sorry this happened to you...on a date no less!

I'm the same..embarrassed, don't want to cause a scene, etc.

If you were choking then I guess your throat was closing up and that is anaphylaxis!

SCARY!

I believe mine was definitely a warning sign to stay away from anything suspicious.

Although I have never had skin testing, probably should have. I cannot have chocolate or coffee, among other "normal" things!

So, I KNOW better!
but didn't listen!

Re: Chinese Restaurant Syndrome

LTT1 — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 18:51:50 GMT

@haddon9

@NYCLatinaMe @Happy2BHere @Kachina624 @CelticCrafter

I'm so glad you vented here!

We ALL need a place to vent safely...and right here is a great place for that!

Your situation sounds familiar...cannot put my finger on where or when but it HAS happened to me!

This might sound selfish and callous, but my response would have to be a resounding "no".

The people wanting the items need to pay the shipping cost.

I paid the shipping cost when my mother wanted me to take it as an heirloom thing.

DD has the china now and I was happy for her to have it!

Yes...I believe others find it hard to believe when I have to cut out gluten, etc. But we need to guard our health.

I would suffer a lot from being in a car for an extended amount of time.

My DD ...she is not in any way selfish....unfortunately, as she enters her 40's now I'm seeing her suffer with some of mine and I'm saying prayers that those inconvenient little sufferings (such as food allergies) don't occur in her as full-blown health problems!

I do think last night I must have looked direly sick 🤢 hence she has contacted me today asking!❤️‍🩹

Re: Chinese Restaurant Syndrome

LTT1 — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 19:12:57 GMT

@CelticCrafter

Sorry for my overlooked spelling error!

Not "embrace" *

instead embarrass *

Re: Chinese Restaurant Syndrome

LTT1 — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 19:15:50 GMT

@Happy2BHere

How very SCARY!

I LOVE tacos and sometimes forget (ignore) that the seasoning packet has ingredients that are not for me!

Re: Chinese Restaurant Syndrome

Tinkrbl44 — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 20:28:00 GMT

@LTT1

A few things come to mind .... first, ask that there be NO MSG in foods ordered. That usually works.

Check their reviews on Yelp or where reviews are made in your community.

IMO, Emphasizing ALLERGIES is the best way to go.

I'm allergic to shellfish, but love Chinese and Thai food. One time I was eating a chicken dish in a Chinese restaurant and suddenly felt my lips swelling and tingling, and my face was getting red. Turns out, they put some sort of shellfish juice in their "special sauce".

I don't even know what it's supposed to be, but I hate the "special sauce" ingredient. I want to know what they're putting in my food! Grr.

Re: Chinese Restaurant Syndrome

bikerbabe — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 22:22:07 GMT

I wouldn’t be eating there at all if you’ve had prior incidents of suspect food safety.