Oh Pam! What a bummer. I'm sure hubby felt bad for you. Maybe next time you guys do a meal out your experience will be better.

When I was in the hospital one time (un-related to masto), I asked for plain chicken and potatoes, only salt and pepper.  When they sent my food in, the chicken was covered in spices.  When I called the kitchen to ask about it, they told me to rinse it off!  

Sorry that happened, Pam!  You did the right thing.  You don't want to stir up anything mast cell-related unnecessarily!

We've addressed this problem with carry-out.  If my husband wants something, and I can't eat at that restaurant, we'll get him carry-out and get me something different from another place.  Also, you can ask your doctor if you can take some extra meds before you go out to eat.  That might help....

Pam;
I'm sorry gf.  My family is very thoughtful now & will ask me what they can cook /what I can eat. So if I bring my own- they don't mind   or I just say "I'll find something I can eat".
As to eating out; Most mexican, & italian foods are cooked with the spices/sauces in them . I know some italian restaurants'll have pasta in olive oil n minimal spices-usually added near the end. Mexican foods are tougher- I'd say try fajitas (flank steak/beef skirt) cuz those are cooked to order pretty much. Gosh we do need to write a flippin' book !
hope i helped some  
lori

One of the necessities with mast cell disease is that you MUST change your expectations on what is important in your life and what makes you happy. My husband and I used to write restaurant reviews, and now food is my biggest enemy!

Food is simply no longer a big deal to me, though. I go to plenty of restaurants with friends and family. In most cases, I only eat bread and maybe a salad. Sometimes, I don't eat at all. How do I not lose my mind? I simply changed my priorities. No longer is it the food that is important; it is the company and the enjoyment of being out with loved ones. I can usually nibble on bread and maybe a dessert (as long as it doesn't have liquor in it....). My friends know not to act funny that I am not eating, because they understand and accept it. So we all have fun and it is no big deal. Granted, sometimes I get annoyed that I can't eat things I used to love, but it is what it is.

When I go on vacations and we eat in amazing restaurants, I truly only eat bread or salad most of the time. Then we might all skip dessert from the restaurant and go out for ice cream (which I can eat). My thought process is that the taste of something simply isn't worth feeling pain and being sick from it. Sometimes, I will purposely eat something at home first before going out, and that helps me resist wanting to order anything risky.

So you see, it is a process of changing the way you think. No, it isn't fair, but I like to take the optimist view and find the happy things to focus on. It fulfills my life and really makes me not care that I am missing out on certain things. It's hard at first to think this way, but you can do it. I have dealt with this illness for probably at least 15 years, so I have obviously had a lot of time to work through my anger at having this disease and  accept the restrictions and bend them to work to my advantage rather than focus on the negative. I am sooooo happy now. Don't ever give up and feel that you can't get to this state as well. You can!  

Kim, you are so right about holidays and family gatherings! I am definitely the oddball in that I lose weight during those times, because I can't pig out like everyone else. LOL. See, yet another bright side to this! Haa Haa