Anyone diagnosed with a food allergy as an adult?

apolzer2020
apolzer2020 Posts: 15 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I’m waiting on results from a food allergy test. Kind of nervous but if I’m allergic to gluten or dairy it should explain a lot.

What shocked you about your discovered allergies and how has it changed your overall health?
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Replies

  • Strudders67
    Strudders67 Posts: 989 Member
    Allergy or intolerance? There's a big difference.

    Over the last 30 years (I'm now in my 50s), I've developed intolerance to multiple things, but it won't kill me if I eat them. Cutting them out for a period of at least 3 months, then gradually reintroducing them, helped determine whether I still reacted, how quickly and how badly.

    The biggest change was being able to breathe properly after I cut out yeast. I no longer felt like I'd got a lump in my throat (which I was constantly trying to clear). I already knew that that's what some dairy products did to me but, about 20 years later, I started getting the same reaction when I definitely hadn't eaten any dairy. It took quite a long time to identify that one. When I cut out yeast, the bloating in my stomach reduced too.

    Once I knew what was causing the problems, I could make informed choices for my meals. I still eat cheese and drink wine every so often but, if I have too much over a few days and start reacting, at least I know what to avoid completely for the next week to eliminate the symptoms.

    At least there are plenty of alternatives in the shops, these days, for most things.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,986 Member
    What Strudders said. Not sure if it's fairly new, but there are a few things I might have problems with: fresh walnuts, bananas that aren't brownish yet, sometimes kiwi or pineapple, sometimes tomatoes fresh from the garden, sometimes courgettes. This causes some kind of blistering or swelling inside my mouth and pain. Might have that problem for half an hour or so after eating, and then it just vanishes again quickly as if nothing happened. What all these things have in common is a somewhat bitter taste, but I don't know if that's part of the problem. Have had similar problems with certain soft rubber/latex since childhood. Sometimes new bike grips and getting close to my face with is is enough, sometimes I need more contact. It also doesn't seem to be the rubber itself as I can suck on some rubbers. But again when it has a somewhat bitter taste and a very strong smell things go wrong. Maybe a softener? No idea. It's not life-threatening though.
  • moonangel12
    moonangel12 Posts: 971 Member
    yirara wrote: »
    What Strudders said. Not sure if it's fairly new, but there are a few things I might have problems with: fresh walnuts, bananas that aren't brownish yet, sometimes kiwi or pineapple, sometimes tomatoes fresh from the garden, sometimes courgettes. This causes some kind of blistering or swelling inside my mouth and pain. Might have that problem for half an hour or so after eating, and then it just vanishes again quickly as if nothing happened. What all these things have in common is a somewhat bitter taste, but I don't know if that's part of the problem. Have had similar problems with certain soft rubber/latex since childhood. Sometimes new bike grips and getting close to my face with is is enough, sometimes I need more contact. It also doesn't seem to be the rubber itself as I can suck on some rubbers. But again when it has a somewhat bitter taste and a very strong smell things go wrong. Maybe a softener? No idea. It's not life-threatening though.
    Oral Allergy Syndrome. I have it, diagnosed by an allergist. I get the raw burning mouth and hives behind my ears and along my jaw line from many of those foods (cantaloupe and pecans are two others). The hives were concerning enough for him to prescribe an epi pen, just in case. It’s not a food allergy in the traditional sense, but it can definitely take a turn if you aren’t careful.
  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
    OAS here and and egg intolerance... self diagnosed. Most fruits make my mouth itch. Eggs well let's just say when I eat more than 1 I need a bathroom for a long time and a heating pad for my tummy.
  • beulah81
    beulah81 Posts: 168 Member
    edited November 2020
    yirara wrote: »
    What Strudders said. Not sure if it's fairly new, but there are a few things I might have problems with: fresh walnuts, bananas that aren't brownish yet, sometimes kiwi or pineapple, sometimes tomatoes fresh from the garden, sometimes courgettes. This causes some kind of blistering or swelling inside my mouth and pain. Might have that problem for half an hour or so after eating, and then it just vanishes again quickly as if nothing happened.

    I have identical symptoms EVERYTIME I eat the foods you listed. I also get an itchy tongue from eggplant (aubergine).
    I also developed a sensitivity/allergy (don't have a formal diagnosis) to eggs this past year after being sick with Covid in February. So strange, I had horrible hives during the illness (never experienced hives in my adult life before) and after being recovered I started getting hives that came and went. I eliminated the top 8 known allergens and then reintroduced them. Eggs were the culprit. I was so sad....I like eggs a LOT! I was very careful for several months with making sure to avoid them. Recently I wanted to see what would happen if I reintroduced them back in. In the last month I 've had some baked things with eggs as an ingredient here and there. I had no hives! A week or two ago I started having strong cravings for eggs in their pure form. Well, hives came back after a day of savoring a single fried egg...full.force. I am disheartened. I hope someday I will get to enjoy eggs without itchy bumps....
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,986 Member
    moonangel12 wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    What Strudders said. Not sure if it's fairly new, but there are a few things I might have problems with: fresh walnuts, bananas that aren't brownish yet, sometimes kiwi or pineapple, sometimes tomatoes fresh from the garden, sometimes courgettes. This causes some kind of blistering or swelling inside my mouth and pain. Might have that problem for half an hour or so after eating, and then it just vanishes again quickly as if nothing happened. What all these things have in common is a somewhat bitter taste, but I don't know if that's part of the problem. Have had similar problems with certain soft rubber/latex since childhood. Sometimes new bike grips and getting close to my face with is is enough, sometimes I need more contact. It also doesn't seem to be the rubber itself as I can suck on some rubbers. But again when it has a somewhat bitter taste and a very strong smell things go wrong. Maybe a softener? No idea. It's not life-threatening though.
    Oral Allergy Syndrome. I have it, diagnosed by an allergist. I get the raw burning mouth and hives behind my ears and along my jaw line from many of those foods (cantaloupe and pecans are two others). The hives were concerning enough for him to prescribe an epi pen, just in case. It’s not a food allergy in the traditional sense, but it can definitely take a turn if you aren’t careful.

    Oh yes, that's describes it perfectly! It never caused any actual problems, apart from having a messed up dinner fortunately. It also never got towards the throat, thus that's fine. The rubber thingy puzzles me most with this to be honest. There's so much rubber I don't have problems with, but when it's soft and has a very strong smell things might go wrong. Always nice: touching something rubbery, washing your hands like crazy but the smell and taste just stay. Ugh.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,986 Member
    beulah81 wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    What Strudders said. Not sure if it's fairly new, but there are a few things I might have problems with: fresh walnuts, bananas that aren't brownish yet, sometimes kiwi or pineapple, sometimes tomatoes fresh from the garden, sometimes courgettes. This causes some kind of blistering or swelling inside my mouth and pain. Might have that problem for half an hour or so after eating, and then it just vanishes again quickly as if nothing happened.

    I have identical symptoms EVERYTIME I eat the foods you listed. I also get an itchy tongue from eggplant (aubergine).
    I also developed a sensitivity/allergy (don't have a formal diagnosis) to eggs this past year after being sick with Covid in February. So strange, I had horrible hives during the illness (never experienced hives in my adult life before) and after being recovered I started getting hives that came and went. I eliminated the top 8 known allergens and then reintroduced them. Eggs were the culprit. I was so sad....I like eggs a LOT! I was very careful for several months with making sure to avoid them. Recently I wanted to see what would happen if I reintroduced them back in. In the last month I 've had some baked things with eggs as an ingredient here and there. I had no hives! A week or two ago I started having strong cravings for eggs in their pure form. Well, hives came back after a day of savoring a single fried egg...full.force. I am disheartened. I hope someday I will get to enjoy eggs without itchy bumps....

    I always assumed it was a cross allergy against.. no idea what. Fresh food from the garden is the worst, for example a small restaurant cooking with own produce in southern Europe. At other times though things are fine. The strands in bananas make me shudder by just thinking of them. Most things do get very edible when cooked though. Apart from walnuts and pecans, as they remain hard and don't really cook I suppose. *shrugs*
  • kristingjertsen
    kristingjertsen Posts: 239 Member
    I developed a dairy allergy in my late 40s. First sign was a chronically stuffy nose and sore throat which went on for several years before I had a really bad reaction after eating cheese (wheezing, coughing, and tight chest). Got checked out and found out I was allergic to casein. Had to find a new way to eat after that. Hard in the beginning, but as vegan and vegetarian options got better and more easily available at supermarkets I have been able to avoid any problems while cooking at home. Eating out is a different story. Hit or miss and most of my reactions happen after eating restaurant food even though I have explained my allergy to the wait staff. I can't tell you how many times my meal showed up covered with cheese (because cheese "isn't dairy) or someone used butter while cooking my steak. I stick with a few restaurants where I know they are careful and get good results when the wait staffer has an allergy too and is vigilant. Chinese, especially the wonderful vegetarian chinese restaurant near me) is usually fine.
  • kristingjertsen
    kristingjertsen Posts: 239 Member
    Find your triggers and do your homework. Did you know that pepperoni has dairy? I didn't and had a big reaction.
  • claireychn074
    claireychn074 Posts: 1,656 Member
    Pecans and coriander (serious asthma). Diagnosed by an allergy specialist: weird, but explains why I was so ill when I ate curry! I’m also allergic to my dog but not as severely, so I just sneeze and wheeze constantly. Really attractive.
  • Oliveciabatta
    Oliveciabatta Posts: 294 Member
    Yes. Sulphite/sulphur dioxide allergy diagnosed in my 30s which means no sausages, burgers, wine or vinegar dressings, dried fruits, coffee or pickles. After a few years of worsening asthma, skin reactions, allergic reactions like puffy eyes, exhaustion and arrhythmia it was also picked up that I had salicylate sensitivity after a massive asthma attack when given some painkillers. It was discovered that I'm really quite sensitive to anything with high natural levels of salicylic acid, which is mainly found in plants or plant based foods and teas. I found that reducing fruits and vegetables has had a massive benefit on my overall health but my weight has suffered as a result of reducing so-called healthy foods and high levels of steroid and antihistamine drugs I gave to take to control any reactions.
  • moonangel12
    moonangel12 Posts: 971 Member
    xtineart wrote: »
    Yes. Sulphite/sulphur dioxide allergy diagnosed in my 30s which means no sausages, burgers, wine or vinegar dressings, dried fruits, coffee or pickles. After a few years of worsening asthma, skin reactions, allergic reactions like puffy eyes, exhaustion and arrhythmia it was also picked up that I had salicylate sensitivity after a massive asthma attack when given some painkillers. It was discovered that I'm really quite sensitive to anything with high natural levels of salicylic acid, which is mainly found in plants or plant based foods and teas. I found that reducing fruits and vegetables has had a massive benefit on my overall health but my weight has suffered as a result of reducing so-called healthy foods and high levels of steroid and antihistamine drugs I gave to take to control any reactions.
    You probably know all the details for salicylate foods, but my daughter is super sensitive and we had huge success with the Feingold Diet for figuring out her triggers.
  • no1racefan2
    no1racefan2 Posts: 90 Member
    I was found to have sensitivities to wheat, dairy, eggs, and soy after doing a food allergy test. Like others said, nothing that's going to kill me but enough to make me super uncomfortable for the rest of the day. I try to limit these things but it's really hard to eliminate all of them all the time.

    I also get the weird tingly mouth from walnuts and bananas. But only sometimes.
  • charmmeth
    charmmeth Posts: 936 Member
    acpgee wrote: »
    According to the allergist my pollen allergy has crossed into food allergy with all fruit. I meant to microwave for 30 seconds which destroys the protein that causes the allergy.

    Yes, I have had this experience too. I started out with a pollen allergy which did not affect me except in spring (along with allergies to house mites, and a few other things). In my mid-30s I suddenly started have allergic reactions to apples (until then my favourite fruit), which began as a tingling mouth but then fairly quickly (and rather scarily) went to the throat-swelling-up-to-block-the-windpipe stage. Organic seems to be less problematic, and peeling them can help, but I have stopped eating them after a few of these experiences. Apple juice and stewed apple are fine. However, I now react also to all thin-skinned fruit (peaches, nectarines, cherries, plums, pears etc), pineapple, and on occasion strawberries and tomatoes. At present organic tomatoes seem OK, and I eat a lot of them. I SOOO miss the fruit.

    Apparently developing from a pollen allergy to a thin-skinned fruit allergy is an adult is quite common, but no-one had warned me!

  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,961 Member
    edited November 2020
    Strudders67 wrote: »
    Allergy or intolerance? There's a big difference.

    Over the last 30 years (I'm now in my 50s), I've developed intolerance to multiple things, but it won't kill me if I eat them. Cutting them out for a period of at least 3 months, then gradually reintroducing them, helped determine whether I still reacted, how quickly and how badly.

    The biggest change was being able to breathe properly after I cut out yeast. I no longer felt like I'd got a lump in my throat (which I was constantly trying to clear). I already knew that that's what some dairy products did to me but, about 20 years later, I started getting the same reaction when I definitely hadn't eaten any dairy. It took quite a long time to identify that one. When I cut out yeast, the bloating in my stomach reduced too.

    Once I knew what was causing the problems, I could make informed choices for my meals. I still eat cheese and drink wine every so often but, if I have too much over a few days and start reacting, at least I know what to avoid completely for the next week to eliminate the symptoms.

    At least there are plenty of alternatives in the shops, these days, for most things.

    Not all allergies cause anaphylaxis or risk of death. It is completely possible and common to have mild allergies that are still not just an intolerance. I have an immune response to dairy. I also have lactose intolerance because I dont have enough dairy to keep up my gut bacteria. But I can still eat enough that people probably couldn't even tell. For this reason I would never mention it at a restaurant or anything. If I eat too much, by skin blows up in an incredibly ichy rash that lasts for weeks. Luckily... my inability to digest it well actually hits me well before I get to that point! If I eat smaller amounts but often, I just get eczema (different from the other rash). Who knows what would happen if I ate a truck load.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,986 Member
    VeryKatie wrote: »
    Strudders67 wrote: »
    Allergy or intolerance? There's a big difference.

    Over the last 30 years (I'm now in my 50s), I've developed intolerance to multiple things, but it won't kill me if I eat them. Cutting them out for a period of at least 3 months, then gradually reintroducing them, helped determine whether I still reacted, how quickly and how badly.

    The biggest change was being able to breathe properly after I cut out yeast. I no longer felt like I'd got a lump in my throat (which I was constantly trying to clear). I already knew that that's what some dairy products did to me but, about 20 years later, I started getting the same reaction when I definitely hadn't eaten any dairy. It took quite a long time to identify that one. When I cut out yeast, the bloating in my stomach reduced too.

    Once I knew what was causing the problems, I could make informed choices for my meals. I still eat cheese and drink wine every so often but, if I have too much over a few days and start reacting, at least I know what to avoid completely for the next week to eliminate the symptoms.

    At least there are plenty of alternatives in the shops, these days, for most things.

    Not all allergies cause anaphylaxis or risk of death. It is completely possible and common to have mild allergies that are still not just an intolerance. I have an immune response to dairy. I also have lactose intolerance because I dont have enough dairy to keep up my gut bacteria. But I can still eat enough that people probably couldn't even tell. For this reason I would never mention it at a restaurant or anything. If I eat too much, by skin blows up in an incredibly ichy rash that lasts for weeks. Luckily... my inability to digest it well actually hits me well before I get to that point! If I eat smaller amounts but often, I just get eczema (different from the other rash). Who knows what would happen if I ate a truck load.

    Oh yes, I have a very mild pollen allergy every spring if I live in an area where the culprit grows. I don't know what it is: hazelnut maybe, maybe another of the very early trees between February to April. I might get what feels like a cold for up to 2 weeks, and that's it. If antihistamines work then it's not a cold.
  • MikePfirrman
    MikePfirrman Posts: 3,307 Member
    edited November 2020
    My wife was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia many years ago. So, we quit gluten together. Then, she had an allergy test which showed clearly that her biggest allergy was cow dairy (not a huge intolerance to gluten, but going gluten free did help her with pain, I believe, and helped heal her digestion).

    She's the type of woman that will be sad and pout if I'm eating these things in front of her, so I went cold turkey on gluten and cow dairy with her -- I mean, I didn't cheat, at all.

    A few years later, I got gluten in Mexico. We had chips we thought didn't taste like corn -- we were told they were -- well, they weren't. They were flour. She was fine. I had an autoimmune rash on my rear (blisters) for a week. Turns out I'm Celiac. Signs were there all along -- ezcema, TMI but bloody stools, rashes and many other signs. When I drank beer in my youth, I got really physically ill. So there were a lot of signs I simply ignored. I'm really careful now about gluten. Extremely careful. Though most celiac isn't fatal, it can really make me sick for days. If I even get a little, it can be bad for 24 to 48 hours.

    My wife was around 53 when she was told to stay off cow dairy and I was like 52 when I finally figured out I'm Celiac. There are many celiacs out there that don't know they are and many think that can be a huge contributing factor to colon cancer.

    Great news is there's never been a better time in history for replacement foods/flours and ideas. We have no problem eating great and buying things, though we mostly stay away from junk food anyway.
  • Ikeeptrying2
    Ikeeptrying2 Posts: 156 Member
    Not as an adult, but have been dealing with various food allergies (along with environmental) all my life.
  • BelleRequin
    BelleRequin Posts: 15 Member
    26 when I found out wheat and corn were big problems for me- not gluten, wheat.

    In terms of change, if I avoid those foods, I don’t suffer depression, asthma, cystic acne, GERD, or migraines. So it was a significant improvement. Doesn’t affect my weight at all though.
  • Jacq_qui
    Jacq_qui Posts: 443 Member
    Not personally diagnosed with a food allergy, but my kids were diagnosed with milk, tree nuts, ground nuts, egg, sesame when they were babies. So I had to learn how to avoid all these things and still provide some sort of normality pretty quick. My main gripe now is with poor labelling, (either it changes or fails to disclose 'may contain') and the price of allergen-free foods.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 8,003 Member
    charmmeth wrote: »
    acpgee wrote: »
    According to the allergist my pollen allergy has crossed into food allergy with all fruit. I meant to microwave for 30 seconds which destroys the protein that causes the allergy.

    Yes, I have had this experience too. I started out with a pollen allergy which did not affect me except in spring (along with allergies to house mites, and a few other things). In my mid-30s I suddenly started have allergic reactions to apples (until then my favourite fruit), which began as a tingling mouth but then fairly quickly (and rather scarily) went to the throat-swelling-up-to-block-the-windpipe stage. Organic seems to be less problematic, and peeling them can help, but I have stopped eating them after a few of these experiences. Apple juice and stewed apple are fine. However, I now react also to all thin-skinned fruit (peaches, nectarines, cherries, plums, pears etc), pineapple, and on occasion strawberries and tomatoes. At present organic tomatoes seem OK, and I eat a lot of them. I SOOO miss the fruit.

    Apparently developing from a pollen allergy to a thin-skinned fruit allergy is an adult is quite common, but no-one had warned me!

    My own particular allergic reaction is to a protein that is broken down when fruit is cooked. Just microwaving on high for 30 seconds (and then chilling to a palatable temperature) does the trick for me.
  • Katmary71
    Katmary71 Posts: 7,147 Member
    I don't know if it's accurate but I did genetic testing and have Celiac on both sides, then it came up in a second test as an allergy. I did Paleo for awhile and there's a small difference in my pain levels with no sugar and gluten. I've tried adding back in dairy successfully. Eventually I'd like to get actual testing but my insurance is lousy so I'm experimenting for now. The only thing I seem to be super sensitive to is marijuana and I have no clue why, I've tried multiple strains! It causes such extreme pain until it wears off that I'd rather be skinned alive. Topically it helps though.
  • carakirkey
    carakirkey Posts: 199 Member
    charmmeth wrote: »
    acpgee wrote: »
    According to the allergist my pollen allergy has crossed into food allergy with all fruit. I meant to microwave for 30 seconds which destroys the protein that causes the allergy.

    Yes, I have had this experience too. I started out with a pollen allergy which did not affect me except in spring (along with allergies to house mites, and a few other things). In my mid-30s I suddenly started have allergic reactions to apples (until then my favourite fruit), which began as a tingling mouth but then fairly quickly (and rather scarily) went to the throat-swelling-up-to-block-the-windpipe stage. Organic seems to be less problematic, and peeling them can help, but I have stopped eating them after a few of these experiences. Apple juice and stewed apple are fine. However, I now react also to all thin-skinned fruit (peaches, nectarines, cherries, plums, pears etc), pineapple, and on occasion strawberries and tomatoes. At present organic tomatoes seem OK, and I eat a lot of them. I SOOO miss the fruit.

    Apparently developing from a pollen allergy to a thin-skinned fruit allergy is an adult is quite common, but no-one had warned me!


    Same for me. I had known that cherries and peaches would make my throat scratchy and itchy, but then suddenly had a severe reaction to apples, and I often eat apples. And also had a reaction to zucchini. Oral Allergy syndrome. I'm not really allergic to apples but my body thinks I am. If they are peeled or cooked its less severe of a reaction. Sucks that I live in orchard country and can't really enjoy orchard fruits!
  • charmmeth
    charmmeth Posts: 936 Member
    acpgee wrote: »
    My own particular allergic reaction is to a protein that is broken down when fruit is cooked. Just microwaving on high for 30 seconds (and then chilling to a palatable temperature) does the trick for me.
    Thank you: I should try this. If it works, it could be a reason to buy a microwave, which we don't currently have.

  • charmmeth
    charmmeth Posts: 936 Member
    carakirkey wrote: »
    Same for me. I had known that cherries and peaches would make my throat scratchy and itchy, but then suddenly had a severe reaction to apples, and I often eat apples. And also had a reaction to zucchini. Oral Allergy syndrome. I'm not really allergic to apples but my body thinks I am. If they are peeled or cooked its less severe of a reaction. Sucks that I live in orchard country and can't really enjoy orchard fruits!
    You have my sympathy! Thankfully, it is only fruit for me, and I have not had this reaction to zucchini. That would be a challenge as we eat a lot of it.

  • carakirkey
    carakirkey Posts: 199 Member
    yirara wrote: »

    I always assumed it was a cross allergy against.. no idea what. Fresh food from the garden is the worst, for example a small restaurant cooking with own produce in southern Europe. At other times though things are fine. The strands in bananas make me shudder by just thinking of them. Most things do get very edible when cooked though. Apart from walnuts and pecans, as they remain hard and don't really cook I suppose. *shrugs*

    I just had allergy testing and positive testing for walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, apples, peaches etc and allergy to birch pollen. The birch pollen allergy is what creates a reaction to the nuts and fruits- oral allergy syndrome. It somewhat makes sense that garden produce could have a more extreme reaction, and I've noticed that too.

    The allergist explained that I could eat apples, fruits etc as those should only cause a mild mouth reaction and not a true allergic reaction. However, I should avoid nuts (specifically walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, almonds) as the reaction can be severe enough to cut off the airway. I also carry an epi pen. I'm also allergic to soy which explains a lot about how awful I feel after having soy milk or soy protein.
  • tacticalhippie
    tacticalhippie Posts: 596 Member
    I developed an allergy to peanuts.
  • charmmeth
    charmmeth Posts: 936 Member
    carakirkey wrote: »
    I just had allergy testing and positive testing for walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, apples, peaches etc and allergy to birch pollen. The birch pollen allergy is what creates a reaction to the nuts and fruits- oral allergy syndrome. It somewhat makes sense that garden produce could have a more extreme reaction, and I've noticed that too.

    The allergist explained that I could eat apples, fruits etc as those should only cause a mild mouth reaction and not a true allergic reaction. However, I should avoid nuts (specifically walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, almonds) as the reaction can be severe enough to cut off the airway. I also carry an epi pen. I'm also allergic to soy which explains a lot about how awful I feel after having soy milk or soy protein.

    THis is what I have too, and the bit in bold was what I had gathered too. However, the reaction in m mouth/throat became more severe and quite scary over time, which is why I have stoppoed eating them.

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