Food Allergies - maybe
Allie1618
Posts: 36 Member
Hi! So I’ve been having some weird symptoms that seem to point to a food allergy. I’ve never been allergic to any foods before so it’s kinda freaking me out. My mouth is itchy and I have had on and off swelling in my throat for about 2-3 weeks. My primary ruled out strep, and gave me a steroid nasal spray last week since my sinuses looked inflamed. Seems to help some days but the symptoms keep returning. I have an appointment with an allergist but need to wait until Nov 20th. In the mean time I am trying to figure out what to eat and what to avoid. It may have been the big tub of dates I had been snacking out of. I threw them out Monday but still having symptoms days later so I’m not sure. My hubby said they tasted old. If anyone has experience they could share or suggestions it would be appreciated!
0
Replies
-
The only thing I'm allergic to is bananas...they make my mouth itchy, but there is no swelling. It's pretty mild, so I still have them occasionally with pancakes0
-
I’ve never heard of a banana allergy before, yikes! Glad it’s not severe!1
-
Have you considered the beverages you are consuming?
water (tap versus bottled)
juices (citrus can be aggravating to tender flesh)
or,
real stretch here, but, you never know:
whats' the chance during the night you ate one of the 36 spiders all humans allegedly consume during their lifetime? could it be a reaction to a bite that you don't even realize occured?
good luck and i hope the trouble passes away soon,.2 -
Hi @amy19355 I usually drink filtered water from my fridge. Not time yet but I could go ahead and get a replacement filter. Thinking about laying off the coffee. Though I’ve cut out all the goodies and have just been drinking it black. I’ll probably cut out all other drinks until I figure it out. Thanks for bringing this up!
Spider bite?!?! Now that is a terrifying possibility. I don’t live in a bubble so can’t entirely rule that out.
0 -
It could be exposure to mold or other irritant. Especially if you were eating old food. Look for things that need disinfected/cleaned: ice maker, coffee machine, changing the filter on your water dispenser, etc. Don't just think kitchen, think bathroom, replace toothbrush, etc. (I assume you use the same toothpaste as your husband and that hasn't changed formula?)
Any head or body aches? Fevers? Up to date on your vaccines? Most stuff I can think of that wouldn't be allergies would have additional symptoms.0 -
FireOpalCO wrote: »It could be exposure to mold or other irritant. Especially if you were eating old food. Look for things that need disinfected/cleaned: ice maker, coffee machine, changing the filter on your water dispenser, etc. Don't just think kitchen, think bathroom, replace toothbrush, etc. (I assume you use the same toothpaste as your husband and that hasn't changed formula?)
Any head or body aches? Fevers? Up to date on your vaccines? Most stuff I can think of that wouldn't be allergies would have additional symptoms.
How do you disinfect an ice maker? Are you talking about the kind built into your freezer? I've been wondering how to do this, but can't seem to figure it out.0 -
Hi @FireOpalCO No body aches or fevers and vaccines are current, except flu shot which I have been putting off because of this. I have been considering the mold possibly. I dumped a bunch of food from my cupboards yesterday and the swelling set in again. I tried to go quick and hold my breath but likely stirred stuff up. I clean my fridge out weekly.
My hubby bleached the shower a few days ago. Good idea about the tooth brush!
I’ve been running a room sized hepa filter near the kitchen for several months because of wild fire smoke so that’s gotta help a little.
Today I’ve only had black coffee and plain oatmeal so far. Gotta get up to 1200 cals at a minimum. The feeling of swelling is awful and I don’t want to make it worse so gotta figure out what to eat; least likely culprits.0 -
girlwithcurls2 wrote: »How do you disinfect an ice maker? Are you talking about the kind built into your freezer? I've been wondering how to do this, but can't seem to figure it out.
For mine it pulls out of freezer like a bucket. I would let it sit out long enough to come to room temperature, scrub it with disinfectant, let it dry, rinse it, and then put it back. For the fridge a water testing kit to see if there is line contamination (since the water in the fridge spigot and the ice maker use the same line and will both go through the filter).
0 -
I feel for you. Food allergies are no fun. Not knowing is even worse. I, too, am allergic to bananas. They feel like a thousand needles stabbing my stomach after eating one. When I was a kid, milk would do the same thing as well. I don't seem be bothered by it now but then I don't really drink it anymore either. Yogurt makes my throat burn like a really bad sore throat too. Too bad since I love it. I am also gluten sensitive. I hope you get it figured out soon. All the best to you.0
-
Most likely culprits are:
Shellfish
Peanuts
Soybeans
Coconut
Eggs
Dairy
Wheat and
Fish
My culprits for itching in the mouth and throat are soybeans, coconut, egg yolks, hazelnut and dark green leafy veggies.
Shellfish causes full on anaphylaxis.
Mushrooms and dairy in large quantities causes gastrointestinal discomfort. (I am suffering from this today, but it's my fault.)
And I have celiac disease, so wheat barley and rye are also banned from my diet.
I hope you can figure it out. It's miserable making yourself sick.0 -
Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences. Gives me an idea of what to look out for! This afternoon/evening has been improvement over the last several days so I may be on the right track. Definitely looking forward to getting tested in a few weeks so I know for sure what to avoid.0
-
I’d try an over the counter allergy med. if you feel better at least you’ll know its an allergic reaction . I’m allergic to eggs, parsley, potatoes, and severely allergic to garlic and horses 🤔. An itchy throat should be taken seriously, that one step away from an anaphylactic shock for me.
Try Claritin or reactin 12 hour then you’ll know if swelling goes down 🌼0 -
Yeah I developed a sudden allergy to chick peas of all things. They cause painful welts on my tongue and also itching throat and such. I avoid them (obviously) but before I figured it out I took benadryl for the acute reaction and claritin or reactine for a few days after until the swelling went down.
I sympathize. Having a sudden food reaction is terrifying. Maybe keep a log of what you eat and your reactions?0 -
@Phoebe5164 yes thanks, I have been taking Claritin daily for a few weeks, and a steroid nasal spray on top of that. Symptoms and severity are coming and going. Itching is gone today but lump in the throat feeling is back, which was completely gone yesterday! At least i have been logging everything to look back to. Tomorrow I’ll cut out the coffee and see how it goes. Think I’ll do labs for thyroid check. Doc thought allergies but gave me a lab slip just in case.1
-
@33gail33 Chickpeas! Wow, how did you figure that was it? So sudden and so scary... so glad you know what caused that reaction.
Over a 2 week period it happened after I ate chana masala (the first time), then mixed bean veggie chili (I used to make it with chickpeas), then hummus - so chickpeas was definitely the common ingredient. It hasn't happened since I cut them out (except once when my husband "tried to kill me" with bean crackers - I joke - it was an honest mistake). It is a pain because being vegetarian it cuts out a protein source. Also with all the gluten sensitivity going around they seem to be putting chickpea flour in a lot more things.
Anyway do you have hayfever? There is a thing called oral allergy syndrome which affects people with hayfever mostly when they eat fresh fruits and veggies I think. Like certain hayfever triggers cross over with other things. Just a thought.0 -
Hi @FireOpalCO No body aches or fevers and vaccines are current, except flu shot which I have been putting off because of this. I have been considering the mold possibly. I dumped a bunch of food from my cupboards yesterday and the swelling set in again. I tried to go quick and hold my breath but likely stirred stuff up. I clean my fridge out weekly.
My hubby bleached the shower a few days ago. Good idea about the tooth brush!
I’ve been running a room sized hepa filter near the kitchen for several months because of wild fire smoke so that’s gotta help a little.
Today I’ve only had black coffee and plain oatmeal so far. Gotta get up to 1200 cals at a minimum. The feeling of swelling is awful and I don’t want to make it worse so gotta figure out what to eat; least likely culprits.
I noticed you said you have wild fire smoke near you. Has it gotten worse recently? I always get an itchy yucky throat when there are wildfires near me and it can come and go as the wind's change where the smoke is blowing.1 -
@33gail33 I’ve definitely seen the rise in se of chickpea flour. Lol about your hubby. I bet he felt bad about the crackers!
No hay fever, but who knows what they will tell me after the testing. I have been including a lot more veggies in my diet recently. Likely related to one or more of those. I am cooking veggies now instead of eating them raw. Hopefully that will help!0 -
@Heidijens123 Good thought! The air quality has vastly improved from what it was July thru September so I don’t think that is it. It was definitely irritating but these symptoms are different. Smoke from the Camp Fire, which is about an hour away, is blowing the other direction so that’s not contributing. I’ll ask the doc about it though. Even with the hepa I have a very fine layer of ash on every surface of my house! It’s taking a while to get it all cleaned off.1
-
Hi @FireOpalCO No body aches or fevers and vaccines are current, except flu shot which I have been putting off because of this. I have been considering the mold possibly. I dumped a bunch of food from my cupboards yesterday and the swelling set in again. I tried to go quick and hold my breath but likely stirred stuff up. I clean my fridge out weekly.
My hubby bleached the shower a few days ago. Good idea about the tooth brush!
I’ve been running a room sized hepa filter near the kitchen for several months because of wild fire smoke so that’s gotta help a little.
Today I’ve only had black coffee and plain oatmeal so far. Gotta get up to 1200 cals at a minimum. The feeling of swelling is awful and I don’t want to make it worse so gotta figure out what to eat; least likely culprits.
Sorry about the wild fires
I have mold allergies and chemical sensitivities and tried a series of HEPA filters, up to really expensive $600 units. These were definitely better than the ones I picked up at Walmart, but then I also developed an issue with fan noises, and concluded that what I needed was an environment that didn't need filtering.
However, central AC helped in several situations - do you have that, are you running it, and does it help?
That probably wasn't helpful, but please accept my sympathy to you and everyone dealing with bad air.0 -
Phoebe5164 wrote: »I’d try an over the counter allergy med. if you feel better at least you’ll know its an allergic reaction . I’m allergic to eggs, parsley, potatoes, and severely allergic to garlic and horses 🤔. An itchy throat should be taken seriously, that one step away from an anaphylactic shock for me.
Try Claritin or reactin 12 hour then you’ll know if swelling goes down 🌼
@Allie1618
Don't take any allergy med within 5 to 7 days of your doctor's visit. If the doctor plans to test you for any allergies (usually needles-pricks) at your first visit, the use and build-up of the anti-allergies meds may cover up the reason for your problems. If in doubt of what the doctor will do at your next visit, call the office and find out.
Some doctors run blood tests firsts to determine if you have specific antibodies for an allergen before they try the needle tests, so find out what your doctor's protocol is. Sorry about your problems and I hope that you find a solution very soon.0 -
@kshama2001 I’m glad you found something that finally worked! I have a/c and we put the hepa filters on both of the intakes. We quit running a/c when the weather cooled but have started running just the fan. I do think it helps! The portable room filter was about $250. It is good enough to filter smoke, but I’ll need to check on the size of mold spores. Fire season sucks, can’t wait for the rain.
I cut out coffee and dairy since yesterday and the lump in the throat feeling is not as bad. Coffee bad? Say it isn’t so!0 -
@Gisel2015 Thanks for the advice!
The office said 5 days of no antihistamines. They can do some testing at the first appt. but not sure how extensive. Just hoping they can narrow it down
0 -
@Allie1618
You are welcome. My advice was based on my recent experience.
If your sinus bothers you (I do suffer from sinusitis due to a deviated septum) or if you have a running nose or feel plugged, use saline solution to rinse your nostrils. I like NeilMed or SimpleSaline. You can get them at your local pharmacy (Walgreens, CVS, RiteAid, etc.). Follow directions in the package.
Either works well, they were recommended by my allergist and the ENT to help clear dust and pollen, and maybe in your case smoke or other spores, they are not additive, and you can use them several times a day. Ask your allergist about them when you see him/her on 11/20. I cut down considerable the use of nasal steroid by using the saline spray.
0 -
If you haven't already, look up "oral allergy syndrome". There are a boatload of foods that can cause mild reactions, where you're not truly allergic to that thing but to something else that has a similar protein structure. A common one is a birch allergy showing up as an oral reaction to apples or other fruit. Sometimes they can develop into a true allergy over time, unfortunately. If you can get referred for allergy testing, have them not test you just for food but also for birch, ragweed, and grasses.
Here are the common ones:
Birch pollen: apple, almond, carrot, celery, cherry, hazelnut, kiwi, peach, pear, plum
Grass pollen: celery, melons, oranges, peaches, tomato
Ragweed pollen: banana, cucumber, melons, sunflower seeds, zucchini0 -
@kshama2001 I’m glad you found something that finally worked! I have a/c and we put the hepa filters on both of the intakes. We quit running a/c when the weather cooled but have started running just the fan. I do think it helps! The portable room filter was about $250. It is good enough to filter smoke, but I’ll need to check on the size of mold spores. Fire season sucks, can’t wait for the rain.
I cut out coffee and dairy since yesterday and the lump in the throat feeling is not as bad. Coffee bad? Say it isn’t so!
Oh, my mom can't have tea because it aggravates her "silent reflux" and she has recently discovered caffeine pills: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00U0DL5O20 -
@KareninCanada Thanks for the advice! The symptoms do seem like OAS. And I typically eat a lot of the foods on the lists you provided. Until the past week since I’ve cut my food list down considerably trying to narrow down what the cause is.
I’m compiling a list of questions to take with me next week to the allergist. I appreciate everyone’s input!0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 394.1K Introduce Yourself
- 43.9K Getting Started
- 260.4K Health and Weight Loss
- 176K Food and Nutrition
- 47.5K Recipes
- 232.6K Fitness and Exercise
- 435 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.6K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153.1K Motivation and Support
- 8.1K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.4K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.9K MyFitnessPal Information
- 15 News and Announcements
- 1.2K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.7K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions