Karen68

My oldest, bless her, seems to be allergic to the USA. She suffers terrible seasonal allergies out here and has had no respite this winter because it hasn't been cold enough.

Anyway, she also had a reaction to some popcorn a couple of years ago and it turned out that she was allergic to the cashews that were in the said popcorn. She also tested positive for 3 other types of tree nuts.

I took her back to get retested last weekend and lo and behold she tested positive to more nuts, including almonds which she eats all the time and has absolutely no reaction to, but no longer tested positive to one of the original nuts (plus 2 others) The allergist did blood work for these 3 negative skin prick tests which has come back confirming the negative result. He didn't get bloods done for the positives to double check those even though I told him she had no reaction when eating almonds. He was only interested in telling me that she cannot eat any nut, even the ones the blood tests have said she is not allergic to.

So, I think I am going to go to her pediatrician and ask for a hospital referral, to get the blood work done for everything and if possible get the controlled food tests done to see what she really is and isn't allergic to. Anyone got any experience of this kind of stuff? Her original reaction was not one requiring an epipen, she didn't have anaphylactic shock, just tingly lips and an itchy throat. I won't let her have nuts, obviously, but it's such a pain as she ate almonds as a snack when she was mountain biking (she hates cliff bars and other stuff with soy, and dried fruit - I am going to have to try and get creative on this front).

Bob

That's a hassle...I'm allergic to bananas, which I love, but I upchuck like a fiend.

Also allergic to button mushrooms, but I didn't like them anyway, but other mushrooms I'm okay with, especially shitake ones.

I'm also allergic to the cold, which is a bit of a bugger.

The missus is allergic to almond and strawberries, which is also a bugger.

Amusing thing, when we had our first baby, a aunt sent one of those editable fruit arrangements, it was mostly strawberries and bananas, so we were both pretty ill....everything was covered in chocs and stacked with marshmellows, melons and pineapple chunks so you could actually tell what anything was till you took a bite. Passive aggressive thing we were thinking

Poppy girl

You are going to have your work cut out for you, checking all labels many foods you would never think have nuts in them, but the manufacturing plant may have equipment that has been, or is used close by to a none nut product that could still make her sick.

kimilseung

I often think other peoples allergies are a pain in the neck, with having to get the right snacks for school and sorting out the right stuff for parties. It is good for me to be reminded how lucky I am; to only have to go through this every now and then for our child's friends and acquaintances.

scrubbedexpat097

Is he saying she is allergic or that she has an intolerance? There is a difference and it sounds like that may be the case. I also think you need to see another doctor, hopefully your pedi can recommend someone.

Scouse Express

In 2010, I went into Anaphylactic Shock 3 times. It's scarier than hell.

My body produces too many hystamines, and I have an allergy to Raw Carrots, too. In my case, I started going into Shock about 12 hours after eating the Carrots. In the first instance, my tongue began to swell, and my throat began to contract. When your Tongue or Lips swell, this is called Angioedema, and eventually puts you into the shock. I was on the treatment table for 4 hours, and given Benadryl, Prednizone and Pepcid through I-V Drips.

Because of my St John Ambulance Brigade background, I knew what was happenning and got to the Hospital before things got really serious.

I now take Loratadine in the morning and afternoon and Benadryl at night. My Allergist presrcribed an Epipen, which I carry with me at all times. I have a note from the Doctor which allows me to carry the Pen on Airplanes and in secure locations.

I have not had a reaction for 18 months now.

If your daughter is indeed allergic to nuts, she should carry an Epipen, too. They come in a pack of two and have a shelf life of 12 months before they expire. Each Pen will give you about 30 minutes before you get to Hospital.

I would suggest you contact your Allergy Specialist and request an Epipen, immediately.


Jim.

Karen68

Jim,

We have more epipens than one could possibly know what to do with! The school require two, me and daughter carry one each in our bags, my husband has one in his car and we have a spare in the house. It's a good job that our insurance fully covers the cost as they have to be replaced every year. We have never had an issue travelling with them, we just tell the bag screeners we are carrying epipens and it's fine. We also all carry fast melting benadryl.

She's never had a reaction to anything other than the one bag of popcorn and has never needed to take anything - in fact her benadryl gets used by her biking teammates; one got stung in the mouth last year and took some of her antihistamines.

The allergist was definitely talking allergies, not intolerances, which makes me wonder if he's more concerned about not getting sued rather than what she is truly allergic to. That's why he did the blood tests for the negative results, as someone tested negative on a skin prick, ate the food and then had a reaction, and sued the allergist out in California, he told me.

Isn't it weird, though, what people are allegic to? My dad, for instance, is allergic to cheese - it makes him physically sick, which used to prove interesting when we went out to dinner. The number of times he would be told that 'no, there's no cheese in that dish', only for there to be some squirming by the waiters when told that if they were lying, the evidence would be regurgitated in front of them. That usually prompted a confession or a double check with the kitchen as chefs seemed to be fond of sticking cheese in evrything in the 70s and 80s.

Jerseygirl

My daughter has had angioedema and urticaria for 20 years. It came on very suddenly when she was 7...she woke up one morning and her body was covered in hives and her face was swollen. For this she takes Zyrtec (Cetirizine)...if she forgets to take her meds she gets hives within a few hours. She also carries an Epipen. Despite having had over 100 skin tests the only thing we know she is allergic to is peanuts. If she is near anyone eating peanuts her lips begin to swell.

I have taken her to see many specialists...both here in US and in the UK...with no avail. One specialist in the UK said it could be something she's eaten or come in to contact with...which is reacting to something she ate or was in contact with several days before. They all said she would grow out of it...but she hasn't.

At first the doctor prescribed Piriton tabs...after a few years she began to have an adverse reaction to the meds. Within a few minutes of swallowing the tablet her personality changed completely. She was like something out of a horror movie where the girl is possessed by demons...she started to shout and scream and would say the most dreadful things to my husband and myself.

penguinbar

I work in a restaurant and have heard people say that are allergic to just about every food there is. I always double check with the kitchen and always put allergy to.... when I put the order in. Sometimes people say that they are allergic to something when they order because they don't like it but I never take a chance when I put the order in. I have had people say they are allergic to dairy in their main course yet they ask for extra cheese on their pasta and order gelato for dessert.

scrubbedexpat097

Thats why I asked if the OP's daughter was allergic or has an intolerance.

Sounds like the people you are talking about saying they are allergic to dairy and then go on to eat cheese etc are probably more intolerant to dairy and will then suffer the next day, they obviously are not having allergy symptoms otherwise they would certainly steer clear.....

Bob

Or they just don't like something and would rather say they are allergic than look like a plonker :/

Jerseygirl

The mum of one of my daughter's school friends was allergic to alcohol...she even had to stay at a clinic.

Poppy girl

I knew a lass that was allergic to her BF's sperm, she was devastated, they broke up in the end, funnily enough I forgot about it until the other day when I saw something similar on a medical channel.

wingwing

I’ve been allergic to tree nuts since I was six years old. I am allergic to all tree nuts but the type and severity of the reaction is different depending on the nut. For me personally I have the worse reaction to hazelnuts where my face and throat swell up, although luckily it has never been to the point where I couldn’t breathe.

One thing to be aware of is that my allergic reactions have got more severe as I’ve got older. For instance I used to be able to eat products with a small amounts of almond in them (I used to love Toblerone), but I can’t do that anymore. You may find that this will be the case with your daughter and it’s something to watch out for.

To be honest I have never been tested for allergies as I have always assumed I am allergic to all tree nuts and I don’t want to take a chance on assuming otherwise. Especially as my reactions have slightly increased in severity over the years.

It is a pain being allergic to tree nuts but one good thing is that food products are so well marked these days because they have to be, that it does make things easier. I’m also very thankful that I am not allergic to peanuts as that really would be annoying!!

penguinbar

Agreed!