Dealing with food allergies

undyingmizery · April 2011

Yesterday I spent the whole afternoon in the hospital with my son. He apparently had an allergic reaction. I am talking hives so bad it looked like a blistered sun burn. As you know if you have dealt with this .. I don't know what caused it. I have started a food journal but can any one offer suggestions? Do I write the brand and everything? or just what he had?

I have never had this problem before or known anyone with allergies to food. I am lost and don't want the next reaction to be worse. I have almost lost him to a scorpion reaction and now this.. I am scared shitless.

Thank you in advance.

Anysunrise · April 2011

Take him in after he's recovered and get a scratch test done and find out what he's allergic too. They'll probably give you an epi-pen or whathaveyou for emergencies too. That's the extent of my knowledge, since I don't have any allergies myself, but my best friend is mildly allergic to just about everything (including pork, the poor girl can't eat bacon without getting sick. What kind of life is that?)

AllAboutTheBenjamin · April 2011

Ditto Any - take him to an allergist so they can find out what it is he is allergic to. It may be just one thing that can be easily avoided, or it could be something more extensive - but either way, you will know for sure!

Denise91980 · April 2011

I would take him to an allergist as well. They could test for different allergies. I believe they test certain food groups and eliminate certain foods at a time. This happened to my niece and she had to be brought for further testing. T&P for your son. Poor thing!

pirategal03 · April 2011

Dito PP about an allergist. And in the meantime, do write down the brand and everything in the food journal. You may not know if it's the food, or what it's canned in or maybe what else is processed in the same factory or what that's causing the reaction until you get it pinned down. And knowing brands so you can go back and see specifics can be really helpful.

I don't have food allergies, but I've dealt with a lot of kids who do. It's typically very manageable once you get it figured out.

undyingmizery · April 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_dealing-food-allergies?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:a752f0fb-fe17-4ac5-af92-fa6439ddc2faPost:91aad4ec-cb7a-4217-82ec-adf9ae06e5cb">Re: Dealing with food allergies</a>:
[QUOTE]Dito PP about an allergist. And in the meantime, do write down the brand and everything in the food journal. You may not know if it's the food, or what it's canned in or maybe what else is processed in the same factory or what that's causing the reaction until you get it pinned down. And knowing brands so you can go back and see specifics can be really helpful. I don't have food allergies, but I've dealt with a lot of kids who do. It's typically very manageable once you get it figured out.
Posted by pirategal03[/QUOTE]

See that's what I am worried about. I don't want to immediately blame food. I am allergic to things other than food like latex and adhesive tape :/

Denise91980 · April 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_dealing-food-allergies?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:a752f0fb-fe17-4ac5-af92-fa6439ddc2faPost:42aff5f3-4660-42df-a5cd-21563ec9f9fa">Re: Dealing with food allergies</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Dealing with food allergies : See that's what I am worried about. I don't want to immediately blame food. I am allergic to things other than food like latex and adhesive tape :/
Posted by undyingmizery[/QUOTE]

That is why they could test for these other things. I am allergic to latex too. Also, for some reason, certain rubbers make my hand itch, turn red and blow up like a balloon.

pirategal03 · April 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_dealing-food-allergies?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:a752f0fb-fe17-4ac5-af92-fa6439ddc2faPost:42aff5f3-4660-42df-a5cd-21563ec9f9fa">Re: Dealing with food allergies</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Dealing with food allergies : See that's what I am worried about. I don't want to immediately blame food. I am allergic to things other than food like latex and adhesive tape :/
Posted by undyingmizery[/QUOTE]

I jumped to food since you said you were keeping a food journal and because of the title of your thread.

Has anything else changed in his environment? New detergent, carpet cleaner, lotion, sunscreen, bedding? Anything? That may be worth writing down too.

SarahPLiz · April 2011

Any, I'm allergic to pork as well. It sucks.

UM, I'd say take him to an allergist ASAP and get skin tests done for all the allergens. If the allergist thinks its a true food allergy, they'll probably do blood or saliva antibody tests.

ricksang · April 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_dealing-food-allergies?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:a752f0fb-fe17-4ac5-af92-fa6439ddc2faPost:6e8b927f-1e20-4b91-aae1-01dfc653c233">Re: Dealing with food allergies</a>:
[QUOTE]Take him in after he's recovered and get a <strong>scratch test don</strong>e and find out what he's allergic too. They'll probably give you an epi-pen or whathaveyou for emergencies too. That's the extent of my knowledge, since I don't have any allergies myself, but my best friend is mildly allergic to just about everything (including pork, the poor girl can't eat bacon without getting sick. What kind of life is that?)
Posted by Anysunrise[/QUOTE]

This. We just studied food allergies in school. The test is miserable but it will help pick a culprit. Sometimes people grow into allergies. Can you think of ANYTHING he ate that was new? My niece did the same thing last week and we still can't figure out what she's allergic to.

Brandiewine11 · April 2011

Ditto PP on the allergist. My little brother was allergic to a few things pretty severely but grew out of them. Good luck, and I hope he feels better soon!!!

undyingmizery · April 2011

I can narrow it down to peanut butter

but he's had that before. Day care also had a terminator come out so I am taking that into consideration as well. They use non toxic I understand this but it doesn't mean that he isn't allergic to what they used.

Two of my boys have eczema so I use the same things all the time.. soaps, detergent, lotions and fabrics.

I jumped to food because that's what the daycare and the hospital said. Because I am allergic to things other than food it makes me think of all other possibilities. If it is food related I need to keep track of everything. I am not taking any chances.

UGH EXterminator. *sigh* I am way too tired for brain function today.

ricksang · April 2011

Yep it may be non food related! You are right! Hope you find out what it is!

[Deleted User] · April 2011

Regarding the peanut butter thing. I have a cousin who is deathly allergic to peanuts, but can eat PB just fine. Apparently, there are peanuts that grow on trees, and peanuts that grow on the ground (I think, someone correct me if I'm wrong). And you can be allergic to only one of those groups and not the other. So, he can eat the kind PB is made from, but others will put him in the hospital. Just something to consider.

undyingmizery · April 2011

Wow thanks Sesh I didn't know that!

Blueyed228 · April 2011

Im allergic to milk and diary. Im not lactose intolerant, its an allergy. I puke my brains out if i have more than a dash in my coffee. The only type of cheese that doesnt make me barf is feta- and im assuming its because i grew up with it.

azdancer8 · April 2011

I don't know what the circumstances were around your son's reaction, but is it possible it's something environmental? I had a severe allergic reaction after getting a few ant bites last summer - my legs were covered in hives very much like what you described.

Also, if his reactions are that bad, I would say definitely keep an epi-pen nearby.

undyingmizery · April 2011

We live in the desert and there are TONS of ants. I have a Doctor appt for him on Monday I will definately have to bring that up as well.

memSomerville · April 2011

Could be anything, as people describe. But specifically watch for the big and most common allergens: ground nuts, tree nuts such as walnuts, shellfish, etc.

I'm allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. Not deathly, but have had the hives and...er...digestive issues of both ends. Strangely, I got more allergic over time--used to eat fluffernutters and reese's just fine as a kid, but by 19 had become unable to eat a pb&j again.

I also come from an eczema family. FYI--a recent paper linked that with peanut allergy:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-12698727

If it does turn out to be peanuts, my biggest threat is peanut flour. I can usually tell a walnut or a peanut in a cookie--but the flour is invisible. There is a brand of snacks--forget what it was, but they switched the recipe to peanut flour since the last time I had eat them...wham. Very bad night.

Another freakish thing: one of the breads at Panera has nuts. I was going home from there feeling bad, but had no idea why. I found out later the tomato/basil bread has some sort of nut in it. It was VERY hard to get the ingredient list from them.

You'd be surprised what's hidden.

Good luck. I have very few accidents these day--but occasionally still get bitten by this. The worst thing is having to bug the hosts at an event for what's in stuff--they think you are a noodge. But it's better than the illness.

Edited to add--good info from this group: http://www.foodallergy.org/

Edited to add again: recently lupin flour has been showing up in some things--and some peanut-allergic folks seem to be cross reacting to that.

avsfan33 · April 2011

I just had a scratch test done and I'm severely allergic to black currant. I need to keep an epi-pen on me at all times and I have to have a medical alert bracelet. I also found out I'm allergic to blue concord grapes and grape flavouring. I definitely recommend the scratch test and seeing an allergist. My scratch test was based on enviromental factors and then the two that I had asked to be tested for (black currant and grape flavouring).

Dealing with food allergies

Re: Dealing with food allergies

Choose Another Board

Search Boards