Am I having an Allergic Reaction?

In a recent post I listed the signs of an allergic reaction.  Each food I eat gives me a different reaction so I am never sure if I am having an allergic reaction or something else is going on.

I spend a lot time talking about anaphylaxis in this blog.  I get an anaphylactic reaction from eating nuts.  Its pretty clear when then happens and I know what to do.  I get other reactions from other foods.  If I eat eggs I get diarrhea but if I touch an egg my hands and face swell.  If I touch shellfish I get hives up and down my arms.  I have never tried to eat shellfish since touching it causes me so many problems.  Sesame and mustard make my stomach hurt.  It's very difficult to identify those two items in food so it can happen at any time.

I also have asthma but I have no idea if it's from food.  It's difficult to determine if you are allergic, got food poisoning or you have a stomach flu.  If you are allergic to food make sure that you carefully avoid whatever made you sick and don't eat again until you are either supervised by a physician or are sure you are not allergic.  You could be putting your life in jeopardy!

The Sixteen Best Allergy Blogs of 2014

As part of making sure that as much information as possible is available I found a site that lists the best Allergy Blogs.  You can get the detail from www.healthline.com but here's a list that might make your searching a little easier.  Each website has its own point of view.  Some are written by non profit organizations that focus on food allergies but most are written by moms who have children with food allergies. 

1. The Nut-Free Mom -- www.nut-freemom.BlogSpot.com
2. It's An Itchy Little World -- www.itchylittleworld.com
3. Onespot Allergy -- www.blog.onespotallergy.com
4. Lexie's Kitchen -- www.lexieskitchen.com
5. Allergy Foodie -- www.allergyfoodie.com
6. Cybele Pascal -- www.cybelepascal.com
7. Learning to Eat Allergy Free -- www.learningtoeatallergyfree.com
8. Allergy Home -- www.allergyhome.org
9. The FARE blog -- www.blog.foodallergy.org
10. Jeannette's Healthy Living Blog -- www.jeannetteshealthyliving.com
11. Kid's With Food Allergies Blog -- www.community.kidswithfoodallergies.org
12. Food Allergy Mama -- www.foodallergymama.com
13. The Allergy Eats -- www.allergyeats.com
14. Food Allergy Buzz -- www.foodallergybuzz.com
15. Food Allergy Queen -- www.foodallergyqueen.com
16. Allergic Child -- www.home.allergicchild.com

Living with food allergies is a journey.  The majority of these sites take a personal point of view about a child living with allergies.  Solutions on the sites offer homeopathic solutions, recipes free of allergic foods and life experiences with children during travels and in restaurants.  Since these sites are expert only in the sense the bloggers live with people with food allergies you need to be careful to do your own research.  Look at these blogs as a description of a journey rather than expert advice.

Symptoms and Signs of an Allergic Reaction

It is not always clear when you have an allergic reaction.  Different allergies can cause different reactions.  The most dangerous allergic reaction is anaphylaxis.  My experience with anaphylaxis involves eating nuts.  For me anaphylaxis means my throat feels like it is closing and I can't breathe.  If it goes on for too long you can go into shock. 

Other reactions that aren't quite as dangerous but can be very uncomfortable are

• Skin Irritation
• Redness
• Swelling
• Blistering
• Weeping
• Crusting,
• Rash
• Hives
• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing
• Tightness
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Eye irritation
• Bloodshot eyes
• Itching
• Swelling
• Watering
• Stomach issues
• Pain
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Nasal Issues
• Stuffy nose
• Runny nose
• Sneezing
• Head Issues
• Swelling of the face, neck, eyelids, lips, tongue or throat 
• Hoarseness of the voice
• Headache

Sometimes it's hard to tell whether your reaction is a food allergy, a pollen allergy or an allergic reaction to a cat or a dog.  It is important to be diligent and notice when the reactions occur.  I have found with food allergies the more often they happen the more severe they are.

Testing for food allergies

Determining what foods you are allergic to or if you even have a food allergy can be difficult.  If you have severe reactions to certain foods it is pretty easy to say you are allergic and you should avoid those foods.  But if you have gastrointestinal problems or rashes from food allergies it is difficult to determine if you have a food allergy or an intestinal problem.  This is why testing is so important.  The most common way to test for food allergies is a skin prick test.  A skin prick test can be problematic if you have severe reactions.  Generally, doctors require you stay in the doctor's office for a few hours to make sure a severe reaction does not occur.  If food reactions are severe another possibility is a blood test.  I have found blood tests can provide both false negatives and false positives.  If a skin test is not a possibility a trial elimination diet is the best way to prove your allergies.  Start out by eliminating all foods you think you may be allergic to.  Then add foods one by one to your diet to determine if there is an allergic reaction.  Your body is the best test for allergic reactions.  Remember however, if you have experienced anaphylaxis you should not add those foods.  You are allergic and testing will only bring on a more serious reaction.

Wikipedia Entry

Wikipedia gives a very good description of food allergies and the resulting symptoms and side effects.  Because there is no cure for allergies there are often additional complications for the allergy sufferer.  I added a paragraph to Wikipedia highlighting some of the symptoms and side effects allergy sufferers have to deal with when confronting allergies on a daily basis.

Below is the original Wikipedia entry and in block format is my addition.  You can view it on Wikipedia at  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foodallergy.

A food allergy is an adverse immune response to a food protein.^[1][2][3]

They are distinct from other adverse responses to food, such as food intolerance, pharmacological reactions, and toxin-mediated reactions.^[4]

The protein in the food is the most common allergic component. These kinds of allergies occur when the body's immune system mistakenly identifies a protein as harmful. Some proteins or fragments of proteins are resistant to digestion and those that are not broken down in the digestive process are tagged by the Immunoglobulin E (IgE). These tags fool the immune system into thinking that the protein is an invader. The immune system, thinking the organism (the individual) is under attack, sends white blood cells to attack, and that triggers an allergic reaction. These reactions can range from mild to severe. Allergic responses include dermatitis, gastrointestinal and respiratory distress, including such life-threatening anaphylactic responses as biphasic anaphylaxis and vasodilation; these require immediate emergency intervention. Individuals with protein allergies commonly avoid contact with the problematic protein. Some medications may prevent, minimize or treat protein allergy reactions. There is no cure. 

Complications from allergies can be frightening.  It is important to be conscious of what you are eating at all times because once you have an allergic reaction you will need to go through a recovery process to feel better.  With anaphylaxis that process could take days as most emergency rooms administer steroids to minimize the reaction.  With less violent reactions you will still not feel well for a few days.  During that time your immune system is compromised and more susceptible to other infections and illnesses.  I added the following to Wikipedia.

Allergies, however, do result in a weakened immune system making the allergy sufferer more susceptible to other infections and viruses.  Allergy reactions tax the immune system resulting in becoming more sensitive to other allergens, becoming more sensitive to pain and easily catching whatever cold or flu is currently running its course.  The best way to avoid additional symptoms and a weakened immune system is to avoid all contact with allergens including food sensitivities.



Restaurants - Dangerous for those with food allergies!

Going out to eat can be the most difficult time for people with food allergies.  The most problematic places are Asian restaurants, fast food restaurants cooking with peanut oil, buffets and large sit down dinners such as those at conventions or weddings.  First of all, not everyone is allergic to the same things.  So institutions cannot eliminate everything allergy sufferers are allergic to.  For example, I am allergic to mustard.  Mustard is a common ingredient in many recipes adding flavor to many restaurant foods.  When cooking at home it is easy to eliminate and hard to notice the difference in flavor.  Identifying mustard as an ingredient is also difficult to determine when dining out.  Most restaurant servers are versed in dairy and nut allergies but often do not have any knowledge of whether mustard was used in the food.  Examples where mustard can be found are salad dressings and crust on fish and lamb.  Eggs can also be difficult to identify.  Most cakes, batter for fried food, binding for meatballs and crab cakes and washes on pastry are made with eggs.  The flavor of the egg is masked by the other ingredients in the menu.  Servers often do not know if eggs are in the offering. It is important if you suffer from food allergies to be very diligent about finding out what ingredients are in the food offered.

I believe many restaurants don't take food allergies seriously.  Restaurant managers often do not know what is in the recipes that make up the food.  Without knowledge of the ingredients servers cannot be trained.  A well trained server can mean the difference between a good evening and a horrible one.  Servers, even when educated, often do not understand the risks of food allergies.  So they can be very cavalier when you ask them about food ingredients.  They often believe it is just preference and you are making their jobs more difficult.  I think you should insist that the server provides you with the ingredients.  If you are not satisfied, leave the restaurant.  It is not worth it. 

Best Treatments for Anaphylaxis EPI Pen vs. Auvi-Q

For years people with allergies had little recourse once they had an allergic reaction.  As a child I was rushed to the emergency room with severe allergic reactions. The doctors pumped me full of Benedryl and steroids to help me breathe.  Once my anaphylaxis was identified I was prescribed an Epi-pen.  It is a large pen filled with epinephrine providing immediate relief for anaphylaxis giving the sufferer enough time to get to the emergency room.  When I was young, the school, my mother and anyone who took care of me carried one.  As I got older and was responsible for my own safety I carried one as well.  The size of the epi-pen was cumbersome.  Often I would not bring it with me because there was nowhere to put it.  It was too big to carry in your pocket.  So instead I took the chance nothing would happen to me.

Recently, a new pen has become available.  It is the auvi-q (pictured above).  It is smaller than a pack of cards and has a voice designed to talk you through administering the epinephrine to yourself.  It fits conveniently in your pocket allowing you to take it anywhere.  The link to the website is www.auvi-q.com.  It is a very positive change for individuals who must always be vigilant about food allergies. 

Airline travel JetBlue the most accommodating

The most difficult part of food allergies is you never know when an ingredient you are allergic to will pop up in a recipe or restaurant.  Asking every person you visit or restaurant you go to what ingredients are in the food can be difficult and embarrassing.  People without food allergies do not take them seriously or consider them life threatening.  So often I end up eating before I go out to make sure that I can identify what I am eating.  Air travel can be the most frustrating.  Airlines regularly serve nuts as an snack.  As someone who becomes ill just from the scent of nuts I have great trepidation once the snacks begin to be served.  JetBlue will not serve nuts if you let them know when you board that you have a nut allergy.  I appreciate the service because it takes all the anxiety and risk out of air travel.  Thus my first recommendation is to fly JetBlue if you have food allergies.