Sunday, October 2, 2011

Help About My Recently Developed Food Allergies!?

396545383 Hey there,
I'm a 16 year old female living in the UK...
Up until the age of 10, I wasn't allergic to anything, then I developed hayfever and a cat allergy but I always just accepted it and never questioned it...
But a couple monthes ago I went on holiday and was munching apples on the plane, but I ate an apple about a week later and it made my mouth tingle and my throat itch and now it happens every time. Also about a week ago I was happily eating almonds but yesterday I ate them and had the same reaction.
But my mum has the same thing, and it also happens when she eats pears, kiwis and walnuts.
So I have a few questions, if you wouldn't mind taking the time to answer them?
1 - are allergics gene related?
2 - will I develop an allergy to kiwis, pears and walnuts also?
3 - Is there any ways to lesson the effects of the reaction?
and 4 - is there any chance (if so how big a chance) that I will grow out of these allergies?
thank you so so much in advance!

3 comments:

  1. beautifuldaye - I know how you feel and the only way I've learned through studying high and low on internet and visiting my allergist, is to go on the Elimination Diet. It's quite gruelling and, frankly, I guess I'm just not bad off enough to put myself through it--yet. Google the diet and find out what I'm talking about.

    I think an auto immune system being down is the biggest cause - at least for me. I would definitely visit your family doc and/or an allergist to find out what might be causing this. Who knows, maybe something else is awry in your body. Best to you.

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  2. allotmentgolfer - 1. Allergic tendencies can run in families - it's called atopy. Most of my family have allergies, although my husband is the only one of his family with an allergy.

    2. You might, you might not develop the same allergies as your mum.

    3. You can lessen the effects by taking antihistamines. There are non drowsy ones such as loratidine and certirizine that you can buy over the counter at chemists and take daily. You can also have piriton which you can take as soon as you feel a reaction coming on. This works quickly but makes some people sleepy.

    4. People can grow out of allergies but not always.

    It may be you have oral allergy syndrome which is linked to hay fever. If you can tolerate cooked apples, but unable to eat raw apples this is more likely as the proteins that cause the reaction in apples is destroyed by cooking.

    Go to your GP and explain your symptoms because sometimes food allergies get worse over time. You may need referring to an immunologist or allergy specialist who can do tests to confirm the allergies, give you advice on treatment and avoidance. They can also advise on treatment and decide whether something like an epipen may be useful for you to carry in case of a severe reaction.

    It is important to avoid your trigger foods as the allergy may get worse with each exposure. If you are concerned about diet then ask for referral to a dietitian.

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  3. pennypincher - I know what you have. It is called oral allergy syndrome. It is related to pollen allergies. I used to be allergic to nearly all raw fruits and vegetables. Even getting the juice on my skin made me break out in a a rash. I went to an allergist and had desensitization shots for my many pollen allergies. After being on the shots for five years, my allergy to raw fruits and vegetables went away! Now I can eat a salad and even watermelon and it does not bother me at all.
    Allergies can be genetic. If you don't get shots, you are likely to become allergic to kiwis, pears, walnuts, and maybe even some others. I don't think allergies are ever outgrown.

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