How Did Your Allergic Symptoms Start?

[sj75]

i guess ive always been someone with allergies but its never really caused me any problems i couldnt manage before. As a child i was badly allergic to milk and eggs (gastic problems), im allergic to bee stings (not anaphylactic) and a few other foods but ive always been a bit sinusy but nothing major. Last year all that seemed to change and im now wondering if others have noticed their allergies suddenly progress or if this could be a sign of mcad?? or something else pots related. I had been on flecainide for heart arrhythmias for 3 and a half years when suddenly last year i developed a serious reaction (intense chest pain/fainting/blood pressure difficulties)to it and it had to be stopped. Since then i seem to react to most meds i have although i have not had anaphylaxis.

Last night i ate a couple of roasted chestnuts which i have always eaton ( a christmas tradition in our house) without a problem and within minutes the back of my mouth and back of my nose felt very swollen and uncomfortable, within a few hours i had intense burning in my gullet and stomach and although today it has calmed down it still feels a bit odd at the back of my throat. Im wondering if im just being paranoid as since my reactions last year i have been a little anxious about getting allergic reactions, could it have been anything else?? or could this be a progression of allergies??

[jenwic]

I have had allergies my whole life (seasonal and dust), but since I developed POTS they have gotten progressively worse and worse. I don't know if there is a connection or not. I have developed a severe reaction to peanuts since April. I have severe tachycardia and a swollen throat feeling and nausea during the two times I have eaten something with a peanut ingredient. I also have severe medication intolerance. I think I might have MCAD but have not been tested. When I miss a Florinef pill or am late taking it or don't take it on an empty stomach (it gets in my system later that way), I have symptoms similar to those listed above like the peanut reaction feelings. Maybe the Florinef is controlling any MCAD disorder reactions?

I wonder if POTS could be a symptom of MCAD in some people?

[jenwic]

I forgot to add that when I get the allergic feelings, liquid Benadryl will calm them down a lot. Did you try it?

[sj75]

I havnt tried benadryl but have clarityn to try. The swollen feeling was so scary, this whole pots/allergy thing makes it so hard to 'get on' with life.x

[comfortzone]

I would just guess that you may have an allergy to those chestnuts now -- dunno why though. Anytime you get swelling of your lips, mouth, tongue, throat in response to eating any food - it would be a good idea to add it to your list of things not to eat. I would take 25 to 50mg of Benadryl per the package directions every 6 hours or whatever the box directs you to do - one dose beyond when your symptoms stop...and then stop taking it. If you take the Benadryl and yet the symptoms worsen I would go to the emergency room or call 911. In the ER they can give you epi, steriods, IV tagamet or whatever the doctor orders and monitor you as they try to reverse the reaction. Have no idea why this would happen now though.

[Sarah4444]

I have never had traditional allergies, but over the last while have started reacting strangely to foods and activities that didn't used to cause me problems - or at least I thought they didn't, maybe it just wasn't as obvious. I think the swollen throat kind of symptoms are on the spectrum of anaphylactic reactions. In my case, I think my main reactions are tissue permeability and blood pressure falling, the effects of which have accumulated over time to turn into POTS. However, I agree that controlling the POTS also seems to reduce the frequency and severity of my MCAD symptoms - I think that the vicious cycle proposed in Figure 4 of the Shibao et al article is accurate, and is what is going on in my body. A combination of POTS remedies (midodrine, compression, fluids/salt, exercise) and MCAD meds seem to be starting to help to some degree, but the balancing act seems incredibly complex and fragile so far.

[lieze]

add me to the list!

I'm afraid to eat anything/everything.

Sometimes I have a problem with a meat and potato combo even though it is really bland I will have like a bp drop and feel horrible after.

Lately I get my food take a bite wait another 10 minutes or so take another and I don't get the horrible reaction that I do when I put it all in at once, even if it is a small amount my body freaks out on me.

I have to sneak it in.

[sj75]

im glad its not just me (although not if you know what i mean). ive been scared to eat anything today. I did a lovely slow cooked beef stew and dumplings last night and couldnt bring myself to eat it just in case, its currently being reheated for my family but i dont think i can bring myself to eat it after yesterday and with it being the first time ive used that recipe with ingredients i havnt had for a long time.

I can see my pots leading to an eating disorder (amongst other things) at this rate.x

[sj75]

I would just guess that you may have an allergy to those chestnuts now -- dunno why though. Anytime you get swelling of your lips, mouth, tongue, throat in response to eating any food - it would be a good idea to add it to your list of things not to eat. I would take 25 to 50mg of Benadryl per the package directions every 6 hours or whatever the box directs you to do - one dose beyond when your symptoms stop...and then stop taking it. If you take the Benadryl and yet the symptoms worsen I would go to the emergency room or call 911. In the ER they can give you epi, steriods, IV tagamet or whatever the doctor orders and monitor you as they try to reverse the reaction. Have no idea why this would happen now though.

Is benadryl generally better than loratidine/clarityn for these types of reactions?

[Sarah4444]

I hate to think of you not eating. I have been trying to sort this out too - it might be worth looking at the low-histamine diet to get an idea of which foods might be troublesome. I had a bad reaction after eating ratatouille, then found that eggplant is on the list of foods with high histamine levels, therefore likely to trigger MCAD people. I could send you a handout I have - just PM me with your email if you'd like it.

[jenwic]

I think Benadryl is what they give you at the hospital. Liquid Benadryl gets into your system faster than the pills. My latest reaction was Tuesday evening when I ate cookies with sprinkles on them. My throat started to feel a little swollen and when I read the jar it said "made in a factory that processes peanuts and tree nuts". I thought I had eliminated all peanut stuff from my house. Who would have thought of sprinkles!?

I had to take 4 more teaspoons of Benadryl a couple of hours ago because I felt nearly as bad as when I ate the cookie Tues. On Wikipedia it said that if you have an anaphalactic reaction, you can have reoccurance for up to 72 hours after you eat the allergic food. It said you can feel better and then feel horrible again within that 72 hour time period without eating the food again.

I am feeling just like you. What is going on? Is there another food I'm allergic to now? What is safe to eat? Do I dare ever eat out again and what about carry-in dinners? It is so depressing Also, my allergist gave me a prescription to an Epi pen jr. (jr., because of my POTS and problems with tachycardia). I would be terrified to use the pen because I can't imagine my heart coping with it.

I am just going to stay on the Benadryl another day or so, then hopefully the symptoms will go away.

[sj75]

im going to stock up on benadryl, would it be wise for me to contact my gp and ask for an epipen just in case??

[jenwic]

I would if I were you. That way you'll have it on hand if your throat swells too much or you have trouble breathing. It would be terrifying to use it, but it could save your life someday. Hope you're feeling better!

[sj75]

have moved this post to a new thread.xx

[firewatcher]

My son has had previous anaphylactic reactions to milk and milk products. He is seeing a food allergy specialist at the local Children's Hospital; she believed he was outgrowing his allergy. She recently did an oral challenge on him: he reacted on the first dose (1/8th of 1 teaspoon of milk.) The edited version of all this is that his throat became itchy and he started to panic: they stopped the test. Then they gave him a COFFEE CUP of liquid benadryl. He weighs 75 pounds and his dose was 50mg! I had to continue that dose every 4 hours for the next 24. Liquid benadryl is absorbed quickly and is the first-line drug for allergies, epinephrine is first for anaphylactic reactions. I carry an epi-pen for him, he has one at school and I also have several of the "single-dose" liquid benadryl packets in my purse...much less messy than carrying the bottle!

[sj75]

The sachets sound like a really great idea, annoyingly they arent available over here. Ive got an appointment at the gps on monday but in the meantime am going to take my once a day clarityn and if anything happens will also take the benadryl.x