has anyone become allergic in later life ?? (restaurants, mushrooms, health)

[swisswife]

Years ago I suddenly became allergic to pears. I always ate pears and then I had some for lunch one day and my tongue started to swell and I had to go to hospital - thankfully it was close by.

Last year in Cali on holiday we bought fruit from a road stand, Peaches, Apricots and nectarines. The apricots were good but the peaches and nectarines made my tongue and throat tingle and feel very strange. I immediately took a does of antihistamines (I always carry quite powerful ones as I am severely allergic to mosquito bites) and it turned out ok.

Has this happened to anyone else. Am I doing something to trigger this maybe ? I haven't spoke to anyone medical about it because there are so many other fruits I eat that it doesn't make a huge difference to me. I was just wondering if anyone had any insight ?? Could it be localized pesticides ? We did wash the fruit but I know thats its not completely safe.... or can allergies develop with age ?

[rayneinspain]

As far as I can tell (and especially from years of reading medical charts addressing this), yes, allergies can develop at any time in life--to foods, medications, or any other allergen (pollen, chemicals, etc). My stepsister developed an allergy to beef in her teens but was able to be slowly desensitized to it under physician supervision. My husband has developed an allergy to raw garlic and onions (he insists on eating them, taking benadryl when I'm about to prepare them), as well as a mystery allergy, possibly to walnuts.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-allergy/AN00179

[Cinnella]

Yes, I have a couple things that I developed an allergy to in my late teens-early twenties that came out of nowhere. Apparently it's not uncommon.

I suddenly became severely allergic to certain fruits, nuts and soy one day. It could be the amount of protein or pollen that youre allergic to in the fruit at that time of consumption like pollen, not the fruit itself. The doctor diagnosed that for me as I'm not allergic to the fruits or nuts when cooked, as that breaks down the specific pollen or protein I'm allergic to.

[JustJulia]

My dad's hay fever and sensitivity to grass increased about the time he gave up beef when I was a kid. He thinks the two are related but I don't know.

[wit-nit]

My allergist said that after the ages of 37-40 your body starts to change, slows down and your'e resistance to various plants, vegetables, etc weakens and eventually you'll be allergic to something.
If you're suffering from allergies, or think you are, and haven't seen an allergist then I'd recommend you do so soon and get started on a preventive program to minimize your suffering.

[andthentherewere3]

I developed severe food allergies around the age of 30. Not mild intolerances, but outright life-threatening reactions. At first my reactions were mild, but grew more severe with time. I was told that you were born with the sensitivity, and over time it can become an outright allergy if you are continually exposed to whatever food you are sensitive to. In my case I had been eating those foods every single day. It's best to completely avoid anything you become allergic to, as your reaction can become more severe over time.

[debzkidz]

My mom developed an allergy to MSG (shouldn't eat that stuff anyway) in her 60's. She ended up in the hospital. Like you she was verd y lucky that they were near a hospital when she had her attack. Now she has to be very careful since it's in far too many packaged foods as well as used it too many restaurants.

I had a friend who also developed allergies to many things in her early 30's. Her doctor described as being like a rain barrel. He said that you might always have a sensitivity to something but your body can usually handle it. Like a rain barrel, one little drop into doesn't do anything, but as the barrel fills to the top, eventually one drop will make it spill over. He said this is how your body works. Eventually you get to that tipping point with something and your body can no longer handle the offending food, pollen, whatever.

[swisswife]

Thats interesting - thank you for the replies. I really enjoy eating fruit so hope that this isn't the start of more allergies... I'm going to buy some peaches and nectarines and try a little bit again, maybe just rub it on my lip, and see what happens though so I can rule out local pesticide use. This was how I decided I was allergic to pears. I rubbed pineapple on my top lip and nothing happened, rubbed pear on my bottom lip and it tingled and swelled almost immediately...
I'll have my antihistamines nearby in case.....

[CheyDee]

I developed an allergy to mushrooms around age 30. Prior to that, I used to eat them almost daily - sliced thin and dipped into salad dressing, (instead of chips & dip), sauteed over meat, in stir-frys, etc. It took a very long time to pin down the offending food, since the first time I reacted to it I was out of the country on vacation and had one of those dinners where you sampled a little of everything.

Be very careful while attempting to pin it down. Each subsequent episode is usually more severe than the preceding one - and could even be deadly - even with your antihistamines on stand-by. It is not uncommon, for examples, for people who are allergic to shellfish or nuts to have their tongue swell and throat close (anaphylaxis), before they could even get to the hospital.

[debzkidz]

You might want to see an allergist. Have testing done so you can know what it is you are allergic to. Also, they will give you a prescription for an epi-pen to carry with you, so if you have a severe reaction you can take care of it. As the reactions get more severe, just taking an oral antihistamine may not be enough.