Any ideas on this wierd reaction to a bagel?

[lukewarmmama]

I'm thinking of maybe a type of glaze or something?

I'm normally on this board for my dd1 (anaphylactic to dairy/eggs), so I'm quite familiar with allergies. But this was me - had a bagel from a shop, immediate tingling in mouth and after a few minutes started to feel odd and hot. After 10/15 mins I was puce red from the neck up, my pulse was sky high (maybe 140?), head pounding and I felt shaky. Took a benadril and an ibuprofen, and after another 20 mins or so started to feel better.

I don't have any food allergies, apart from scallops, which are pretty easy to avoid. I get some oral reaction with apples and bananas, but that's it.

The bagel was poppy seed, with tuna mayo and salad - all stuff I eat all the time. Can't think of what on earth could have caused this? Maybe some chemical glaze on the bagel? Any ideas very welcome, as I still feel wacked and my heart kind of aches, v strange and slightly worrying!

[lukewarmmama]

.

[lukewarmmama]

Thanks, I guess it could have been - I've never had a problem with them before though. although I know that doesn't mean anything... I didn't know that you could be allergic to poppy seeds. Given the reaction, I might see if I can get tested (in 18 months time when the referral comes through...!).

Lesson learnt for me - if it makes your mouth tingle, then don't carry on eating it! Doh. You'd think I would know that.

[lukewarmmama]

OK - been to the GP and he recommended eating a tiny amount of tuna to see if it was that (with some piriton standing by). Sounds like pretty dodgy advice to me...

[lukewarmmama]

Sorry - I should have mentioned, not trying to post by stealth - pretty sure my only other real (i.e. not just oral allergy, which I have with apples) food allergy is scallops - get v sick and sleepy with those, but very easy to avoid. So I guess he seized on the whole seafood thing (even though I regularly eat tuna, prawns, cod, haddock, salmon etc etc).

I've emailed the store I got the bagel from asking for ingredients, but don't hold out much hope of a reply. Have just googled tuna allergy (always good for a sound medical opinion!), and it sounds like it could also be a kind of food poisoning which presents like an allergic reaction - which sounds quite likely to me. Hum.

[differentnameforthis]

Was it preped in front of you? Did they use latex gloves?

[NerfHerder]

Was there sesame in the bagel?

[lukewarmmama]

Yes, it was prepared in front of me, and I think she had gloves on - good idea, will be a bit careful around this to see...

No, no sesame (although x-contamination v easy), but sesame never been a problem for me either.

Have done some more googling, and I think the most likely cause was actually scombroid (histamine) poisoning which presents like an allergy, but is actually food poisoning.

On the back of that not-very scientific deduction, I've just tried a bit of tuna, and poppy seed, and am fine. So thank you everyone for listening while I whittered away figuring this out - and thank god there don't seem to be any more allergies in this family to contend with!

[differentnameforthis]

It does sound very like that, lukewarm!

Hope it never happens again, sounds scary!

[lukewarmmama]

Thanks - it was a bit, and I'm not normally freaked out by health stuff (unless its my children on the verge of collapse of course!). It had to be on the one time I wasn't lugging all dd1's piriton/epipens around as well, might have actually got to use them (only joking - very happy to have never had to use her epipen so far!).

[differentnameforthis]

I mentioned the gloves as I have a latex allergy, which is worsening over time & some of my symptoms sound like yours. Am having to invest in a medical bracelet & talk to the dr re epipen.

Hope you are feeling better.