What unusual allergies have you heard of?

[Soubriquet]

I mean most people know about things like peanut allergies but what else do you know is an allergen?

Someone I know (on here btw so hi if she sees this) her ds is allergic to tomatoes

I’ve never heard of a tomato allergy before so that was interesting

When DM had cancer they discovered she had reaction to a Heparin, it did the opposite and thickened her blood.

I have a MI allergy (methylisothiazolinone). It is a chemical present in so many everyday beauty products, paints, shampoos, washing liquids etc etc.
I can't paint anything in my house myself or I come out in awful huge swollen blotches on my face, my eyes puff up and close over, my lips hurt and if very bad my breathing becomes laboured.
The red swollen patches last about 4 weeks and in that time my skin is so sore and sensitive, it feels hot and gritty.
I look like I've been burned. I'm very careful about reading the ingredients lists of products before I use them and avoiding them!

My friend organised a "Forever Living" night once and I reacted badly to the products. I emailed the consultant the next day to ask if MI was present in the ingredients list. At first she denied it "it's all natural aloe Vera" but after I pressed her and sent her photos of my swollen face her she came back and admitted it was present. And she still tried to chase me for a sale!!

I don't know why companies/individuals continue to try to conflate 'all natural' with 'safe to use'. I get big hives from rosehip oil and a raw, scaly rash from soy oil, both entirely natural products.

@BlackAmericanoNoSugar

I don't know why companies/individuals continue to try to conflate 'all natural' with 'safe to use'. I get big hives from rosehip oil and a raw, scaly rash from soy oil, both entirely natural products.

Totally agree Most "natural" things that have proven benefits ie St Johns Wart have side effects

My DM sent me some some Neils Yard cream for my exzema, my foot swelled up to twice its size and was worse than ever

Rosehip can be lethal for your skin I bought a face cream from holland and barrat brought me out in hives.

In answer to the poster who asked what happened an allergic to antihistamines person takes antihistamines, I basically end up unconscious. It’s like drowsy times a million. Lasts 4 hours or so and I really genuinely can’t wake up properly, it’s an incredibly deep sleep and if I do rouse enough to talk I make no sense.

What?!! This happens to me with certain non-drowsy antihistamines. I feel like I've been knocked out with a sledgehammer. I just have to sleep, almost feels like a coma, and am like a zombie if woken. I can't believe it may be another allergy!

Oh and my sister is allergic to rum.

@BaggoMcoys

In answer to the poster who asked what happened an allergic to antihistamines person takes antihistamines, I basically end up unconscious. It’s like drowsy times a million. Lasts 4 hours or so and I really genuinely can’t wake up properly, it’s an incredibly deep sleep and if I do rouse enough to talk I make no sense.

What?!! This happens to me with certain non-drowsy antihistamines. I feel like I've been knocked out with a sledgehammer. I just have to sleep, almost feels like a coma, and am like a zombie if woken. I can't believe it may be another allergy!

Me too. That's why I dread late Feb. Hazel tree pollen is out and I have to take antihistamines otherwise I'd scratch my own eyes out. End up sleeping head down at the desk. Just can't stay awake. I've never thought of that as an allergy. Just very susceptible to antihistamines!

For those allergic to penicillin, can you tell me how this manifests itself?
Thanks.

My DD is allergic to penicillin. Hives, huge welts on her skin, swollen face, puffy eyes etc. Luckily has only happened once for it to be diagnosed.

From my mid 20s (when I went on the pill) I was allergic to sunshine. It's called Polymorphic Light Eruption and no sunscreen helped, an antihistamine managed symptoms a little. Every pore became a puss filled spot, not itchy but it looks awful. Mainly forehead chest and arms.

I went away when I got pregnant and never came back. I'm convinced hormones had something to do with it.

I was like a vampire, always walking in the shade.

@Mrsjayy

Mrsjayy basically internal body temp rising. So stress, exercise, hot baths etc. It's going from cold to hot that's worse, if I'm already warm in summer and get hotter it's not as bad as trying to exercise in winter

That sounds a complete pain in the rear. One of my dc breaks out in hives after a shower I wonder if it is the same thing.

My son after a shower is covered in itchy blotches, have sent him a link to the affliction, fascinating

My mom once knew someone who was allergic to water - he could drink it but it would cause an allergy if it contacted his skin. He mostly washed just with soap and a rag, I think.

I am allergic to most cleaning products, cats, fibreglass, grass, artificial grass and The Sun which is the worst. I am also allergic to antihistamines as well. I had two ICU stays as a baby/child before they figured it out. I took one last year because I had such a terrible reaction to fibreglass and my GP said I probably would have outgrown it. My face swelled up and I was unconscious in about 20mins it was like someone had given me a handful of Valium very unpleasant and I want be doing that again.

I think I'm allergic to dove. I used it once and came out in a terrible rash, was bright red and extremely itchy. I've never used any of their products since. Luckily I didn't like them much anyway. Would never use the baby one on my child either. Also my husband never uses the men's one.

Falsies. Really my friend on the dance floor, one fell out of her bra, I picked it up to put on the table, my hands were on fire inside a minute, I ran to the loo, ran cold water over them for a few minutes. It did solve a mystery though. I worked in a tool hire shop. Twice my hands had caught fire like this which resulted in all the skin peeling off after a few days. The only relief was soaking them in the hottest water I could stand then cold running water over them. The culprit was the silicone guns in the shop and silicone boobs at the dance

Labobo I take a prescription anti-histamine called Drynol (active ingredient bilastine) that might be worth a try if you haven't tried it already. I used to take loratadine and it was fine for about a decade, then one year I took my first one of the season and was knocked for six, I had to get someone else to pick the DC up from school as I wasn't safe to drive. I had a nasty year of not taking anything and then my GP (who has the same tree pollen allergy as me, which is convenient) prescribed Drynol as it had worked well for her.

Anyone else allergic to dog flea treatment, front line took all the skin off my hands too. Vet made me fill out a questionnaire

I’m allergic to kiwi fruit

Cat jumped in my knee and pressed Post before I finished. Even if the fruit just touches my lips they swell up , I get a rash on my face and it’s very itchy. Never swallowed it but the GP told me never to try it to see what happens as my throat would probably swell like my lips.

I'm allergic to Barn owls, fine with other birds I've encountered 🤷‍♀️

How did you find out you're allergic to barn owls? Do you work at a conservancy centre or something?

I have hayfever, worse with tree pollen, and and am allergic to cherries but only when they're raw. DS has a similar reaction to strawberries and kiwis.

I'm allergic to soft white paraffin. Anusol took a layer of skin off. Salon makes anything worse.

I'm also allergic to a certain type of injectable blood thinner, any kind of plaster, wasps and other bitey insects except bees, mozzies and gnats.