Can you develop allergies in your 40s?

[Shitweek1]

Lately I've been having hives quite a lot. They are single hives though, one appears in one place, disappears within an hour or so. Then the next day I get another, possibly two, but never at the same time. They are always on my neck/along my jawline, on my chest or around my mouth.
I hadn't had any for quite a few days but got 3 over the course of this evening. The only difference is we splurged on food tonight, lots of dishes, lots of ingredients.
The last few days I'd only eaten plain food as I'd not had time to cook or shop.
Could I be developing an allergy at this age? If I saw the GP would they do anything?

You can develop allergies at any age. Go to your GP, you may need a referral to an allergy clinic. Depending on how severe your reactions are, they will discuss prevention and medication at the very least.

You can - my mum developed a food allergy around then.

Absolutely you can.

I was 37 (nearly 40) when I became violently allergic to a variety of fruits. So weird! Nearly died twice!

My SIL randomly developed an allergy to fruit when she was going through menopause - serious enough for epi pens! Lasted for about 2 years then completely vanished and she can eat anything again?!

I get hives with stress, OP. It's probably sensible to visit your GP, but I just take an antihistamine if I see any sign of them.

You can develop allergies at any age but hives are often not related to allergies.

Theres cheap online testing places
I paid £35
Allergic to most meat, gluten (knew), white wine.
Get ulcers, hives, horrible dry tongue and mouth from wine
Just test and see - sent s small piece of hair back
Heslth has been nuch better since/ never get tonsolitis anymore

No don't use these tests. You need to see a proper allergy consultant. You can only diagnose allergies through skin prick testing or blood tests

I'd like my 16 year old to be allergy tested how do we do that? @WrongSwanson

Ask your GP for a referral to an allergy clinic @Burpsandrustles

Or if you can't wait then pay to see a private allergy consultant who can do blood/skin prick testing

But the hair tests have no scientific basis.

It’s very common for women to develop new allergies in perimenopause and menopause, as your histamine levels rise.

Yes - Yes -
Yes it can be to other things than food!

Yes and long covid can cause allergy conditions and Hives so without a lot of people having had covid the amount with new allergies is rising drastically.

This is so not true! Hives are called urticaria. They need to be examined for cause.

Yes. All your cells are renewed every 7 years

I suddenly became allergic to mussels, scallops, oysters, clams at the age of 50. Used to eat them all the time, now make me violently ill.

became asthmatic the last couple of years too.

Urgh, getting older sucks! The PPs suggestion of Covid makes me think as well though. Even though I never had a lot of symptoms with Covid, I've been having all sorts of weird symptoms since when my body worked perfectly fine and never caused me any trouble before so who knows!

I have developed new allergies in my 60s - and my mother was the same.

Yes, I know what they are called, having suffered for nearly 30 years. As the common name is hives, and as it's what OP used, it seemed apt to use that name too.

Plus, I can't see where I said don't investigate for a cause, just pointing out that they are often not the result of an allergy, as it can be helpful to know this.