Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Allergies and intolerances

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Mayo in 'no mayo' sandwich - anaphylaxis

39 replies

kavvAbanana · 14/01/2016 22:07

I'm in utter shock.

DH is severely allergic to egg (amongst other things). He won't eat in restaurants and is very careful about what he eats, but has been happy to eat pre packed sandwiches from supermarkets etc as they have all ingredients listed.

Today he bought a pre packed baguette from a well known high street bakery. It was sealed and labelled 'no mayo'. Two thirds of the way in he bit into a huge blob of mayonnaise. He freaked out, spat it out and rinsed his mouth thoroughly which is what saved him. His lips and tongue swelled up and the ambulance and a and e staff said it was only his presence of mind that limited the exposure and therefore the severity of the attack.

Wtf? I mean what the actual fuck. He could have died. He could have choked to fucking death on his own swollen tongue or suffocated by a swelling windpipe if he had swallowed it. I feel sick at how close we came to my babies not having a father just because some utter dick didn't realise the implication of cross contamination.

I am beyond furious and can't see straight.

OP posts:
honeysucklejasmine · 14/01/2016 22:10

Have you gone back to the shop to let them know? I would be fuming but obvs making sure he's OK comes first.

chelle792 · 14/01/2016 22:11

That's so bad. Make sure you write a strongly worded complaint. I know that's such shit advice considering the severity of what happened but it'll help them review their procedures.

I did it after I had a reaction eating out somewhere. Next time I went they certainly tightened up procedures and I'm pretty certain no one else will be getting sick there again plus I got a fifty quid voucher

I bet you're really shook up. Hope you're ok Flowers

ExitPursuedByABear · 14/01/2016 22:11

That's awful. But I am surprised with that level of allergy that he trusts any bought food.

Trust nae fucker.

Mumteedum · 14/01/2016 22:13

Sorry you've had a shock kav.

I have this with nuts. I've been hospitalised from nuts in veggie burger a chef told me were nut free. I've also reacted when nuts weren't listed. Your dh did all the right things.

Sadly I'd say it comes with the territory. There will always be risk in eating out buying pre packaged/processed food.

You'd be perfectly within your rights to write to customer relations and tell them what happened. In fact, it's a good idea if you do.

Original poster
kavvAbanana · 14/01/2016 22:23

Yes it comes with the territory. But it just makes me so fucking mad. The legal requirements to list all ingredients and allergens are worth fuck all if the people they are there to protect and inform cannot rely on them.

He is so bloody careful. Always so careful.

Makes me sad. I know it doesn't seem like much to have to avoid a shop bought sandwich, it's just yet another small pleasure and convenience crossed off his list.

OP posts:
ButImNotTheOnlyOne · 14/01/2016 22:26

That's terrible. Does he carry an epipen?

Original poster
kavvAbanana · 14/01/2016 22:28

Yes he does have an epipen. He was about to use it when the fast response unit arrived.

OP posts:
SmallGreenBouncyBall · 14/01/2016 22:29

he needs an epipen if he reacts that badly and quickly. he was very lucky.

SmallGreenBouncyBall · 14/01/2016 22:30

ah, ok. hope he recovers quickly.
it's a minefield. I'm always careful with deli stuff, as they don't have as much quality control as factory type settings.

madmotherof2 · 14/01/2016 22:32

Crikey that's scary!!

I once had a problem with a burger restaurant, I explained to the waitress that I'm allergic to black beans ( thankfully not anaphylactic but still nasty) so could she check. She asked the chef who was adament there was no black beans. Burger arrived, packed full of the fuckers!!!!!! Thankfully I hadn't eaten any!!!

jorahmormont · 14/01/2016 22:34

It shouldn't "come with the territory" though - he should be able to trust that if something says it doesn't contain the allergen, that it doesn't contain the allergen.

Write to the store and demand that at the very least, the staff at the shop have intense training to make sure they are never lax with cross contamination again.

ohdearlord · 14/01/2016 22:34

You, and he, have every right to be furious!

I think a lot of the more fashionable intolerances and so on described as allergies have decreased how seriously people take them.

Do write to the shop and make sure they understand how devastatingly serious it can be! These kinds of labelling mistakes just shouldn't happen!

notapizzaeater · 14/01/2016 22:38

Get trading standards involved. It's shocking that they put it in. My DS is coeliac and it drives me mad when he gets Ill because of cross contamination.

ggirl · 14/01/2016 22:42

We had recent incident of probable cross contamination with ds. It's scary when you can't rely on the info on the packaging.

We informed the anaphylaxis campaign as well as the manufacturer and retailer so other people were warned .

ButImNotTheOnlyOne · 14/01/2016 22:42

I think there was a Guardian article where someone sued a restaurant for something similar involving milk.

Food allergies are tough.

Good for him having his epipen with him. Don't delay using it though as they are much better at stopping a reaction than reversing one.

Original poster
kavvAbanana · 14/01/2016 22:43

I really feel for him, and for all of you that have allergies. As if it isn't tough and scary enough managing the allergies yourselves, I can see from the responses that you all know how risky it is trusting others to prepare your food.

DH has had years of people trying to talk him into going for a meal, trusting a busy kitchen, minimising his concerns, urging him to take a chance on something for their convenience. He has always stayed strong.

I just go back to the fact that it shouldn't have been there. The potential consequences of that mistake don't bear thinking about. to my mind it's as serious as the contaminations with glass etc that you sometimes see.

OP posts:
WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 14/01/2016 22:44

Years ago I was holidaying with a severely celiac friend. Fair enough a one off load of gluten isn't going to kill him but it can give him the shits/bad stomach cramps for days. We were in a small, catered ski chalet. Chalet girls knew his diet requirements.

Came back one day to find a nice home made cake. We quizzed the staff who assured us it was gluten free. Friend started eating it and was suspicious partly as the cake was so good and secondly his stomach started cramping after a few mouthfuls. Staff still insisted it was gluten free. He asked to see the bag of gluten free flour, they said they'd used it all up so it was in the bin. He stormed Into the kitchen, went through the bin. No empty bag. They'd lied to him!!

Moral of the story is that sadly you can't trust anyone. Some people will make genuine mistakes, others won't give a shit and will repeatedly lie to you.

BumpAndGrind · 14/01/2016 22:49

I lost a friend at 20 years old due to this problem.

Nuts in a veggie sausage after being told no nuts. It was in Sayers the Bakers.

It was about 10 years ago now, I thought things had got better :(

ExitPursuedByABear · 14/01/2016 23:36

That's dreadful Sad

But that is what I meant about trusting no one. If it can kill you, then take no risks.

I agree that all the 'Trendy' allergies probably cause people to take less care.

babybarrister · 15/01/2016 15:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
kavvAbanana · 16/01/2016 03:19

I will do that, thank you. And BumpandGrind I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. That's shocking. And Simon with the outright lie as well. I don't understand why people do it, do you think they don't believe that allergies and intolerances are as bad as people say they are?

OP posts:
Original poster
kavvAbanana · 16/01/2016 14:47

Poor DH is really struggling with what could have happened. I think he may be in some sort of delayed shock. Is there anything I should be doing to help him?

OP posts:
crackedphone · 16/01/2016 17:38

The same thing happened recently to my son at Macdonalds. He asked for a wrap to be mayo free, had 'no mayo' label when arrived, but full of it.

He was lucky he only had mild symptoms, but that meant 3 days of feeling ill with lots of antihistamines. Has had anaphylaxis quite a few times in his life for egg and other foods.

Understand exactly how you feel.

Jibberjabberjooo · 19/01/2016 14:59

That's awful, have you complained?

healinghacker · 19/01/2016 16:07

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.