Total idiot with a nut allergy - need some advice!

[FancyNewBeesly]

Hey everyone. I had no allergies as a small child, then when I was around 10 I started having reactions to sesame seeds, quickly followed by nuts. Within a couple of reactions i developed anaphylaxis. Took doctors ages to test me, I was 12 when they did and they found reactions to multiple nuts (I remember cashews were especially bad) and a few seeds, but not peanuts. They just told me to avoid all nuts and seeds.

I was initially prescribed an adrenaline inhaler but this was then discontinued and I was prescribed epipens. I kept getting them for about 10 years but never had to use one as I was very careful about what I ate, so I stopped requesting them and no one every queried it with me. This was about 10 years ago now and I haven't had one since.

I had my only reaction since then five years ago, when I was on holiday in New York. I was given injections of something - not sure what (yes, I am useless).

I now have twins and try to give them a varied diet, which means more risk of exposure. I've had a couple of more minor reactions to unusual things (aubergine seeds while removing them was one). I tested them with some peanut butter when they were smaller, they were fine, and I decided to test a bit of my arm too - no reaction, so I tried it on my lip and that was also fine which didn't surprise me as I hadn't reacted to peanuts when I was tested. My DH recently bought some peanuts and I ate one and had no reaction. Just eaten another (about a week later) and my lips are now itching.

I'm worried that my chances of reacting are higher since I'm exposed to more foods. My concern is that I have no idea the specifics of my results all those years ago (my mum passed away) aside from "cashews and some other nuts" (not helpful) and I'm not sure the GP is going to want to send me for more tests given I've already been tested (albeit a long time ago).

What would you do in my situation?

What I’m going to say now is meant truly in a nice way because you are being incredibly naive

Quite frankly as a fellow anaphylaxis sufferer and retired nurse you are literally dicing with death!

Regardless of your last reaction date you should ALWAYS have epipens to hand 24/7

every year people like you die needlessly in this country just because they don’t have their epipens to hand and accidentally eat contaminated food

Back to basics for you, there are tree nut allergies like yours and then separately peanut allergy which is actually a legume

Any one with one of the two has about a 50% chance of also being allergic to the other

When nuts are processed they are often moved on conveyer belts in the factories which will have moved other products which leads to cross contamination so your peanuts may have been contaminated by tree nuts at this stage quite easily

This is why coeliacs have food produced in areas where contamination cannot occur

You may also have developed a peanut allergy as we often continue to develop new allergies

Right now you need to educate yourself, stop having nut products in your house and get 2 epipens sorted or one day your gorgeous kids may not have a mum to hug because she didn’t take care of herself

Everything she says^. Please don't eat peanuts again either. Your body is warming you. Google iGI reactions. The tingling means your immune system has been triggered. Next time it could be a much more serious reaction. My daughter had critical allergies. We didn't have some foods in the house. There can also be a familial link so continue testing new foods for your twins by dabbing on their skin first.
Be wary of seeds and tree nuts and bird feeder in the gardens, autumn walks in the woods etc.

Thanks ladies - I know you're absolutely right, it's absolutely crazy not to have one. I think part of me felt bad asking for them all the time when I've never had to use one, seemed like a waste of money. At the time I stopped getting them I had other pressing health issues to deal with - I stopped requesting them, moved to a new area, they were no longer on my repeat form and the GP I saw said I didn't need them any more as I'd never had to use one, and I stupidly just nodded and went away. I realise how ridiculous this sounds now!

No, I will definitely not have any contact with peanuts again! I've kept an entirely nut and seed free house my entire adult life, I think stupidly in my head I thought "but they told me I wasn't allergic to peanuts" and tried it. What an absolute idiot. Why I thought this was a good idea after 20+ years of avoiding all nuts and seeds, I can't even tell you.

What should I say to my GP? I'm guessing my allergies are recorded somewhere in my notes, probably quite prominently. I'm just worried they'll think I'm being ridiculous and say I haven't had one for over 10 years so I don't need one. Should I be requesting new tests given that peanuts are a new reaction and the last one was so long ago (and I don't fully know what the results actually were!)?

Don't feel embarrassed about asking your doctor for more!!!!

I haven't had a severe reaction in over 5 years but think to stop carrying epipens is tempting fate.

I would say you think your allergies have expanded to new things and you would like further allergy tests to ascertain what you can and cannot have.

You need an urgent prescription for 2 Epipens - they should always be with you, with details of your allergies and next of kin for emergencies.
Also carry piriton or equivilent as it can stop minor reactions.

I would agree to with above and get retested, blood not just skin prick.

You also need to consider the safety of your twins - wean different food with another person present.

Thanks everyone, I'll call to make an appointment. Fortunately my DH works from home so there's usually someone else here.

I am peanut allergic and have been all my life, also very allergic to mustard. I don't carry an epipen any more - peanuts are easy to avoid and my mustard allergy is serious but not life threatening. Food labelling has made it much easier than it was 20 years ago and I don't have anything containing peanuts in the house, ever.

Go and talk to your GP, who is the only person who can tell you whether any testing is appropriate (probably not) and whether you should carry an epipen (probably, if you had a serious reaction only 5 years ago).

Thank you - I think that's partly the issue, I've managed to avoid my allergens without too much difficulty thanks to labelling, although it is difficult to eat out but I guess I've gotten used to that. I've stuck to a fairly limited "safe" diet for a long time, it's only really since the boys started weaning that I've become more concerned. Like I say, I bought them some aubergine slices when they were small and was removing the seeds and my hands swelled up and went bright red and itchy - I didn't even know aubergine seeds were an allergen, I've never eaten it.

They both have dairy and soy allergies (non-ige) so with my allergies it makes life quite difficult. I have tested them with a tiny amount of peanut butter in the past which had no reaction but scared to actually feed it to them just in case (and now obviously I'd have to get my husband to do it anyway).

I will have a chat with my GP and see what they say. What's the deal with allergy testing via the blood - do they still test for a limited number of allergens or can they test for a wider range that way? Can the GP just send off blood as with other blood tests or do you have to go to an allergy clinic still? I really don't want to waste any resources but I would like to know definitively what I'm allergic to. The worst reaction I've ever had was in my teens when I was given an IV drug in hospital which I ended up being allergic to, and obviously they can't test you for everything so things like that can still happen.

With respect Misti you also need to give your head a wobble and get your epipens sorted

Peanuts are NOT easy to avoid, it’s like playing Russian Roulette!

Contamination and contact can occur in many weird and wonderful ways, from undocumented food contamination to accidental contact when someone has touched and then touches something like a door handle etc

I regularly have alerts on food allergy sites of undocumented ingredients in free from foods, Asian restaurants are another well known risks as are coffee shops

Remember it only takes one slip up somewhere by someone else and you could pay the ultimate price!

as I stated in my previous post you only have to check the news to see others with this laid back attitude often don’t live to tell the tale

Also, and this may be a stupid question, but can you outgrow allergies like this? Or once you have them, that's it?

You can sometimes outgrow allergies, although how you would go about finding out I don't know!! Eek!!!

It's unusual to outgrow peanut allergy, although in my experience the type of reaction may change as you get older. I don't know whether its possible to outgrow other nut allergies. The only way of knowing for sure is a challenge test in a controlled environment.

I've lived with a severe peanut allergy for 52 years - it used to be very difficult to manage safely but it is now straightforward if you are careful. Seed allergies are far more complicated to manage in my experience, because mustard and sesame are everywhere.

I used to have multiple serious allergies, for 3 decades. I finally cured them with homeopathic treatment, so now I can eat anything. I am also careful to eat organic to keep the 'toxic load' down--this gives the body more resources to deal with food without overreacting.

mistigri I find it pretty irresponsible idea to not carry your auto injectors with you esp when you eat out in restaurant. As having a reaction means that others, like your family, have to watch you being ill, or waiting for an ambulance to save your life without having an autoinjector on hand to save your life.
just because you have not had a reaction for years doesn't mean that an accident wont happen.

I know this thread is a month old but it's really not that easy to avoid allergens, unless you only eat packaged food I guess. Saw a tv show where restaurant guest stressed she was very allergic to nuts. Waiter nodded. Brought her a salad absolutely covered in walnuts..

Dushenka you can not cure ige allergies with homeopathy.