To tell you I have Oral Allergy Syndrome?

[FromDespairToHere]

I know nobody cares, but I'm so happy that what I have is an actual thing, and not just my body being weird!

I get a terrible itch in my ears/throat when I eat certain fruits. It started with pineapples about 20 years ago and then apples, tomatoes, pears and most recently watermelon. It's infuriating as I bloody love most things on that list but it's so uncomfortable and an antihistamine only takes the edge off, it doesn't make it go away.

Anyway I was explaining (again) to somebody today why I was removing the pineapple from a fruit salad and somebody else told me that not only does my thing have a name but that she has it too!

I'm really excited that I'm not as much of a freak as I thought I was!

Ooh it’s a thing?
I have it too, not as severely as you by the sounds of it but even so I’m glad it’s not just me
Also pine nuts taste burnt and oily to me, that’s apparently a thing too.
AND after eating some slightly past it’s best fish over 10 years ago any fish that’s not really fresh gives me an itchy mouth even if other people think it’s ok

I have it too and no-one believes me, they say it's just an excuse to eat more chocolate instead of fruit!

I have it too, and dr told me it’s related to birch pollen allergy. Gradually more stuff I can’t eat as I get older.

Yes kiwi sets me off. The itching is right in both ears and throat. Thankfully my reaction is not too intense.

My understanding is you can become allergic to something, often from over exposure.

I’ve had a couple of odd reactions to things I had never before, as one-offs. Bodies really are fascinating!

Yes my DH has always had this. He gets it with most fruit except bananas. Apples are the worst. He has a birch tree allergy and hay fever, so all part of it. We live right next to a wooded area full of birch tress

Yeah I have the birch pollen allergy, and I kind of want a badge. Because yes, I am overweight, and yes, it is ironic that I have an allergic reaction to many fruits on their own that I will happily eat cooked in a dessert, but despite that it is a real thing

I have this!! But if you cook the fruit, it breaks down the enzyme that causes the reaction so I can still eat fruit crumbles!!

Minnie kiwi is a really common allergen and it is common for it to cause a really serious reaction. It's something they test for as standard when the patient has suspected anaphylaxis.

Oh how exciting me too! I’ve never heard of it. Told the dr I would like a blood test as I have reaction to most fruit and raw veg and he just said to avoid eating them 🤷🏻‍♀️

Worst offenders are kiwi, watermelon, carrots & peas.

I have this too. The worst reactions for me are to peaches, cherries and apricots. My lips swell and get itchy

There is a good list on Wiki showing what fruits and bits you are likely to have a cross reaction too so you know what to avoid.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oral_allergy_syndrome

A syndrome is literally a label for a bunch of symptoms, so more a self determination than a condition. But yes, allergic reactions to pineapple, kiwi etc are common.

@LooseSeal2 There's no point in a blood test for something that you already know!

I have it too, with raw potatoes and some salads. It's quite unpleasant, more than just an itch for me - my nose runs like a tap and my mouth goes sort of numb and tingly and feels not quite mine - the first time I experienced it, I was seriously concerned it might be the start of anaphylaxis.

My husband has this as well, most fruits and also leafy green vegetables. He can usually have them if they've been cooked / wilted.

I have it too. Over my life time I've had hayfever, asthma and eczema so I'm super sensitive. My hayfever is a grass pollen allergy so I'm sensitive to citrus fruits and strawberries. Fortunately the sensitivity disappears for a few years every so often but I find if I eat too much of one fruit it triggers it again. One dr told me I shouldn't eat too many pears or melon as those are common fruits to my hayfever too. The weird thing is the fruits aren't in particular categories, like tree fruits or berries etc.
My worst and first fruit one was oranges, I was eating about 3 a day and BOOM one evening my eye swelled shut. I'm lucky my symptoms have never affected my throat. That would be scary.

My 10 year old can't eat raw tomatoes or pineapple - they sting her mouth and lips. It's quite common for those two fruits, I think.

My Dad has had it during times of stress in his life - I remember when I was a child and he was unhappy at work his mouth and lips would swell up from raw tomatoes, but it doesn't happen to him at all since retirement!!

I have it too fruit and nearly all veg makes my mouth so itchy.

It’s kiwi, pineapple and aubergine for me.

The lists of cross reactions in that wiki link are so interesting!

Me too! Also many pollen allergies. My worst offender is cherries which are also my favourite it's getting worse as well, now when I eat cherries and apples I feel like my throat has something stuck in it and it's hard to swallow. Should probably stop eating them.

My DS has it - with certain cheeses

My youngest son is currently under investigation for this. Started two years ago with raw carrots, then apples. In the last 6 months its spread to melon, grapes, salad stuff, mange tout and bean sprouts. Poor kid loves raw fruit and veg too.

He has an appointment on the 14th Feb so keeping my fingers crossed for a quick diagnosis and treatment plan.

Someone on Mumsnet very kindly told me that I had it last year, during birch pollen season. I've probably always had it, but have been eating more nuts than usual and was getting a swollen tongue by bedtime everyday. It was mixed nuts, but I suspect that hazelnuts were the biggest culprits because I almost always get a tickley throat after eating hazelnuts. Strawberries also did the tongue swelling thing. I still eat all those things but at least this year I know to stop eating them at the first hint of tongue swelling.

I take antihistamines for all of spring because of the tree pollen situation, but birch pollen is the worst of the lot even without the additional tongue problems.

Was I the only one who clicked on this thinking it was about blow jobs?

I went to school with someone who had this. It first happened to her in the middle of an exam.
She ate a banana beforehand and all the way through, she had a really itchy mouth and tongue. Ever since, she can't eat a banana without getting it.

Pineapple and wholemeal bread here but randomly only when it's toasted. Get the most horrendous tingling around my lips.