AIBU to ask people with experience of shellfish allergies...

[LadyandGent]

....whether the first time you eat some, could kill you?

I had an allergic reaction to a fish (frozen and with dubious contents - white fish, that's all it said), that didn't indicate its provenance. My dbro is allergic to prawns.

I'm asthmatic, allergic to dogs, cats, birds, sheep, horses, dust THE WORLD.

So, if I was to go out tonight and eat something with prawns, would it kill me, or does the allergy build up to give you a warning?

Not sure about killing you, but my first reaction was the worst - face blew up, throat swelled and off school for 3 days. If I accidentally encounter a crustacean these days I tend to get lip tingling/bit of throat reaction but can generally imbibe 1/2 prawn without harmful incident. However, never heard of very severe side effects to shellfish per se.

Maybe avoid prawns if you think you may have a reaction?

Ok I think you need to speak to a GP. But as far as I am aware a shellfish allergy is serious, like a nut allergy. Don't eat anything with prawns in if you think you may be allergic to them.

My Dbro had a reaction to Scampi when he was 10. He then had allergy testing at the hospital and it is only shellfish he is allergic too. He also has asthma. When we were 21 we had an Indian chicken korma, (there must have been something in it or they used the same implements they used for some shellfish), and he was really ill again, swollen lips, throat swelling, swollen eyes. Definitely worse than the first time. He has never had a reaction again but avoids shellfish like the plague.

Don't mess around with allergies, you don't know if you are going to react badly until it is too late.

There is just absolutely no way of knowing sadly. Allergies can spring up out of nowhere and be life threatening, and they can also gradually increase/decrease/fluctuate over time. They are a horrible unknown.

Depends what you mean by allergic reaction. For some it could mean a skin rash, a stomach upset. For others it could be anaphylaxis, ie could result in death. How do you know your brother is allergic to prawns, what were the symptoms, outcome? Chances are, if you share DNA you may have similar reaction, but not always. Tests may find out some answers for you.

I just seem to be having increasingly frequent allergic reactions to pre prepared foods these days, so I'm wondering whether there are traces of shellfish in them. Definitely haven't a nut allergy.
I've never eaten shellfish, nor do I intend to, as the thought is gross to me, however, I'm wondering whether my allergy is building as I've had 1 severe allergic reaction and 3 asthma attacks after eating in the past 2 months. I'm just wondering whether my allergies have ramped up again.

Neversurrender.

With me, for the fish one, it was an all over body rash and increased asthma symptoms.
For dbro, it was anaphylaxis, but someone gave him Piriton and called an ambulance.

I must ask him actually.

Then would get tested for a shellfish allergy. It's important to get to the bottom of whatever food is triggering the reaction given it involves not being able to breathe! Have you spoken to your gp?

I had a fish allergy for a short while, suddenly started getting a full body rash, same as you. After a couple of years it vanished and I'm fine with fish again.

My nut allergy has remained in place and I think worsened over time.

Shellfish shouldn't be a major candidate for cross contamination.

Get tested - though to get it done quickly you may need to go private.
I'm allergic to crustaceans (so molluscs are fine), it's quite limiting as especially in South East Asian food it can be quite hard to avoid - many sauces contain extracts, they use the same oil for deepfrying etc. If you do have an allergy you need to be careful - and if not then you shouldn't limit yourself!

Just spoke to DBRO, and he was after ordering Special fried rice, so presumed he was allergic to prawns, he's actually allergic to Augmentin. As am I.
So no fish allergy in the family. Then again I'm the only one with asthma.