A few questions for those who have shellfish allergies.

[Papa Deuce]

I was just diagnosed as having them. The doctor even made me get "epi-pens". That said, she didn't rule out that I might be able to eat small amounts of shellfish safely. ( I found out I had the allergy after having about 6 ounces or so of mixed shellfish this past weekend ).

Lobster was in it. All the stuff that I ate I have been safely eating my whole life.- except lobster. I never really eat lobster. The Dr. explained about iodine in shellfish.

1. Are there any shellfish that YOU can eat safely?

2. Is it true that these allergies usually get worse than the time before when you have an incident?

3. Does it matter to YOU how much you eat before suffereng an allergic reaction?


I'll give it up 100% if I have to, but I absolutely love shellfish. ALL OF THEM.

Thanks.

 

[bumbershoot]

My mom found out on her honeymoon after her second marriage that she had become allergic to shellfish, all of which she had eaten in the past. Projectile vomiting on any day is bad, but on your fancy honeymoon it's bad to the extreme.

She never ate any shellfish again, just wasn't worth it to her.

She also was severely allergic to bees so generally had access to an epi-pen anyway. But to her, those kind of allergies were not to be messed with!

 

[Doe]

My daughter, 11, is allergic to shellfish (amongst several other things). We won't even take the chance of eating just a tiny amount. My understanding after talking to her allergist is the tiniest amount (trace even) can cause her to go into anaphylactic shock. Did you see an allergist or your regular dr.? I'd definitely do some research and see an allergist. Our experience with our family practioner was he told me to just simply avoid the allergy causing foods and that would be the only thing we needed to do. No epi-pen, nothing. Glad I made an appointment with an allergist after that.

 

[Papa Deuce]

My daughter, 11, is allergic to shellfish (amongst several other things). We won't even take the chance of eating just a tiny amount. My understanding after talking to her allergist is the tiniest amount (trace even) can cause her to go into anaphylactic shock. Did you see an allergist or your regular dr.? I'd definitely do some research and see an allergist. Our experience with our family practioner was he told me to just simply avoid the allergy causing foods and that would be the only thing we needed to do. No epi-pen, nothing. Glad I made an appointment with an allergist after that.

Regular doctor. She did not even recommend an allergist, but I do think I will set up an appointment.

BTW, my doctor alos relayed a story to me of a lady she had recently seen with the allergies. She had eaten Won Ton soup.... but the place uses a little oyster broth for flavor.... Who would expect that? Not me...

 

[Doe]

Regular doctor. She did not even recommend an allergist, but I do think I will set up an appointment.

BTW, my doctor alos relayed a story to me of a lady she had recently seen with the allergies. She had eaten Won Ton soup.... but the place uses a little oyster broth for flavor.... Who would expect that? Not me...

Yep, you don't think of those things until you have a food allergy. Another thing to be aware of is cross contamination especially when eating out. Dang food allergies.

 

[mom2rb]

My aunt loved shellfish. Her allergies started when she was in her late 20's. She ended up in the hospital after eating a bowl of gumbo. A few years ago, she had a mild reaction from kissing her husband after he had eaten shrimp. She said it made her lips numb and scared her to death.

 

[breezy1077]

I'm allergic to Lobster, crab and clams (at least the last time I had fried clams - my throat started to do the same as it does with the other two. In the past, I've been able to eat clams with no effect - so maybe it came in contact with something else? Who knows).

But....I can eat shrimp with absolutely no effect.

However, my allergy is not so severe that I need to carry a pen.....yet.

My eyes and throat swell and itch. It's much much worse with lobster.

When I lived in Va. Bch for a time, I loved crab legs. By eating a little bit on a reg. basis, I was able to build up a tolerance after a time. But then again, my reaction is not severe. Again - lobster for me is the worst.

 

[dairyou]

I used to be able to eat all sort of shell fish when I was younger. I remember dad going to Fisherman's Wharf and bringing home live crabs.

When I was pregnant with my second son my bf took my out to dinner at a chinese place. We ate a whole crab and had great conversation. Around midnight I started to get cramps. Called the OB he said I was allergic to shellfish now I actually ended up having my DS that night. I told people at the hospital I had the crabs...they got a kick out of it.

Now, I can eat a little shrimp, but not to much. I can eat lobster too, but the fresher it is the harder it is on my stomach.

Good luck, I know how you feel!

Deb

 

[Papa Deuce]

Breezy,

Mine was insanely bad itching of my neck, and hands and groin areas. My hands swelled, my lips swelled, and I had a TINY bit of feeling that my throat was closing, but that went quickly away. The itching lasted 2 - 3 hours. And I vomited once.

It started Sunday morning, and even after a shot, and some daily pills, I have a very small amount of pain still in my right hand.

My wife and I has shared both of our meals the night before and she was 100% A-OK....

 

[Barbossa]

I have a slight shellfish allergy. It comes and goes, I haven't experienced a reaction in several years. When I had a reaction I'd get mild swelling in my throat, I'm lucky it never got worse than that.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

I grew up on the coast in SC so fresh shrimp is a staple around there. I developed a shellfish allergy in high school and couldn't eat any shellfish - shrimp, lobster, crab - for about 10 years then I was gradually able to slowly add those items back into my diet.

Be very careful of places like Japanese restaurants - they can not guarantee that your food will not be cross contaminated with shellfish items.

See an allergist. They are the experts in this field.

 

[breezy1077]

Breezy,

Mine was insanely bad itching of my neck, and hands and groin areas. My hands swelled, my lips swelled, and I had a TINY bit of feeling that my throat was closing, but that went quickly away. The itching lasted 2 - 3 hours. And I vomited once.

It started Sunday morning, and even after a shot, and some daily pills, I have a very small amount of pain still in my right hand.

My wife and I has shared both of our meals the night before and she was 100% A-OK....

Sounds like allergic reaction! My hubby has no allergies, but he had a VERY similar reaction to some Calamari one time. He'd had it before with no reaction, so he was very surprised to wake up with his throat and hands swelling and almost vomiting. I figured it was either an allergic reaction - or they didn't clean the squid well???

Did you have any calamari?

 

[Doe]

I'm allergic to Lobster, crab and clams (at least the last time I had fried clams - my throat started to do the same as it does with the other two. In the past, I've been able to eat clams with no effect - so maybe it came in contact with something else? Who knows).

But....I can eat shrimp with absolutely no effect.

However, my allergy is not so severe that I need to carry a pen.....yet.

My eyes and throat swell and itch. It's much much worse with lobster.

When I lived in Va. Bch for a time, I loved crab legs. By eating a little bit on a reg. basis, I was able to build up a tolerance after a time. But then again, my reaction is not severe. Again - lobster for me is the worst.

breezy, if your eyes and throat swell and itch I'd say you need to carry an epi. Why take the chance your allergy will become worse one day and not have an epi immediately available?

eta: I just sent my daughter who has several food allergies off to camp for the first time today so I am a little (no, alot) anxious that she will be fine so food allergies are consuming my brain today.

 

[breezy1077]

breezy, if your eyes and throat swell and itch I'd say you need to carry an epi. Why take the chance your allergy will become worse one day and not have an epi immediately available?

eta: I just sent my daughter who has several food allergies off to camp for the first time today so I am a little (no, alot) anxious that she will be fine so food allergies are consuming my brain today.

You're right of course. I'll talk to my doc when I see him in Dec. Thanks - I guess ya never know.

 

[Papa Deuce]

Sounds like allergic reaction! My hubby has no allergies, but he had a VERY similar reaction to some Calamari one time. He'd had it before with no reaction, so he was very surprised to wake up with his throat and hands swelling and almost vomiting. I figured it was either an allergic reaction - or they didn't clean the squid well???

Did you have any calamari?

Not excactly. I did have Octopus salad. I eat Calamari frequently, though.... and I don't think they qualify as "shellfish" with the iodine problems.

 

[breezy1077]

Not excactly. I did have Octopus salad. I eat Calamari frequently, though.... and I don't think they qualify as "shellfish" with the iodine problems.

No, but the only thing DH and I could think of was that maybe some ink was still there and that may have been what triggered the reaction. Especially, since he'd had calamari in the past with no reaction.

Perhaps the octopus had the same thing? It makes sense.

Please let me know what your allergist says if you go to one.

 

[Papa Deuce]

.......

Please let me know what your allergist says if you go to one.

Very interesting and informative link here that DEFINITELY makes me want to see an actual allergist.


http://foodallergies.about.com/od/seafoodallergies/p/shellfish.htm


I may be allergic to crustaceans, but not mollusks.

 

[lillygator]

not allergic, but sorry to hear you are....love seafood!

 

[HunnyPots]

I have had reactions in the past when I ate shrimp and crab that were caught in the Texas gulf. I never react to farm raised seafood at all. I was told it was actually a histamine reaction to algae in the water that the fish lived in, rather than the fish itself. I had INTENSE itching of my face (I'm scratching now just thinking of it!) and swelling of my lips and eyelids.
I now make sure to never eat "local" seafood when I travel.

 

[bumbershoot]

BTW, my doctor alos relayed a story to me of a lady she had recently seen with the allergies. She had eaten Won Ton soup.... but the place uses a little oyster broth for flavor.... Who would expect that? Not me...

Recent post on here informed us all that a difference between brand name medicines and the generic forms is in the fillers, and that the fillers of the generics is sometimes shells.


Of course you'll also want to watch out for glucosamine, as that is derived from crab shells.