Allergic to MEAT?????

[1Prince2Princesses]

I had an allergic reaction last night, and I'm positive it was caused by the dinner I cooked. (Ha ha, you're very funny... I'm a good cook!)

Anyway.... It was a Barilla pasta, which I always use, with olive oil, garlic, oregano, chickpeas, parmesan cheese, broccoli rabe, and sweet italian sausage. None of these foods are anything I have never eaten. I even buy the same brands all the time. EXCEPT for the sausage.

I bought a brand of sausage I normally don't, but I checked the ingredient list and there is nothing there I have ever had an allergy to.

So here's my question.... if an animal is treated with antibiotics when it is alive, when it's ground up and cooked and I eat it, is it possible for me to have an allergic reaction to that antibiotic? I am severely allergic to pennicillin. Any ideas?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

What do you mean by allergic? Hives, swelling, etc..?

As far as antibiotics in the meat, I don't think that it is.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

What kind of reaction did you have? If you don't mind me asking.

 

[1Prince2Princesses]

I guess I should have described this in the first post.

Within a few minutes of finishing dinner, my stomach hurt. Within half an hour, I had burning sensations all over my skin. Within an hour, I had a rash like small hives, and itching all over my body. I put some hydrocortisone cream on it, which didn't really help.

This morning I still have some of the bumps, but it may be from where I was scratching.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Well I would NOT eat that sausage again!

As far as allergies, the fun part about getting older is "all of a sudden" you will become allergic to things that you never were before.
In my middle 30's I suddenly became allergic to 3 pain killers and some food things.
Ain't life grand?

 

[VirtuallyMe]

I've been severely allergic to wheat for a year now...

so it could be that something in what you prepared you reacted too... most sausages have seasonings added as well.

I'd definitely avoid the sausage- but also slowly try the other foods- and remember a day after such a bad reaction you are more than likely to react to things you aren't even allergic too- also those things you aren't eating that you may be allergic to (pollen, dust, etc) will cause a worse reaction while all that histamine is in you too.

 

[Annette_VA]

I know of one person allergic to beef and another to chicken and eggs, so I'd say it is entirely possible that you had an allergic reaction to the sausage

 

[PixieDustTink]

You are severely allergic to penicellin? That means your body DOES have a tendency to have severe allergic reactions....to put it very, very simply. At any rate my son has food allergies and I've learned *from the allergy doctor* that you can tolerate a food well all your life and it really doesn't mean you won't have a reaction later on. Legumes tend to be more a culprit than meat and if you had bread or wheat products at any other time during that day and they didn't bother you then it is likely not the pasta. Chickpeas on the other hand are a legume. It could be ANY of those foods but, the peas are one that are common. That is NOT to say that the meat didn't cause it though. My son was allergic to certain protiens and it took forever to find that particular allergy culprit since it was a VERY uncommon one.

I'd definately check with a doctor on this one because with food allergies the FIRST reaction is usually much milder than subsequent reactions sooooo get an epi pen "just in case!" Don't take chances with food allergies. It sounds like your first reaction was a bit stronger than what I've usually seen happen soooo you never know. Allergy docs will usually ask you to do a elimination diet type of thing "testing" those foods by trying a LITTLE bit of each one. One of those will cause a reaction of some kind and then you'll know what to stay away from. DON'T do the elminination process without BENYDRYL and an epi pen on hand though! I'd ask the doctor for sure in CASE this wasn't a food reaction and even if it was. Go to the doctor. Reactions to foods you've never had a problem with in the past can and DO happen and they are sure NOTHING to fool around with! I'm glad you are ok!

 

[agnes!]

A couple of thoughts...

Make an apointment now with an allergist. I'm afraid you're going to have to track down what gave you this reaction (rather severe IMO).

Start drinking as much water as you can stand so you can try to flush whatever-it-is out if your system as soon as possible.

Take some Benadryl (or a generic equivalent) now. What you're having is a systemic reaction to something you ate, the hydrocortisone cream might help with the surface, taking an available over-the-counter antihistamine certainly can't hurt with everything else.

It might be the meat, but it could be one of the spices in the meat - even sweet Italian sausage can have red pepper flakes in it. Until you find out for sure, you just don't know. Some people are allergic to regular peppers, all sorts of things...my mom can't eat pineapple. It really tears up her mouth. My SIL cannot eat very much fruit that's acidic(citrus, but sometimes even apples). I had a very mild reaction to penicillin *once*, so cannot take it anymore.

It could be that the meat itself was "bad" somehow and that you have a lower tolerance. Did anybody else in the house get sick too?

Hope you're feeling better.
agnes!
PS - Btw, your dinner sounds delicious! Sorry you got sick .

 

[redbirdgrad]

One more opinion - soy protein, which gets added to alot of things now, including packaged sausages - is also becoming an allergic trigger.

 

[PixieDustTink]

One more opinion - soy protein, which gets added to alot of things now, including packaged sausages - is also becoming an allergic trigger.

Excellent input redbirdgrad! YES! My son also became allergic to soy protein! Alot of people seem to disregard soy as a source of allergic reactions and it's in sooo many things these days. You wouldn't necessarily notice it if you weren't looking for it.

 

[momof2inPA]

I don't know about anti-biotic treated meat, but you could always try organic and see if you don't react.

I'd also watch the chickpeas.

 

[imsorry]

My brother-in-law developed an allergy to beef as an adult. it is so bad he can't even be near the smoke from a bbq when someone is making hamburgers - his eyes swell up and tear, he gets hives, etc.

Soy is a possibility. I thought I would "get healthy" and bought soy milk. My throat started closing up after drinking it.

Be careful - and I think the ladies above have given you excellent advice.

 

[NotUrsula]

My father was seriously allergic to rabbit flesh. (Oddly, he could be around live rabbits with no problem; he just couldn't eat the meat. Rabbits can eat some substances that are toxic to humans, so that may have been part of it.)

I have sensitivities to soy proteins. Not a full-blown allergy, but I get itchy if I eat more than a trace amount of the stuff.

I wouldn't assume a meat allergy from sausage; too many fillers in the stuff to be able to tell, really. If you try to eat a slice of pork loin and react, then assigning blame to the meat would make more sense.

 

[Brianne]

I'm another one who is allergic to soy---people think I'm nuts when I've stated such. I've had to be more careful with purchasing food because it's popping up in more things all the time.

If you don't want to go the allergy testing route, I'd slowly add each item back into my diet. However, since you said the sausage was the only new item, I'd go back to the other brand & attempt the meal again to see if the reaction's the same.

 

[1Prince2Princesses]

I wouldn't assume a meat allergy from sausage; too many fillers in the stuff to be able to tell, really. If you try to eat a slice of pork loin and react, then assigning blame to the meat would make more sense.

It's not actually the meat itself that I was looking at being the cause... I have no other problems with pork, and have eaten pork chops this week with no ill effects. I was thinking something added to the pork.

One more opinion - soy protein, which gets added to alot of things now, including packaged sausages - is also becoming an allergic trigger.

This is definitely a thought! I'll have to go back and check the label again. I don't usually eat soy products, so it's entirely possible that could have been the trigger.


Thanks to everyone for your great advice. I'm going to slowly try the items in question, starting with the meat. And don't worry...I'll be prepared for a bad reaction! You guys are great.

 

[Chuck S]

Are you sure each and every ingredient is truly listed on the sausage, or does it list something like "spices and natural seasonings". If it just states spices & seasoning, chances are you are allergic to a spice in that pericular brand of sausage.

Mom has a spice/seasoning allergy to the herb savory, and it makes it really difficult shopping when most of the labels don't list the specific seasonings they use. I wish the USDA would make it mandatory to truly list all ingredients, no matter how small an amount of a spice or seasoning they add.

 

[1Prince2Princesses]

Are you sure each and every ingredient is truly listed on the sausage, or does it list something like "spices and natural seasonings". If it just states spices & seasoning, chances are you are allergic to a spice in that pericular brand of sausage.

Mom has a spice/seasoning allergy to the herb savory, and it makes it really difficult shopping when most of the labels don't list the specific seasonings they use. I wish the USDA would make it mandatory to truly list all ingredients, no matter how small an amount of a spice or seasoning they add.

That would really stink. Savory is probably used in a lot of things!

The label lists SOME spices separately, like fennel and basil... but it does say natural flavors and spices. I probably will not be buying that brand of sausage again.

 

[Christine]

That would really stink. Savory is probably used in a lot of things!

The label lists SOME spices separately, like fennel and basil... but it does say natural flavors and spices. I probably will not be buying that brand of sausage again.

What the heck is "Savory". I've never heard of it?? I thought it was an adjective, not an herb.

 

[Chuck S]

What the heck is "Savory". I've never heard of it?? I thought it was an adjective, not an herb.

Here's a link to the herb:


http://www.sallys-place.com/food/columns/gilbert/savory.htm

For a while it was recommended as a "natural" flavor enahancer to replace MSG, when so many folks stopped using MSG.