Does this happen to anyone else?

[AddictedtoDoleWhip]

For quite awhile now I have been getting a very itchy throat feeling every time I eat certain fruits, I don't know why it happens and my Mom has never experienced this.

At first it was only one kind of fruit: Cantaloupe, and it would only last a few seconds but gradually the itchyness has lasted a bit longer and I have to drink a lot of water to get the itchiness to go away. Slowly but surely, now I get the itchy feeling when I eat: Cantaloupe, Avocados, Watermelon, and Honeydew. I don't know why because I never got that feeling when I was a child, but these last few years I seem to have this problem .

 

[Southernmiss]

It sounds like you have developed an allergy to these foods.

DH is now allergic to raw potato (just peeling them his hands turn red and swell), coconut and raw apples. After eating a raw apple his ears itch.
He doesn't care for coconut anyway.

He can eat cooked potatos and cooked apples, just not raw.

 

[Andtototoo]

1. You may have developed an allergy to these fruits.
2. Do you wash the outside of these fruits before you cut into them? If not, you may be having a reaction to the chemicals or other substances on the outside of the fruit that gets inside when you cut into them.

 

[AddictedtoDoleWhip]

1. You may have developed an allergy to these fruits.
2. Do you wash the outside of these fruits before you cut into them? If not, you may be having a reaction to the chemicals or other substances on the outside of the fruit that gets inside when you cut into them.

1. I always thought that allergies have more of a severe reaction.. good to know that reactions aren't always super severe.
2. Yes I wash the fruits before I eat them, I have had the reactions at restaurants and at home.

 

[kidzmom3]

you may be developing an allergy to latex. This happened to a girl at work and she first noticed it with avocado. I know watermelon and cantaloupe (along with the avocado) are fruits with natural latex, its just the honey dew I am unsure of.

 

[LisaR]

It sounds like you have developed an allergy to these foods.

DH is now allergic to raw potato (just peeling them his hands turn red and swell), coconut and raw apples. After eating a raw apple his ears itch.
He doesn't care for coconut anyway.

He can eat cooked potatos and cooked apples, just not raw.

My son, who has more food allergies than I can count, had a severe reaction to peeling a bag of potatoes for my one Thanksgiving morning. His hands swelled and turned red and I assume he started rubbing his face because his face soon swelled like a balloon and he couldn't breath. We had to epipen him and take him to the ER. Fun Thanksgiving! He can eat potatoes without any issues, though.

1. I always thought that allergies have more of a severe reaction.. good to know that reactions aren't always super severe.
2. Yes I wash the fruits before I eat them, I have had the reactions at restaurants and at home.

Food allergies can come on strong out of nowhere or they can start out with mild reactions and get worse the more you are exposed.

 

[caitlinsmom]

you may be developing an allergy to latex. This happened to a girl at work and she first noticed it with avocado. I know watermelon and cantaloupe (along with the avocado) are fruits with natural latex, its just the honey dew I am unsure of.

Exactly what I was going to say.

Some people with latex allergies have issues with bananas also.

DD is allergic to pineapple and it seems to get steadily worse the more times she is exposed. We try to keep it away from her but occassionally she will try a fruit salad with no visible pineapple and find that it has pineapple juice in it. Once she tastes it she'll not eat anymore but will get a touch tingly on her lips and tongue.

 

[Crusingbean]

For quite awhile now I have been getting a very itchy throat feeling every time I eat certain fruits, I don't know why it happens and my Mom has never experienced this.

At first it was only one kind of fruit: Cantaloupe, and it would only last a few seconds but gradually the itchyness has lasted a bit longer and I have to drink a lot of water to get the itchiness to go away. Slowly but surely, now I get the itchy feeling when I eat: Cantaloupe, Avocados, Watermelon, and Honeydew. I don't know why because I never got that feeling when I was a child, but these last few years I seem to have this problem .

Yup! I get that all the time when I eat fruit! I have discovered (for me at least) that it's oral allergy syndrome. When I did the allergy test, none of the fruits came up as positive, even though I would have a reaction eating it. My doctor explained the reason for that is because different pollens are related to different fruit. For example, I am allergic to birch pollen. Well the birch tree is related to the apple tree, hence having itchy ears/throats whenever I eat it. I have found that my allergies are less severe (or sometimes will not even have a reaction at all) if I have the food when it is not prime allergy season. Also, I can have the fruit cooked or canned because it changes the protein inside and my body no longer thinks its harmful. As much of a pain it is, it's also kind of fascinating learning about.

 

[j's m]

My DS is allergic to bananas, he gets the tingly feeling in his mouth and throat. For the longest time, he thought it was normal and only last year at age 16 looked up banana allergy.

Thank you DIS people, I learn so much here. I never knew there was a relationship between latex allergy and bananas. He definitely fits the profile for latex allergy: 2 surgeries at a young age, 2-3 times a year for bloodwork, etc. Now I have something else to worry about when he leaves for college.

 

[Andtototoo]

Here is info on latex and fruit:

People who have a latex allergy may be allergic to some foods, as well. This is called a cross reaction. When this happens, your body responds with the same allergic symptoms that you would have if you were exposed to latex. Cross reactions differ from one person to another. Someone may have a reaction to all the foods noted to cause cross reaction while another may have no reaction at all. Likewise, if you are allergic to any of these foods, you may also be allergic to latex:

•apples, bananas, kiwi, peaches, plums, figs, grapes, melons, papaya, passion fruit, cherries, nectarines, pears, pineapple and strawberries;
•carrots, celery, raw potatoes, avocados and tomatoes;
•chestnuts and hazelnuts;
•wheat and rye.
If you are allergic to any of these foods, tell your doctor before having any medical procedure. You could have a cross reaction to latex.

SOURCE

 

[momof5boys]

Sounds like Oral Allergy Syndrome, it's a reaction to usually raw fruits. The ones you are referring to are frequently listed.

 

[Ilivetogo]

For quite awhile now I have been getting a very itchy throat feeling every time I eat certain fruits, I don't know why it happens and my Mom has never experienced this.

At first it was only one kind of fruit: Cantaloupe, and it would only last a few seconds but gradually the itchyness has lasted a bit longer and I have to drink a lot of water to get the itchiness to go away. Slowly but surely, now I get the itchy feeling when I eat: Cantaloupe, Avocados, Watermelon, and Honeydew. I don't know why because I never got that feeling when I was a child, but these last few years I seem to have this problem .

I acquired Oral Allergy Syndrome when I was around 40. Totally out of the blue!! I ate a peach and almost had to drive myself to the ER (because I was alone). My mouth got itchy and prickly and my throat started to close up.

If it is Oral Allergy Syndrome, you're most likely also allergic to nuts and all FRESH fruit. I can eat fruit if it's canned, baked (like in pie), or frozen ... but not fresh off the counter. (When I asked my allergist what it is about the fruit that "bothers" you, she said it's basically a "pollen" issue.)

Good luck to you.

.

 

[luvmy3]

OP, do you suffer from seasonal allergies? If so it may be Oral Allergy Syndrome.