Oral Allergy Syndrome

[TI double GGER]

The cukes are the only thing that gives me bathroom issues all the rest are throat closing and itchy mouth. I just found it interesting that diarrhea was listed as an allergic reaction. Now if I can just find something that says this is the reason I have so much trouble losing weight

 

[mhsjax]

Anyone else have this problem? I can't eat most fresh fruits or vegetables. If I do I have an allergic reaction. Cooked, canned, processed are not a problem.

I'm feeling very frustrated as I want to change to more healthy eating and all you read is eat more fresh fruit and vegetables and I can't.

Hoping there are others out there who can share their healthy eating habits w/o fresh fruit/veg.

I am sorry you are having to deal with this.

The way I look at it is this, eat the canned and cooked fruits and veggies if that is all you can eat. It is still way better than eating a bunch of sugar and fried foods and junk foods. What about the frozen things like fruit, can you eat those? I understand that things that are frozen are the next best thing to fresh.

 

[luvmy3]

I am sorry you are having to deal with this.

The way I look at it is this, eat the canned and cooked fruits and veggies if that is all you can eat. It is still way better than eating a bunch of sugar and fried foods and junk foods. What about the frozen things like fruit, can you eat those? I understand that things that are frozen are the next best thing to fresh.

Thats a good question. The reason you can eat cooked/steamed veggies and fruits is because the heat process will break down the proteins. I don't know if freezing someting effects the food in the same way. My ds has his 6 month visit with his allergist and I'm going to ask him. I would love to be able to throw some frozen strawberries or grapes in his lunch box for snack.

 

[james'mommy]

My allergist explained it to me one time. He said that the fruit cross polinates with a pollen that I'm allergic to and that's why I have a reaction. When the food is cooked whatever it is that causes me to react is cooked off.

 

[nikkistevej]

In the past 10 years- if I eat fresh pinapple(which I LOVE) it makes my mouth tingle and burn- and I'm assuming that is an allergic reaction. I usually eat it anyway. LOL

 

[NotUrsula]

I don't think it's exactly this phenomenon, but I cannot eat raw tomato. I get hives inside my mouth if I do. Cooked tomato is fine, though.

I have constant problems with sandwiches at restaurants, because I'll tell them that I'm allergic to tomatoes, the cook will put the tomato on, I'll send it back, and the same sandwich will come back with the tomato removed. Nine times out of ten it will leave a few seeds or some juice behind, and if I don't notice it, here come the hives again. I've taken to marking the sandwich in some way (like a knife cut) so that I can prove that it is the same one if they don't replace it.

 

[RainbowBrite]

Yes! People always think I'm weird when I tell them this. Kiwi is the worst for me. I get hives just touching it when it's peeled. If I eat it, my tongue swells up.

Peaches and apples sometimes make my gums sore and swollen and I get little bumps on my lips. Once I ate fresh strawberries and pineapple and my tongue got really sore and burned.

 

[RainbowBrite]

I have something akin to a fruit veggi allergy though I've figured out over time that it has more to do with how ripe some fruits are. Since I know get almost all my veggies most of the year from local csa I've noticed fewer problems. I think alot of the veggies we get in the market have sat around abit from time picked to time actually put on the floor allowing whatever it is that gives me an allergy or so I'm convinced. I also grow veggies and notice that when I eat them fresh picked I'm ok but when store bought I have an allergy. Try it over the summer if your reaction is not an anaphylactic one try eating something fresh from fruit stand/ veggie market vs super market and see if you notice a difference. Like I can eat apples when we pick them fresh but not when I buy in the market.

Also I know certain fruit veggie food combinations trigger allergies so its worth talking to an allergist

I've noticed this too! When we go apple picking, I can eat those apples. No reaction. Supermarket apples, nope. The pineapples and strawberries that gave me a reaction came from Edible Arrangements, I'd never had that reaction before.

 

[Charleneluvsdisney]

I too suffer this, but seem to have a worse reaction to the veggie side. Broccoli and Cauliflower raw are really bad. Sometimes strawberries, grapes and as someone else mentioned kiwi. Cantaloupe doesn't work well for me either.

Not that I am happy to see all of us suffering the same fate, but I didn't know anyone else that had this problem! I also had severe allergies as a child to grass, weeds, trees and molds. The food issue didn't start until I was in my 20's.

 

[Imzadi]

I What about the frozen things like fruit, can you eat those? I understand that things that are frozen are the next best thing to fresh.

Forgot to answer this earlier. For me, frozen fruits still have the same reaction. I'd love to make frozen fruit smoothies, but other than blueberries & raspberries, (which I am not allergic to) any other frozen fruit has the same reaction.

I was eating a sample of Glucerna cereal a while back. It has freeze-dried strawberries in it, and I started to have a reaction. So, it seems, the fruits & veggies have to be heated in some way for whatever is the irritant to break down.

A little FYI: fruits aren't all that healthy. They are actually loaded with sugar. Ask anyone who is diabetic or hypoglycemic. Fruits & especially fruit juices, (because there's no fiber in juices) are extemely bad to have.

You can get almost all the same vitamins & nutrients from (cooked) veggies as there are in fruits.

 

[cdepauli]

I have this too! Mine is very mild and only with apples. If I take off the skin, it's usually worth it to eat one, because I like apples. It does have to do with the pollen and cross pollination, from my understanding. Usually when this happens my lips/tongue/mouth will tingle/burn and when it gets worse, my throat will also tingle/swell.

At work once, I did have a bad enough reaction that I went to the school nurse and took a Benadryl because my throat was REALLY starting to feel funny.

Luckily, that's the only thing right now that brings on that particular reaction. Fingers crossed.

BTW, I heard once when I was young that everybody is somewhat allergic to pineapples, and if you eat enough, your mouth will start to tingle. I believe it's only fresh, not canned or cooked, pineapple though.

 

[dbogen]

I can't believe I came across this thread. My DS developed an allergy to bananas a few years ago, this after a banana a day habit. He would tell me his mouth itched after eating it so we asked the Dr and he said it was an allergy.
Now just the other day he came out and told me his mouth itched after eating a raw carrott I thought maybe it was something in the ranch dressing he dipped it in, but now , what the heck is going on with out food?

 

[Bradenrussom]

Yeah, OAS pretty much sucks. I like to tell people I'm allergic to anything healthy ;-)

Not sure it would help, but I actually wrote a cookbook of OAS safe recipes. Would be happy to send you a recipe if you'd like.

Also - I had very good results from allergy shots. I've been getting them for about 18 months and most of my reactions are gone.

I still avoid nuts though. No reason to take silly risks.

 

[iluvallthingsdisney]

My DH and DD both have OAS. DH has to carry an epi pen. His allergies have gotten worse as he has gotten older. The allergy stacks, so while he can tolerate lettuce and tomato, if I were to throw in a cucumber and carrots he would have a stronger reaction. For anyone who thinks that they have OAS, I highly recommend getting allergy tested. The allergist did skin testing and blood work to diagnose them. It's good to know what foods are safe and what aren't. His OAS usually bothers him more when his seasonal allergies flare up.

 

[Imzadi]

My DH and DD both have OAS. DH has to carry an epi pen. His allergies have gotten worse as he has gotten older. The allergy stacks, so while he can tolerate lettuce and tomato, if I were to throw in a cucumber and carrots he would have a stronger reaction. For anyone who thinks that they have OAS, I highly recommend getting allergy tested. The allergist did skin testing and blood work to diagnose them. It's good to know what foods are safe and what aren't. His OAS usually bothers him more when his seasonal allergies flare up.

Wow, I didn't know the allergy stacks! I wondered why sometimes I am allergic to cucumbers and sometimes not. Same thing for strawberries & grapes. It makes sense that if there was another fruit or veg that I am sensitive or allergic to in the same meal, it would heighten my sensitivity to those in that meal.

 

[ashley0139]

I know this is a very old thread that got bumped by a new person, but I only very recently discovered I had this (or that it had a name and was an actual thing). Mine is only apples, and only raw. I first noticed it my junior year of high school, and I remember it so clearly because it was the day I was taking the SAT and an apple was a snack during the break. My mouth felt funny after that. If I eat them now my mouth, throat, and lips itch. If I eat enough (the culprit is usually caramel apples...) my throat starts to close up. I was so "glad" to know I was not the only one and that this is actually a thing.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

I've had this for years but didn't know it had a name until I read it on the Dis!

 

[Chim Chiminy]

My mom and brother must have this. If my mom eats pineapple, kiwi, peppers of any kind, her tongue starts to swell and itch. There are a few other things as well, I just can't recall.
And recently my brother revealed that he can't eat bananas, kiwi or pineapple either.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I seem to have something like that too. Cooked tomato is fine, but raw I cannot eat w/o it breaking my mouth out in blisters. Also, pineapple...

I like the taste of pineapple, but it is just not worth what it does to my mouth.

 

[kellyg403]

Weird this comes up! I have never had issues with food allergies. I did have seasonal allergies as a child that improved over time. The only true 'allergy' I have had throughout my adult life is to rag weeds and when people cut their grass. It causes sneezing, stuffy head and in the last few years asthma.

About 6 months ago I had some fresh mango. I have always loved it. But, my tongue and my throat itched for at least an hour afterwards. I tried again about 2 weeks ago and the same thing but I also had GI issues after.

I have an drs apt in 2 weeks and going to mention it. No swelling or anything just a tingling itchy feeling. Sad part, it is my favorite fruit. I will admit to drinking mango margheritas and not having any issue though.

Kelly