Oral Allergy Syndrome

[disfan07]

Does anyone here have or know someone who has oral allergy syndrome?

My allergist is like 99% sure that this is what has been causing some of my problems lately. We are planning on doing allergy tests and food challenges in 2 weeks to get a definitve diagnosis. But for now, I am not allowed to eat any fresh fruits or veggies because, of course, I am allergic to ALL pollen so its possible for basically all fresh fruits and veggies to cause a reaction.

So I was wondering if anyone here has ever dealt with the same thing?

 

[mbswats]

I have always been allergic to tree nuts (I'm in my mid 40s), but in the past 5 years or so I have had problems with fresh fruit. I can no longer eat watermelon and I really miss it in the summer My brother has developed the same problem. It is only fresh fruit though. It is more of a tingling itchy feeling, but not nearly as severe as what happens with nuts.

 

[Shelly888]

My allergist thought my son had that. He had severe anaphylaxis to wheat, soy, dairy, and egg at one point or another in his first 6 years of his life. He was never really tested, but he complained that most fruits and vegetables made his mouth hurt. At first I wondered if he was pulling one over on me, but I mentioned it to the allergist, and given his history, I was basically told it was very likely, and just avoid and try again in a year. He still doesn't eat many, apples and bananas, that is about it. He also was about 98% positive he had eosinophillic esphogitis related to his food allergies. He "diagnosed" based on symptoms, but the only definitive dx is through biopsy, and at his age, we both agreed it was not worth the test. Interestingly enough, he has outgrown all of his allergies, except now he tests mildly positive to peanuts...allergist is comfortable with us giving it to him as he is asymptomatic. GL, allergies are a pain!

 

[disfan07]

My allergist thought my son had that. He had severe anaphylaxis to wheat, soy, dairy, and egg at one point or another in his first 6 years of his life. He was never really tested, but he complained that most fruits and vegetables made his mouth hurt. At first I wondered if he was pulling one over on me, but I mentioned it to the allergist, and given his history, I was basically told it was very likely, and just avoid and try again in a year. He still doesn't eat many, apples and bananas, that is about it. He also was about 98% positive he had eosinophillic esphogitis related to his food allergies. He "diagnosed" based on symptoms, but the only definitive dx is through biopsy, and at his age, we both agreed it was not worth the test. Interestingly enough, he has outgrown all of his allergies, except now he tests mildly positive to peanuts...allergist is comfortable with us giving it to him as he is asymptomatic. GL, allergies are a pain!

Yeah for me, after eating a lot of fruits and veggies, my tongue feels kind of swollen and itchy and my throat starts itching somethings. I ignored it for a while because it never lasted long but after I had a bad allergic reaction to something at thanksgiving last week, I finally told her about it.

my allergist thought that I had eosinophillic esophigitis also but my biopsy came back negative. I unfortunately grew INTO my allergies. In the past 3 1/2 years I have developed an anaphylactic allergy to peanuts, a moderate egg and shellfish allergy, a mild sodium benzoate (preservative) allergy, and contact allergies to parabens (moderate) and lanolin (severe). I also have environmental allergies to all pollen, grass, dust, mold, etc.

Allergies are crazy. And I know it frustrates my allergist because as soon as we figure one thing out, something else happens and we just can't get a handle on it.

 

[mickeysgal]

My son has allergies to everything it seems. Dust, pollen, trees, grasses, cats and oral allergies to bananas, watermelon, and pineapple. Says it makes his mouth and throat itch. Allergist and pediatrician both said it is non-threatening and he can eat these foods in their cooked form. It is the raw form that irritates him.

DD now has recently developed an oral allergy to cherries, sometimes pears, avocado. She thought it was also happening with walnuts. Her doctor at college ran a blood test to test for food allergies and the results were that she was allergic to nothing. We can't figure that one out at all. Maybe oral allergies don't register? What bothered me was the walnuts. She is saying she is, the tests are saying she isn't. Tree nut allergies are dangerous - so we're avoiding them for now and going to get a second opinion.

 

[disfan07]

My son has allergies to everything it seems. Dust, pollen, trees, grasses, cats and oral allergies to bananas, watermelon, and pineapple. Says it makes his mouth and throat itch. Allergist and pediatrician both said it is non-threatening and he can eat these foods in their cooked form. It is the raw form that irritates him.

DD now has recently developed an oral allergy to cherries, sometimes pears, avocado. She thought it was also happening with walnuts. Her doctor at college ran a blood test to test for food allergies and the results were that she was allergic to nothing. We can't figure that one out at all. Maybe oral allergies don't register? What bothered me was the walnuts. She is saying she is, the tests are saying she isn't. Tree nut allergies are dangerous - so we're avoiding them for now and going to get a second opinion.

For oral allergies, the definitive test is and oral challenge. Meaning that they have the patient eat a small amount of the food and monitor any reaction. That is what I am having done in 2 weeks in addition to my regular allergy tests. My allergist said that most of the time, oral allergies do NOT show up on regular allergy testing.

If she really thinks something is wrong, you will need to find an allergist who is willing to do an oral challenge for those foods that are causing the problems.

Not all allergists are willing to do it and some allergists believe that if it doesnt show up on the tests than there can't be an allergy.

 

[720L]

My son has allergies to everything it seems. Dust, pollen, trees, grasses, cats and oral allergies to bananas, watermelon, and pineapple. Says it makes his mouth and throat itch. Allergist and pediatrician both said it is non-threatening and he can eat these foods in their cooked form. It is the raw form that irritates him.

DD now has recently developed an oral allergy to cherries, sometimes pears, avocado. She thought it was also happening with walnuts. Her doctor at college ran a blood test to test for food allergies and the results were that she was allergic to nothing. We can't figure that one out at all. Maybe oral allergies don't register? What bothered me was the walnuts. She is saying she is, the tests are saying she isn't. Tree nut allergies are dangerous - so we're avoiding them for now and going to get a second opinion.

Sounds like a tree nut allergy. Anything with a pit in it could make tree nut allergic people have a reaction. Not sure if a pear has a pit?? My DD is allergic to tree nuts and her mouth feels funny after eating cherries, but she was tested for them and it said she isn't allergic. We avoid them.

 

[luvmy3]

My ds has OAS. There was a time when he could eat raw fruits and vegetables but through the years the things that he can't eat has grown. He also is allergic to pretty much every tree pollen, and has a tree nut allergy.
Sometimes it is a big pain, but we have managed it by feeding him cooked veggies and fruits.

 

[mickeysgal]

Sounds like a tree nut allergy. Anything with a pit in it could make tree nut allergic people have a reaction. Not sure if a pear has a pit?? My DD is allergic to tree nuts and her mouth feels funny after eating cherries, but she was tested for them and it said she isn't allergic. We avoid them.

Sure sounds like a tree nut allergy to us as well. Can't figure out why a blood test that specifically tested for food allergies came back negative though. Are these tests reliable? I know they should be, but why is she feeling one way when the test says another?

 

[MichelleVW]

My 18 year old can't eat many fresh fruits because they make her throat itch an feel "funny". I think it started with apples when she was about 14, now there are a few more things she can't eat but I can't remember what.

 

[LuLuO]

I have had OAS since I was in my early teens. I can't eat any raw fruits or vegetables because they cause anything from a mild itchy throat/mouth to anaphylaxis where I have severe swelling of my throat, mouth and lips, hives, difficulty breathing, etc. I carry an epi-pen just in case, though I've never had to use it thank goodness. The OAS started out mild with my first reaction being to oranges, even though I had eaten oranges from very young. Over the years it has definitely gotten worse and I am 35 now.

I never know what the reaction will be and I think that depends on how ripe the food is. The more ripe, the worse the reaction seems to be. All fruits and veggies must be cooked for me to eat them safely. I can't eat frozen either without being cooked, except for blueberries which for some reason I can eat room thawed. I can eat canned fruit but that is because it is heated during the processing. I can't even eat a salad because I react to lettuce. It stinks.

I am allergic to most everything on the planet. I am not allergic to corn, wheat (though I have Celiac Disease), or potatoes and I can eat peanuts and tree nuts without a problem but it is my understanding that most nuts are heat processed to remove the shells.

It is a PITA. But I have adjusted. Everything is cooked well and I make smoothies with plain yogurt and canned/jarred fruits.

It was really difficult 20+ years ago when I would tell my doctors about it and they had no clue what I was talking about and some even suggested that I was psyching myself out and it was all in my head. Finally one day I found a post out in cyber space about a man who had the same symptoms. After another few years I found that it had been given a name which was a relief to me to know that I wasn't crazy.

 

[LuLuO]

Sure sounds like a tree nut allergy to us as well. Can't figure out why a blood test that specifically tested for food allergies came back negative though. Are these tests reliable? I know they should be, but why is she feeling one way when the test says another?

I also test negative to tree nuts.

Here is more info on OAS:

Oral Allergy Syndrome or OAS is an allergic reaction to certain fruits, nuts, and vegetables. The reaction is more likely to occur with fresh forms of these foods. It is not an actual food allergy, but reactions to certain foods may develop in people with hay fever. The immune system mistakes the food proteins for the pollen proteins and causes an allergic reaction. See the chart on page 2 for a list of foods that may cause problems for people with pollen allergies.

The allergic reaction to these foods can occur anytime of the year when eating the foods but can be worse during the pollen season when your child is having hay fever symptoms. OAS is most common for people with spring allergy symptoms from birch pollen or late summer hay fever from ragweed pollen.

http://www.chkd.org/HealthLibrary/Facts/Content.aspx?pageid=0457

 

[mickeysgal]

I also test negative to tree nuts.

Here is more info on OAS:

Oral Allergy Syndrome or OAS is an allergic reaction to certain fruits, nuts, and vegetables. The reaction is more likely to occur with fresh forms of these foods. It is not an actual food allergy, but reactions to certain foods may develop in people with hay fever. The immune system mistakes the food proteins for the pollen proteins and causes an allergic reaction. See the chart on page 2 for a list of foods that may cause problems for people with pollen allergies.

The allergic reaction to these foods can occur anytime of the year when eating the foods but can be worse during the pollen season when your child is having hay fever symptoms. OAS is most common for people with spring allergy symptoms from birch pollen or late summer hay fever from ragweed pollen.

http://www.chkd.org/HealthLibrary/Facts/Content.aspx?pageid=0457

Thanks! This is what still confuses us. She tested negative but still has the allergic reaction. So, even if it's *just* oral doesn't she need an epi-pen?

 

[Praise2Him]

The last two times I ate kiwi my mouth and throat felt tingly & itchy. I googled it and supposedly kiwi is a fruit that commonly causes oral allergies. I'm sad because I love kiwi. Oh and I'm 51 and not allergic to anything else!

 

[LuLuO]

Thanks! This is what still confuses us. She tested negative but still has the allergic reaction. So, even if it's *just* oral doesn't she need an epi-pen?

Yes. Even though it is not a true allergy, the reaction is the same. I always carry an epi-pen. If I am exposed by eating something that wasn't cooked enough and I start having problems, I drink lots and lots of water which usually helps. But at times I have been worried enough that I have sat with the epi-pen in one hand and a glass of water in another. I also keep plain old Benadryl with me at all times and that seems to help too.

 

[LuLuO]

The last two times I ate kiwi my mouth and throat felt tingly & itchy. I googled it and supposedly kiwi is a fruit that commonly causes oral allergies. I'm sad because I love kiwi. Oh and I'm 51 and not allergic to anything else!

When I was younger, I once ate a Kiwi that made my lips swell to the size of Angelina Jolie's lips and they were very itchy. Also, my voice got really deep and I sounded like Kathleen Turner.

 

[fall08CP]

I developed this in college and am continually finding new foods are joining the list, most recently papaya and grapefruit. I haven't had problems with berries, oranges, watermelon, or grapes. Other fruit are only irritable in their raw form. This makes being a vegan very challenging!!

 

[Muushka]

OAS? Heck yes!

Coughed all the time. Docs thought it was asthma. Finally got a doc who used his brain. Stopped the asthma meds, so in addition to the cough, severe heartburn.

Went and had an esophagus biopsy and found eosinophilic esophigitis (eosinophils are white blood cells that are produced in reaction to an allergen).

Got treated for that, but just temporary. Begged the doc to follow up with allergy testing. Allergic to tons of foods. Fruit, nuts, soy......

So I avoid them and feel much better.

I thought it was normal to bite into an apple and have your lips go numb!