Talking Allergies

So I've been living with really bad food allergies for over 2 years and I am extremely careful whenever I eat at home when introducing new food items.

That being said, I just ate some chicken with NO coating on it, just dried dill which I am fine with and two other side dishes I know I don't have issues with.

As I'm writing this my lips are swelling up (yes, I've taken my allergist prescribed pills and Benedryll) and I am starting to think of cutting out chicken in my diet.

Call me crazy but do you think I'm reacting to whatever drugs they use on the chickens? The brand is Kirkland from Costco. My real question is does anyone else have a theory that it's the drugs they used on the chickens that you are reacting to?

I'm not trying to start a revolution or I'm some activist, I just want to try and figure out what the bleep I'm reacting to since I introduced no new food items in my meal earlier this evening.

Another question. Has anyone reacted to regular store bought chicken and were fine with certified organic chicken?

One thing that I should mention is a Christmas tree was just brought in my place today and normally I do react badly to it with my eyes closing shut but it's not like I'm eating the Christmas tree! It's never made my lips swell up.

Any opinions are welcome.

First thought about the chicken......are you allergic to any medications? I have a vague memory of some discussion regarding antibiotic or penicillin in either chickens or cows. (Not very helpful am I?)

Second thought about the tree.....if you react to trees, have you tried buying a different kind? or getting an artificial one? And I assume you do NOT poke yourself in the eye with the tree, yet they swell up....you don't have to eat the tree for it to cause your mouth to swell up. Whatever gets into your eyes causing that reaction is just as likely to get into your mouth and cause a reaction there.

~~~

If you have any difficulties breathing or feel your throat swelling, get to a hospital and probably use an epi.

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self: allergy to sesame seeds and peanuts
3 sons each with at least one of the following allergies: peniciilin, sulfa-based antibiotic, latex, insect bites/stings

Some allergists say they are starting to see chicken allergies cropping up.

That kind of swelling is a pretty serious symptom. In your shoes, I'd make an appt. with an allergist and get tested for chicken soon as you can (e.g. see if you can get on a cancellation list).

FYI, it is possible to be allergic to chicken but not other kinds of water fowl. best with it!

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Allergic to soy, peanut, shellfish, penicillin

Thanks for both of your input.

Yes it is a real Christmas tree. Usually the tree just makes my eyes close up, usually when I awake from a good nights sleep, although at my workplace a Christmas tree was recently put in and my left arm started to swell up. What makes it difficult to determine is unfortunately is a home office and 2 cats are constantly in my face, literally, and sometimes I have to gently lift them up with my hands so it could be that.

Anyway, back to the chicken, yes, I am allergic to medication, ibuprofen/aspirin, although from what I hear, and from my mother's side who has very similar allergies to mine (darn heredity) is also quite allergic to aspirin. Besides that, Benedryll and Predestine and regular Tylenol (the white ones) are the only meds I am ok with.

Actually now that I think about it (prepare to be grossed out ) I have reacted very badly to epinephrine. Yes, the same stuff that is in epi-pen's due to sulfities. It was so bad that the last time I went to the hopital and they gave me epinephrine immediately my airways closed up and 5 doctors rushed into the room and gave me another shot of epinephrine, which then worked and then I threw up.

These are the only drugs I have ever taken in my life, I don't even take vitamin pills because a doctor wanred me to take the white Tylenol becuase it has less "fillers" in them and a lot of drug companies.vitamin companies put crap in it to use as fillers.

Not sure if this helps, but the last thing I'll say is this morning my lips were still swollen, took more Benedryll and Predestine and about 4 hours later things went back to normal.

Yes, we have another member who is allergic to the presevatives in the Epipen...

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy and green beans) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: Oral Allergy Syndrome, Allergic to Birch trees

I know of someone who must eat chicken that is free from anitibiotics & hormones due to reactions from the antibiotics and hormones fed to the chickens. She buys the "Free From" chicken from the Loblaws chain of stores. It has a green and white PC label. Actually, we have been buying that chicken lately, and it actually does taste so much better!

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17 yr old daughter: no health issues
15 yr old son: allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, egg, fish, sesame,sunflower,mustard,poppy seeds, peas, carrots, some fruits, instructed to avoid legumes(except soy & green beans),pollen, cats, horses, cold urticaria

Thanks Julie for the advice.

I've never tried the PC chicken before but I might try it sometime soon.

My daughter is allergic to chicken. We caught it about 1.5 years ago. It was causing her to vomit several times a week and finally she had some and it made her lips swell. We had her tested with some chicken from the same frozen package and a fresh-free chicken. She was allergic to both.



Jenny

I am allergic to the drugs that they give Turkeys. I don't seem to be allergic to chicken although I really don't like eating it. But Turkey causes the same affects as you described above. It sucks but I use it as an excuse to eat more red meat. hahah...and have real bacon.

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Moi: Pineapples, Turkey and Asthma.
Fiance: Ana. to Dairy, Eggs, Peanuts/Nuts and Horse. Also has asthma.

I am highly allergic to any fowl! I found this out back when I was pregnant with my daughter, now 34 years ago. I get very bad cramps, that I think will never stop. So when I received news that I had celiac disease, that helped me understand my stomach pains. (But I can eat chicken eggs.) This means I cannot have any fowl soup, broth and meats in any foods that I eat.

So this also means I can NEVER have the flu shots that are given out every year.

To this day, I have asked many doctors why I am allergic in eating chicken or turkey. And I have not found out why yet, I just accept it!

I like to see I'm not strange any longer, and you here have the same problems as I.