I was diagnosed with a wheat allergy in mid-life after I started having random reactions (itchy scalp, palms, etc, flushing, sometimes hives) after eating food. I went to an allergist for testing as I suspected wheat. My skin test was not reactive, but my blood test was mild to moderate. I was surprised to learn that you can develop allergies anytime.
I learned that the gluten-free diet can have wheat in it, so I still need to carefully read the ingredients on the labels.
I have seasonal allergies and am allergic to cats, mold, and other things. I have IBS and rosacea and I believe that they are all related, with gut health and inflammation connections.
My youngest daughter has severe peanut and tree nut allergies. My oldest daughter has FPIES allergy to fish and pork, is lactose intolerant, and has eczema that improves when she cuts out gluten. She gets breakouts on her hands in the winter.
Even our dog has allergies and I had to change her dog food from chicken to Purina Pro Plan sensitive skin and stomach salmon and rice formula. We give her an antihistamine and some other allergy treats.
All this to say, if you or a family member starts having reactions after eating, try to track what it is they ate and go to an allergist for testing.
I have to avoid wheat for the rest of my life. The hardest part is learning that it hides in things. I have a list of ingredients to look out for on product labels and have had a few reactions to foods that did not have wheat on the label. Eating at restaurants is a challenge and I have to research before I go and talk to the restaurant when I’m there. If they are not well versed in food allergies and cross-contamination, I will not eat there.
I carry two AUVI-Q and my daughter carries them as well. Always carry two.
My daughter recently had a reaction for the first time since she was two. She was out with friends and ordered a peppermint milkshake at a restaurant. This place had sprinkled toppings for desserts. Somehow, her milkshake had peanuts in it that were not supposed to be. Once she realized what was in it, she spit it out and used an AUVI-Q.
She continued on with her night and they went to a basketball game. Her reaction came back while they were at the game and they rushed to the ER, where I met them. She was treated with a cocktail of epinephrine, steroid, benedryl, pepcid, and another medicine I can’t recall. The nurses monitored her for a few hours and we went home later that evening. I monitored her that night in case the reaction came back. Thank goodness they were able to stop the reaction. And thank goodness she had her AUVI-Q with her and knew to act.
The teen and college years are the highest risk group because they don’t want to carry the two doses of epinephrine and they are more likely to take more risks due to peer pressure and dining out.
Food allergies are no joke. It is my hope that with more research we will be able to find treatments and hopefully a cure in my or my children’s lifetime.
Here are a few resources that are very helpful for those with newly diagnosed with food allergies.
Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) – https://www.foodallergy.org/resources
Kids with Food Allergies – https://kidswithfoodallergies.org/
Wheat allergy – https://acaai.org/allergies/allergic-conditions/food/wheat-gluten/
Adult-onset food allergies – https://www.foodallergy.org/fare-blog/adult-onset-food-allergies-silent-epidemic
Allergic Living magazine – https://www.allergicliving.com/
Snack Safely – https://snacksafely.com
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