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Nuts

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Nuts

Postby RogerS » 20 Sep 2014, 10:43

..or more specifically peanuts.

It is amazing what you learn. I'd always thought that nuts were nuts were nuts and that if you had a nut allergy then all nuts were verboten. Not so. Apparently peanuts are different to other nuts such as almonds, brazils etc -presumably because they are a 'below-ground' nut as opposed to a 'tree' nut.

So LOML (who as you probably remember is severely coeliac and food-challenged in many other areas) has been quite happily consuming almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachios to her heart's content. Until. Until I tried out a new Indian dish that featured peanuts.

Oh boy..oh boy. Not a full-on anaphylactic shock but certainly a much stronger reaction than 'mild'. Swollen tongue, glands, neck, throat - fortunately starting to go down but she was starting to wonder about going down to the surgery (which for her shows just how bad a reaction she'd had). Frustratingly she won't take any anti-histamine tablets as she doesn't want to run the risk of any side-effects and so is reliant on her body reducing the histamine level by itself. But not a happy bunny. Almost got to the point of Googling 'emergency tracheotomy' and wondering if I had a Bic I could spare.
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Re: Nuts

Postby Andyp » 20 Sep 2014, 10:53

Roger, been there and got the T-shirt. One of the twins has a nut allergy, diagnosed as part of general allergy tests for asthma. She then had a controlled test at the hospital and had a severe reaction. Now he is the rub. You can be allergic to nuts even though the blood test results are normal. And even with a high blood test result you might never have a reaction.

Fortunately she seems to be able to cope with traces of peanuts as found in just about everything but there is no way she would eat a whole one, or a satay sauce, peanut butter etc etc.

Good news is she might grow out of it. Another blood test coming up soon.
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Re: Nuts

Postby Rod » 20 Sep 2014, 11:18

As a family we don't have that problem, except one of my granddaughters is Lactose intolerant, but my wife tried to find cakes etc for my granddaughter to take to school for her class on her 7th birthday on Thursday.
Just about everything available is labelled with May Contain Nut Traces even though none in the ingredients list.
Because some children have nut allergies, anything brought to school must be nut free.
She did manage to find some in the end but took a lot of searching!

It seems to be quite a common problem?

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Re: Nuts

Postby RogerS » 20 Sep 2014, 11:26

Nut allergy - yes - but until now I thought that meant all nuts. But apparently you can be allergic to just peanuts. As LOML just found out the hard way. :(

The labelling of food with 'May contain nuts' or more often 'Food produced in a factory where nuts are used in other things' (or words to that effect) are important because some people are so sensitive that they can go into anaphylactic shock when just in the proximity of nuts. Viz the young girl on a recent Ryanair flight..http://www.techtimes.com/articles/13129 ... arning.htm
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Re: Nuts

Postby Rod » 22 Sep 2014, 06:52

There's a report in this mornings BBC News that roasted peanuts can trigger allergies more so than raw ones?

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Re: Nuts

Postby RogerS » 22 Sep 2014, 07:13

Rod wrote:There's a report in this mornings BBC News that roasted peanuts can trigger allergies more so than raw ones?

Rod


Now that IS interesting as the recipe I used called for them to be roasted. She's still nowhere near 100%.
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Re: Nuts

Postby Andyp » 22 Sep 2014, 07:58

I hope by now she has seen the GP and had some blood tests scheduled.
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Re: Nuts

Postby RogerS » 22 Sep 2014, 15:00

My wife see a GP :shock: :o Think of the Black Knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. She'd have to have all limbs missing, disembowelled, exsanguinated and Ebola before she'd go to see her GP!

Fortunately she is now on the mend.
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Re: Nuts

Postby Andyp » 22 Sep 2014, 15:25

Now that was a good film.

Good to hear that she is on the mend. As an aside we now carry a pack of emergency medicine for our daughter in case she has a reaction while we are out. Pack includes an anapen to give an urgent adrenaline shot should she need one. her school also has one. Only ever used on oranges so far (as a practice when the use by date expires)

lets hope you in-house GP never needs one.


Previous post now edited to make more sense :D Really must learn to think faster or type slower.
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Re: Nuts

Postby RogerS » 22 Sep 2014, 15:27

Andyp wrote:.....
Previous post now edited to make more sense :D Really must learn to think faster or type slower.


Better check again :D
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Re: Nuts

Postby Andyp » 22 Sep 2014, 15:29

I am going to have to speak to sys admin about this. There must be a problem with the forum software. I never used to be this bad.

Actually I wonder if I need a new keyboard.

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Re: Nuts

Postby Andyp » 22 Sep 2014, 15:33

RogerS wrote:exsanguinated


BTW will you please stop using words that I have to look up in the dictionary :D
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Re: Nuts

Postby RogerS » 22 Sep 2014, 15:41

Andyp wrote:
RogerS wrote:exsanguinated


BTW will you please stop using words that I have to look up in the dictionary :D


Suum cuique :lol:
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Re: Nuts

Postby Andyp » 22 Sep 2014, 15:45

If I had studied latin I would probably reply with a suitable riposte but the only one I can think of is in anglo saxon :D
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Re: Nuts

Postby StevieB » 22 Sep 2014, 15:54

Roger - for reference people can be allergic to all nuts, some nuts or a single type of nut. Peanut happens to be the nut that most people are allergic to. It also tends to produce the most sever reaction in people who are allergic to more than one nut type. Hope your other half is on the mend, but I would really recommend the carrying of adrenaline if she has that severe a reaction - an epipen or jetix pen. You can get them on repeat prescription (although you have to visit the GP the first time!) and may well save a life - anaphalaxis can stop breathing within minutes. An allergy bracelet is also a good idea - people allergic to one thing are generally more susceptible to other allergens - penicillin is a good example - and if the worst should happen its a good idea for the paramedics to have as much info as possible from the start.

Andy - there are levels of immune response to allergens and there is no simple relationship between dose and response. Blood tests are caused by antibodies to the test product (allergen) being present in your blood stream. Having them does not mean you will have a severe allergic reaction, merely that your body has been exposed to the allergen previously. Of course, having high levels of antibodies will typically produce a more sever reaction, but this is not guaranteed. Thus you can have high levels and no reaction when the allergen is ingested, or vice versa. Reactions can also be modified by other factors, such as how stimulated your immune system is due to other factors (infection, smoking, illness etc).

Allergy responses (and other immune disorders) are better thought of as a 'spectrum' rather than an all or nothing phenomena, and your position within that spectrum not only will vary compared to others but also vary with time and other external influences.

Apologies if the post sounds like preaching, not meant to! I have an 8 year old son who has severe allergies from birth and regular hospital visits. We have just about managed his condition successfully but it is a continual struggle with foods, especially as he gets older and gets more invites to friends and parties etc - not sure how he is going to cope as a rebellious teenager! We carry adrenaline etc at all times and probably keep the makers of Piriton in business :D

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Re: Nuts

Postby Andyp » 22 Sep 2014, 16:49

Steve, thanks for you input and welcome to WH2. You put things far better than I ever could.

Believe me we have been there with child allergies. Our daughter now 10, has grown out of some of them, her eczema has gone completely and asthma now a lot less frequent. There is even a chance that the peanut allergy will also lessen over time.
I hope your son's condition can improve too.
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Re: Nuts

Postby RogerS » 22 Sep 2014, 17:23

Hi Steve and many thanks for the extra input and a very warm welcome from me as well.

I stand little chance of getting a prescription for an Epipen since LOML refuses (almost) to go to the GP in the first place. Wonder if you can buy them online?
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Re: Nuts

Postby stephen.wood125 » 22 Sep 2014, 21:37

Hi Roger,

Glad to hear LOYL is on the mend. As Steve said it's definitely a spectrum, from one of my engineers who had a tingly mouth and felt off after a curry, to a lovely girl, Laura from my Tennis Club who unfortunately died from anaphylactic shock.

http://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/ ... 7.weekend1

Sorry it's from the Grauniad, but it was a link high up Google's results.

Really delightful family torn apart by something so avoidable. Sorry if this is heavy handed but I'd rather unsettle the LOYL and get her to have an Epipen nearby than avoid offence and not. Going to the funeral of an incredibly bright 18 year old who should have had it all was a terrible occasion.

Again, sorry and if you think this is OTT please delete.
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