Adult onset PA

Hi Steph,
I was diagnosed with adult onset PA about a year ago....and I'm a grandmother! I also ate peanuts but was probably mildly allergic for years before being diagnosed when I had an anaphylactic reaction.

It really does get easier but it takes a while. I think you go through stages...denial, anger, etc. It's a life-changing diagnosis.

At first, you feel like you can't eat anything. Then you realize that the 'safe' things are basic foods. Fruits, veggies, etc. I don't know how you found out that you are PA - but I found out by having an awful reaction. I don't want to go through that again, so it keeps me on the straight and narrow. Eating risky food just isn't worth it.

You'll find your 'comfort zone'...which is what you feel safe eating - and how safe you feel when you're in the proximity of peanuts (flying, ball games, etc.) You'll find out if you are really sensitive - which might mean you have to be careful about even smelling peanut butter - or you might find out (like me)
that you can smell it but can't eat it.

There are lots of peanut-free foods out there. Spend some time reading the posts here...especially 'Manufacturers (food) safe & unsafe'. You'll learn what companies you can trust. For example, I know I can eat at Burger King and that Hershey's Milk Chocolate & Special Dark bars are safe! (in the regular size - not the king-size. ALWAYS read the label)

You aren't the only one that has to deal with this. There are lots of us - all here to help you if you need it.

You'll be ok.....it'll just take a while to learn how to deal with it. You might also check out FAAN's web site at [url="http://www.foodallergy.org."]www.foodallergy.org.[/url]
Adele

[This message has been edited by Adele (edited February 13, 2006).]

Hi,

I am 26 and became allergic to peanuts in 2000 when I was 20

Steph,
Do you eat in restaurants? I have no choice as I travel for my occupation. I use a chef card and it has made life SO much easier. If you tell the wait staff in a restaurant, 'I have a peanut allergy' it seems they all say the same thing...'there aren't any peanuts in this'. The chef card spells out what you can't have and my card also covers cross contamination issues. I used a Chef card I found on line but added a few things. I printed it on a bright orange paper and had it laminated. I hope this helps.
Adele
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CHEF CARD

To the Chef:

WARNING! I am allergic to peanuts. In order to avoid a life-threatening reaction, I must avoid all foods that might contain peanuts, including:

PEANUT OIL
ARACHIS OIL
PEANUT FLOUR
PEANUT BUTTER
PEANUT
NUT PIECES
MONKEY NUTS
MIXED NUTS
MANDELONAS
GROUND NUTS
ARTIFICIAL NUTS
GOOBER NUTS
MARZIPAN
NOUGAT

If any of the above are served in your kitchen, please ensure any utensils
and equipment used to prepared my meal, as well as prep surfaces, are
thoroughly cleaned prior to use. Thanks for your cooperation.
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I think we almost have enough members of the adult on-set to start our own club. Maybe I'll design some t-shirts. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/wink.gif[/img]

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Hi Steph.

I also developed allergies as an adult. I was in my late 20's and had two small kids. All of a sudden peanutbutter and sesame seeds decided they didn't like me anymore.

As for your food *choices* not being fair to your kids - well, this isn't your choice. It is unfair - but it's not a choice. And your kids will survive. Mine did. I had two kids in elementary school when I developed my allergies. One of them was a peanutbutter fanatic. The kind of kid that won't eat anything else. And yet - he survived. And he doesn't hate me because he grew up with no peanut butter. My third child was born after I developed my allergies - so he doesn't really know anything different. Although, he was absolutely thrilled the first time his dad took him to Burger King and he got a bun with sesame seeds on it. My husband had nightmares - but my little guy sure was happy. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]

There are some decent pb substitutes available too. My favourite is [url="http://www.peabutter.com"]www.peabutter.com[/url] I even bake with it. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img] You can also try sunbutter, soynut butter, pumpkin seed butter .

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You stated in your post that you are very fearful and overly careful with the products you are eating.

First of all - you can NEVER be to careful. Even products that I eat regularly - I read the label in the store, read it when I'm putting it away in my cupboard, and read it again when I open it to eat. I used to think this meant I was paranoid - but actually, it just makes me a [i]somewhat[/i] normal person with food allergies. Lots of us read and re-read the labels.

Now, about the fear. I'm guessing you had a very serious reaction. Probably anaphylactic. It took me quite a while to get past the fear. At least a few years. I was terrified to ride the bus, go away on vacation, go to an amusement park. I was terrified of everything. I was constantly overwhelmed with the *what ifs*. Then, one day, I just took control again. I realized that as long as I was careful, I would be fine. So I'm careful.

In regard to your children, I've found there are peanut butter substitutes that children really love including Sunbutter, Soybutter and Peabutter. Most kids wouldn't even notice a difference with jelly. My daughter has the allergy but we all live like we do because of her.

There are so many "safe" foods out there that after a while, you won't feel anyone is missing much.

This happened to me as well! I never had any allergies, airborne or food, and I even remember being proud of that fact. Then I started getting hives and having other unpleasant symptoms in my 20's. My hubby, who was severly allergic to mold & grass, kept telling me he thought it was a food allergy, and I brushed it off. Even after a couple ER trips due to lots and lots of hives, I still didn't get tested. It wasn't until my first anaphylaxis episode, while driving, that I finally got tested. You could have knocked me over with a feather when they told me it was soy & peanuts, especially since I'd had just eaten a reese's peanut butter cup. You should have seen the doctor's face when I told him that--I wish I had a camera with me! I had no idea that it was soy & peanuts. My anaphylaxis happened after eating a bagel & cream cheese. Who knew soy was in so much? Why do twinkies contain soy protein? Or ice cream or bread or juice drinks or pop or any other number of things?

I've learned to be extremely careful, and to keep a sense of humor. If I can't eat, I don't. I end up with fresh fruit or sometimes even a dry bowl of lettuce. But, I'm in great shape, and I'm healthier than I've ever been, since I really can't eat anything bad.

I have discovered one upside--I can't eat airline food!

Hi jb. Welcome to the board.

Soy is pretty hard to avoid. Was it the soy or the peanut that caused your anaphylaxis?

I'm so glad I found this website! I never get to talk to others that have food allergies. So many people think that they do, but usually they really don't.

I've had several episodes of anaphylaxis. Most of them have been due to soy, since it's the hardest to avoid. I've just had a few due to peanuts.

One was actually traced to echinecea, which I didn't even know I was allergic to. I guess they don't check for that one. I've got it planted in my garden, and just brushing up against it gives me big beautiful hives! Maybe I should have known by that, but I really never thought about checking my food for it.

The only other allergy I have is nickel, which I understand is not all that uncommon. The ironic thing was that I was allergic to my medic alert bracelet!

Oh I hate this has happened to you -- but I am so glad to learn that I am not alone!! I am the first case my allergy Dr has seen of an adult who has eaten peanuts all of her life and then suddenly became allergic. I was eating a Reese's cup -- miss those SO much! -- last March and had a horrible reaction. I was swollen and the pain was on the right side of my face, my right arm and hand went numb -- thought I was having a stroke! Then I swelled and felt weak, the whole time I was taking aspirin and praying that God would let me live. I was pregnant then (but didn't know it) and I didn't know what had happened but was glad that it went away after a few days. Then it happened when I ate peanut butter toast, then chicken fried in peanut oil... I finally figured out what was happening -- and lost the baby in April. I think I lost the baby because of all of those aspirin, but before that I had never of food allergies developing in adults like this. Who would have thought that everything in my house had peanut products in it??? I still do let the children eat peanut butter as long as they don't come around Moma after. They choose to not eat it when they do want to be around me, and they don't eat it near me. I'm not sure if that's wrong or not. I've also had two mild reactions since then, but Benadryl have been effective enough that I have had no shot -- Praise the Lord! Just when are you supposed to stick that big needle in you anyway? My Dr said Benadryl and EpiPen, but these reactions are from Corn Pops Cereal (soybeans?), Chocolate Pie with no warnings, and Ice Cream with cashews. I'm not supposed to be allergic to those. I eat a LOT of Oreos! and Hershey's bars. I read the warning labels and do not eat if it may contain nuts or has been processed. It is so overwhelming for me to eat out in a restaurant! The waitresses say that they don't cook in peanut oil but it still scares me to death b/c they don't seem very concerned. I hope the therapy helps you, and I'm glad that you found this board. This is my first time on the board -- should have found it a long time ago! I'm 32, btw.

Detra
Matt 19:26

jb, have a kind of funny story about a (probably) nickle allergy.

Guy that works for my husband recently developed this allergy. Had to get new glasses, can't wear his watch, etc. One day his wife gets a call from daughter-in-law saying their 6 month old baby has the same allergy as grandpa - must be hereditary.

At 3:00 in the morning grandma phones daughter-in-law to tell her - heredity has nothing to do with it. Baby's dad was adopted. (She had forgotten.) lol

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Anyway, you and I have something in common. I think my sesame allergy got worse and worse because I kept eating it for so long. First, the doctor said it wasn't possible to be allergic to it. Then, I just had no idea how many things it was hidden in (trace amounts) that were not listed. I'm fortunate that labelling has gotten better regarding sesame.

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Hi dcdow2. There is a recipe around here for non-peanutbutter cups. They are made with peabutter. Yummy, but extremely messy to make. Sorry to hear about your miscarriage. That must have been very difficult to deal with. As for letting your kids have peanuts - that's up to you. There's not a right & wrong answer. In my home it didn't work - but that doesn't mean it wouldn't work in someone elses. In fact, there are a lot of people that it does work for.

Welcome to the board. I'll try to raise the thread with the peabutter recipe.

LOL! So funny! I remember having a rash from my watch when I was a little kid, nothing terrible. Then I started having trouble with earrings and other jewelry, and then my 14kt gold wedding ring gave me a rash. Not to worry, though, DH felt bad and I ended up getting a platinum one to replace it.

Do you all think that genetic engineering of our foods may be what's causing adult onset of peanut allergy?

[This message has been edited by purefood (edited March 02, 2006).]

I think genetically modified foods is a contributing factor to the increase in allergies.

I also think there is some weight to the hygeine hypothesis.

I was tested today by an allergist who confirmed I have a Peanut allergy. I am 42 and have enjoyed peanuts, peanut butter and most notably oberweis chocolate peanut butter ice cream my entire life. I had a swollen tongue anaphylaxis reaction 2 weeks ago, which we thought was triggered by Aleve (naproxen). Surprised to learn it was the peanut butter! This was the second reaction in 3 months. I now need to learn life with an EpiPen and without my favorite ice cream. I still have beer. Mike