Sesame question

Hi Gwen,

I stay away from sunflower seeds because of the risk of cross contamination.

I eat pumpkin seeds if I back them myself, but, again, I stay away from store bought because of the risk of cross contamination.

Although, it's peanut traces I'm worried about more then sesame seed.

As for poppy seeds, etc., since I bake all my own breads and buns, I don't use them - the only seeds I ever did like on buns was sesame seeds.

Oils for cooking, I usually use canola or olive oil. I do sometimes use *vegetable oil* because in Canada if peanut or sesame seed oils are used they have to be listed - not sure about other countries though.

Hope this helps.

Also, I hope you aren't having to deal with sesame seed allergy yourself.

I have a sesame seed allergy. I do stay away from all seeds.

AnnaMarie- My dd who is 6 1/2 has a sesame allergy- she was a class 5 for sesame. She is also allergic to peanuts and ALL tree nuts.
Her sesame numbers are higher than everything though!

It is scary because sesame seeds are are so many things- it is strange- I do let her eat buns from certain restaurants that are seedless and I check them with a fine tooth comb, But if I read a label and it says made on the same lines as sesame seeds I don't buy it!
Am I being careless?

How did you find out about your sesame allergy??

Any info would be appreciated!
Thanks [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]

Gwen, I developed allergies to peanuts and sesame seeds at the same time - which is more than 15 years ago.

When I started to suspect peanut, I did the stupid thing - stuck a spoon full of pb in my mouth, just to make sure. Yup! I was sure about peanut after that.

When I started to suspect sesame seeds I was seeing an allergist. At that time they didn't have the serum to test for sesame seed. And, an allergist actually told me you can not be allergic to sesame seeds. Not possible. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/rolleyes.gif[/img] So, I started to look at other possiblities. For a while I thought I was allergic to wheat. I'll tell you - that's really hard to completely avoid. I realized I was not allergic to wheat when I realized I was eating it in so many things that I didn't know it was in. That led me back to sesame seeds.

I ate a Sesame Snack, which is like peanut brittle, but instead of peanuts it's packed solid with sesame seeds. That stuck me in the hospital. It was the ER doctor who said, yes you CAN be allergic to sesame seeds.

I continued having reactions, and continued trying to find a third allergy. Then one day as I was eating a sandwich and the loaf of bread was in front of me I noticed it said "may contain trace amounts of sesame seeds". I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I started calling bread companies and even those that did not put the warning, they did run on the same line. Then I started calling restaurants (I was still eating in some at that time). The pizza place I ate at - had bread sticks with sesame seeds. The dinner type places mostly purchased their breads - a few checked and the facilities that made their bread used sesame seeds in some products. But, the clincher was Red Lobster. It was the one restaurant I had been eating in without any reactions, except the last time I ate there, when I had a very severe reaction. I called and left a message for the manager to call me back. Shortly before my last visit they had changed the recipe for their buns (which at that time were made just for Red Lobster - I don't know about now). It had ground up sesame seeds in it.

So, I stopped eating any store bought breads/buns/breaded foods. And since then, I've had a few reactions caused by not being careful (e.g. a smudge of my son's pudding on my coffee cup) but I've finally been able to eliminate antihistamine as a daily thing. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]

You asked if you are being careless. That's definitely a personal opinion type of question. If you are attempting to eliminate ALL trace amounts, then I think eating buns in restaurants is risky, unless you check where they are produced.

It's a lot like checking about peanut traces - sometimes you have to be very specific in questioning - and still you come away with *not feeling warm & fuzzy* and decide - nope, not eating from that company.

Also, I recall finding out (sometimes too late) that there were ground up sesame seeds in buns - found them in bagels too - after taking a bite.

**********

I did eventually find one Toronto company that had a facility with no sesame seeds. However, they didn't produce *normal* breads and buns there - just some specialty stuff. Also, I would have to keep a list of some production number and check labels, and it started to sound like a lot more work then just sticking ingredients into a bread machine.

Now, I make all my own.

***********

Regarding Sandy's response, I recall there are others with sesame seed who avoid all seeds - and some because that was what their allergists suggested.

I admit that my decisions were made over a long process of finding what caused reactions in me and what didn't.

Well, I guess I've kind of written a whole book here haven't I? [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/redface.gif[/img]

If there's anything else I can answer or maybe clarify what I've said, feel free to ask; here or off board.

AnnaMarie,

Thanks for all the info- one question, what did you mean when you said you were able to get off the daily antihistamine?

Why were you on it and how did you know you should or could go off it??

I ask because my dd takes Zyrtec daily and I was thinking about trying her off soon, but she takes it for seasonal pollen allergies and I wonder if it just helps her system being on an antihistamine.

Thanks so much
Gwynne

Because I was constantly eating trace amounts of my allergen, I was having reactions daily. Some days were milder then others. I was taking a prescription anti-histamine 5 times daily. Plus benedryl for bad reactions, which were probably a few a week.

When I finally eliminated the trace amounts I was able to start eliminating the anti-histamine. I managed to get down to one a day. I stayed on that one for years, but I knew it was just a *crutch*. I spoke to my doctor about it, and he felt it was doing me no harm so if it made me feel safer don't worry, I'd give it up when I was ready.

It was only about 1 1/2 years ago I finally gave up that last pill. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]