656273 Thu Oct 01 07:56:56 -0700 2009 17 29 Not About Food 0 5071932 I have experienced no food/drug allergies my entire life. However, over the past year or so, every time I have a Margarita at a particular Mexican Restaurant, I have an allergic reaction. My breathing becomes heavy and my face gets very red and I get whelps on my arms. This does not happen when I have any other Margarita or any other types of alcohol, etc. I am just curious to know what might be causing this reaction. Thanks Thu Oct 01 07:56:56 -0700 2009 1113264 lesacollett 1 5071995 There is probably an ingredient in their margarita mix that you are reacting to. Ask them which brand mix they use and try to get a copy of the ingredients. Since your breathing is involved, it would be wise to speak with your doctor and avoid the margaritas at that restaurant. Allergies often become worse with additional exposure - sometimes life threatening. Thu Oct 01 08:16:00 -0700 2009 5071932 111267 meatn3 1 5072011 They may be using fresh lime juice. Some folks with oral allergies have a reaction to citrus that isn't pasteurized. Thu Oct 01 08:21:25 -0700 2009 5071932 35992 vacationmomma 1 5073154 Some places, to save money, use bleach as a sanitizer(it's basically outlawed in most states these days. If you use it properly and lightly there is really no problem) However, some places will over do it in a final rinse sink behind the bar, and if the barglasses are not completely dry and they make a drink in them you may be getting a jolt of bleach. Might be your problem, just a thought. Thu Oct 01 15:29:17 -0700 2009 5071932 140140 mrbigshotno.1 1 5073726 I read an awful story a year or two ago about a woman with a peanut allergy who died drinking a margarita. She was extremely careful about everything she ate but of course it never occurred to her to question the margarita mix. Turned out there was some nut product in the mix. Obviously in your case it's not a nut allergy but do be careful Lesacollett! A friend used to have a slight reaction from eggplant (tingling tongue), but she loved the eggplant dish in an Indian resto we used to go to so much that she insisted on ordering it every time and limiting her tastes. (I pleaded with her not to do this.) Anyway, one evening she insisted and after a bite her tongue had swollen so badly she could barely breathe. Happily, she's still with us - and doesn't eat eggplant anymore. Her doc said the repeated exposures had just worn down what resistance she had to it. I repeat - LC do pls be careful. Thu Oct 01 20:33:33 -0700 2009 5071932 1093156 cinnamon girl 2 5074213 As a child I developed a slight allergy to walnuts. Even tho I've strictly limited my exposure to them it has gotten sooo much worse, as in life threatening. I now always carry antihistamine and an epi-pen with me, and if I don't mention it to the server when we go out, DH will, especially when there are nuts listed on the menu. LC, I sincerely hope you will not drink any more of those margaritas! This is your life you could be messing with and (as much as I LOVE a good 'rita) it isn't worth it! It can take mere moments for Anaphylaxis to take your life. https://www.google.com/health/ref/Anaphylaxis Fri Oct 02 06:44:40 -0700 2009 5073726 65780 jujuthomas 3 5075785 Sorry to hear this Juju. Do have any theories as to why it became worse over the years? Sometimes you hear of people outgrowing childhood nut allergies. You take care too! Fri Oct 02 20:48:34 -0700 2009 5074213 1093156 cinnamon girl 4 5076168 i have no theories, because other allergies have improved slightly. Fortunately I was never a big nut eater, I don't like crunchy things in my baked goods, so I don't miss it! it is a pain to have to be so careful, but once it's part of your routine it isn't a problem. :) Sat Oct 03 06:50:04 -0700 2009 5075785 65780 jujuthomas 4 5076237 For many allergens, if you practice elimination (rather than building tolerance very gradually over a long period of time), the allergic reaction intensifies over time. Sat Oct 03 07:43:27 -0700 2009 5075785 13819 Karl S 5 5076251 hmmm... that could explain why now I have almost no tolerance to be around people who own cats - let alone visiting their homes! and why my dairy allergy (sensitivity) is not as bad as it used to be. I just can't seem to avoid dairy! :) that nut allergy tho - since it started with swelling of the tongue and throat is not one I'm going to try to build up a tolerance with! LOL Sat Oct 03 07:51:42 -0700 2009 5076237 65780 jujuthomas 5 5077319 Oh that's interesting ... little hairs of the dog periodically. Unless, as Juju says, your throat closes up! Sat Oct 03 19:52:48 -0700 2009 5076237 1093156 cinnamon girl 1 5075530 I'm with meatn3, a lot of restaurants seem to deviate from the "simple" margarita recipe, who knows whats in there. I also agree that while with some allergies, exposure seems to lessen it (that was a friend's experience with cats), with food it seems to be the alternate. BTW, I sure hope that the margaritas didn't give you whelps as that means you had puppies appear on your arms !!! Those are some margaritas !!! ;) (couldn't resist) Fri Oct 02 17:12:35 -0700 2009 5071932 153184 im_nomad 2 5076302 I agree with you about food allergies. I can't have alcohol at all. Initially I could have a little bit and it wasn't too big a deal, but now just smelling certain beers and red wine triggers asthma attacks fairly quickly. Needless to say, with that type of reaction you aren't going to try to build up your tolerance. Sat Oct 03 08:19:54 -0700 2009 5075530 107671 queencru 1 5076772 Time to head to the Allergist. I've never been allergic to anything in my life. One late-evening, walked into a diner. Sat down, hadn't touched anything and got really hot and couldn't breath. My boyfriend rushed me to the ER down the street and I was covered in hives. No idea what I reacted to, since I didn't eat or drink a thing there. I did some allergy testing and it turns out I'm severely allergic to a few things, so now I have an Epi-Pen, in case of emergencies. I think that reaction means you're likely to be allergic to other things, too. Get tested and be careful! Sat Oct 03 13:13:35 -0700 2009 5071932 258252 Azizeh 2 5077088 that is just about my worst nightmare! had dinner one night (not by my choice) at a resto where over 1/2 the menu items had walnuts or pecans in them! I was terrified, but the waitress was awesome and very knowledgeable, and i got thru the meal, including desert w/o any problems. course if u tell them they'll have to call 911 if you get any nuts, they tend to pay attention! Sat Oct 03 16:57:05 -0700 2009 5076772 65780 jujuthomas 2 5077332 Dreadful. Just out of curiosity, were they all food items you were allergic too? Airborne spores or something? Sat Oct 03 19:59:25 -0700 2009 5076772 1093156 cinnamon girl 3 5077573 It was just particularly scary because I had no known allergies and had no idea why I couldn't breathe all of a sudden. There was a fairly long list. They do the testing and rate you 1-5. Something like 3 and above is what you need to be be careful about. I was semi-allergic to a whole bunch of stuff that I regularly eat without any problems. Limes, for one, oddly enough. I was also allergic to dog hair (but I have a dog and he doesn't bother me) but I found out I'm deathly allergic to some kind of pollen that blows around in the Santa Ana winds. Go figure. I never found out what set me off that night. Maybe it was someone's perfume or could've been that pesky pollen. I've also been having a reaction to lip gloss. I'm 27 and have always worn lipgloss, but the allergy is just coming out now. So, I'll probably go back for some cosmetic testing next. Sigh. Sat Oct 03 23:50:23 -0700 2009 5077332 258252 Azizeh 4 5081796 Good luck Azizeh. Some of those lip glosses have those agents that make your lips tingly and puffed a bit. I wonder if more and more of them are including that stuff, but maybe at levels low enough to fly under the radar. Hopefully, they'll lessen with time, like Juju and dairy. Mon Oct 05 22:38:30 -0700 2009 5077573 1093156 cinnamon girl