Orange allergy

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Snifflesandsneezes:
Ten years ago I started having problems with allergies I'd never had before. Environmental and food allergies. It was really surprising. When I had the skin test I tested positive for oranges. I never remembered getting hives or anything from oranges before. The nurse told me that if I had't had any reactions I could still eat them even if the test showed positive. I didn't do that. I stayed away from oranges. Period.

About a week ago I was out and got a mango smoothie. It had an orange slice on the cup and it had a straw. I figured no big deal I just wouldn't eat the orange. As I drank the smoothie I became aware that the whipped cream on top tasted very much like a dreamsicle with orange and cream. I drank 80% of the smoothie. My stomach started to burn. I was uncomfortable and had to stop drinking it. Within I'd say an hour or two my nose became very congested. I didn't make any connections. I got a splitting headache and I noticed much of it was sinus.

I went to bed with the headache and when I woke up it was 80% gone. As the day wore on it started to hurt more again. I noticed that the burning sensation in my stomach kept bothering me off and on for days. Today my stomach has been burning again. I started thinking when did my stomach first start burning anyway? And then I remembered. I thought about the orange slice and taste in my drink a week ago. I got curious about the reactions for an allergy to oranges so, I looked up the symptoms. The first site I found listed stomach pain, congestion and headache. Among other things like hives as well. I don't have any hives. So, it would appear that for the past week I've been having an allergic reaction to oranges? My question is this.. does anyone else have this allergy and if so, how long does the reaction usually last? Any input would be appreciated :).

CMdeux:
Honestly, it is possible that the symptoms were allergic in nature....

it seems just as probable (if not more-so, given how long this lasted) that you had some kind of virus that was giving you those symptoms.
The symptoms seem MORE likely to be illness-related than allergic-- they are pretty non-specific. Your stomach hurt, you were nasally congested and you had a headache, which improved with rest.

Lots of viruses with those exact symptoms running around this time of year, KWIM? The fact that the symptoms improved and came back on their own and with rest strikes me as more 'illness' than allergy. I know when I've got something allergic happening precisely because those things DO NOT help. ONLY antihistamines or other allergy-specific meds do.

If you aren't taking special care to avoid orange, you're probably ingesting small amounts all the time without even realizing it. Cross-contamination is a HUGE problem with any kind of juice or prepared fruit, truly. Restaurants often flavor water with citrus, and it's EVERYWHERE in bars. It's also present in things like marinades, sauces, salad dressings, baked goods, etc.

How certain are you that you are NOT allergic to mango? That one is actually slightly more common as allergens go.

If your doctor feels that you "might" be allergic, then s/he needs to clarify whether or not it is okay for you to eat this food. If there is some question about whether or not it is okay for you to eat the food, then s/he needs to arrange for you to have an in office food challenge to find out the answer.

Were you diagnosed by an allergist?

Janelle205:

--- Quote from: CMdeux on December 10, 2011, 07:34:13 PM ---If you aren't taking special care to avoid orange, you're probably ingesting small amounts all the time without even realizing it. Cross-contamination is a HUGE problem with any kind of juice or prepared fruit, truly. Restaurants often flavor water with citrus, and it's EVERYWHERE in bars. It's also present in things like marinades, sauces, salad dressings, baked goods, etc.

--- End quote ---

Agreed - I was avoiding orange for a while, and it was very difficult - it is in tons of places that you wouldn't expect, like CM said, so you're probably eating more orange than you think.

I would lean towards a virus, or maybe acid reflux? I know that when my reflux acts up, I can end up getting really congested and mucousy as well.

Snifflesandsneezes:

--- Quote from: CMdeux on December 10, 2011, 07:34:13 PM ---Honestly, it is possible that the symptoms were allergic in nature....

it seems just as probable (if not more-so, given how long this lasted) that you had some kind of virus that was giving you those symptoms.
The symptoms seem MORE likely to be illness-related than allergic-- they are pretty non-specific. Your stomach hurt, you were nasally congested and you had a headache, which improved with rest.

Lots of viruses with those exact symptoms running around this time of year, KWIM? The fact that the symptoms improved and came back on their own and with rest strikes me as more 'illness' than allergy. I know when I've got something allergic happening precisely because those things DO NOT help. ONLY antihistamines or other allergy-specific meds do.

If you aren't taking special care to avoid orange, you're probably ingesting small amounts all the time without even realizing it. Cross-contamination is a HUGE problem with any kind of juice or prepared fruit, truly. Restaurants often flavor water with citrus, and it's EVERYWHERE in bars. It's also present in things like marinades, sauces, salad dressings, baked goods, etc.

How certain are you that you are NOT allergic to mango? That one is actually slightly more common as allergens go.

If your doctor feels that you "might" be allergic, then s/he needs to clarify whether or not it is okay for you to eat this food. If there is some question about whether or not it is okay for you to eat the food, then s/he needs to arrange for you to have an in office food challenge to find out the answer.

Were you diagnosed by an allergist?

--- End quote ---

I'm pretty sure I don't have a virus. I don't feel sick with body aches or fevers or anything. Initially I thought it was indigestion. The nasal congestion was almost gone by bedtime and was totally gone when I got up in the morning. The headache took two days to go completely away. The only thing left now is the acidy burning feeling in my stomach that seems to come and go and is more pronounced if my stomach is empty.

I'm sure I'm not allergic to mangoes. I eat them often and have never had any reactions or positive test results on any of the allergy tests I've had.

I was diagnosed with several allergies by an allergist. My allergist didn't say that I might have an allergy to oranges. She said that I am allergic to them. The skin test that she gave me was positive for an allergy to oranges as well as a few other foods and some environmental allergies.

What was curious to me was being diagnosed with the allergy and not remembering having any hives and sneezing from them prior to the diagnosis. When I started with these symptoms presently it made me curious as to what the symptoms for orange allergy are so, I looked them up. My thought was IF it was actually, a reaction to oranges maybe I was experiencing this type of reaction in my past and never recognized it because I thought of the more typical hives and sneezing kind of reaction.

I am very careful about avoiding oranges and the other foods I'm allergic to because, I'm allergic to all nuts as well. I almost never eat any baked goods and rarely eat store bought marinades. I don't eat bars or drink juices or flavored waters. I drink water, coffee or green tea. Very seldom do I drink anything else.

Snifflesandsneezes:

--- Quote from: Janelle205 on December 10, 2011, 07:39:25 PM ---
--- Quote from: CMdeux on December 10, 2011, 07:34:13 PM ---If you aren't taking special care to avoid orange, you're probably ingesting small amounts all the time without even realizing it. Cross-contamination is a HUGE problem with any kind of juice or prepared fruit, truly. Restaurants often flavor water with citrus, and it's EVERYWHERE in bars. It's also present in things like marinades, sauces, salad dressings, baked goods, etc.

--- End quote ---

Agreed - I was avoiding orange for a while, and it was very difficult - it is in tons of places that you wouldn't expect, like CM said, so you're probably eating more orange than you think.

I would lean towards a virus, or maybe acid reflux? I know that when my reflux acts up, I can end up getting really congested and mucousy as well.

--- End quote ---

My thought is if not a reaction then probably some kind of acid reflux kind of thing. But, it was very interesting to see some of the symptoms listed be the same ones that I experienced. Oh well, I guess if I'm still feeling burning tomorrow I'll try an antacid.. and then an allergy pill some time later. If neither work then I guess it's just one of those things lol.