New/Lost

[lakeswimr]

It is certainly true that a person can go from having hives to having anaphylaxis.  But it is NOT true that each exposure is going to have a worse reaction.  That happens for some people and not others.  In IgE food allergies reactions tend to be based on how much allergen is ingested.  The OP, though, does not sound like she has had any IgE symptoms, not even hives, so I do not think what you are saying applies here. 

With food allergies, it is usually necessary to eliminate even trace amounts of allergens.  Nutritionist don't always understand that.  If you do go to a nutritionist, do NOT take their advice regarding allergies.  If she/he says "a bit won't hurt you" turn and run.

TY for the advice! Do you think that is also so, even in cases with the allergen doesn't cause anaphylaxis?

I'm not a doctor or expert.  But my own experience (and that of many others but NOT all others) is that the more exposure to your allergen, the more severe the reaction.  My reactions were originally hives....then very bad hives....eventually they became anaphylactic.  Back then, very few allergens were listed as "may contain" and the allergist I was seeing was really not helpful at all.

So, I do realize some of the less common allergens are really difficult to avoid even trace amounts, but as much as possible, I'm a strong believer in making the attempt.  Especially for any allergens that are commonly anaphylactic or any allergens that YOU feel cause a more serious reaction.

[lakeswimr]

You might have Celiac.  Blood testing isn't 100% accurate.  Celiac can cause gastro problems, brain fog, tiredness, and a weird skin rash and other things.  A lot of people only have ONE of the symptoms that go with it. 

[Macabre]

I would like to add something. Badjer what you're experiencing may or may not be due to a food allergy.  By I would add that I've seen some pretty atypical allergic responses.  I won't go into my shellfish reactions which present at the outside window of fine generally accepted after ingestion (though really is love to hear what the UVA doc who specializes in the allergy to beef developed from tick bites that has an onset of symptoms at 6 hours would say)

Below you'll see I have a chamomile allergy. I've had anaphylaxis from putting lotion on my hands with chamomile. At other times I've merely had a runny nose from ingestion. But I stay away from it.

I was seeing a dermatologist for a skin issue--for several actually. One of which is perioral dermatitis.  An antibiotic keeps it at bay.  I get these bumps that look like zits and they won't go away for months. If it a while it was accompanied by a redness, a rash around the area. It was persistent. It itched. Sometimes it was dry and itched.

I had recently bought a new container of facial cleanser that I used in the shower. Used it for years.  But I hadn't read the ingredients of this tube, though I had of the previous one.

One day I did look at the ingredients and lo and behold they had added chamomile. I compared it to the old tube that I had kept for traveling.

When I stopped using it, my rash went away.

I didn't have hives. I had a rash. Clearly linked to using a cleanser containing chamomile.


Also I will add that in years past--close to the time I developed my FAs in 2005--when I used a different  cleanser with microbeads (and different brands of them) if I touched something I was allergic to and then touched my face I would get a huge welt that would remain for a day or so.  It was a raised red spot, the area I had touched. And it itched like crazy. This typically happened at work or church--where I was in greater contact with animal dander residue and who knows what else. I remember putting liquid Benadryl on my face at the office before we'd go on camera. Ugh.

Once I stopped using that type of cleanser, which I think was making my skin more raw and ready to receive an allergen--those reactions stopped. It wasn't the cleanser itself like the one above, but it was the priming action the microbeads had on my skin.

[lakeswimr]

I do not have food allergies but I have had lots of skin allergic reactions to soaps, lotions, deodorants, shampoos, makeups, etc.  My dermatologist offered to do patch testing to help me figure out all my triggers.