What are your more unusual symptoms of an allergic reaction?

[notashrimpwimp]

My allergy to corn started with hives after eating Sun Chips, canned corn, corn tortillas, and fresh corn. It progressed and resulted in uterine cramps more painful than menstrual cramps. I stubbornly persisted in consuming drinks with corn syrup in them, believing that the product was entirely too refined to hold any traces of protein. That was foolish.

The last two times I consumed corn syrup I started to feel woozy and disoriented, like sleep was imminent. I also noticed my heart beating really slow.

I also believe that, due to corn being in everything, I lost over fifty pounds in a year due to my inability to process or digest corn (as I had normal UE and colonoscopy and my bloodwork came back as normal).

Are there uncommon symptoms you experience that puzzled or startled you? How did you discover the correlation between it and your allergies?

[CMdeux]

Well, gastrointestinal PAIN is a biggie.

But you've already nailed my two personal favorite "really weird" symptoms.


My first shrimp anaphylaxis was like nothing so much as a miscarriage and it lasted for almost 48 hours, and went away with high doses of diphenhydramine, then came back like clockwork when it wore off.

Yuck.

The sleepy symptom... oh, boy.  THAT one.  That one is flatly unmistakable once you've seen it.  It's NOT like normal sleep.  It's like THIS:



Nothing "natural" or even "wholesome" or "restful" about it.  It's like being ensorcelled.  No other way to describe it accurately.

I've also noticed that the person in that twilight sleep is also generally pale and a bit clammy.

[Macabre]

Yes that sleepiness.

Uterine cramping.

Abdominal cramping that lasts for days  and is relieved for four hours at a time by Benadryl.

(CM and I lead parallel lives)

To shellfish alone, GI symptoms that start at 2 hours. I know, I know.

To sesame, my GI symptoms started after 20 min but were higher.

Persistent rash while using a chamomile-containing facial cleanser.

Spaciness--often accompanied by the Oz mustsleepiness but not always. Like in a few feet off the ground.

TMI alert [spoiler]GI symptom D has very distinctive odor not seen with viral D.  Just saying.  [/spoiler]

[CMdeux]

Yup-- the BIG D, as we call it around here.      The only nice thing is that-- usually-- you know it's coming.

_Usually.   

[krasota]

My ears bleed.

I'm pretty sure it's from eczema in there or something.  Or maybe hives I scratch at in my sleep.

Also, until I gave up gluten, I had almost no earwax.  I still don't have much, but it's at least present now.  And my ears bleed less after a reaction, so maybe they're a bit healthier.

[notashrimpwimp]

Well, gastrointestinal PAIN is a biggie.

But you've already nailed my two personal favorite "really weird" symptoms.


My first shrimp anaphylaxis was like nothing so much as a miscarriage and it lasted for almost 48 hours, and went away with high doses of diphenhydramine, then came back like clockwork when it wore off.

Yuck.

The sleepy symptom... oh, boy.  THAT one.  That one is flatly unmistakable once you've seen it.  It's NOT like normal sleep.  It's like THIS:



Nothing "natural" or even "wholesome" or "restful" about it.  It's like being ensorcelled.  No other way to describe it accurately.

I've also noticed that the person in that twilight sleep is also generally pale and a bit clammy.

It felt an awful like the last moments before you succumb to general anesthetics. The world spins madly on as The Weepies so aptly put it. It's disorienting and alarming but I couldn't put my finger on precisely why I should worry.

[notashrimpwimp]

Yes that sleepiness.

Uterine cramping.

Abdominal cramping that lasts for days  and is relieved for four hours at a time by Benadryl.

(CM and I lead parallel lives)

To shellfish alone, GI symptoms that start at 2 hours. I know, I know.

To sesame, my GI symptoms started after 20 min but were higher.

Persistent rash while using a chamomile-containing facial cleanser.

Spaciness--often accompanied by the Oz mustsleepiness but not always. Like in a few feet off the ground.

TMI alert [spoiler]GI symptom D has very distinctive odor not seen with viral D.  Just saying.  [/spoiler]

The uterine cramping alarmed me because I assumed I would start menstruating but I didn't.  I remember you posting about this earlier and decided to try Benadryl and it stopped them.

[notashrimpwimp]

My ears bleed.

I'm pretty sure it's from eczema in there or something.  Or maybe hives I scratch at in my sleep.

Also, until I gave up gluten, I had almost no earwax.  I still don't have much, but it's at least present now.  And my ears bleed less after a reaction, so maybe they're a bit healthier.

Oh no, that sounds miserable. I'm glad to hear that things are improving. 

[SilverLining]

That sleepiness isn't normal?  It might have saved my life because I was too tired to say what I meant, then to tired to correct myself.

I meant to say "I want to go home to bed".  But what came out was "I want to go to the hospital".  And, I was to exhausted to correct myself.  And anyway, hospitals have beds.  But, had I gone anywhere other then a hospital, I really don't think I would have survived.

Reactions always make me tired.  I thought it was normal.

[notashrimpwimp]

That sleepiness isn't normal?  It might have saved my life because I was too tired to say what I meant, then to tired to correct myself.

I meant to say "I want to go home to bed".  But what came out was "I want to go to the hospital".  And, I was to exhausted to correct myself.  And anyway, hospitals have beds.  But, had I gone anywhere other then a hospital, I really don't think I would have survived.

Reactions always make me tired.  I thought it was normal.

Not in my experience. If anything the Benadryl assists me in sleeping. Benadryl, when administered for corn) helps me focus in short bursts.

[SilverLining]

Sleepiness is a side effect of benedryl, but I'm talking about sleepiness before taking anything.