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Anything is possible, and while you could be sensitizing to peanut there's several reasons I'd think not.
First, most adults don't sensitize to nuts later in life. They can, but shellfish or crustaceans are the usual culprits. Peanut butter is the last thing I would suspect if you were truly sensitizing to peanuts. Peanuts are pretty much everywhere in food across Taiwan. Yes, I'm very familiar with Taiwan in particular. Peanut butter is harder to find than ground peanuts or boiled peanuts that's in much of the food. Even 沙茶醬 comes in a variety with peanut in it and 沙茶醬 is used in so many foods.
The medical system there is quite affordable without insurance, we've used it before for ourselves and for our child. That said you have to know people who know the right people to get to a good doctor. Taiwan is actually the center of a lot of solid IgE-mediated allergy research hosting the APCAACI conference in 2013.
I can get the name of a well qualified allergist there if you want to get started. Hong Kong would be another option if you're paying out of pocket anyhow and since you're an American my understanding of our responsibilities living expatriate is that we still owe taxes 'here' so you may be able to write that off partially as medical expenditure.
For peanut what I would be concerned about are really nasty bacteria. Even in the US the peanut industry here has caused horrific public health issue do to outrageous sanitary conditions that killed some, sickened many more. Honestly, if you're eating like a local you're probably eating a lot of peanut all the time.
I'm probably the only regular on FAS that has specific knowledge of where you currently reside, FYI.
Since I'm guessing by the political affiliation and Costco reference your physical geography is around Kaoshiung you should be in decent shape to get to Tainan. There are a quite a few medical facilities in Kaoshiung, I know some of the people that run them. For allergies I'd see if you can't get in touch with Dr. Wang Jiu-Yao in Tainan at National Cheng Kung University. He's a pediatric allergist but he's the right type of allergist, the type that we're talking about and that Macabre mentions to see for blood and skin testing. He's extremely well published so I'm guessing they follow the discipline's standard protocols including in office oral challenges.
Yeah. I'm just gonna let Macabre take over from here. He's all yours.
And it could take far less than one peanut.
I'll repeat that adult onset allergies are just as dangerous and ones acquired as a child. Your mast cells don't get to use the %2
And it could take far less than one peanut.
I'll repeat that adult onset allergies are just as dangerous and ones acquired as a child. Your mast cells don't get to use the %2
And I am living proof.
Also, my allergic reactions were just an inconvenience for years....until one day they almost killed me. So, not only can adult on-set become life threatening, but you can rely one "but my reactions have always been _____" and assume that's what they will always remain.
ninjaroll, I have found your posts in this threat quite interesting.
And I want to throw one idea out. How long ago since there has been a peanut/butter recall? Is it possible recalled pb could still be on the shelf over there? (Are stores obligated to remove it....is the information as easily accessible to them, etc.)
And if it's only peanutbutter, and not actual peanut or other products made with peanut, then it is not a peanut allergy. It may be an allergy to a different ingredient.
(D) If one is allergic to peanuts, does it naturally flow out to other nuts? I can eat cashews or almonds without issue. It's just peanuts that consistantly destroys my digestive system.
(A) it's been this way for about 3 years now and I have just "lived with it."
(A) it's been this way for about 3 years now and I have just "lived with it."
It was several years between my first reacting and my first anaphylactic reaction.
I am not saying it is that way with everyone. But I do feel strongly that people who have a food allergy need to be prepared.