Melon allergy?

[Tessa]

Hi mi friends

I have something to share with you, because I know that you are the best to understand and explain what I am going to tell you.

I have always felt strangely after eating melon. Starting eating it, I felt my throat irritated, as if I was going to develop a throat infection (tonsils)… I think that I was partly conscious that melon did me some harm. I even mentioned it to my family some years ago when we had dinner with my parents and my mother insisted that I had to eat all the melon that rested because she did not wanted to throw it away… When I said that I thought that melon was making me feel ill, they all laughed and said that melon was completely harmful… I had to suffer a strange throat sensation for the whole afternoon… But did not say a word, as I was aware that would not believe me (as they always used to… But that´s another long, long story)

After this event, I have always tried to avoid eating too much melon and always ate a little, just to avoid the comments saying that I was behaving wrongly… I always feel some throat irritation after eating it, but nothing serious… Or unable to cope with.

But then, yesterday, after dinner, we had bought a nice melon. We tasted it (my husband and me) and it was really sweet and delicious. He asked me if I wanted more than usual and I said to myself: “Come on. Why not?”

A few minutes after eating the melon at 3 pm, I started feeling my throat irritated and had to cough from time to time to relief the symptoms. Then I felt a tingling sensation in the throat and discomfort when speaking. Sometimes as if I had a lump in my throat. About 3 or 4 hours later, instead of feeling better, symptoms were worse. Adding to the previous mentioned ones, a hoarse voice (hoarseness) and difficulty swallowing along with the hoarseness, (surely because of the inflammation).

I went to the bathroom and tried to check my throat with the aid of a small mirror. It was red and slightly swollen in the centre of the throat. Even the upper part of the mouth was feeling strange.

As I was afraid that it was not a food intolerance but an allergic reaction, I was waiting if symptoms got worse to run to the ER… It has been a scary day. The whole sensation did not fade away until about 11.30 pm.

My husband agreed with me that my reaction has been worse over the time, starting some years ago by just a throat irritation and now with hoarseness and difficulty swallowing (inflammation). As this might be the initial stage of a true immune reaction to it or an anaphylactic reaction (as you know I had serious reactions to some drugs) we have decided to avoid melon … Even though, I wonder if I should tell my GP…

With all your experience, what do you think about this?


Thank you for your help,

Love
Tessa

[tex]

Hi Tessa,

Yes, please tell your GP. That was definitely an anaphylactic reaction, and it will probably become worse, each time you eat any melon. You are allergic to melon, by the classic defiinition, because what you experienced was a histamine-based reaction, (not just an intolerance reaction).

You should ask your doctor for a prescription to allow you to buy an EpiPen, in case you ever accidentally eat any melon in the future. If he or she will not write you a prescription for an EpiPen, then carry some Benadryl, (Diphenhydramine), with you at all times. If you can buy Benadryl in a sublingual form, (to be dissolved under the tongue), it will work much faster than the regular pills that you swallow.

Please don't eat any more melons, no matter how tempting they look.

How are you doing otherwise? - much better, I hope.

Love,
Tex

[Tessa]

Hi Tex

Thank you for your answer and for explaining this event so clearly... One always supect, think... But it helps a lot when another person confirms it. Even more if you trust him.

Are we more likely to develop this kind of allergies?

The inmune system is so complicated. It seems that it is easy to become hypersensitive to some drugs... Foods... At least for me.Thanks God I only ate 3 very small slices of melon, even though my husband asked me if I wanted some more...

I wonder what will be next. I cannot remember having had this reaction to melon when I was a child... But following your comment, I will tell my GP on our next visit. Never thought that it could really turn out so serious. And you are right, it was a temptation...

On the other hand, thanks for asking...My new treatment requieres some adjustments and extra stress dosing from time to time, still having some episodes where I have to rest and feel ill or exhausted... but I have to admit that I am much better than before. Treating adrenal insufficiency is not easy. I learn something different every day, but I am aware of the importance of getting the knowledge and being able to decide whether I need stress dosing or not. It is extremely important to get the right doses...

We finally bought a pendant with the medical symbol. On the front is written my blood type. On the back "see wallet" in both Spanish and English.
In my wallet, I have the information (signed by my GP) explaining the treatment in the event of an adrenal crisis, as well as information on allergies, etc. I am working on the translation (if we travel abroad).

What about you? How are you?
What about Fay? Did it affect you? I thought that you were further up and not in the path of the storm...

Love,
Tessa

[barbaranoela]

Hi Tessa---surely sounds like an allergic reaction---

A friend of ours----has a severe allergy to PEANUTS---anything that might touch a peanut -anything that have been cooked in a pan --even tho washed out--from the peanut ingrediant causes her THROAT to CLOSE--so she carries an Epi-Pen--

She once had a very close call--and it was a mad dash to the ER!!!
So as Tex suggested---do have it checked out----I know many labels indictae NO PEANUT--and some *DO SAY*-- WARNING-MAY HAVE COME IN CONTACT With PEANUTs/OIL---

But U never know---better to be safe than sorry--

Hope other issues are being watched over and that your family are all well~~~~
luve Barbara

[tex]

Tessa,

I do not recall seeing any research reports that connect MC with increased chances of developing allergies that result in anaphylactic reactions. Anything is possible, though, since we tend to have corrupt immune systems.

It's good to hear that you are doing better with your treatment, and I'm glad you got a pendant with medical information. I hope you will never need it, but if you ever do, it will always be with you.

I am feeling good these days. I recently switched my treatment for hypothyroidism from synthetic T4 to Armour, (with both natural T4 and T3), and so far, it seems to make me feel much better.

Fay is moving in my direction now, (I am west of it), but it is about a thousand kilometers away, so I doubt that it will affect my weather. It will probably become weaker and weaker, and just fade away.

Take care of yourself.

Love,
Tex

[starfire]

I agree.........No MORE MELON for our Tessa!!!

Love, Shirley

[Polly]

Hola Tessa, mi querida amiga!

Oh no.........as if you don't have enough problems already, and now a melon issue. I agree, it does sound suspect for early anaphylaxis - especially with the feeling of tingling and a lump in the throat. It very well could be more serious the next time, so I agree that you will have to avoid melons.

What kind of melon was it? In the Melon Family are cantaloupe, cucumber, gherkin, honeydew, muskmelon, pumpkin, summer and winter squash, watermelon, and zucchini. Of course, it may be only one particular type of melon that gives you a problem, but you might want to keep an eye on others in the same family.

I agree with Tex about the epi-pen. Do you know what that is? It's a syringe preloaded with epinephrine (same thing as adrenaline) that you can use to inject yourself immediately if you feel a reaction coming on. We keep some here at home and in our cars because my hubby is allergic to bee stings. He almost died from one some years ago. The epi-pen is the ideal treatment, but until you can get it, you might want to get some children's liquid benadryl, which would be absorbed the quickest of all. Of course you would use an adult dose - at least 50 mg.

Love

Polly

[Tessa]

Hi barbaranoela

Well, mine seems not so severe as your friend´s allergy to peanuts, at least not until now...
Our butcher´s sun has a very severe allergy to shellfish. He even cannot touch shellfish or he will have a reaction... Sounds incredible but I can understand it now...

Yes, my other issues are being watched very closely. I have a dx and are on treatment. Looking forward to getting better and being able to enjoy the little things I have been unable all this time...

Hope you are better, my dear friend.
Thank you for answering.
Love you too,
Tessa

[Tessa]

Hi again, Tex.

I do not think that MC is the cause but maybe one of the many consequences of having a immune system reacting as it should not... I agree with you. I guess that all are problems are due to our immune system and therefore --- anything can happen...

Glad to know that you are doing better and that you are on a treatment for hypo and armour. I´ve read that Armour is much better than the synthetic T4.
Hope that it will be best for you.

Fay has been a long lasting one... It´s a relief to know that you are far away.
Take care,
Love,
Tessa

[Tessa]

Hi Shirley

Thanks for answering.
I agree with all of you... No more melon...

Take care,
Love,
Tessa

[Tessa]

Hi, mi querida amiga, Polly!:bigbighug:

Oh no.........as if you don't have enough problems already, and now a melon issue.

That´s exactly what we thought. But, what can we do? Nothing that you can control...

I agree with you that it could be more serious the next time. In fact, it has been worse over the time... I will have to avoid melons too.

I really had no idea that there were so many kinds of melons... I am not sure of the kind of melon it was... Maybe I react to only one type... Who knows? But I rather prefer not to try... and avoid them all.

I will tell my GP about this event, though I am not sure if explaining what happened would be enough for him to prescribe the epi-pen or confirm the allergic reaction... I am not sure about the protocol they have to follow. He might have to send me to the allergist again...

Yes, I´ve read about the epi-pen. Isn´t it too much for me? I mean, my reaction was not so severe... And melon is not very common... It is easier to find for instance gluten in your food, but not melon... It is easier to detect and to avoid...

You hubby being allergic to bee stings is a worry. Glad that you have the epi-pen close...

Polly, is benadryl or epinephrine similar to nitroglicerine?
I hope not because as you might remember I had a very bad reaction to sublingual nitroglicerine (could be anaphilactic as I had a sincope with an extremely low blood pressure)...

Thanks for your inputs. Always most helpful, my dear friends.
Love,

Tessa

[Polly]

Hi Tessa,

Yes, the epi-pen would be too much for the reaction you described.
My concern is that you could have a full-blown reaction (hives, closing throat, breathing trouble) and might need it in that case. I'm not sure about any cross-overs with those medications, but given your history of sensitivity, anything could be a potential problem. The epi-pen would only be used in the case of an immediate, life-threatening, reaction while you were waiting for the ambulance to arrive. Let's hope that never happens.

Always a pleasure chatting with you.

Love,

Polly

[Tessa]

Thank you, Polly

Will tell my GP about it on our next visit.

Seems something really to be prepared for.

Thank you for your help. We have decided that I better do not eat any kind of melon anymore...


Love,
Tessa

PS: What I was trying to ask was if the EpiPen was the same drug as nitroglicerine... Or had a similar effect... But I guess it is different...