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Could I have a tree nut allergy?

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allergies
545 views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  sbgrace 
#1 ·
In the last year when I eat walnuts I have found that they make my mouth feel fuzzy (almost like I have hair or cotton in it) and my tongue tingles. I didn't think much of it, and just avoided eating walnuts when they were obvious. This past weekend I was at a get together and had a piece of brie that had brown sugar and Pecans on it. Within 5 minutes my lips felt huge, but they really weren't, it was just the sensation. My tongue also tingled and my lips felt like they were kind of asleep, like after you have Novicaine and they are starting to wake up.

Does this sound like a true allergy from anyone else's experience? Am I over reacting? A few family members do not believe that these are signs of an allergy (ugh). I have never had trouble with nuts before now.

I have made myself an appointment with an allergist but they can't get me in for more than a month. I am now staying away from tree nuts and PB until I get the testing done.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
 
#3 ·
That link stated it was usually fruits and vegetables, not nuts.

Your reactions sound like a bonafide allergy to me. The fact that you can't see the swelling doesn't mean it isn't happening. (Peanuts make my eyelids feel fat!)

You should absolutely avoid these nuts that are giving you this reaction. Even though they don't sound life-threatening, ingesting anything that is giving you inflammatory reactions like this is not good.

That doesn't mean that "tree nuts" are off the table entirely. Try hazelnuts, brazil nuts, macadamias, almonds, all of which are less likely to cause reactions. They do cause allergies as well (I am allergic to almonds and hazelnuts, pecans and walnuts) but many allergic individuals experience no reaction to these. Try them, one at a time. Hazelnuts always made my throat feel scratchy, and I thought it was the "paper" around the nut, but after eliminated other allergens and trying hazelnuts again, I notice the throat swelling that went with it. :Sigh: I loved hazelnuts!
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#4 ·
It could be OAS or an actual allergy. The reason that if you are allergic to one tree nut they often tell you to avoid all is because unless you can be certain that the nut you are eating is from a facility that produces just one kind of nut, they often are cross contaminated.

I would avoid all (including things from commercial/grocery store bakeries) till your appointment.
 
#5 ·
I do think you could have an allergy. And, as you planned, I'd avoid all nuts until you are tested. Allergists will say an allergy to one nut means avoid all due to cross contamination and increased sensitization risks. Beyond that you don't know when mild symptoms might escalate. My husband had those types of weird symptoms with buckwheat. Then one day he went into anaphylaxis! We had epi pens because of my son's allergies. My husband has never had food allergies and so we just didn't realize what was happening.
 
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