Thanks Chris - she has had a battery of RAST tests and we know that she
reacts to a list of substances,including foods, as long as your arm. We
were lucky that she was initially referred to Prof Lee at Guys, apparently
he is one of the foremost immunologists in the UK. She now avoids what we
know she has become sensitised to but the list gets longer and longer.
Restricting her diet means that there is an increased risk that she will
become sensitised to more foodstuffs. Dammed if you do, and damned if you
don't. We were told to avoid contact with aspirin and ibuprofin when she
was about 13 years old. She has never had either drug but recently one medic
has told her that some food stuffs contain salicylates , or are chemically
similar and she must now avoid those. Not easy as the list includes
foodstuffs such as oranges, grapes, pineapples, berries and even tomatoes.d
If these issues didn't relate to my daughter I would find it fascinating
from an academic perspective.
On the occasions she has had anaphylactic reactions we didn't know what she
had been exposed to. On both occasions that she had such an extreme reaction
she had been out with friends. The first time she didn't feel well so came
home. I was horrified to see her swelling up in front of my eyes as she
walked in through the front door. The second time I was overseas so did not
witness it and she didn't tell me until I returned to UK.
Anne
On 10/12/2010 21:07, "Chris Packham" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Anne
>
> A RAST test should be able to identify what she is reacting to. It may not
> be bananas, but what is termed a cross-reaction. For example those reacting
> to the specific proteins in natural rubber latex that cause an allergic
> reaction may also cross-react to bananas, avocados, Kiwi-fruit, etc. A prick
> test - the normal test for type 1 allergy - would not be recommended due to
> the severity of her reaction, but a RAST test involves taking a blood sample
> and then testing this in vitro, so no real risk for the patient. A good
> immunologist could advise on this. I would recommend this, as once the
> causative substance is identified it becomes much easier to manage the
> condition.
>
> Chris
>
> Chris Packham
> FRSPH, FInstSMM, MCMI, MIIRSM, MBICSc
> EnviroDerm Services
> Unit 10, Building 11, The Mews, Mitcheldean, GL17 0SN
> Tel: +44 1386 832 311 (office), +44 1386 830 554 (home)
> Mobile: +44 7818 035 898
>
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