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73 Folks With Weird Allergies Reveal How They Affect Their Everyday Lives
If you don’t have any allergies, you might not realize just how many people (hey!) are envious of you. A whopping 30% to 40% of people around the world have one or more allergies. Life is much simpler when everyday things don’t cause reactions that range from mild-but-annoying to call-the-ambulance serious.
However, some allergies are so unusual and bizarre that people are taking to the internet to share how they have impacted their everyday lives. We’ve collected some of their stories to give you insights into just how difficult things can get.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
I have chronic eczema meaning I’m allergic to pretty much everything. All my clothes have to be 100% cotton, rain water hurts like hell, I can’t hold plastic items for much longer than a minute without my skin flaring, honestly I could sit hear for a good few hours and type a small novel of stuff I’m allergic to.
I can’t remember the last time I wore a skirt or shorts and I try and wear long sleeved tops as much as possible. For 50% of the time I put up and shut up, my hands have been covered in eczema for the past 4 odd years and now the skin is a bizarre texture from scars, cracks and overall dryness.
At least once a week they bleed and weep which is embarrassing. My arms are usually red raw and often blood stains soak through my clothes throughout the day which is bad. Those are the worst parts, but it’s pretty much everywhere. Physically I have scars all over my body from where my eczema has flared and wrecked havoc and mentally my self esteem is wrecked.
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#2
Chlorohexadine, more commonly known as Chloroprep. It's the agent to sterilize (?) an area before surgery. Holy hell does it make my skin break out in the worst rash imaginable, and if not treated quickly, spreads to my entire body and inevitably, without fail, develops impetigo.
Only took 6 years but it FINALLY got added to my medical record, which has been a huge help bc even before it was I would specifically state multiple times to use iodine ONLY, but chloroprep would still be used bc of some miscommunication somewhere. Now anytime I have to go to the doc they see it and confirm it. God bless that nurse who finally got it added!
Debby Keir 4 days ago
Chlorhexadine is actually a pretty common allergy. Just ask the number of medical staff who have to avoid it. The reason it's not so common in the general public, is that unless you've had surgery or needed a wound cleaning, you've probably never come into contact with it, and thus don't know you're allergic. Ask for iodine instead, but do a small patch test beforehand.
#3
I usually tell people that I’m allergic to dust because it’s a hell of a lot easier than describing how I’m allergic to dust mite poo.
Just because an allergy isn’t rare doesn’t mean that it isn’t potent or cannot negatively impact your day. Even common allergies can significantly reduce the quality of your life, and should be treated seriously.
If they’re left ignored, they can lead to even worse health outcomes.
“Hay fever is a major problem, and it’s often trivialised by those who don’t have it. If you think about what we do in life, we work, we sleep, and we have fun. And all of those things are seriously impacted by hay fever,” clinical allergist Stephen Durham, emeritus professor of allergy and respiratory medicine at Imperial College London and Royal Brompton Hospital, explained to the BBC.
#4
Poison Ivy. Yeah yeah, I've heard it all before. "Everyone is allergic to poison ivy!"
Not like I am.
I've caught it from smoke, when someone burned a patch to clear it out. I can get it if I go swimming in a pond that had poison ivy runoff. And I don't get it like you get it. You probably just get a rash that itches locally. I have to go to the hospital to get steroids and plastic surgery because my skin turns into scales. Every summer, while growing up, I got steroids to take just because poison ivy was in my area and those steroids would help me fight it.
I've gotten poison ivy from touching a gas pump after someone else doing yard work used it. I've gotten poison ivy so bad the doctor thought about putting me into a coma to wait out the pain of it.
I moved to high altitude where there isn't any poison ivy.
The best Poison Ivy/Poison Oak cure I've come across:
When you first notice the rash, take a shower immediately in cold water (you've got 10 minutes from first contact). Scrub with soap. After the shower, mix equal parts rubbing alcohol and vinegar and apply it to the rash after the shower.
You'll smell terrible, but after an hour the rash is completely gone and so is the itching. Repeat as necessary.
detective miller's hat 4 days ago
I am in fact not allergic to poison ivy. Discovered as a kid when hiking with my family and everyone ended up covered in poison ivy rash except me. It's my only superpower.
#5
I have a scent allergy. Nearly all chemical scents give me an instant migraine which includes nausea, inability to concentrate, and sensitivity to lights and sounds.
Working with the public, and going to a university with international students (mostly) who bath in cologne, triggers a migraine.
Every.
Single.
Day.
I'm lucky if I can get a few hours of relief in the evenings.
Please ya'll, be aware of the amount of perfume/cologne you wear.
Lyone Fein 4 days ago
Me too. I have had to quit certain jobs because of coworkers who wore perfume/aftershave. Even as a teacher it was always a little awkward. Every semester I wrote in my syllabus asking students to refrain from wearing scents to class.
#6
Working in the zoo field, I've encountered a lot of keepers that have discovered they are allergic to random animals. I know several people allergic to Kudu, but no other hoofstock, another is allergic to aardvarks. I'm certain these allergies are more common, but it's not common to be exposed to exotic animals.
People who have hay fever (hi!) are more likely to face challenges both falling asleep and staying asleep. They tend to wake up more frequently at night and feel more fatigued. What’s more, seasonal allergies can even impact children’s academic performance.
Individuals with allergies can also experience more respiratory infections. That’s because their mucous membranes are more likely to be inflamed. “When it isn't adequately treated, hay fever can cause severe, chronic upper airway disease and ear infections,” the BBC warns.
#7
I'm allergic to omega-3. Spent years trying to figure out why I got violently ill each time I had things like salmon, tuna, lots of eggs, etc. Even the teenage development vitamins my mother got me in middle school (they had extra omega-3 for growth and each time I took one I vomited pink sludge for three days)
Asked a doctor a out it a couple years ago- she immediately said that was an extremely bad allergy to omega-3 and to avoid it at all costs because vomiting violently and all my other symptoms (including the occasional fever, all of which my parents associated with me having a weak stomach) were signs of anaphylaxis and if I wasn't careful I could go into shock and pass away.
My mother refuses to believe I'm allergic and tells everyone, include my regular practitioner, that I fake the allergy and convinced this medical professional with 7 degrees I have a nonexistent allergy.
So I cut out most foods with omega-3 in them and I've been very careful since then. Went from throwing up fairly frequently to, in the past couple years since being diagnosed, only throwing up maybe once or twice. HUGE change. I'm able to gain weight now, my teeth are no longer as messed up (stomach acid decays them, and before I cut it out of my diet I was vomiting several times a month) and I feel a lot better in general.
I do miss seafood, but I can still eat a couple eggs at a time without anything but stomach pain and cramps, so I eat eggs sometimes to make sure I'm getting enough omega-3 to be healthy.
#8
Aloe Vera, such a pain of an allergy. Do you know how many things have Aloe Vera in it? So many things! Finding out toliet paper at a restaurant has aloe infused into it, was not a fun time. Quick way to end a date.
#9
With mosquito bites, the bite and the skin can sometimes swell up to the size of a small golf ball. My mom, when I was younger, always circled the bite and swollen skin with a pen just in case I needed to go to the doctor if it spread. But holy hell the bites still get so red and feels warm to the touch and my skin would eventually bruise. I always try to stay inside during the summer.
Edit: wow I didn’t expect so many people to have the same reaction! Also thanks for those offering solutions to treating these types of insect bites! Honestly my dad and sister will tease me about it as I’m the only one in the family who actually gets bitten?? Thankfully my mom’s a little more sympathetic, but summers are so rough in my area. Just being outside for 2-3 minutes means I’ll get up to 9-10 bites. But it’s fine as I get to have an excuse to stay indoors watching Netflix with the AC going!!
Do you have any allergies, whether common or unusual, dear Pandas? How have they impacted your daily life, and which parts do you find the most annoying?
What do you do to cope with them, and have you ever considered immunotherapy?
Whether or not you have allergies, what do you do to stay fit and healthy?
We’d like to hear from you! If you have a moment, swing by the comments at the bottom of this list to say ‘hi!’ to your fellow allergy patients.
#10
I’m actually allergic to potatoes.
Its easy enough at home, but gets super annoying going to restaurants... I’m from Canada and EVERYTHING comes with a side of some form of potato. People often seem to think I’m lying and just don’t want carbs....
My mom is Irish and wonders how I’m her daughter :(.
#11
I'm allergic to allergy medication. Also bees, bandaids, lilies, water chestnuts, one kind of insect bite, and some pollen. So when I react to something, I can't take anything for it generally, other than a steroid if the reaction is bad enough.
Steph Dani 4 days ago
I have this as well. If I take a Zyrtec or the like, my body will be covered in hives. Prednisone script for allergic reactions.
#12
I've got oral allergy syndrome, which isn't crazy uncommon but not many people who don't have it know about it.
Basically my body reads the proteins of fresh fruit the same as the proteins of pollen (or whatever else gives me hay fever) and rejects them. But once the fruit is cooked, the protein structure has changed and I'm no longer allergic.
It's also not consistent. I can't have peaches, pears, apples, cherries, or anything like that but I'm totally fine with berries, citrus fruits, and bananas. I also have a mild allergy to carrots and tree nuts which is supposedly due to the oral allergy syndrome.
As a kid, adults would not believe me when I told them I was allergic to fresh fruit. They'd tell me I was just being picky and try to force me to eat it anyway. Like, I know the difference between "this is gross" and "my throat and mouth itch uncontrollably and my lips are numb".
Ashtophet’sRevenge 4 days ago
I’ve had this off and on all my life. A fresh cherry? My whole face would swell. Cooked? No problem.
#13
Not technically unusual, I’m allergic to Dairy.
99% of people think I mean lactose intolerant, no.
Anaphylactic shock to all dairy.
If you get ice cream on my skin a painful, itchy hive/rash will occur.
On the RAST test Im a 5, as high as it gets. A 6 to goat milk(they stop counting the antibodies after a certain point because it is too much).
I have been this way since birth, so no, I do not know what pizza, chocolate, ice cream or cheese taste like.
My bones are denser than normal because I weightlift and I am frequently asked if I am a marine due to my broad build.
Eating out makes me anxious, the burn of spicy/seasoned food feels the same as a reaction and cross-contamination is a big issue.
My diet is veggies, meat and some carbs, just without sauces/condiments/butter.
meeeeeeeeeeee 4 days ago
Sure, there's dairy free everything these days. I'd say you're better off never having had cheese tbf...don't know what you're missing.
#14
I’m severely allergic to alcohol. Even being in a room where alcohol is present can give me a headache. I’ve always had a massive aversion towards alcohol more than other kids. The first time I tried a tiny sip of diluted wine it made nauseated, dizzy to the point of almost fainting and very short of breath. The same happened when I tried beer a year later. At that point I wasn’t sure it was alcohol or something else (sulphates or congeners or something) but I wasn’t planning on finding out so I just swore of alcohol all together. But in my first year of studying biology at uni there was a practical where we needed to use 70% ethanol and most people left their pots open and I got the same reaction. That’s how I knew for sure.
I have gotten pretty horrible remarks over it from people. People telling me I’m overreacting (I’m not), that one drink won’t end me (it will), one time I was told I’m a liar and that you can’t be allergic to alcohol (it’s rare but you can be).
I’m an early twenty something in uni so alcohol is all around me. It can be a drag. There are so many events that are only about drinking and I have zero desire to participate in those events. It is no fun being sober around drunk people.
Lyone Fein 4 days ago
I always wonder why other people are so offended by someone else’s allergies or other health limitations. Like, why do they need to argue about it or act like it’s an imposition on them? The fact is, it’s an imposition on the person who has the condition!
#15
Two super random things:
Legit allergic to myself. I have a gene that makes my mast cells constantly produce histamine. It’s an autoimmune thing so I’m stuck with it. Increased stress can cause it to flair up. Hives all the dang time.
Also citric acid. That stuff is in everything from shampoo to soda. Lucky because of all the stuff I’m on for the self allergic thing, this isn’t so much of a problem. When I wasn’t my eyes swelled shut after drinking a Hi-c.
#16
I'm allergic to the adhesives in Band-Aids and other common bandages. Officially it went on my file as "allergic contact dermatitis" but it really is only an issue when I come into contact with bandages.
Basically it means I have to buy really specific, harder to find bandages. Most of the supposedly hypoallergenic ones are not so hypoallergenic for me, and I also can't have the ones that have medicine in them (like the Band-Aid ones with Neosporin already on the pad, for example). The hydrocolloid ones they have now are okay for short durations, or I can do gauze for bigger cuts/ scrapes.
#17
I'm allergic to red food dye, red #40 specifically. It's the dye that makes Benadryl pink. It's also in everything.
Debby Keir 4 days ago
It's banned in a few places, and I understand the US has agreed to phase it out from this year (26) It's not in the UK version of benadryl, and I understand that a a dye free version is available in the US.
#18
Nickel. Most belt buckles and things of that nature are at least partially composed of nickel. If I don't have my shirt tucked in, I have to wear my belt sideways, otherwise it touches my beer gut when I sit down, and makes for a very itchy rash the rest of the day.
Sara Frazer 4 days ago
Me too! I have to wear pure metal jewelry (sterling silver, gold, surgical steel) even a lot of "hypoallergenic" and "sensitive skin safe" jewelry makes my skin break out in itchy bumps and pustules
#19
Cinnamon. Became allergic in adulthood. Apparently it's rare in children but more common in adults. I miss chai lattes SO DARN MUCH. I have to be careful in restaurants because cinnamon is a lovely ingredient to add to foods. Also can't really go in JoAnn Fabrics during this time of year due to their cinnamon scented everything.
I miss you, delicious spice.
Nikki Sevven 4 days ago
Check if you're actually allergic to cinnamon, or if it's actually cassia you react to. Most mass produced spice labeled 'cinnamon' is actually cassia.
#20
I have a friend that has an alphagal allergy from being bitten by a Lonestar tick. He isn't able to eat red meat like beef or pork. Any sort of bird like chicken, turkey, etc or fish is fine.
#21
I developed a respiratory allergy to paper (no clue to what exactly in it, specialist said no real way to test it either).
Had to drop out of university because they couldn't accommodate me well enough, had to get rid of my extensive private library of fiction and non-fiction (including a ton of academic books, many of which ultimately ended up in the paper trash since no one was interested in them and I couldn't just keep them around), had to switch from using paper notebooks to taking notes on laminated pages with non-permanent markers, can't browse bookstores anymore.
Basically even entering someone else's house/apartment poses a risk since I never know how much paper/how many books they have around, and whether I'll get an asthma attack or not (and if yes, how quickly I get a reaction).
It's very horrible, and half the time I mention it somewhere, I'm looked at as if I were inventing it just to inconvenience others/play the victim/whatever else those people think.
Claire Holman 4 days ago
As a reader myself, this one broke my heart. Yes, e-readers are a thing, but not having access to physical books would devastate me.
#22
I don’t know if it’s uncommon but I’m allergic to adhesives. I found out after I had a c section and reacted horribly to the medical tape they put over my incision. I can’t wear band-aids or have bandages with sticky residue… or tape, or even wax (like the type you’d use for hair removal).
It’s hilariously ironic to me because I have hemophilia.
Upstaged75 3 days ago
I have the same problem. Paper tape is the only thing that doesn't make my skin go crazy.
#23
Meat. Spoiler: I have it. It gives me really bad acne, and it can make my lips swell purple.
#24
I've never been lucky. And I'm not talkin' about the lottery, I'm talkin' 'bout stuff like developing a soy allergy at thirty-five. Who gets a soy allergy at thirty-five? And why is soy in everything?
Lyone Fein 4 days ago
Me too. I developed allergies to both peanuts and soy in my late twenties. Bad news for a vegetarian.
#25
The unfortunate thing that a lot of people don't understand that it's possible to be allergic to almost anything. It's why people are unintentionally ended every year when people/restaurants don't heed a customer's requests.
CrazyKnitter 2 days ago
I'm allergic to gourds, squash, zucchini and pumpkin. People just don't believe it because it's so rare. I'm lucky to just get a really sore throat, no swelling, but I can tell when they've just scraped it off instead of making it separate. Not fun at all.
#26
I have dermographism which isn’t technically an allergy but the best way to describe it is as if it is. Basically my skin will break out in hives for no reason. Hair touches face, hives. Scratch something that itches, hives. It’s never known when it’ll really react, when I’m stressed it is more likely to happen though. I can kind of control it in the sense I can add to it. Like I can use my finger nail and “write” on my skin and it’ll give up so you can see the word or picture.
#27
Feathers. Weird, right? I found out when I was ten and I got sick with a cold. I stayed home from school and wrapped up on the couch with a down comforter and pillows. After a week I wasn't getting better and after two weeks I was getting worse so my mom took me to the hospital. After sitting in the waiting room for three hours my coughing was just gone and I felt perfect. The doctor ordered an allergy test and told me to stop using the down pillows and blanket in the meantime. We weren't really shocked when the results showed a feather allergy.
Claire Holman 4 days ago
Same - developed as a teen, too, and my family have always used feather fillings for pillows. They've had to convert to synthetic just for me.
#28
I have really bad contact dermatitis. I can’t wear a lot of makeup, any lip makeup whatsoever (only Vaseline for me... and only the original), no nickels or stuff like that, sometimes I can’t even cross my bare legs for too long without getting a welt that takes forever to go away... apparently my own skin is too much.
But recently I have topped it all by trying a new toilet paper! At first I had no idea what was happening so I had to go show my doctor, and now we still are having issues making this reaction go away. Sometimes my skin can hang on and get all pissed off for months. Pray for me.
Debby Keir 4 days ago
Relatively new thing - the TP infused with coconut or aloe vera type paper is causing a lot of issues ... Buy unscented. (It's not the coconut or aloe vera, but the chemicals they use to infuse, as far as I'm aware)
#29
I have an eosophilic condition that makes me slowly become reactive to all foods. It doesn’t cause anaphylaxis but my digestive system swells up in about 10-20 minutes and it’s incredibly painful. Everyone thinks I fake it or am dramatizing it, but my husband sees how difficult it is on a daily basis. I can’t eat any grains, beans, nuts, treenuts, chocolate, tea, coffee, preservatives or processed foods, dairy and most fruits. I especially can’t eat trace corn or wheat. It’s scary because I have slowly lost most foods over the last eight years and just recently got diagnosed.
#30
It’s not really that uncommon of an allergy but I’m allergic to shellfish. I got some Korean BBQ wings and didn’t know they used shrimp paste in the sauce. I didn’t pass away, but I near broke my toilet. Called the place to report food poisoning and mentioned I’m allergic to shell fish so could also be cross contamination. They were like “oh darn! Yeah there’s shrimp paste in the sauce!”. They started labeling the menu differently after that.
#31
I’m allergic to cold. I noticed that when I’d walk outside when it’s below 50 my skin would break out in hives. There are other people with this allergy out there, but some are so bad they can’t have cold drinks! I just have to take Allegra before I go outside.
#32
I knew a woman that was allergic to her own sweat. Every time she got hot or exercised she'd sweat and then break out in rashes.
David Paterson 4 days ago
Yes. It's not the sweat directly but the sweat dissolves pollens and everything else that is sitting dry on the skin and brings them into direct contact with the skin.
#33
I have a friend with an allergy to sudden changes in temperature/cold. He had to always be aware of the temperature, because something as simple from walking in the air conditioned house from outside in summer could set it off.
#34
Allergic to your spouse. It's a true condition, often the female is allergic to the husband's protein. Worked for the world's leading allergist in this area before he passed last year. His sons carry on, from Cincinnati the Bernstein's
Been on road from Cincinnati area to Cedar Rapids Iowa. What usually happens is the couple are celibate until married, then find out the wedding night.
Jane Doe-Doe 4 days ago
I’m positive I was allergic to my late husband, I used to come up with huge itchy burning welts mainly on my legs, I used to have a cold wet towel on my legs to stop the burning , after he passed away it stopped
#35
My wife is allergic to garlic. It's not all that common but not rare enough to be unheard of. We have to be very careful about what to buy at the store. It seems like 60% of what's on the store shelves has garlic in it in amounts she can't handle. So we usually home make most of our foods and stick to non-garlic sources. She can't go to certain restaurants either, because some have so much garlic that it's everywhere.
Otto Katz 4 days ago (edited)
Allium allergy. I have a huge intolerance to it. Not allergy, i got the test. but intolerance to the whole family Except garlic. I have to check every label for onion, even onion powder, which is just ground dried onion. Eating out isn't fun, we went to one restaurant, there was only one thing on the menu I could eat. Crazy. Really bad things happen to my intestines if I eat onion etc., and it lasts for weeks.
#36
My wife has a Chocolate allergy, anything with too high of Cocoa % and she breaks out.
she's also alergic to Lavender.... do you know how many bath products I can't buy her because they put stupid Lavender in them.
#37
Wheat AND rice. Potatoes and corn are my only carbs. It's a pain but my allergy isn't pass away level, so i just get to feel horrible for a while after eating them anyway.
#38
I'm allergic to penicillin. Hopefully I'll never get a bad infection that can't be cured with other antibiotics, cos taking penicillin will most likely send me into cardiac arrest.
#39
Bananas.
It happened gradually after I hit 30. Started with giving me a slightly itchy mouth, then started making my chest and throat tight. Even banana flavored things and small amounts in fruit juices.
#40
Avocado. I only developed it at 23.
My favourite food used to be all you can eat sushi. Used to be.
Huddo's sister 4 days ago
Another one I am intolerant to, developed in my 20s. I miss it, especially in sushi. Also cucumber. So hard to find sushi rolls without either, but at least nigiri is still okay.
#41
Allergic to Zinc.
Guess what the active ingredient is in sunscreen.
Huddo's sister 4 days ago
My friend is allergic to zinc. She is finding it hard to find a deodorant that she can use because even zinc free ones she ends up reacting to, so must be allergic to something else as well.
#42
Not unusual, but I’m allergic to morphine and raspberries and nectarines. Three of the greatest things on earth.
Debby Keir 4 days ago
Morphine allergy s***s - had it post op and I itch like mad, so now, all they give me is 2 paracetamol, which sometimes (for post op) is not enough.
#43
Not me, but I worked at a museum storage facility and one of my coworkers found out she was allergic to giraffe when we were moving taxidermies.
#44
I met a girl who was allergic to grass, which she discovered on a camping trip...
Upstaged75 3 days ago
I'm allergic to just about everything that grows outside. I've been taking a daily allergy med since 1981.
#45
My dog is allergic to humans. Not kidding.
#46
Had 2 patients who were allergic to latex. The first patient didn't see it as inconvenient on daily routine but she couldn't have intercourse with strangers because she couldn't use latex condoms.
The second patient was more complicated. She was going to get a colostomy but she was allergic to latex. Which is bad because a lot of materials used in the OR are latex (gloves, urinary probe, etc.). So, the whole OR had to be changed because of her.
Rick Murray 4 days ago
This isn't uncommon, actually. At work we are transferring to using nitrile gloves because several employees are allergic *and* there's a risk of latex contamination in the products.
#47
I actually know a guy who used to be allergic to water. He'd get rashes on the inside of his mouth. And he'd have to clean himself with sponge baths and immediately dry it off. He grew out of it. He was one of four people in Ireland with it.
meeeeeeeeeeee 4 days ago (edited)
Ireland, too. Even when it's not raining, there's an unseeable, persistent mist.
#48
Pineapple, yes I've heard all the jokes. But yes.. pineapple.
Huddo's sister 4 days ago
I'm not sure I'm allergic, but I am definitely sensitive to pineapple. It makes my mouth sore and sometimes my tongue bleed, as it did for two of my brothers. I don't like the texture, so I don't eat it anyway.
#49
Not sure if you’d call it “rare” per se... but I have what 2 allergy specialists an internal medicine doctor and 3 dermatologists have called the most severe reaction to Poison ivy they’ve ever seen. I can breathe it in and get severe breathing problems, exposure to skin causes near immediate leathery burns that cause permanent scarring, my reactions last up to a month or more, etc etc. I still love the outdoors, but it’s bad.
Judy Reynolds 4 days ago
I knew someone whose cat walked through poison ivy, and the woman reacted to the poison ivy on the cat's fur.
#50
Im allergic to Aloe Vera. Found out as a kid with heat rash, later confirmed when I tried it again on a sunburn… it causes my skin to blister and burn :| commonly found in shampoo, conditioner, make up and just about any product that says “hydrating” or “cooling”. The worst was doing a make up course with a spa I worked at, I told them about my allergy and they completely brushed it off. Sure enough, they sprayed a mist on my face and I panicked a little because it felt warm. I asked to read the ingredients and it was second in line (aka, high content). My face immediately started to blister and radiate heat.
Huddo's sister 4 days ago
I didn't find out about my aloe vera allergy until more recently, but I did discover my sorbelene allergy (not exactly sure which ingredient) the first time I had a bad sunburn when I was a teenager. It felt like my skin was burning more than from the sunburn!
#51
The docs still don’t know what it is.
I got an IV of solu-medrol, which humans just straight up aren’t supposed to be allergic to. So they think it’s something in the carrier fluid of the steroids or even the plastic from the IV bag
immediately after they gave it to me I started feeling hot and itchy on my chest so I yelled out to anyone outside my door that I thought I was having a reaction and within like 3 seconds of calling them i starting getting disoriented and confused. Thankfully they leapt into action immediately after I called out
It felt like I was in an episode of house cause while I was getting my IV of Benadryl, I heard them outside chatting “allergic to that? How? I’ve never heard of that before”
So I can’t get steroids because I’m allergic to something that’s not steroids
It must be some really random chemical because I’m also allergic to specific liquid fabric softener.
Newest allergy is contrast dye! Got an itchy red rash over my entire body. I’ve had contrast dye before with no issue, my body just decided to switch things up for funsies. It was almost funny cause before they administered it they asked if I had an allergy and I said no and 1 minute later my body was all red and splotchy
No food allergies, just two super rare ones. The probability of that must be wild
- thank you for the additional info on the methylprednisolone allergy!
UnicornSnotRules 4 days ago
I also have an allergy to contrast dye - I was told it's probably the iodine in it.
#53
I had my daughter tested for environmental allergies because her seasonal allergies are so bad and we were shocked to learn that cockroaches are a common allergen and she is very allergic to them!
#54
Coffee. I found out when I was packaging coffee at the food bank at a fairly young age and I got some in my gloves and broke out into hives.
Apparently most coffee allergies are found out in similar ways.
#55
My enemy seems to be meatballs made by someone else.
I'm allergic to most legumes. Green peas, faba beans, chick peas, lentils, etc. you name it. Some time ago I ate prepackaged factory meatballs. Oddly, my mouth started to itch but I didn't connect it to the meatballs. Later it happened again and I started to wonder. And I was correct: "bean protein" and later I learned that I'm allergic to "pea fiber" too.
Also, faba beans seem to be in vogue where I live. I was in a hurry and grabbed "mashed potatoes and balls". Only at lunch I realised the "balls" weren't meatballs but beanballs. Co-worker at it.
Huddo's sister 4 days ago
They use those as filler in a lot of premade foods, It's frustrating when you have to read the ingredients on everything before you buy it, but essential because you never know what fillers or preservatives they might be using, even products you might have bought before and been fine with. Would be nice if everything was labelled with 'new ingredients' whenever they make a change, but no.
#57
I discovered my allergen, soy, hidden in canned tuna as a broth ingredient. It led to hives and difficulty breathing.
#58
Found out I was allergic to agave when a bartender handed me my vodka drink with an agave-paper straw. immediate felt like i had come down with the flu and got insanely dizzy.
only other times that happened to me was when i had a sip of tequila (assumed I was far too drunk/lightweight to handle it) and a starbucks lemonade had it as an alternative sweetner (thought I was just getting a bug since it was winter and i was in public).
#59
Potatoes. I actually know someone who is allergic. Can't even be in the same room/genrral area as any potato product (Such as fries) or she has a super bad reaction.
#61
I have Mast Cell Activation Syndrome so I'm allergic to a lot of things, but my weirdest food allergies are lettuce and cilantro. Unfortunately both are in a ton of things so I have to be very careful. I also had people(mostly relatives) not believe me before, sneak it into the food in tiny pieces where I can't identify it, and had to use my epi pen because of those people. I don't eat anything I haven't made myself when I see those people now. I'm also very cautious when going out to eat, but most of the time they always take my allergies seriously.
My weirdest non-food allergy is I'm allergic to hot and cold. I get hives if I take a shower that is too hot and I get hives when I walk into the freezer at Costco. I can't use a heating pad or ice because I get hives where they are applied.
Andie 3 days ago
I am almost the same! Have MCAS and allergic to cilantro. And everything it is related to. Which is unfortunate as they are in a lot of things. Specifically celery and carrots. People act like i just don't like them, but I always have my epipen nearby and let them know, then they take it seriously. I also get hives from hot water as well.
#62
I’m allergic to antihistamine. Took lorat for sinus allergies about 5 years ago and broke in a rash all over my body. Second time my doctor had seen anyone allergic to antihistamine in all her time practicing.
#63
My landmate bought new deodorant last week and found out the hard way she was allergic to it. Her armpits looked like they were starting to bleed.
A few years back she tried switching to a vap to help quit smoking. She used it for a few hours and while we were watching a movie she wiped her sleeve across her face/mouth and the skin on your lips slipped off and was on her sleeve.
#64
Child is allergic to Ingested Nickel. The list of foods they need to avoid or minimize is numerous. They avoid the bigger triggers and hope for the best. Took us a long time figuring this out. Luckily they only get a horrible rash that hurts for a few days but it’s ugly for a few months. Lucky in that they do not stop breathing.
#65
I'm allergic to chocolate and I know all about molé, I did not know that some restaurants put dark chocolate in their chili. That was fun.
#66
My allergy is very run of the mill (penicillin), but once my dog licked my arm just after having his quite powdery antibiotics and I had hives where he licked me for ages.
I’d been wondering if I was in the category of “not allergic but thinks they are” because it’s apparently quite common, but nope, definitely shouldn’t take penicillin if that’s what it does to my outsides!
#67
I am allergic to tomatoes. I did not realize how many darn things have tomatoes in it. The one that caught me off-guard was beef stock. Eating that made me throw up 6 hours later.
I may also be allergic to carrots since I am allergic to apples. That was also in my pot roast lol.
#68
Allergic to the seeds of a strawberry (tannin) but able to eat strawberries if they've been processed or cleaned within an inch of its life. Not worth it, I stay away.
Allergic to anything from sheep; wool, oils. Break out in hives. Look like I have the measles but localized to where there been contact.
Allergic to compounds of certain over the counter and prescription meds. Its always an adventure if they want to try something new.
And most recently discovered: Allergy to petroleum products, no more Vaseline. And finally and it took a long time to narrow this one down = Styrofoam. (Most states still use this for take out and if I cut into salads, or hot foods release the oils its being ingested) Love this one because when someone asks me how I'm doing, I respond with "Fine since I took Styrofoam out of my diet" No one seems to know how to respond to that one. lmao.
#69
Allergic to water that was dispensed through a silicone tube.
Always made my throat itchy, had no idea why til I figured it out.
Thought I was just parched and clearing my throat was from hydrating.
#70
Discovered my allergen, latex, in the handles of new kitchen utensils. My hands broke out in painful blisters.
#71
I'm allergic to ingesting and touching tree nuts. I'm now allergic to the scent of coconut which causes labored breathing, causing and loss of voice. I've been told I can't be allergic to natural things and yet I'm only allergic to natural things.
Lyone Fein 4 days ago
Of course you can be allergic to natural things. What a ridiculous thing to say.
#72
Was a chef and we had a couple of people allergic to interesting things.
Pastry chef - flour
Prep chef - carrots
Me - green peppers.
#73
Not unusual, but a funny story on how I found out I was allergic to amoxicillin. I didn't want to get a sore throat,so my grandmother gave me some medication so it wouldn't get worse. Mind you,I was never allergic to this medication before. I take it,and I start making a sandwich. Slowly i start noticing that im getting very itchy. My face is all blotchy while I'm trying to eat my sandwich. My grandparents ask if I want to go to the hospital. I said no up until I felt my throat closing. Hospital nurse had a good sense of humor about it. Said they were gonna inject me with more just to make sure I was allergic to it. Not your typical tuesday night,but definitely a fun one.
Claire Holman 4 days ago
I'm allergic to amoxicillin too - blocks the hydration receptors in my brain, causing a build-up of excess fluid, so that's fun.
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Rick Murray 4 days ago
Oh boy, where do I begin? Respiratory - winter mould, spring pollen, summer grass, autumn mushrooms. My nose is always never 100%. That's manageable, new comment for the other problem.
Rick Murray 4 days ago
Alcohol? Oranges? Pepper? Cherry Activia (but Yoplait cherry is fine)? All give me an effect similar to food poisoning. I think now I can add chilli and possibly Pollock to the list). In fact, if it exists there's maybe a 50-50 chance it'll make my insides explode. So I eat a lot of the same things. Oh, and recently? Haricot beans make my throat and lips swell. After a childhood of baked beans (and there's nothing bad in a tin of Heinz), it's now on the don't touch list. I have no idea what the common link is, maybe some sort of pesticide? Suffice to say, going couple of weeks without sitting on the bog feeling like the world is ending is a rare thing. 😢
Load More Replies... Lyone Fein 4 days ago
I am allergic to so many of the things mentioned by the OPs on this list! Environmental : dust mites, mold, pollen, chemicals, perfumes, feathers. Contact : aloe, latex, numerous plants, pineapple, dyes in soap, polyester. Foods : soy, peanuts, lamb, squash, zucchini, chocolate, oats, grapes, melons. And penicillin and aspirin.
meeeeeeeeeeee 4 days ago
I wouldn't try Quorn if I were you. People with mould/penicillin allergies can react badly to that.
Load More Replies...
Rathoren 3 days ago
As a cat rescuer this is the hardest, im ridiculously allergic to fleas... P**p and bites. Its so frustrating cause my cats are okay but im always bringing in hospice cases or kittens and boom there go my flare ups :'( And also rosemary after i got stabbed by a branch of it. ..
Mo_rose 4 days ago
Maize! Doubt anyone will see this but if you cant pin what food is making you violently ill and itchy try restricting maize id pay to have any other specially everything seems to contain it! And its a non listed ingredient on most medicines you have to specifically Google non active ingredients :(
Chich the witch 4 days ago
Beer, not that I liked it much, but think of the $ I saved. I also have a list of meds from going through cancer treatments. There is one anti nausea that has the same effect as chugging 17 espressos.
Huddo's sister 4 days ago
I think my weirdest and most annoying allergies are eucalyptus and pine. Living in Australia, both are everywhere. Environmentally, it's worst after rain, if I walk past those trees. I also live near a mill where they process both so there is lots of dust/oil from them in the air, I have to close the vents in my car before driving past. Eucalyptus is also in a lot of products, especially since covid, when people used it as a disinfectant. I have to be careful of hand sanitisers, cleaning products, air fresheners, tissues...
meeeeeeeeeeee 4 days ago
I read that allergies can develop if you eat a new food and have a cut somewhere on your skin. The body just blames the food for the cut. Ain't that mad? If only our immune systems had eyes and learned to calm the f**k down for just a second and think.
Rick Murray 4 days ago
Oh boy, where do I begin? Respiratory - winter mould, spring pollen, summer grass, autumn mushrooms. My nose is always never 100%. That's manageable, new comment for the other problem.
Rick Murray 4 days ago
Alcohol? Oranges? Pepper? Cherry Activia (but Yoplait cherry is fine)? All give me an effect similar to food poisoning. I think now I can add chilli and possibly Pollock to the list). In fact, if it exists there's maybe a 50-50 chance it'll make my insides explode. So I eat a lot of the same things. Oh, and recently? Haricot beans make my throat and lips swell. After a childhood of baked beans (and there's nothing bad in a tin of Heinz), it's now on the don't touch list. I have no idea what the common link is, maybe some sort of pesticide? Suffice to say, going couple of weeks without sitting on the bog feeling like the world is ending is a rare thing. 😢
Load More Replies... Lyone Fein 4 days ago
I am allergic to so many of the things mentioned by the OPs on this list! Environmental : dust mites, mold, pollen, chemicals, perfumes, feathers. Contact : aloe, latex, numerous plants, pineapple, dyes in soap, polyester. Foods : soy, peanuts, lamb, squash, zucchini, chocolate, oats, grapes, melons. And penicillin and aspirin.
meeeeeeeeeeee 4 days ago
I wouldn't try Quorn if I were you. People with mould/penicillin allergies can react badly to that.
Load More Replies... Rathoren 3 days ago
As a cat rescuer this is the hardest, im ridiculously allergic to fleas... P**p and bites. Its so frustrating cause my cats are okay but im always bringing in hospice cases or kittens and boom there go my flare ups :'( And also rosemary after i got stabbed by a branch of it. ..
Mo_rose 4 days ago
Maize! Doubt anyone will see this but if you cant pin what food is making you violently ill and itchy try restricting maize id pay to have any other specially everything seems to contain it! And its a non listed ingredient on most medicines you have to specifically Google non active ingredients :(
Chich the witch 4 days ago
Beer, not that I liked it much, but think of the $ I saved. I also have a list of meds from going through cancer treatments. There is one anti nausea that has the same effect as chugging 17 espressos.
Huddo's sister 4 days ago
I think my weirdest and most annoying allergies are eucalyptus and pine. Living in Australia, both are everywhere. Environmentally, it's worst after rain, if I walk past those trees. I also live near a mill where they process both so there is lots of dust/oil from them in the air, I have to close the vents in my car before driving past. Eucalyptus is also in a lot of products, especially since covid, when people used it as a disinfectant. I have to be careful of hand sanitisers, cleaning products, air fresheners, tissues...
meeeeeeeeeeee 4 days ago
I read that allergies can develop if you eat a new food and have a cut somewhere on your skin. The body just blames the food for the cut. Ain't that mad? If only our immune systems had eyes and learned to calm the f**k down for just a second and think.
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