Serious Allergy Alert!

[Msterbeau]

Right after eating dinner, my arms and upper body broke out in a horrible rash that itches like hell.

I had Velvetta mac and cheese, and a couple pieces of bread with butter and strawberry jam on them. Nutritious, I know. Anyways... I've eaten the bread, the butter and the jam before without incident. Could the mac and cheese do this too me? I've had this brand many times before.

[Der Nister]

Sounds to me like an allergy to something else. Have you switched laundry detergent?

I had the same thing happen to me and it was a cheap brand of detergent that did me in. I can't imagine why suddenly you would be allergic to a food that you've eaten before without incident.

Is there anything else that you think could have set this off that you might have thought wasn't relevant (at the time) to the rash.

Just trying to help.

[Msterbeau]

I dunno. I've been wearing these clothes all day. It's a very strong reaction. Something must have recently happened. Like eating....

[Der Nister]

Well in my case I discovered to my displeasure that I was allergic to the cheap brand detergent while I was at work and had been wearing those clothes for several hours before my skin reacted.

Um, you could take some benedryl, get rid of said rash and then do the unthinkable. Try eating the same foods again and see if you get the rash again.

That's how I would treat it - or just stay away from those foods.

[Msterbeau]

Well in my case I discovered to my displeasure that I was allergic to the cheap brand detergent while I was at work and had been wearing those clothes for several hours before my skin reacted.

Um, you could take some benedryl, get rid of said rash and then do the unthinkable. Try eating the same foods again and see if you get the rash again.

That's how I would treat it - or just stay away from those foods.

I sprayed some Benedril on my arms to see if it helped. Not so much. I think I'll take a couple pills now. Maybe that'll relieve it.

I've heard many stories about detergents. I washed everything Sunday. I've worn stuff washed then the past couple days. Seems like I itched a bit yesterday. I'll keep an eye on things. Thanks for the input bro.

[Der Nister]

The caplet Benedryl is much more effective and there isn't any mess. Even the dollar store brand benedryl helps just as well.

that lotion stuff is not any good, the caplets get in your blood stream and kill the itch - and no prob.

[sass_in_the_pants]

Have you had that COMBINATION of food before?

It is possible that you are allergic to those foods when eaten together - my grandmother can't have strawberries with milk. Alone, each is fine.

Other thoughts -

Is your shirt new? What about fabic softener? Soap? Lotion? Have you changed any of these things lately? What about your bed sheets? Did you wash those in something different?

[Msterbeau]

Have you had that COMBINATION of food before?

It is possible that you are allergic to those foods when eaten together - my grandmother can't have strawberries with milk. Alone, each is fine.

Other thoughts -

Is your shirt new? What about fabic softener? Soap? Lotion? Have you changed any of these things lately? What about your bed sheets? Did you wash those in something different?

I've never heard of food combo's producing reactions. I've never had this combo before. I suppose it's possible. The sheets haven't been washed in a few weeks. All soaps etc are the same.

[Fierce Critter]

Are you sure that's all you ate or were exposed to?

Jon took some tums once and broke out into hives. Weirdest thing.

Sometimes that can be a nervous reaction, too. Not common, but it happens.

[honeymustard02]

you can develope allergies to food at any age. My brother is allergic to a type of nut hes eaten his whole life. It almost killed him.

I suggest calling your doctor and getting an allergy test done just to see what's going on.

[TygerLili]

Is there any chance you could have shingles?

What you described kind of sounds like what I had a couple years ago. I thought I had a rash or an insect bite because it came on so quickly. If it doesn't go away in a day or two get it checked out, especially if you've been around someone with chicken pox.

[c0pper]

Sounds like bubonic plague....thanks for bringing the end times upon us.

I ate neosporin once and my throat tried to swell shut...I didn't really eat it...my lips were dry and cracking

Maybe you're just getting old and your immunity is starting to suck?

[torn asunder]

might sounds a bit illogical, but could the food timing just be a coincidence, and maybe it's from the stress of your financial situation right now?

[Onyx]

Allergies are a very strange ailment. I never had any until I moved to Florida. Mangoes were one of my favorite fruits and I always was able to eat them without any problem. In Florida a few months after I moved there I broke out all inside my mouth and throat with red welts, and everywhere the juice touched on my hands when I ate a mango, same variety I always ate. I love them so much I tried it again a couple of times and always broke out like that.

A couple of years ago I ate a fruit salad not knowing it had mango in it and no reaction at all, so I had to go buy some and try them. No reaction!

Very strange how it can pop up out of the blue like that and go away on it's own.

[pomba gira]

you can develope allergies to food at any age. My brother is allergic to a type of nut hes eaten his whole life. It almost killed him.

I suggest calling your doctor and getting an allergy test done just to see what's going on.

Yup. As Onyx said, allergies can be a very odd phenomenon.

Since these were all packaged foods, it's also possible that some ingredient in one of them may have been changed... I would guess the mac & cheese unless one of the other items was newly opened for that meal

[Msterbeau]

Is there any chance you could have shingles?

What you described kind of sounds like what I had a couple years ago. I thought I had a rash or an insect bite because it came on so quickly. If it doesn't go away in a day or two get it checked out, especially if you've been around someone with chicken pox.

I've been pretty much around adults only in the past couple weeks. I don't think anyone had Chicken Pox.

I have a few red spots but it's pretty much gone today. I'm keeping my eye on what I'm doing, eating, wearing, etc... just in case.

[Msterbeau]

might sounds a bit illogical, but could the food timing just be a coincidence, and maybe it's from the stress of your financial situation right now?

Yup.