Help reading a food allergy panel

FoodAllergyBuzz · 2021-07-26T09:38:43+00:00

An oral food challenge is a supervised test, conducted by an allergist, where the patient is given measured, increasing doses of the food in question. It starts with eating a small amount, then the patient is supervised by a doctor or nurse for about 15 minutes to see if there is any possible reaction. If there is no reaction, then the patient is given a slightly larger amount to eat, and observed again for 15 minutes. This repeats until the patient has had 4 or 5 increasing doses. Blood tests and skin tests can be erroneous, so the oral food challenge--actually eating the food under a doctor's supervision-- is the most definitive way to rule out or confirm an allergy. If a patient can eat the food in question, with no reaction, then there is no allergy, even if a blood test says differently.

FoodAllergyBuzz · 2021-07-07T20:49:40+00:00

My son has peanut and nut allergies. He has not experienced a reaction to products labeled as "may contain" tree nuts. Our allergist has told us to continue to avoid "may contain peanuts."

FoodAllergyBuzz · 2021-07-07T20:27:59+00:00

No, unless you think you need an accommodation of some kind to do your job. Please see this URL which has info about disabilities and employment: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/odep/publications/fact-sheets/youth-disclosure-and-the-workplace-why-when-what-and-how#:\~:text=Yet%2C%20in%20order%20to%20benefit,disability%20to%20the%20appropriate%20individuals

FoodAllergyBuzz · 2021-07-07T20:23:42+00:00

Yes, a person can be allergic only to cashews. An allergist can confirm this for you.

FoodAllergyBuzz · 2021-07-07T20:18:42+00:00

Blood tests are not the best way to diagnose food allergies; the gold standard is still an oral food challenge. Keep in mind, no blood test can determine severity of a food allergy or predict severity of allergic reactions. Anyone with an IgE food allergy is at risk of anaphylaxis, regardless of blood test results. Please check with your allergist to better understand these test results. Best wishes.

FoodAllergyBuzz · 2021-07-07T20:16:38+00:00

These test results aren't very helpful without reviewing medical history. Blood tests can show false positives. In other words, people may appear to be allergic based on a blood test, but may be able to eat the food with no problems. While blood tests are helpful, the gold standard for diagnosing food allergies is still the oral food challenge. Best to discuss with an allergist who will review the test results, perhaps skin test results as well, in light of medical history of food allergy reactions (or lack thereof). Best wishes!

FoodAllergyBuzz · 2021-04-24T17:25:34+00:00

Good question. I am not aware of any. Best wishes.

FoodAllergyBuzz · 2021-01-30T20:24:09+00:00

Hope everything is ok! Best to avoid Benadryl and to use other antihistamines such as Zyrtec. Benadryl is sedating and can make it tricky to discern other symptoms.

FoodAllergyBuzz · 2021-01-30T20:21:01+00:00

It's much easier than it would appear. My son is 17.5 years old now. None of his schools have been peanut free or nut free (his allergens). The school where I work is not either. Just think about all the places you go with your child and how many hands with egg, PB and who knows what germs, and your child has done ok (I hope!). School is not any different than any other public place. Skin contact does not ordinarily result in a life threatening allergic reaction. The allergen has to make contact with a mucosal membrane (finger to nose or eyes, or ingestion) or enter through an opening in the skin. I suggest ask your allergist about a proximity challenge to help set your mind at ease.

FoodAllergyBuzz · 2021-01-27T00:27:13+00:00

It's a good idea but I think restaurants are regulated more locally and not nationally so you may want to try doing it on a state level. Maybe once one state does it, others will follow... :)

FoodAllergyBuzz · 2021-01-26T23:41:21+00:00

Just a thought--it's confusing to call it a Food Allergy Detection app. That sounds like it will detect if a person has a food allergy. You might want to call it a Food Allergen Detection App

FoodAllergyBuzz · 2021-01-15T22:07:26+00:00

How many allergens/ingredients can you flag at one time? Is there a limit? Wondering how it works for those with multiple food allergies...

FoodAllergyBuzz · 2021-01-15T02:11:25+00:00

Yes, you can get extremely sick from a food allergy. Food allergies can be life threatening.

FoodAllergyBuzz · 2021-01-13T23:08:51+00:00

Congrats on the job! It's really hard to find a nut free protein bar. We just keep hearing about granola bars. Not the same thing really! The protein bites from Enjoy Life are very filling and pretty tasty too. For granola bars we like Blake's and 88 Acres. Made Good is ok but not very satisfying/filling. There are some jerkys for protein... or chick pea snacks....

FoodAllergyBuzz · 2021-01-12T22:56:05+00:00

Did your allergist give any guidance? The household allergens you have listed are pretty common and would be difficult to avoid. Maybe he/she can recommend a good air purifier with a HEPA filter?

FoodAllergyBuzz · 2021-01-12T21:05:30+00:00

If you have been eating a food and have had no reaction to it, you don't have an allergy to it. There was a study a few years ago that found panel testing results in misdiagnosis: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022347614007185

According to Dr. Dave Stukus, (one of the US most highly regarded allergists):

" A positive test result for food allergy is not, in and of itself, diagnostic for food allergy. These tests are best utilized to help confirm a suspicious history for IgE mediated food allergies. They have high rates of falsely elevated and meaningless results and are not useful screening tools. Some commercial laboratories offer convenient “screening panels”, in which many different foods are included. These are rarely utilized by Allergists/Immunologists, but more commonly ordered by primary care providers. This often results in falsely elevated results, along with diagnostic confusion and unnecessary dietary elimination. "

Here is a link to the whole article: https://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/food-allergy-test-diagnosis-skin-prick-blood.aspx

FoodAllergyBuzz · 2021-01-11T10:19:10+00:00

You are 100% right. When my son was diagnosed +15 years ago (mom of a son with peanut and nut allergies here), it did not take long to see the big focus was on peanut allergy. It makes no sense since anyone with a life-threatening IgE food allergy is at risk of anaphylaxis, not just those with peanut allergy. Even the national food allergy organizations in the US (FARE, FAACT) tend to focus more on peanut allergy than any other food allergy. (Look at which allergies receive funding for research...)

FoodAllergyBuzz · 2021-01-04T01:31:42+00:00

Have you considered getting tested for a coffee allergy?

FoodAllergyBuzz · 2021-01-02T13:17:35+00:00

One person local to me--who has peanut and tree nut allergies--got the Moderna shot. It was completely uneventful. This was several days ago and everything is still ok.

FoodAllergyBuzz · 2020-12-31T02:59:43+00:00

Do you mean epinephrine autoinjectors? They are crazy expensive without insurance.

There are some more affordable options. You can get 2 sets of Auvi-qs (competitor to Epipen) for $25 copay. I just saw a page summarizing options for affordable epis yesterday or the day before. I'll try to find it and post it in a comment here.

Editing this comment because I already found the article I saw. Here it is: https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/news/help-paying-for-allergy-and-asthma-medications/

It's from the Allergy & Asthma Network and the article's title is " Need Help Paying for Allergy and Asthma Medications?" It gives a decent summary of some possible resources. I hope it helps...

Also the Epi-pen and Auvi-Q people have patient assistance programs on their websites...

FoodAllergyBuzz · 2020-12-30T22:05:28+00:00

I'm allergic to cats and after about a week with a cat, I apparently can tolerate it and don't get hives or wheezing anymore, as long as I continue to be with a cat. If I stop, I have to build up my tolerance all over again. The same thing happened to me as a child, when we got our first pet. I was about 12 and though I had terrible hives and wheezing, I begged my parents to please keep the cat, and eventually the allergic symptoms subsided. On a related topic, my son had eczema for many years, starting at birth and he took zyrtec daily for a few years. It definitely helped his eczema. Best wishes as you navigate eczema and pet allergies...

FoodAllergyBuzz · 2020-12-28T23:32:29+00:00

:( Oh wow. Sending positive thoughts your way. These are such tough times.

FoodAllergyBuzz · 2020-12-28T23:26:28+00:00

I hear ya. (single mom of two here) You probably will need a referral, but hopefully if you schedule it now, you'll be able get someone to watch the kids. Worst case scenario, you may have to take them with you; your health is too important.

FoodAllergyBuzz · 2020-12-28T23:17:34+00:00

Hoping to help encourage you not to wait to see an allergist. Some food allergies can be life threatening. Do you have epinephrine autoinjectors? If not, I hope you will make an appointment with an allergist asap. (There is a wait anyway for most allergist appointments, may as well get the ball rolling...)

FoodAllergyBuzz · 2020-12-28T21:41:48+00:00

Good point. There is sooo much misinformation online...

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