Sue G in PA Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 My dd14 had a severe allergic reaction about an hour after eating chinese food. She had fried rice, lo mein w/ beef, sweet and sour chicken, General Tsos chicken and white rice. Not a ton of all of that..just like a little of each. Anyway, she was complaining of a sore throat and then a few minutes later crying b/c she could hardly breath! :001_huh: She has peanut allergies but has NEVER reacted like this even when eating the accidental piece of peanut candy or ice cream or whatever. She has never reacted at all to eating food cooked in peanut oil or to anything that had touched peanut products. I'm baffled! The most severe reaction she has ever had was a rash around her mouth and "scratchy throat". Ugh. Anything else this could be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Just because her reactions weren't severe before doesn't mean that they couldn't have gotten severe now. Please go to the Dr. and make sure you get an epi-pen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weddell Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Sorry to tell you, but allergic reactions can vary in severity with each exposure. They tend to be worse each time a person comes in contact with/eats the allergen. So what is a rash one time, is a swollen throat the next. Given that, I would say peanut is almost certainly the culprit. Other big allergens in chinese food are sesame seeds or oil (my dd's big allergy), egg, wheat and probably others. ETA: A swollen throat like that really really needs to be treated with an epi-pen. You need to have one with her at all times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue G in PA Posted March 1, 2011 Author Share Posted March 1, 2011 We were at the grocery store when it happened. I immediately called the ambulance and had her taken to the hospital. They gave her benadryll in the ambulance and a nebulizer treatment. By the time I got to her in the hospital (just minutes after she had been taken to be seen) she was breathing normally again. The dr. wrote us an Rx for 2 epi pens. So scary. We figured it was peanuts...probably peanut oil. She's home now and is okay, thank God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Reactions get worse each time generally. :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: (A lot of people react to MSG in Chinese food but with the peanut history, yep, peanut oil makes the most sense.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue G in PA Posted March 1, 2011 Author Share Posted March 1, 2011 Considered MSG but she had chinese food on Sat. from a different restaurant (same type of food even) but it was probably prepared differently. But I do know they use MSG so it makes more sense it was a heavy dose of the peanut oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirth Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Could she also have been suffering from a cold or flu at the time? Rxns tend to be worst if the immune system is already revved up fighting an infection. Not so long ago, a peanut allergic girl died after being served take-out Chinese food at school in Chicago. Just terrible. http://www.suntimes.com/2966858-417/allergy-according-allergic-student-board.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weddell Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 We were at the grocery store when it happened. I immediately called the ambulance and had her taken to the hospital. They gave her benadryll in the ambulance and a nebulizer treatment. By the time I got to her in the hospital (just minutes after she had been taken to be seen) she was breathing normally again. The dr. wrote us an Rx for 2 epi pens. So scary. We figured it was peanuts...probably peanut oil. She's home now and is okay, thank God. I'm glad to hear it. I mean, I'm not glad you dd had a reaction and got taken to the hospital, but I'm glad you took it so seriously and she recovered quickly. I had to give my 5 year old dd an epi pen after a Christmas potluck this year and it was more traumatizing for me than her. You just never know when an allergic reaction is going to turn bad and it's so scary for a child and parent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Hate to say this, but what your dd ate covered so many allergens, because in Chinese restaurants cooking vessels, oil and utensils are often shared among dishes being prepared. Since you already know about the peanuts, that's a good bet. I react to msg. There are other nuts in Chinese cooking and shellfish could be a problem too (dh developed this as an adult). I'd avoid Chinese food. And it might be good to keep a food diary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoPlaceLikeHome Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 (edited) My dd14 had a severe allergic reaction about an hour after eating chinese food. She had fried rice, lo mein w/ beef, sweet and sour chicken, General Tsos chicken and white rice. Not a ton of all of that..just like a little of each. Anyway, she was complaining of a sore throat and then a few minutes later crying b/c she could hardly breath! :001_huh: She has peanut allergies but has NEVER reacted like this even when eating the accidental piece of peanut candy or ice cream or whatever. She has never reacted at all to eating food cooked in peanut oil or to anything that had touched peanut products. I'm baffled! The most severe reaction she has ever had was a rash around her mouth and "scratchy throat". Ugh. Anything else this could be? Peanut allergies should always be taken very seriously even if she has never had a reaction like that:( Did she use an epi-pen? What you describe mandates the use of an epi-pen and benadryl but ask your allergist. My ds is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. People who are allergic to peanuts should not eat nuts as well since there are issues of cross contamination. She should not eat foods that have touched peanuts and tree nuts or contain IMHO but again see an allergist asap. IMHO I would not eat any foods from a Chinese or Japanese or Asian at all unless she prepares it herself. I also recommend that she carries a dual pack epi-pen and benadryl melt a way strips at all times on her person. She needs to check every single ingredient every single time. She should not eat home-made food prepared by other people since they usually do not know how to prevent cross contamination or how to check every single ingredient every single time. We do not eat food with the "made in facility" with the offending allergens. We rarely eat out at restraurants but it saves money too;) Read this web page carefully: http://www.foodallergy.org/ Learn the signs of anaphylaxis and when and how to give epi-pen. Now she could have reacted to something else or developed a new allergy but I would definitely be suspicious of peanuts. We don't eat peanut oil as well since why risk it IMHO. :grouphug: Lastly I was told by an allergist that there is no such thing as a mild peanut allergy at all. Peanut allergies are serious since they can be fatal. Edited March 1, 2011 by priscilla Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoPlaceLikeHome Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 double post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C_l_e_0..Q_c Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Most people recover from mild cases of Chinese restaurant syndrome, without treatment and without lasting problems. People who have had fatal reactions must be extremely careful about what they eat and should always carry medication prescribed by their doctor for emergency treatment. I'm sorry but this it too funny.... Hmm, care to define the word 'fatal' for me? Sounds like a spammer anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C_l_e_0..Q_c Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 There are two kinds of peanut oil. I know one is called cold pressed, but the other is not called hot pressed ... I don't remember its name. One of the two contains the peanut protein, and not the other one. The restaurant would not know that. They would use peanut oil, and assume it's safe. So your daughter could have had a good dose of peanut proteins if the restaurant switched to the wrong kind of peanut oil. From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peanut_oil Most highly refined peanut oils remove the peanut allergens and have been shown to be safe for "the vast majority of peanut-allergic individuals",[1] but cold-pressed peanut oils may not remove the allergens and can be highly dangerous to allergic individuals.[2] However, since the degree of processing is often unclear caution and consultation with a doctor is advised.[3] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Sue, I am glad she is OK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Has she had any allergy testing since the initial diagnosis? You might want to check for a soy allergy, as well. My older dd's soy allergy appeared out of nowhere (after years of stirfries, tofu, etc) when she was 12yo. Soy and peanuts are both legumes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 my son has peanut allergies and we wouldn't take him to a chinese place for any price. It's too dangerous. My son has never had an anaphylactic reaction. We discovered the nuts and many other allergies by accident when I wanted him retested for dairy/egg. It was a fluke but chinese places just have too much cross contamination. I have learned to make some amazing chinese meals at home. I have substituted a lot of ingredients to avoid all his allergies but chinese is at home for this peanut kid. so sorry you had to go through that. I keep telling my family that while he hasn't had a bad reaction yet it could happen. You are proof. Hope you can get more testing to see if it's worse now. I was glad to see my son's RAST 3s coming down this year...well peanut anyway. Others are getting worse :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly IN Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 My dd14 had a severe allergic reaction about an hour after eating chinese food. She had fried rice, lo mein w/ beef, sweet and sour chicken, General Tsos chicken and white rice. Not a ton of all of that..just like a little of each. Anyway, she was complaining of a sore throat and then a few minutes later crying b/c she could hardly breath! :001_huh: She has peanut allergies but has NEVER reacted like this even when eating the accidental piece of peanut candy or ice cream or whatever. She has never reacted at all to eating food cooked in peanut oil or to anything that had touched peanut products. I'm baffled! The most severe reaction she has ever had was a rash around her mouth and "scratchy throat". Ugh. Anything else this could be? You say she has peanut allergy...it could be that this restaurant in particular probably cooked the dishes with nuts in close prox with the other items she ate. Or they didn't wash the pan out that was cooked with nuts?? or it could be a particular type of nuts?? Possibly have soybean allergy?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beach Mom Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 One of my DSs has a peanut allergy. Our allergist told us that due to common woks and the amount of peanuts used in Chinese dishes (such as Kung Pao dishes) we were not safe to let him eat Chinese food from restaurants. The potential for cross contamination is just too high. He also told us that one of the most frightening thing about nut allergies (and others) is that past reactions in no way predict future ones. An anaphylactic reaction could be the next one. Please,please get in the habit of carrying those epi pens with you everywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 (edited) I always thought Chinese restaurant food was forbidden for people with peanut allergy. My ds is peanut allergic, but for better or for worse, he's an extremely picky eater so far. I admit we get takeout just for DH and I to eat, after they're in bed. This thread is an excellent reminder that he is never to try it unless I've cooked it myself. That reminds me - awhile back, DH drove a peanut-allergic colleague to the hospital after she ate Chinese food at a luncheon. ETA: I recall reading the same thing about Mexican food. Do any of you allow your peanut-allergic kids to eat at a Mexican restaurant? We frequently go to Mexican restaurants but ds only eats nuggets, fries and tortilla chips... Edited March 1, 2011 by wapiti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMW Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I just want to add, from experience, that secondary reactions often times occur... about 6 hours after the first. I have two sons with peanut allergies... one has had an anaphylactic episode 2-3 times... he has his own epi pen and we've had to use it! He also has the second reaction, hours later. It is sometimes severe. (Both times he ate what he thought was a "safe" granola bar... he will NEVER eat granola bars again... it's not worth it!) Anyway, after one reaction that took place about 6pm, I put him to bed on the couch and scooted the smaller couch over next to it and slept on it. That saved his life. Late that night, his throat began to fill up with slimy foam!! He couldn't breathe! If I had slept in my bedroom, I wouldn't have heard him and he would not be alive today. I had my phone at my ear, calling 911 and used my fingers down his throat to open up the air way... pulling out the white foamy stuff... Please don't underestimate the possibilities of fatality with these types of allergies. Even though my son is about to turn 18, I talk to him about once a year and remind him... "Don't eat food cooked by others unless you know exactly what they cooked and how it was prepared. Don't eat granola or granola bars at all. Just don't. Keep your epi pen in your backpack/tennis bag and one in the car and one at home." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 My dd14 had a severe allergic reaction about an hour after eating chinese food. She had fried rice, lo mein w/ beef, sweet and sour chicken, General Tsos chicken and white rice. Not a ton of all of that..just like a little of each. Anyway, she was complaining of a sore throat and then a few minutes later crying b/c she could hardly breath! :001_huh: She has peanut allergies but has NEVER reacted like this even when eating the accidental piece of peanut candy or ice cream or whatever. She has never reacted at all to eating food cooked in peanut oil or to anything that had touched peanut products. I'm baffled! The most severe reaction she has ever had was a rash around her mouth and "scratchy throat". Ugh. Anything else this could be? Some Chinese restaurants use peanut oil. Her allergy could have gotten worse. Also, there could be nuts in some what she ate. You may also want to check for pepper allergies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homemama Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Agreeing with Beach Mom, our allergist told us that the reactions may or may not be alike. Also, that his next reaction could be his last. We carry epi/benadryl, Claritin everywhere, just in case. Chinese Restaurants are not on my safe list for ds. Too much cross contamination, plus nuts in some dishes anyway. homemama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisamarie Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 That is so scary. We had our first epipen/ER visit this summer when my DS ate fish (which he's had before and been fine). Moments like those are not easily forgotten. They live in your brain and make you fearful long after. I would strongly urge you to have her retested to see if she's developed any new allergies. Soy and shellfish are the two that I would specifically request since you already know about the peanut allergy. I never had issues with chinese food until 2 years ago when I ate an egg roll with shrimp in it and my throat started closing up. I now have a shellfish allergy and will no longer eat restaurant chinese food. ETA: I recall reading the same thing about Mexican food. Do any of you allow your peanut-allergic kids to eat at a Mexican restaurant? We frequently go to Mexican restaurants but ds only eats nuggets, fries and tortilla chips... My DS is very allergic to peanuts and tree nuts, but I've never heard about the mexican food link. We eat at Qdobas, taco bell, and Chipotles all the time and he's never had an issue. Of course, he only eats quesadillas or beans and rice burritos, chips and cinnamon twists, so that could be why. Picky eater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Reactions get worse each time generally. :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: (A lot of people react to MSG in Chinese food but with the peanut history, yep, peanut oil makes the most sense.) :iagree: Peanut oil is a very good and commonly used oil in Chinese stir-fry. Not so good if you are allergic to peanuts. The most likely culprit. Can you find out what oil was used? Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beach Mom Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 ETA: I recall reading the same thing about Mexican food. Do any of you allow your peanut-allergic kids to eat at a Mexican restaurant? We frequently go to Mexican restaurants but ds only eats nuggets, fries and tortilla chips... The warning about Mexican restaurants is due to the fact that nuts are commonly found in mole sauce. Chains such as Qdoba do not serve this, but more authentic restaurants may. For us Mexican restaurants are taken on a case by case basis, while Chinese we avoid altogether and make at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 The warning about Mexican restaurants is due to the fact that nuts are commonly found in mole sauce. Chains such as Qdoba do not serve this, but more authentic restaurants may. For us Mexican restaurants are taken on a case by case basis, while Chinese we avoid altogether and make at home. Thank you - this makes sense to me. I know for certain that peanut is in the mole of one restaurant we used to go to (I remember because I love mole but ds has previously reacted to inhaling warm peanut sauce so I won't eat that in his presence); I wonder if it's in anything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alamama Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 our daughter gets sick to her stomach from chinese food. someone mentioned that it may be the msg. but then she just said that she gets the same sickness from ihop. good luck to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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