Open, Sesame (Allergy)

It’s Food Allergy Awareness Week, and I’d like to start a dialogue with my readers about the food allergies facing them and their families through this post.

My own food allergy awareness was formed back in 2007 when I was working at The Institute of Culinary Education as their PR Manager. One of my first media line-ups was with my beloved alma mater, WFUV 90.3 FM. The station was hosting an on-air panel discussion about food allergies, and included a pediatric allergist, an allergy blogger, Sloane Miller, Allergic Girl and my chef, Amy, who was a pastry chef that had such a severe case of celiac disease that she could no longer work amongst flour products (she worked in the school’s externship division).  You can learn a little bit more about that interview here from Allergic Girl’s post.

I learned so much in such a short time about food allergies, and particularly about gluten allergies, during that press interview.

I learned the proper way to pronounce “quinoa”(keen-waa) long before it was part of our everyday vernacular, and was readily available at a local Shop Rite.

I learned that there is a difference between peanut oil and the nut itself, when it comes to an allergen – the protein (nut) is highly allergic while the fat (oil) is not. (note: check with your doctor to confirm this!)

I also strangely remember leaving that interview in 2007 and returning back to the culinary school for lunch (Family Meal was provided a few times a week – a pretty awesome perk of working in the food industry!) and settling down to enjoy a falafel with all the fixins – one of which is a tahini sauce…made of sesame.

Ah, sesame.

Strangely enough, I was able to enjoy my falafel lunch in 2007 without a problem.  And regularly ate hummus, store-bought breadcrumbs, everything bagels and the occasional Quarter Pounder with Cheese without incident.

Until I gradually started to feel a little…err, weird after eating certain things sesame.

An odd mouth sensation after eating an everything bagel.  A dry, scratchy throat after eating a sesame breadstick.  Feeling a little funky after a falafel.

And then suddenly, about four years ago, I recall being at work in the city – at that point, Liz Claiborne Inc. — taking a bite out of a delicious Mediterranean wrap, resplendent with roasted vegetables, mesclun and – my now arch enemy – hummus.

Immediately, after one bite, a warm, tingly itchy sensation started to spread allover my mouth and tongue.

And I panicked.

I really didn’t know what was going on.  My gut told me to start chugging bottles of water.

And so I did.

Bottles and bottles of water.

I have this theory that water seems to help everything in a panic-like situation. (I would come to find out many years later from my allergist that this is actually a very good thing to do when confronted with an allergen to help dilute it in your system.)

I don’t recall if I had the sense enough to take a Benadryl or not, but I do remember verbalizing to my colleague that “Holy sh*t, I think I’m having an allergic reaction!” and just kept chugging water.

From that point forward, I made a mental note to try to actively avoid sesame products.

My food allergy awareness was further heightened when I learned that a priest from my local church had a severe sesame allergy and carried an Epi pen.  Frankly, I still didn’t realize that one could be allergic to sesame, and in speaking to him, combined with my own fairly recent “reaction,” I deduced that the culprit had to be sesame for me – and that it was wise for me to avoid it.  For whatever reason – I still don’t quite know – I still did not seek out an allergist at this point.

I got pregnant in 2009 and had my son in 2010 and thankfully, had zero issues with anything food-allergy related during my pregnancy.

Now, as you will recall from previous posts here on mom a la mode, a pregnancy changes EVERYTHING in a woman’s body. And as distressing as it was to see substantial changes in my body shape and my hair consistency, it was perhaps even more disturbing to realize that my assumed sesame allergy was kicked up into full gear.  I once again learned this the hard way, through “taste and error,” but this time having the sense to pop a Benadryl.

I *finally* made an appointment with an allergist just about a year ago to get tested and the results were not surprising – I officially had a sesame allergy.

And the way I approached food would be forever changed….for now, at least.

Adult on-set allergies are scary.  I know of someone close to my family who is in his 70s and was eating clam sauce since 1945.  And he was diagnosed with a shellfish allergy 63 years later at the ripe young age of 75!!!!

It scares me that I have to tote around an Epi pen. Now, let me be very clear about something: I’m NOT anaphylactic.   The allergist prescribed the Epi pen because, in his words, “you never quite know how the body will react to an allergen at a given time.”

Huh?

Right. Let me try to explain:  so the reaction I might have to a tiny bit of sesame after having a full meal, being fully hydrated and well-rested can be drastically different than if I come into contact with it when I am starving, dehydrated and exhausted.

Let me remind you that I’m the mother of a VERY ACTIVE almost 3-year old, which makes me typically starving, dehydrated and exhausted pretty much all the time.

Hence, the Epi pen.

But that’s only for extreme situations – thankfully, a single Benadryl tablet has done the trick in the few instances I’ve come in contact  with the sneaky sesame.

And golly, can sesame be sneaky.

By “taste/trial and error” I’ve come to find sesame seed products in:

-store bought breadcrumbs (read the label of what’s in Progresso bread crumbs next time you’re in your pantry)

-massage oil and spa products

-moisturizers and lotions

-Chinese/Japanese/Pan-Asian foods

-Italian cookies

My approach to eating – especially dining out – has been drastically changed.  And I’m super-cautious about health and beauty products.  While eating fresh, natural, whole foods are an easy way for me to avoid the dreaded allergen, when it comes to health and beauty products, I’m almost better off with the chemical-filled, non-natural ones! Which is funny but slightly true.

I’ll level with you – I’m mildly annoying to dine or attend a cocktail party with, and somewhat embarrassed when I have to inform a dinner party host of my allergy ahead of time to determine what I’ll be able to eat.  I often offer to bring something  substantial to contribute to the meal instead of just a dessert, as not to burden the host with having to rework a menu on my behalf.

And what has me the slightest bit on edge is recently finding myself feeling a little funny after eating peanut butter and tree nuts.

Please God, not the NUT allergy, too…

This time, I was smarter and got myself to the allergist right away.  The blood test did not show me allergic to nuts of any kind.  But the allergist warned me to trust my body.

Huh?  I thought these blood tests were foolproof when it came to allergies?

Think again.

When you’re dealing with food allergies, you’ve officially entered the Wild, Wild West.  There are no clear answers. You don’t know how your body will react to things.  Your bloodwork might say one thing, but your tingly tongue is telling you something else.

So you “taste and error.”  Keep Benadryl handy. And pray to God that your husband knows how to work the  stupid Epi pen if you are too freaked out to do it yourself….if ever needed.

And I’m not anaphylactic.  Could you imagine if I was?!?!!?

Sloane Miller, Allergic Girl, is anaphylactic. And offers tremendous resources via her allergy network and blog. I highly recommend checking her out.  Tell her Lisa Pisano sent ya!

So let’s talk: who else out there has been faced with an adult-onset food allergy?

Anyone also dealing with a sesame allergy?  More importantly, has it developed into another allergy like tree nut or peanut?

And how about the kiddies? So far, my son has had no food allergy issues.  And I’m told that my sesame allergy is not genetic.

Share your thoughts in the comments below, and keep the discussion going on the mom a la mode Facebook page.

oxox

-mom a la mode

{I was not compensated in any way for this post. All opinions expressed are here solely mine. This post shares my personal experience with my food allergy and in no way is meant to offer medical advice on the allergies or health concerns of others. As always, please consult your personal health practitioner.}