Shellfish Allergy

A common theme in many posts is "I'm allergic to this, how do I know what I can/cannot eat."

As far as I have researched, the major fish groups are not crossed linked for allergic reactions, (unless cross contamination from public eateries occurs).

What it means:

if you are allergic to scaled fish, you can probably eat othe types of seafood, but not ANY type of scaled fish, unless it is super frozen and super cooked, ie canned tuna maybe.

If you are allergic to crustaceans(shrimp, crab, lobster, etc.) your allergy is limited to those saxitoxin carring creatures, which happen to be infested with algae blooms.

If you  are allergic to mollusks (clams, oysters, and filter feeders) you have a mollusk allergy applying to all filter feeders.

You of course should be tested by a doctor to be sure.

And in public, always be aware of cross contamination.

I found some useful information here:

http://www.allergycapital.com.au/Pages/seafood.html

I ate all seafood until my 18th birthday, and had tingling, inching, throat swelling, and rash folllowing a large lobster dinner. I am allergic to crustaceans, possibly due to my allergic reactions to algae bloom caused saxitoxin residue present in crustaceans.

But use your common sense, if I am allergic to crab but not octopus, the primary food source of octopus is crab, so octopi will most likely cause my reactions to flare, although the cephalopod species itself is not causing my allergies, octopus are highly likely to carry saxitoxins.

I eat crab claws once in a while, and take a claritin-D before I eat it to alleviate the body hot rash feeling. Crab is my favorite, and I noticed if it does not touch my lips, I don't get the annoying itching/swelling on my lips, so I drop it into my mouth, and take care not to lick my lips.

I don't eat shrimp, lobster, because the reactions are severely annoying from those foods, and I don't feel it's worth it for those, since they are not my favorites.

I can eat any fish I have tried in 40 years, no reaction, clams and oysters produce no reaction either, but I hate clams and oysters, so I don't eat them for that reason alone.

My mom is also allergic, and has never stopped eating crab, it's her favorite, her allergies started around 30 yrs old. She is 78 and gets no reaction any more from crab, except for minor itching on her body after it digests. SHe also gets rid of it with claritin.

I am not a doctor, nor do I recommend anybody eating large amounts of the fish you are allergic to in an effort to nullify the allergic reactions.

I would recommend anyone with questions to speak with an allergy specialist or doctor for testing, to gauge your level of reactions, and to see if there is the possibility for you to even eat it at all. 

I just turned 69 yrs. old and have had no allergies all my life.  The other night I had crab legs at my sister's house and became very ill and swollen.  I noticed I felt full after eating only 1/2 of 1 crab leg and did not eat any more.  I went home shortly after this and by the time I got home, my stomach was swollen and I was nausiated.  I threw up violently and could feel my face swelling and become red and a burning sensation.  The tip of my nose and a line on each side of my mouth was pale white.  My eyes became swollen and burning.  I had a headache.  When I looked in the mirror while washing my face, I could not believe what I saw looking back at me.  I did not have any respitory problems.  It is now 3 days later and I still have some swelling despite taking a fluid pill every day.  I did not go to the doctor since it is a weekend and I did not have breathing problems.  Is this a true allergy to crab legs?  I also did not have itching, but did have burning and continued red rash and broken blood vessles on my face.  None of the other guests were affected.

Your best guess would be appreciated.

Meme

yes, that is definitly a shellfish allergy, you might want to see if shrimp and scallops do it too... by just trying a little piece.  I aquired my shellfish allery around puberty, and I also found out throuigh trial and error that I'm allergic to Carrageenan, with is a seaweed extract used to thicken thiings like heavy cream.

A common theme in many posts is "I'm allergic to this, how do I know what I can/cannot eat."

As far as I have researched, the major fish groups are not crossed linked for allergic reactions, (unless cross contamination from public eateries occurs).

What it means:

if you are allergic to scaled fish, you can probably eat othe types of seafood, but not ANY type of scaled fish, unless it is super frozen and super cooked, ie canned tuna maybe.

If you are allergic to crustaceans(shrimp, crab, lobster, etc.) your allergy is limited to those saxitoxin carring creatures, which happen to be infested with algae blooms.

If you  are allergic to mollusks (clams, oysters, and filter feeders) you have a mollusk allergy applying to all filter feeders.

You of course should be tested by a doctor to be sure.

And in public, always be aware of cross contamination.

I found some useful information here:

http://www.allergycapital.com.au/Pages/seafood.html

I ate all seafood until my 18th birthday, and had tingling, inching, throat swelling, and rash folllowing a large lobster dinner. I am allergic to crustaceans, possibly due to my allergic reactions to algae bloom caused saxitoxin residue present in crustaceans.

But use your common sense, if I am allergic to crab but not octopus, the primary food source of octopus is crab, so octopi will most likely cause my reactions to flare, although the cephalopod species itself is not causing my allergies, octopus are highly likely to carry saxitoxins.

I eat crab claws once in a while, and take a claritin-D before I eat it to alleviate the body hot rash feeling. Crab is my favorite, and I noticed if it does not touch my lips, I don't get the annoying itching/swelling on my lips, so I drop it into my mouth, and take care not to lick my lips.

I don't eat shrimp, lobster, because the reactions are severely annoying from those foods, and I don't feel it's worth it for those, since they are not my favorites.

I can eat any fish I have tried in 40 years, no reaction, clams and oysters produce no reaction either, but I hate clams and oysters, so I don't eat them for that reason alone.

My mom is also allergic, and has never stopped eating crab, it's her favorite, her allergies started around 30 yrs old. She is 78 and gets no reaction any more from crab, except for minor itching on her body after it digests. SHe also gets rid of it with claritin.

I am not a doctor, nor do I recommend anybody eating large amounts of the fish you are allergic to in an effort to nullify the allergic reactions.

I would recommend anyone with questions to speak with an allergy specialist or doctor for testing, to gauge your level of reactions, and to see if there is the possibility for you to even eat it at all. 

I am 34 years and I started feeling tingling in my ears after eating shrimp, lobster ....10 years ago. Lickily I did not eat it that often. 3 years ago I went for a cocktail party and had a crab cake and hell broke loose. I have diarrhea, vomiting, dizziness, itchy and swollen face, and luckily I managed ti get epi-pen within 15 minutes and everything subsided. 6 months ago, I went to the mosy popular sub-restaurant and orderd a beef sandwich with beef soup, before I could even finish the soup I had a swollen throat with pain on swallowing and did not have the rash and the other things. I went to the ER and got epi-pen, benadryl and a steroid. 3 months ago, I went to a different restaurant and ordered ribs and mushrooms. I confirmed with the waiter that the mushrooms did not have any "seafood." Before I could even finish the dish, my throat was at it again and I ended up in the ER. Later on, I figured that the mushrooms had oyster sauce. I had my blood tested and reacted strongly positive with all the types of shellfish and fish except walleye. Now I am so scared, I can't eat out anymore. Apparently, there is so much cross contamination out there. I have to read every label etc. I hope the scientists out there are going to come up with something. 

Year ago I worked in a restaurant for a summer job and every time I'd handle shrimp in the shell my hands would swell-up and itch...I figured this was from the spikey/sharp bits on the shell and hence wore gloves. Now I'm in my early 30's and recently (last year or so) every time I eat crab I get a "hot" feeling, my eyes feel funny/puffy, and my stomach burns, then bad "have to run to the toilet" an hour or so later - is this an allergy? Should I get tested? I don't get a rash or hives. The thing is, I don't always have a reaction to shrimp, but I always have one to crab. If I was truly allergic wouldn't it happen every single time with all crustaceans?

During a C.T. Scan with Contrast Dye I went into Anaphylactic Shock.  This happened very quickly after the Dye was injected.

First I was very hot, then I was consumed with pain all over.

I was unable to speak because my tongue started to swell, and breathing became difficult.

I woke up 5 hours later at a different hospital with my Husband and Chaplin standing over my bed.

I was told that many people do not survive this type of incident.

I was never informed that Contrast Dye could cause a reaction.

3 years ago I did have hives after eating shrimp, but since then I had eaten lots and lots of shell fish without a reaction.

So....no more shrimp, scollops, or any other shell fish for me...darn!!!!

I've heard that contrast dyes for medical procedures have iodine and shellfish have a high concentration of iodine. I always list iodine as an allergy along with shellfish. A few years back I had to have a  medical procedure done that required a dye containing iodine. I explained my situation and they gave me a high dose of benadryl before the procedure. Even twith the benadryl... I was itchy throughout my body for about a week.  In other instances I have refused the dye and had the procedure (MRI) done without it.

I am new to shellfish allergies. I recently started having reaction 24+ hours after eating shrimp. Supposedly this is too long, but this is what happens. I didn't know what the entire body rash (yes, head to toe of little itchy splotchy red bumps) was coming from. I always ate shrimp and remember getting a rash a few time in my life. After keeping a food log I realized that the only time I broke out was when I ate shrimp. So I stopped eating it. The allergist at Kaiser tested me and said I am not allergic. However, I have not broken out until I stopped eating it. That is until recently when I went for food tasting for my wedding...We had ceasar salad (delicious) but must have contained shellfish, because I know have a rash. Ahhhhh! I didn't even think.

So, I guess I am wondering, is there future advice for me. Is there other allergy testing to be sure I am not eating something I shouldn't? Fish doesn't seem to bother me. I was surprised about the dressing, because I only had a few bites.

Thanks and good luck to everyone!

...has anchovies in it.  Depending on the concentration, I can eat it too.  Had it at Wendy's fast food and fine.  The one at Outback makes me awful sick.  I have had food allergies since childhood.  Smell, taste or touch.  I only eat like 40% of the food on planet.  It sucks, dating was hard.  Thank the Lord my husband is plain finicky or we'd never make it!

No nuts, no green veggies, chicken, pork, turkey, beer, lanolin, fish, shellfish, pencil lead, dust.  The list goes on and on!  Just have to be religious about reading labels, taking a small bite and waiting to see what happens. 

I used to work in a grocery store in high school, got to the point I'd go home sick every day!

I found out i was allergic to crab and lobster when i went to see an allergist to find out about indoor/outdoor mold because our house at the time had a mold prob inside the front walls.  I kept getting sinus infections. While I was there, I asked the allergist if she was going to test me for any food allergies and she said, no, why? i told her that i had just been on vacation at hilton head and after eating a crab cake sandwhich my throat started getting itchy and i started coughing. She said, sure, we need to test you then. So, they did a blood test and the results came back that I was allergic to crab and lobster. i told her that i liked shrimp - and was it safe to eat that and she said yes. I still dont understand why its okay to eat shrimp. Thinking back 10 years, I was on a date and ate just a couple of breaded shrimp stuffed with crab meat and had a similar reaction. A few years ago, while in Biloxi eating crab at a buffet, i poked my finger with the shell and my fingers swelled up.  So, I've been told to get an epi pen, and I hadn't yet because, I just thought, I'll just not eat crab and lobster. Now, I'm thinking that I should just get one because, a couple of nights recently, while I was at work, my husband was at home with the kids and steamed some crab legs. Needless to say, the water ran out, and the house filled with an awful burnt crab smell. I didn't want to seem like a hypochondriac, but I know that my throat got itchy. Do I ask him not to cook crab for himself anymore or does he just need to not smoke up the place? Anyone know anything about this?

I know for certain if you are allergic to crab/lobster, that you will get thee same effects from shrimp. But keep in mind this has to do with saxitoxins which buildup within crustaceans. Those are all crustaceans.

You may or may not have an allergy to mollusks, clams, oysters, abalone.

Epi pen is always good to have. Allergic reactions get worse over time.

In regards to your last statement I disagree. I'm allergic to crab and lobster but can eat a whole tray of shrimp, my favourite, without any problems. I have been craving scallops but am not sure if I'll react.  My husband and I are going down south and I want to try crawfish.  I'll be getting a perscription for an epi-pen before we go. 

Anonymous was correct. I too am allergic to crab-lobster starting at age 29.

Every other kind of seafood I am fine with. I have tried crayfish in small amounts

with no prob. In fact, I'm getting ready to go throw my crawdad traps in the pristine

waters of the Alsea river not far from where I live.Site of some of the best crawdads

in Oregon. By tonight I'll be savoring those little lobsters with a fine vino.

I think I too am allergic to crab and lobster. Three times in the last one year I have had crab or lobster either on its own or some part of it blended into the dish I'm eating and I have had severe diarrhea within 30 minutes of the end of the meal. Its almost like clockwork, I feel my face turning white, my stomach starts bubbling and I immediately have to go to the toilet.  

I never had this problem before, I'm 39 and this just started happening in the year or 18 months.

Wow Same thing happend to me last night. The only thing is it didn't take 24 hr. to start. I started itching all over. Then a rash broke out on my face,splochy red bumps. I only ate one shrimp,and two crabs. This is not the first time this has happend. Maybe about 2 months ago. I ate some eggrolls that had crab meat in it. I had a bad stomach ache, itching all over. Rash on my face. No More seafood for me. Never had problems when I was a kid.

...as I just found out the hard way, my "shellfish" allergy (e.g. lobster, shrimp, clams) also pertains to CONTACT with FRESHWATER invertebrates (i.e. "shellfish"). 

If you're like me, those of you out there with shellfish allergies may also need to avoid  FRESHWATER shellfish.  I was standing in a river/on a riverbed here in Colorado over the weekend.  My feet developed a pretty nasty urticarial reaction (i.e. hives). 

Surprise, surprise...it turns out that the rivers and lakes here and elsewhere contain plenty of freshwater shellfish; these would seem to be pretty closely related, then, with their saltwater relatives - evoking similar allergic responses in some of us.  Just FYI...

Keep that Benadryl and EpiPen handy!

-AH

also a Board Certified Physician

Hi,

I have severe allegeries to shellfish.  I life in Trinidad, West Indies.  Can anyone guide me to a local or regional allergist? And is there some sort of treatment that can be administered to re-programme the immune system to develop tolerance, rather than just emergency treatement?

I had the similar problem, just now i came from red lobster, i had crab,cat fish, selmon fist and some shrimps,and facing swelling in my lips and throat, pleasue suggest what is the solotion for this.

This is the first time i was eating the sae food.

Hello my daughter woke up to swollen face from eatting shimp, i know she has allergies but not to shimp, i guess now she dose

Hello my daughter woke up to swollen face from eatting shimp, i know she has allergies but not to shimp, i guess now she dose

Yes, by all means you - and your daughter - should get tested. Why play a game with your lives? There are alternatives to how the tests are done. Some are skin tests, while others are blood sample tests. You should talk to your allergist about it.

Regarding your crab experience - there is a nasty trick in the food industry to replace crab meat with immitation meat made from Alaska Walleye Pollock fish. So... you may even be fine with crab, but might be developing a fish allergy.

As I have a potentially fatal allergy to fish - although not to shellfish - I have done plenty of research on the subjects. My allergist, however, told me the fact is that a fish allergy - once gotten - will never go away, and most likely will get worse. Also, to note, sometimes it may not appear right away. You could possibly even eat whatever you are allergic to a couple of times with no reaction. Then, the next time, you could drop dead (potentially). I've even heard of a nurse having an anaphylactic shock while on duty at the hospital. She swelled up so bad that they could not save her - even after having her prepped within minutes.

So the moral is - don't play around. Get tested and find out all the facts from your doctor. And that goes especially for your daughter. Good luck! 

I don't think a six year old would have any trouble with the allergy tests.

When I had it done, I was nervous (thinking it might hurt), but it didn't at all. Maybe there are different kinds of tests, but with mine they barely scratched the skin on my back with a plastic device. It was far less painful than having blood drawn or getting a shot. I could barely feel anything at all until the areas where I'd been scratched with things I'm allergic started itching--it felt roughly like mosquito bites and went away within a half hour or so.

My point is that NOBODY should be afraid of getting tested. It's not painful at all.

I too am allergic to shellfish.  Although they say it is not genetic, my father was allergic and his mother was also. I have different reactions, depending on the fids and the concentration...I guess. I recently went to an allergist and refused to be pinched over 50 times and be injected with something I already knew I was allergic too. I asked the doctor to do a blood test instead. It's quick and not too uncomfortable. My 5 year old aslo had it done. 

You should do some research on blood testing for allergies.  It is not conclusive.  My daughter had a blood test which showed positive for walnuts and pecans, a few weeks later a skin test also showed pistachio and hazlenut allergy.  If done by a good allergist, the skin test is one or two panels that pricks your back for all of 2 seconds.  My 5 year old said ouch and that is pretty much it.  It's really not a big deal and worth saving you or your child a life threatening reaction.

Hi;

I don't know if I can be of much help but I have a shellfish allergy too and it's very severe. I didn't know I had it until two years ago and I've almost died twice. The first time I passed out in a gift shop (3 times) I couldn't get up off the floor. They thought I was having a heart attack and rushed me to the hospital. They didn't figure out the problem. The second time I was on a cruise and passed out. The infirmiry worked on me most of the night and said they thought they lost me 3 times. Just be very careful because many things at resturaunts are contaminated by shellfish cooking on the same grill. Good Luck. Hope You do well.

Hi Bumbed out,

I too have a shellfish allergy and it is extemely difficult to eat out!  I nearly died eating a chicken sub at a famous  sub shop. Now I've got strict instructions to only eat where there is no shellfish, which is hard cause living close to the water in the summer months everything is Seafood realted. I suffer from anxitey as a result of this allergy.  If you look long and hard you can find a few places that may accomidate you. I can eat at a half a dozen places but I still feel like it holds me back from living a normal life. I hope you can find a balance that works for you I still struggle but my family is really supportive. I'm 29 now and have had my allergy since I was 5.. but have been forbbiden to eat out since 18.

best of luck. 

Unfortunately my son who is 6 is allergic to shellfish.  I feel so bad because I feel like I can no longer eat out with him because I worry every time his chicken fingers were cooked in the same deep fryer.  Are their any chain restaurants that you felt really are sympathetic with this allergy?  Also, are you allergic to nuts and peanuts because he is also. Hopefully he can lead a life without feeling deprived of everything. Sorry to hear of your troubles but hopefully someday their will be a cure.           Concerned Mom

I too am allergic to shellfish. I once got a reaction by eating eggs that were served with the same spoon used to serve shrimp. I am very careful when I eat out. I always ask the server and sometimes ask to speak to the chef to make sure that they keep shellfish separate from other foods, that they don't use same oil, same grill, utensils, etc. Two restaurants I've found are very good about that are:Romanos Macaroni grill, Bahama Breezes. You have to be proactive. Take the initiative and ask questions and make sure that the restaurant is a safe place for you to eat.  Be on the look out for things that contain oyster sauce -- chicken lettuce wraps for example. Sauces in general could contain many different ingredients not listed on the menu.  Alwya ask. When in doubt...don't eat it. 

I too am bumbed out. It is super hard to ever eat out, which used to be  a fun thing to do for me and my boyfriend. I also suffer anxiety from my attack that put me in the hospital ( the night before my college graduation!) Any advice how to make this anxiety better? 

Hello:

My name is Dawn and I have been diagonoised with a shellfish allergy.  I have eatten shellfish all my life.  Then one night I was eatting shrimp at home and turned beat red, like I had been scalded.  My lips and tongue began to thingle and they told me to carry an Epi-pen and stay away from seafood.  Then a few months latter I ate tunafish and made chowder for my husband and son, but did not eat any.  Within minutes I couldn't breath, so I know what you went through.  I have been tested by two allergist and both get negitive readings, so I don't get it, but they say it will kill me if I eat it again.  I don't go out to eat either.  I have lost weight do to begining afraid to eat and what will trigger it next time.  If you have any advice please pass it on.  Fish is in so many things that we don't even know about.

Hi, im 20 years old and about 2 or 3 three years ago i found out that i cant eat shellfish either. It first started with shrimp and i got rushed to the emergency room and stayed there for a couple of hours months later i forgot all about it and then came across some crawfish over my girlfriends house i at about 2 1/2 pounds of it and i'll say about 10 or 15 minutes later i started to get hot or you can say heat flashes throughout my whole entire body then my eyes started to turn red and i started to itch and my skin started to turn red and i broke out in hives all over and i barley could breathe. So i wonder what is the cause of this i have all sorts of seafoods when i was little and stayed in Miami, Fl. so what is the cause of it.

I had my first sever reaction to shellfish when I was 21. Like you I had eaten shellfish for years and never had a problem. I went to the Keys for Father's Day. I ate tons of shellfish. On the way back home, my hands started itching. I couldn't figure out what was going on. Later that night, I woke up and couldn't breathe. My face was swollen to about 4 times the normal size. I couldn't bend my fingers and I felt like I was on fire. I went to the hospital and they gave me Benadryl. Which took care of most of it. Since then I stay away from most shellfish. I can eat oysters and clams. I am 36 now.

Here's what I do when I eat out.

If I am going to a seafood restaurant I ask to speak to the manager. I then explain the situation to them. I request that my food be cooked in a clean fresh pan. I try to get food that is broiled instead of fried, baked or grilled. I've found that asking to speak with a manager is the best way to make sure that it gets prepared correctly. I also tell them what will happen should the slightest bit of shellfish make contact with my food. I have never had a bad experience.

Although, sometimes shellfish turns up in the wierdest foods. I went to a Chinese restaurant the other night and ordered won-ton soup. Have never had shellfish in it before. I am so glad I stirred it before I ate it. Because sitting right in the middle of the soup was a huge piece of shrimp. It ruined the whole meal, because I had to wonder what else might be hiding in the other food. I then proceeded to explain to the waitress that no seafood could come anywhere near my food.

Finally, the best thing to do is when in doubt explain it to the server or the manager. Most are very willing to help and accomodate your needs.

I had a near death experience myself with a blue crab party last year.  I have been attending this party for years so you can imagine my surprise.  I was tested and found that I am also allergic to shrimp.

I can eat oysters and clams though and have since been searching for an explanation.

Why some shellfish but not others?

Have you been told why this is?

You will most likely be allergic to one species branchgroup and not the other.

Crustaceans are shrimp, crab, lobsters, this is one group.

Oysters, clams and other filter feeders are Mollusks, another species group.

Scaled fish is another group.

Cephalopods is another, octopus, squid, cuttlefish is another group.

But be wary, octopus eat crab, and will most likely cause a reaction to people allergic to crustaceans.

Also, cross contaimnation in restaurants is hard to avoid without speaking out to the restaurant.

Etc...etc..

well lucky me. both my father and i are allergic to all shellfish and also squid/cuttlefish, , if he walks in to somewhere where shellfish has been cooked his ears "pop" ,we both get the itchy hands and hives with face swelling, we can both eat fish though

Shellfish in terms of "food" are technically two animal categories people roll into one, crustaceans and mollusks.

Clams and Oysters, and Abalone are Mollusks.

Lobster, shrimp, crab, and are in a different group called crustaceans when it comes to allergies.

Being allergic to crustaceans does not make you allergic to mollusks, but if you eat a giant clam that has made lobster and crab it's primary food source, you will most certainly get the allergic reactions. 

Hey All,

I have been allergic to shellfish since I was 8 years old.  The one piece of advice I can give you is when you are going out to eat pay attention to your body.  I can honestly say your body will give you signs.  When you first eat something, especially fried foods, pay attention to your tongue.  It will give it away everytime.  The tingling usually begins within a few seconds to a minute if there has been exposure to an allergen, or it has been cross-contaminated.  I can tell and I will not eat it.  Hopefully, it's the same with most of you.  I have asthma, also, so it can be very ugly. I have had it happen on many occasions since then, but growing up with it and having very insensitive family members.. I learned how to keep myself from having too bad of a reaction.  When you're eating out just pay attention to your tongue and your body.  The more you eat or the longer you stay in that seafood restaurant trying to tough it out..the worst it gets!!  Good luck, All!!

I became allergic when I was in high school after eating shrimp before a school homecoming dance, and I had eaten shellfish plenty before, but had my appendix taken out a month earlier, which I feel could have impacted it somehow. Within about 2 hrs I had swollen fingers, feet, lips, and my tongue was starting to swell and hinder my breathing. I went to the ER for the remainder of the evening.

Now I'm 21 and still have pretty bad anxiety about what happened, ESPECIALLY when I go out to eat. I get really nervous because you never know if they truly are taking the right precautions with your food, so by the end of dinner I'm always really anxious and get the tingles all over just remembering what could happen. So then I get even more anxious wondering if it's just in my head or if it's really happening. So I definitely understand where you're coming from. And, I live in Maine, which is known for its shellfish, so it's extremely difficult finding a safe place to eat.

Cooking at home has become more common to me, and healthier too. Plus, it's made my boyfriend I much closer to be able to do things like cooking together, which has helped me to think more positively about my allergy, since it is very frustrating!

Hi all.  I almost went to the emergency room yesterday for a severe allergic reaction that escalated from the day before.  The EMTs who examined me decided that I would be fine just going to my doctor, fortunately.  What I ate the day before yesterday was a salad with shrimp and peanuts, and while the hives started appearing on my neck and chin a couple hours later, the swelling in my neck, lips, face, and tongue got progressively worse overnight and into yesterday morning.  This is the first time in my life that I have had such a reaction to anything that I have eaten, and I will not know exactly what caused it until I get an allergy test in a couple of weeks.   But what's worse is that I also believe I have a wheat allergy (which seems to cause gastrointestinal problems)!  Aaaargh.

Anyway, the reason that I am responding to this specific post is that I did go for a run the night I had hives.  In my ignorance, I thought the hives would just go away on their own.  It was an unpleasant suprise to wake up at 4:30 AM because my neck was itching so badly!  In the end, though, I also do not know if running is connected at all to my symptoms, i.e., by exacerbating them.

Could you list the website?

-Thanks! 

It's good to hear someone other than myself has this strange reaction after exercising.

The allergist first advised me to not exercise after eating shrimp. Well, that makes sense.

But after the skin tests, the Doctor said I was allergic to shellfish and that I shouldn't consume anymore.

Can my allergic reaction worsen. I wouldn't want any life threatening reaction from ingesting shellfish. So far, it's only been hives outside my body and they go away quickly with Benadryl.

well, hello!

I didn't know that I was allergic to prawns until yesterday. I had a couple of prawns about an hour before working out in the gym and broke out in hives an hour into the workout. My face developed a couple of nasty hives which looked like big ugly pimples and felt like horrible mosquito bites. However my body wasn't really itching, just a slight itch here and there.

I immediately stopped working out. My friend gave me an anti-histamine pill. The hives went away shortly after I took it and I took a cold bath as well to bring down the itch. So I guess exercise do induce allergic reactions because I am a fan of all kinds of seafood and have been eating tonnes of them my whole life without getting any kinds of allergic reactions. I shall just be more careful not to eat any kinds of seafood before working out.

:)

Hello! ***UPDATE***

Well, last week I had shrimp cocktail and approximately 2 hours later, I broke out in hives....NO exercise this time. The hives were mostly facial - some on my chest and back. They didn't itch too badly. I took some benadryl and they subsided shortly after.

I guess it's official. Very strange, because in between my previous two bouts I was fine if I didn't exercise after consuming shrimp. This time, however, I didn't do much activity at all.

Are hives the extent of it for some, or can one eventually have life threatening systems?

Regarding exercise-induced food allergies, I had trouble with off-and-on, unpredictable allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) for years, then finally I found a doc that could figure it out.  After being investigated for tons of freaky autoimmune stuff, he finally decided that my "idiopathic anaphylaxis" was being caused by a combination of food allergies and exercise-induced allergic reactions.  His advice: do not eat for four hours prior to exercising, and before exercising, take one 25mg benadryl and two over-the-counter Pepcid ACs (the benadryl is a histamine blocker and the pepcid AC, as weird as it sounds, blocks some other component of the immune system that can also cause severe allergic reactions - maybe it was mast cells, or something like that, but I can't remember).  Anyway, after nearly 10 years of having random severe reactions, I have now gone nearly THREE YEARS without symptoms.  Give it a try - couldn't hurt.

I was dancing when my allergy flared up two hours after I ate shrimp-- my doctor told me that physical activity will increase your reaction immensely, so keep that in mind!

As far as if the reactions will get worse? It's a possibility. Some reactions do get worse over time with the next occurance, so be careful!

I was dancing when my allergy flared up two hours after I ate shrimp-- my doctor told me that physical activity will increase your reaction immensely, so keep that in mind!

As far as if the reactions will get worse? It's a possibility. Some reactions do get worse over time with the next occurance, so be careful!

Wow I had the same thing happen to me! It started on my 18th birthday, I went out to a super fancy seafood restaurant and I got this medly of seafood stew and came home, a few hours later I was throwing up. From then on though, it only happens randomly when I eat crab legs. Its not everytime, but sometimes...I ate crab last night though and I had the WORST gastrointestinal distress I've EVER had in my life! Cramping, vomiting, diarreha, hot flashes, dizziness and I am still not 100% and it's the next day. Even since this started six years ago I've always wanted to eat Crab and now I don't think I ever want it again. This sux. Why is this happening?

My experience exactly -- at around 24 yrs old, I had a nice dinner of crab legs, which I often ordered back then. But I spent the night in the bathroom getting very sick from both ends. It took getting sick one or two more times after eating crab to realize that crab was the cause.

Other crustaceans are fine -- I eat lobster and shrimp. Other fish and mollusks are fine. I don't get itching or anaphylatic reactions, just severe gastrointestinal problems with crab.

Amen!

I hope your studies prove beneficial towards this type of research.

It would be so nice to be able to have shellfish again and with others too.

Thank you :) 

This reply is to you Tony and also anyone else who is interested.  Check out the website below.  In the past this allergy elimination technique has saved my life and greatly improved my health.  However, my chiropractor who used this technique in my town was killed in a car crash.  Last week I developed an allergy that sent me to the ER.  I suspect shellfish that was in the glucosamine product I took or possibly fish oil supplements.  I'm still having some symptoms 4 days later and knowing my drug allergies it may be to the steroid I am taking to counteract the allergy.  I turned as red as if I'd been lying in the sun all day and felt like I was on fire.  That was the most severe allergic reaction I've ever had and was very scary.  I am going to research NAET with a doctor that is in another town that is an hr. and a half away to see if it can eliminate something as severe as this.  I know that it has eliminated my cottonwood allergy that kept me coughing constantly for months every year.  I do have to re-do it about every 3 yrs. though so I'm not sure I'd trust it to still eat a food, but it would eliminate most of the danger I would think.  The way it works is you hold whatever you are allergic to in a vial in your hand and get accupunctured.  You do not eat or touch that substance for 25 hrs.  Then you get retested the next visit and if you passed you are no longer allergic.  It is an amazing thing.  The problem w/ me now is figuring out what I am having such a reaction to as it is happening nightly to a lesser extent and I can't identify what is the common factor yet.  However, the dr. does muscle testing which is not normal allergy scratch testing.  These drs. can teach you how to also do this so you can test things yourself before you eat them to see if you are sensitive.  There is also a man named David Hawkins who teaches this technique.  He has audio programs w/ Nightingale-Conant.  Keep me informed if you come up w/ anything else new at paulaantim@cableone.net.  Here is the website below.  I will also be checking it out in more detail as I've not had time to go there yet.  I just started researching shell fish allergies to know what to avoid until I can get treatment. 

NAET

Official site for Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Techniques, or NAET for short. A revolutionary and holistic treatment for the permanent elimination of food and environmental ...

• www.naet.com

i am a vegetarian and am taking gluscosamine. I am allergic to it as i have lesions in my skin after a little itchiness.

I became allergic to shellfish and iodine just before my 21st birthday. My doctor told me that there are various fish combinations that can cause the reaction. She said people can be allergic to shellfish, line-fish, or calamari, all of these or any combination of these. She told me to stay away from shellfish but to try calamari and various linefish. I tried calamari and it didn't give me the full anaphalaxis but did make me feel sick, so I stay away from it. I can eat most linefish, but stay away from anything that eats shellfish eg. musselcracker.

As for the eating out issues discussed at length on this page, I have never had a problem in 17 years, I don't order fried fish at all in case it is cooked in the same oil as the shellfish. I have had no problem with grilled linefish as most restuarants have seperate grills for different foods, else I choose something completely different like chicken or meat. You just have to be careful and read the ingredient lists, also you need to read labels and be very careful of thai food as the curry pastes (red, green or yellow) all contain a shrimp / prawn extract.

I have also been told by my doctor that is is highly unlikely that anyone with food allergies that develop later in life that you can grow out of them, and you never know how long the desensitising by allergy practitioners will last. I don't think it is worth the risk.

Hi, I am 40 yrs old and recently have had mild reaction to shrimp but not all the time.  My husband was convinced it had to do with the vein that runs along the spine and inner curve of the shrimp.  I believed him because when he prepared the shrimp nothing would happen to me.  Last night he made a soup with shrimp.  I was fine for about two hours and then I carried my son to the car outside to go home and it was pretty cold.

While driving my scalp and ears started itching and I though "oh, Oh"

My face started burning and my ice watering.  My husband had to take over driving.  My tongue swelled and my chest hurt.  I took two Loratadine allergy tablets that I had.  When I got home I looked like I went through a couple of bouts with "Rocky" and lost.  The hives went down because of the Loratadine but the swelling didn't.  Even my fingers are swollen.  I am still swollen and it's eight hours later.  I am going to the doctor today.  I hope this doesn't last a long time.  But no more shrimp for me. 

Allergic reactions occur then Iodine is complexed (attached) to a protien, the way it is in some shellfish like oyster, clams, etc.  Iodized salt is not comlexed. Also, cooking reduces the iodine content in food by 60%. That is why I can eat cooked lobster and shrimp, but not raw oyster and clams. However, iodine allergy and shellfish allergy are not the same thing. Some people are allergic to a protein in the shellfish and can't have it cooked either, and some are allergic to just the complex iodine in the shellfish and some are allergic to both.

Hi Valarie,

I too have an Allergy to Shellfish.  I do eat cod and salmon regulary and have no reaction to it.  Love It!!  Shellfish means: shrimp, lobster, clams,scallops - any type of fish that have a shell so be careful when eating out as posted in many replys above. 

Barb

I am allergic to all types of shellfish..  I have an EPI-PEN and get a new script every year..  I enjoy eating Chinese Food. Chinese buffets can be a killer!!  In fact I have he writtend in Mandrin on a card the has been laminated so when I enter an Asian resturant they understand right away..  I can eat fish!..  When I go to a supermarket an get fresh fish i insist that the person behind the counter washes his hands, changes gloves, cleans the scale, and if gives me ice to protect my purchase from the heat (I live in Texas) that he gets fresh ice from the ice machine.

When I go to a resturant I ask the server if it is safe to eat fish..  When they do not understand my question, I then inform them of my situation.. I have had the waitstaff from various places ask me a question like, "And your point being?"..  I just get up and walk out!  No shame i just wnt to live.. 

I even have to watch when I go out out on a date..   I tell the person that I am allergic to shellfish..  When they we go out to dinner and they still order shellfish..  I excuse myself..  Leave money for a Taxi and go home... I want to live..!