Food triggers.

[Taztarr]

I am trying (unsuccessfully so far) to identify my asthma triggers. I recently had an inhalant allergy test carried out and the results of this showed that although I am allergic to something (high IgE) I was not allergic to any of the tested allergens (usual suspects: dog, cat, house dust etc, etc).

My partner tells me to get tested for a food allergy but I think that only inhalants affect lung diseases such as asthma. Am I right or are there food triggers and if there are what are they?

Thanks in advance

[Hidden]

Hi Taztarr

A small number of people with asthma are also allergic to certain foods so comimg into contact with a food allergen can lead to an allergic reaction, which may include asthma symptoms such as wheezing, coughing and difficulty breathing. There's more information on the Asthma UK website about common food allergies: bit.ly/2xZ0woh

Hope that helps,

Dita

[Taztarr in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Dita. Funnily enough I'd just found this link and finished reading it as your reply came in!

I was aware of food exarcebating asthma symptoms, such as dairy making you very 'phlegmy', but not as a trigger in themselves. Interesting reading.

[beech]

I find pickled foods, especipally capers and cornichons (which I eat regularly) make me wheezy. As does lime cordial and lemon squash, or other bottled "citrus" juices - the real thing is ok!

And sadly, wine, white, rose and red - it's the sulphites in all of these foodstuffs that set me off. Initially I'm just wheezy, but I can get quite breathless needing my inhaler to relieve it.

I can eat and drink these things, but only in small quantities, and usually the wheeziness stops me quite quickly!

The linked article is interesting - I hope it helps you identify what might be triggers for you.

[Weeannie]

I find dairy sets me off coughing and makes me short of breath, also nuts, straight from a packet as opposed to cooked into something x

[Janet2017]

Hi Taztarr,

Some foods, fruits and drinks can really trigger your attack if you're allergic to them.You need to keep a diary of the foods that you eat before you have attacks, then you either eliminate them from your menu or reduce their consumption of them drastically. l had such experience before but now l have got over it.

l advise you to read about foods containing salicylate acid on the Internet and how intolerance to them can aggravate asthma attack.

[Mitz]

Hi

Over 10 years ago I also started being extremely ill. Bad Asthma and cough. All allergy tests came backnclrlear like you. I was sent to annnn Allergist at the Royal ENT Hospital Grays Inn Road London. Long story short I was diagnosed with a rare cindition Samter's Triad. Oooo sounds scarey but it is not. I am allergic to Aspirin and the organic equivalent is in food. It is worse in organic fruit and veg. As a vegan at that time my food was killing me. I was not allergic to any other things. A simple test will rule this out. I also went on a desensitization programme which helped greatly. I was given a diet too. That was iver 10 years ago.

So worth getting an allergist ti test in food.

[Jenzzie18]

I have a dairy and citrus allergy. Citrus fruits is my worst. If I inhale or eat citrus scents or foods it makes me cough and wheeze considerably which will then spark an attack. X