tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post4298529931324078816..comments2023-01-07T10:23:39.962-08:00Comments on The Food Allergy Queen: Citrus Allergy QuestionFood Allergy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05236187889617826475noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post-90098860537732276032013-05-23T08:45:38.303-07:002013-05-23T08:45:38.303-07:00Jimmy, thanks for sharing the tip on the spinach! ...Jimmy, thanks for sharing the tip on the spinach! It's things like this that help all of us with food allergies. Best, The FAQFood Allergy Queenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05236187889617826475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post-48602139928176032892013-05-23T06:45:39.916-07:002013-05-23T06:45:39.916-07:00While I would not wish a citric acid allergy on an...While I would not wish a citric acid allergy on anyone, it is good to know I am not alone. I just wanted to mention that citric acid is used as a wash on most prepackaged ready to eat produce ex. spinach (which contains citric acid anyway). It is also used as a produce wash in many restaurants. This wash has on more than one occasion been the culprit in my "dosing".Jimmynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post-14348078246884166672013-05-09T18:02:29.720-07:002013-05-09T18:02:29.720-07:00Anonymous, glad to be able to help. Be prepared, t...Anonymous, glad to be able to help. Be prepared, the allergist will likely do a full range of testing, not just for citrus. That's what happened to me, and how I became the Queen. :) BTW, most allergy experts agree that skin tests are more accurate than blood tests. Also in the search box on my site you can look up "testing" to see the arguments for/against the different types of tests. <br /><br />Good luck!<br /><br />The FAQFood Allergy Queenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05236187889617826475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post-79920069517839588332013-05-09T17:59:55.829-07:002013-05-09T17:59:55.829-07:00Hi Cheryl, as someone who has sent back water beca...Hi Cheryl, as someone who has sent back water because of my citrus allergy (cringeworthy), I understand that I'm being a pain in the butt. Not sure if your customer had an allergy or not. But the protein that causes food allergy is in both lemons and limes with a citrus allergy (I react to both in addition to oranges and grapefruits) so I'm guessing your customer was just picky. :)<br /><br />Thanks for writing. The FAQFood Allergy Queenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05236187889617826475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post-23721915189474252282013-05-09T15:45:17.668-07:002013-05-09T15:45:17.668-07:00I noticed this a few years back.. at first with le...I noticed this a few years back.. at first with lemons.. then realised most citric fruits, plus vinegar had the same affect.. bringing me out in almost a middle aged acne.. and itchy skin and eyes.. This article has made very interesting reading especially as I have suffered itching in other areas due to soaps and shampoos but didnt realise a connection! .. I will now see my doctor about this as i've basically tried to avoid citric things up until now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post-76496524106989255652013-05-05T11:02:09.123-07:002013-05-05T11:02:09.123-07:00I was wondering.. Is there a difference in allergy...I was wondering.. Is there a difference in allergy or intolerance between a lime and a lemon? I had a customer that asked for a drink with a lemon on the rim. Most people opt for a lime. It was a busy night behind the bar and I inadvertently put a lime instead. The server came back with the drink and said the customer wants a whole new drink made because I put lime instead of lemon on the lip of the glass. Was the customer being difficult or could it be that they couldn't have the lime versus the lemon because of allergies or intolerance?Cherylnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post-40627144697549191432013-03-17T15:53:09.836-07:002013-03-17T15:53:09.836-07:00Hi Dana, congrats on your path of finding out what...Hi Dana, congrats on your path of finding out what does and doesn't work for you! You'll soon be feeling so much better that you'll wonder how you functioned before your diagnoses.<br /><br />A few recos: most of the food allergy community believes that blood tests for food allergies tend to be inaccurate. And rely more on scratch tests. Here's a post about it. http://www.foodallergyqueen.com/2010/01/food-allergy-testing-which-type-is-best.html<br /><br />As for avoiding dairy and citrus, and still having sweets--the simple truth is that it's time to learn to bake! There are literally no other guarantees to avoid your allergens. It's not only safer, but you'll feel more empowered to stay healthy when you have tasty treats already at home. Luckily, there are tons of resources out there now. Check out godairyfree.com, and Living Without magazine. Good luck! The FAQFood Allergy Queenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05236187889617826475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post-83411026869989738592013-03-16T12:11:03.575-07:002013-03-16T12:11:03.575-07:00I've been on an elimination diet and have had ...I've been on an elimination diet and have had an endoscopy but not a blood allergy test yet. So far I cannot have any dairy at all, and I'm finding out that I can't have citrus and possibly citric acid either. Because of that I can't have any natural or artificial flavorings either. But I CRAVE orange juice as well as sweets. I don't know how I can live without cookies and baked goods, but everything seems to have dairy or citrus. What can I do?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07513001871972977009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post-83628754013740495032013-01-08T19:31:13.359-08:002013-01-08T19:31:13.359-08:00Hi Kellea, yes there are others with a citrus alle...Hi Kellea, yes there are others with a citrus allergy, don't feel alone! I have the worst time when people peel oranges on airplanes, so I feel your pain. See an allergist to get a scratch test to make sure that you are only allergic to citrus, there are other things that could cross react. See my post on "cross reaction". Good luck! The FAQ<br />Food Allergy Queenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05236187889617826475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post-84813425888938977292012-12-05T21:31:32.969-08:002012-12-05T21:31:32.969-08:00I don't know if this is still up and running b...I don't know if this is still up and running but I have a citrus allergy. I can't eat drink or touch anything with oranges, lemons, linear, grapefruit I'm also allergic to bananas. I can't even use lemon dish soap or pledge or I break out. I can smell oranges, lemons and limes from what seems a mile away and it gives me a head ache. I'm 20 and delt with this my whole life. I even stay away from artificially flavored things just in case. I've never known anyone else with this allergy or even how I came to be allergic. Thank you for the insight!kelleanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post-80163999021776377832012-04-17T07:38:01.198-07:002012-04-17T07:38:01.198-07:00Stephanie, I found a recipe for making fruit rolls...Stephanie, I found a recipe for making fruit rolls! Use a light-tasting vinegar (like champagne) or verjus instead of lemon juice. I'll post this to the main blog page as well. Good luck! The FAQ<br /><br />http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_make_fruit_leather/Food Allergy Queenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05236187889617826475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post-66702224642009243582012-04-12T14:35:41.727-07:002012-04-12T14:35:41.727-07:00While that may be true from a chemistry standpoint...While that may be true from a chemistry standpoint, if you still react to it then it's a good idea to avoid it. I've found that I react to anything that begins with citric- in the name. I just found out that ascorbic acid is another form of vitamin c, which may work better for nutritional reasons if he can't have real citrus. I got mine at Whole Foods.<br /><br />Also, if you learn to make alternative tasty things, I'm sure he'll enjoy goodies other than fruit snacks for the sweet tooth. Best.Food Allergy Queenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05236187889617826475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post-44063305936356387772012-04-12T11:23:25.279-07:002012-04-12T11:23:25.279-07:00From what the allergist told me, she felt like cit...From what the allergist told me, she felt like citric acid was completely different than actual citrus, but I wonder if removing all citric acid would help clear up his skin. He loves fruit snacks and I know it is in all of those. I guess I'll have to figure out how to make home made fruit snacks. I check all labels for citrus juices/ingredients, but a lot of things just say 'natural flavors' which could mean citrus, but they don't specify. Even Panera makes sugar cookies with icing on them and after eating it I know it has lemon in the frosting, but the package just says 'natural flavorings'. Don't they realize people might be allergic to those 'natural flavorings?!' ARgh! Thanks for your help and I'll definitely check out that book!Stephanienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post-14026476425038440782012-04-12T09:45:53.399-07:002012-04-12T09:45:53.399-07:00Stephanie, the easiest way to avoid citric acid is...Stephanie, the easiest way to avoid citric acid is to try to avoid as many commerically-processed foods and drinks as you can. It's a low-cost preservative that many food companies use.<br /><br />Soda, juices and even candy contain citrus. It's obvious he can't have just "a little bit", despite what your allergist says. You may need to cook a lot of safe baby foods yourself, and freeze them ahead of time so you don't need to rely so heavily on purchased ones. <br /><br />You can't control every environment by yourself, so definitely talk to the school about managing the citrus he's exposed to. Also, please get Allergic Girl's book "Living well with food allergies" so that you learn some techniques on how to educate and manage others to keep your son safe and help empower him as well. Best, the FAQFood Allergy Queenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05236187889617826475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post-90868402495394876542012-04-12T09:33:07.800-07:002012-04-12T09:33:07.800-07:00So if they are using lime to formulate the citric ...So if they are using lime to formulate the citric acid then should it be avoided by someone with a citrus allergy? My Son was diagnosed with an allergy about 6 months ago, but is being retested next month to see if it is becoming more severe. The degree of reaction wasn't very severe but he has had a few reactions after exposure recently so we want to know if he needs an epi pen. We avoid all citrus fruits and their juices, but he does eat foods with citric acid. his skin is a constant disaster, rashes all over. I wonder if he's reacting to the citric acid. But how do you avoid that all together? it is in so many things! I did ask the allergist last week about citric acid and she said it was ok for him to eat it, but now I'm wondering. If they use lime to create it, then maybe he is reacting? He's starting preschool next fall and i worry about oranges or orange juice being in the room. Even a lot of fruit punch has orange juice in it. And they use lemon juice in SO many baby foods! I have a 9 month old and I am avoiding all baby foods that use lemon juice, it is in just about every brand. Sorry my post has no point, I just feel a bit of relief to know there are others out there with a citrus issue, I feel like many people think I'm overreacting when I freak about about them trying to feed my kid a piece of key lime pie or a sip of orange juice!Stephanienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post-90994686026754522742012-03-08T21:57:49.117-08:002012-03-08T21:57:49.117-08:00Yes, it's difficult to manage, but not impossi...Yes, it's difficult to manage, but not impossible! I'm just about to post about citrus, so stick around. Please feel free to share here, or on my Facebook site with others who have a citrus allergy. <br /><br />Thanks! The FAQFood Allergy Queenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05236187889617826475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post-15000594700707291502012-02-29T11:04:03.487-08:002012-02-29T11:04:03.487-08:00I know what it is like to have a Citrus Allergy. I...I know what it is like to have a Citrus Allergy. I can't touch it and forget about eating it. A teacher when I was 16 gave us all orange water in a dixie cup before going out to perform on stage...for energy next thing I remember was the tunnel vision and then waking up in the rehearsal room with paramedics around me. My throat close up and apparently I died for a few minutes. From that time on I have to carry an eppi pen with me. Another problem I have is sour gum. It's really hard for me to fight off sickness when I get ill. So for everyone who has it no matter how little or severe it is I am there with you. I have been dealing with this since my mother was pregnant with me 24 years ago and substitution is a pain in the butt to find. Good luck to everyone who has to deal with this.Raenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post-36209373849608693922012-02-04T16:03:10.128-08:002012-02-04T16:03:10.128-08:00Hi Anonymous, interesting about the L-lycene. Does...Hi Anonymous, interesting about the L-lycene. Does it prevent reaction entirely? Or just minimize the effects of a citrus allergy? And does it only work for citrus? So many questions. :) Thanks! <br /><br />The FAQFood Allergy Queenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05236187889617826475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post-78364589915362590302012-01-19T07:54:10.472-08:002012-01-19T07:54:10.472-08:00My Mother, a Nurse, heard about L-lycene as a mean...My Mother, a Nurse, heard about L-lycene as a means to stave off the affects of my citrus acid allergy. When I remember to take it I find that I do not break out in canker sores like I used to, but since I just tend to stay away from the highly acidic fruits anyway I do not take the suppliments as much as I should.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post-11521739316030847492011-12-08T14:35:36.376-08:002011-12-08T14:35:36.376-08:00whitejl13, I'm so sorry I took so long to resp...whitejl13, I'm so sorry I took so long to respond, I missed your comment!<br /><br />Has your child been tested by an allergist? Or have you self-diagnosed? I highly recommend getting her tested if she's having severe problems. You don't say what kind of reactions your daughter has. If you have an allergist, ask him/her about food allergy cross-reactions. Some fruits are related to Oral Allergy Syndrome, some are more active seasonally. I have a post about cross reactions here. http://www.foodallergyqueen.com/2007/04/food-allergy-cross-reactions.html<br /><br />Citric acid is used liberally in most processed foods, esp drinks. If she is allergic to citrus I'd recommend avoiding processed foods as much as possible.<br /><br />Some people outgrow foodallergies, some get new ones after several years. An allergist will be able to help explain better than I. <br /><br />Best, <br /><br />The FAQFood Allergy Queenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05236187889617826475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post-44795512513569680022011-12-08T14:23:46.125-08:002011-12-08T14:23:46.125-08:00Hi Anonymous (the registered nurse). While you ca...Hi Anonymous (the registered nurse). While you can't realistically control over all your own personal airspace, you can be personally prepared with your Epipen. And you will also need to train those around you to be sensitive to your allergy...Allergic Girl's book is a great resource on how to build a "Team You" support system so that you don't live in fear. But can be confident to handle it. Best, <br /><br />The FAQFood Allergy Queenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05236187889617826475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post-65889728064124835292011-10-22T20:18:55.506-07:002011-10-22T20:18:55.506-07:00Hi when someone peels an orange me I go into a sev...Hi when someone peels an orange me I go into a severe asthma attack and feel like I will stop breathing, the sensation does not subside in my chest until the fruit is gone, each time gets worse, it is really frightening and has been happening to me for 2 years now, I myself am a registered nurse, I also react much the same way to perfumes and don't most perfumes have a citrus component, I am very concerned that I will have an anaphylactic reaction eventuallyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post-79831107075603125952011-09-15T09:02:55.319-07:002011-09-15T09:02:55.319-07:00I have a citrus intolerance also. And yes any Dove...I have a citrus intolerance also. And yes any Dove product is amazing! I have to be extra careful with everything. I have to ask about marinades and dressings and all sorts of stuff when I eat out. I can't have energy drinks and the only soda I've found that doesn't have citric acid in it is Dr Pepper. With my job, i have to wear gloves and a mask when I clean with certain products. Don't feel bad about the lemon slice in water, dear. I have to do it all the time!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post-40360511593136935792011-08-19T18:11:18.133-07:002011-08-19T18:11:18.133-07:00I have a question and I'm sorry if this is som...I have a question and I'm sorry if this is somewhere or someone else has asked this but my 22 month old daughter has always been allergic to strawberries. I just found out now she's allergic to apples,grapes,and oranges. They are saying to go ahead and avoid citric acid too is this correct? There was something in frito lay products breaking her out and I thought it was canola oil and they said they can't test for it but citric acid is in them so this makes sense. One more thing has anyone seen an allergy like a citrus allergy come after a child is a toddler?whitejl13https://www.blogger.com/profile/06011464618705545783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9654153.post-13454747956672311312011-08-19T18:09:10.545-07:002011-08-19T18:09:10.545-07:00I have a question and I'm sorry if this is som...I have a question and I'm sorry if this is somewhere or someone else has asked this but my 22 month old daughter has always been allergic to strawberries. I just found out now she's allergic to apples,grapes,and oranges. They are saying to go ahead and avoid citric acid too is this correct? There was something in frito lay products breaking her out and I thought it was canola oil and they said they can't test for it but citric acid is in them so this makes sense. One more thing has anyone seen an allergy like a citrus allergy come after a child is a toddler?whitejl13https://www.blogger.com/profile/06011464618705545783noreply@blogger.com