Does anyone know what type of pollen allergy would be responsible for a SWEET PEAS/PEAS OAS syndrome reaction? My daughter has asthma, eczema,  & allergies and she gets EXTREMELY itchy roof of mouth and lips when she eats sweet peas.

Hello @CarlaR and welcome to the community! 🤗

Have you had any allergy testing done? It would be good to bring this up to an allergist to confirm if it's a food allergy vs. oral allergy syndrome (OAS). Having OAS symptoms to nuts can also be signs of anaphylaxis. Nuts are more likely to cause a serious allergic reaction which must be treated with epinephrine and immediate medical attention. If you don’t know if you are having OAS symptoms or anaphylaxis to any foods, it's important to talk with an allergist.

Hi there, I have started to show signs of oral allergy syndrome, itchiness in mouth and lips when eating avocado, almonds and peanut butter. In the last 2 days I’ve noticed when eating things with rapeseed oil (canola oil) I’m having the same symptoms along with a feeling of pressure in my sinuses and throat. Could this be a sign of oral allergy syndrome?

Tomato’s and strawberries have lot of histamines according to my doctor and can enhance other allergies .

@Moe M. posted:

Welcome to the community @ConeMonkey!

Thank you for sharing your experience, it's always helpful hearing from others. It's interesting that your symptoms are similar to a head cold! Have you had any recent allergy testing done? I'm curious if you have any allergic reactions to pollen. Tomatoes are similar to Timothy and Orchard grass pollen, bell peppers are similar to Mugwort weed pollen. It is weed pollen season currently, so pollen counts are peaking. During peak pollen times, people with OAS may be more sensitive to these foods.

Hi Moe, thank you!  I have not had a recent allergy test, I only know from experience that I react to grass pollen and mold spores.  Interesting about the mugwort pollen.... I'll ask my doctor about it - thanks for the allergy testing link.

Ten plus years ago I had a food allergy test and I wasn't allergic wheat or tomato, only eggs and dairy.  I was trying to get to the bottom of my chronic joint pain, which was miraculously solved by eliminating wheat from my diet, per the doc's suggestion when he ordered the test.  I mostly don't eat wheat now (joint pain gone!), but occasionally I'll have some bread or pizza if I'm eating with other people.  That's why I've spotlighted the bell pepper with bread, as bread has been a menace before.  It seems that my symptoms very much reflect my tomato response, although it seems slightly less awful.

Welcome to the community @ConeMonkey!

Thank you for sharing your experience, it's always helpful hearing from others. It's interesting that your symptoms are similar to a head cold! Have you had any recent allergy testing done? I'm curious if you have any allergic reactions to pollen. Tomatoes are similar to Timothy and Orchard grass pollen, bell peppers are similar to Mugwort weed pollen. It is weed pollen season currently, so pollen counts are peaking. During peak pollen times, people with OAS may be more sensitive to these foods.

@ConeMonkey The tomato 🍅 can certainly be enhancing the allergens in your case.

I learned some time ago that the combination of wheat bread and fresh tomato would give me a "head cold" and I got a lot of those before I figured it out.  I cut out wheat for a while, because I'm wheat sensitive, and I could eat fresh tomatoes just fine, but it's easier to avoid tomatoes, so I do that, with minimal wheat consumption.  I just got another "head cold" with no tomatoes in sight and the only thing I'd had different recently was fresh bell pepper... with bread and hummus.  It always presents like the start of a cold but it stays in my throat and progresses only into my sinuses over the course of about 5 days.  By day 3 it was clear to me what it was.  Anyone I explain it to is dubious.  What I've read in the past is that tomato has a protein that resembles the wheat protein.  I don't know about bell pepper, but it sure seems like I got my "tomato allergy" with bell pepper this time. 🤪

@BenR posted:

Also tomato’s and strawberries will enhance your allergy symptoms. According to my allergist . She called them gateway allergins. In Dominican Republic I had tomato sauce on a pasta . I got bad hives . They think it was what ever was in the air  mixed with the tomatoes perfect storm .

Tomatoes and Strawberries have high histamines

Thank you

@BenR that's interesting what your allergist said about "gateway allergens". Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS) symptoms can be worse with high pollen counts, that might've been why you reacted to the tomato sauce like you mentioned.

@Sally Raynard welcome to the community! It sounds like a second opinion and allergy testing may be beneficial for you. Both Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria (CIU), also known as Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU), and OAS can be confusing, especially with limited information. Something to consider is keeping a food diary to track any problematic foods. This can help narrow down what your symptoms are and what foods may be triggering them. Since you mentioned CIU, here are some other resources with more information that may help-

• Learn How to Better Manage CSU - webinar hosted by AAFA on CSU, its causes, diagnosis, treatment, and more.
• Hives (Urticaria) - AAFA page with an overview of hives.
• What's causing these mysterious hives? - previous Ask the Allergist question that mentions CSU.

I have been dealing with chronic idiopathic urticaria for 2 years. I don’t typically see hives, just itching all over randomly. I get itchy mouth, tongue and throat as well from time to time. I have thought it was CIU. I have reacted to foods at times - walnuts, eggplant, bananas, avocado… but mostly I really can’t pinpoint my trigger. Maybe it’s both CIU and OAS? I know from allergy testing 20 + years ago that I am allergic to most environmental things- especially dust, mold, pollen and most all trees.
My current allergies hasn’t done any testing. Treating with multiple antihistamines and Xolair. I am changing allergist to get another opinion and maybe test again (I have never been tested for food).
I am also seeing a holistic doctor and taking pre probiotics to heal gut. This blog is helpful and frankly more information than I have had from my current allergist.
It’s confusing condition.  I think I need more communication and information from my allergist. This is helpful. I appreciate any information on CIU. I have wondered if I have been misdiagnosed because I don’t see hives.

Also tomato’s and strawberries will enhance your allergy symptoms. According to my allergist . She called them gateway allergins. In Dominican Republic I had tomato sauce on a pasta . I got bad hives . They think it was what ever was in the air  mixed with the tomatoes perfect storm .

@BenR posted:

I recently had issues cutting potatoes where I got itchy hands and a rash and hives  up my hands , neck and chest . Doctor thinks that it’s the oral allergy syndrome strikes again with the grass and ragweed as main culprit .  You remember the incident with the tomatoes ? She said there in the same family so it would make Sense .  Also I’m seeing a Gastro specialist for some tests and he said when your digestive system is inflamed the more likely you can have these bizarre allergy attacks .

Hey Ben - that's interesting that raw potatoes are causing a contact reaction on the your hands. And yes, potatoes and tomatoes are both in the nightshade family. Good luck with the gastro appointment and tests. I hope you will check in on the forums to let us know how that goes. 

Tommy, my 8 year old, has both food allergies and OAS to a lot if things that cross-react with his pollen allergies. The difference with his OAS is that some times of year he can eat the foods just fine (like cucumber which cross-reacts with his ragweed allergy) but as soon as ragweed season comes it gets him itchy (especially under his arms). Then only if his ragweed allergy is bothering him or flared he will react to sunflower seed which stinks because he loves sunbutter and jelly sandwiches (we are both very allergic to nuts and avoid them always so we use sunbutter as a substitute). He also cannot eat cantaloupe or honeydew and his doctor said it might be a full blown allergy after a past reaction but Tommy has refused anymore skin prick tests and I do not want to force him to, so we just avoid it as a full-blown. 

I am so allergic to apples, grapes, peaches, pears, and plums that I cannot eat them raw, juiced, cooked, or fermented. I haven't been formally skin pricked for those but I know from severity of reactions because they quickly progressed from itchy and flush, to vomiting, to hives and breathing difficulties so I avoid them strictly along with ones I did get tested positive for formally, like all nuts. I developed both at around the same time and it was immediately after a major GI surgery, so I definitely think when the body us under health stress that allergies are going to pop up more and be worse. And once some allergies are flared up, cross-reactivity seems worse too. My son's eczema also flares during those tines for him. 

@KathyP I recently had issues cutting potatoes where I got itchy hands and a rash and hives  up my hands , neck and chest . Doctor thinks that it’s the oral allergy syndrome strikes again with the grass and ragweed as main culprit .  You remember the incident with the tomatoes ? She said there in the same family so it would make Sense .  Also I’m seeing a Gastro specialist for some tests and he said when your digestive system is inflamed the more likely you can have these bizarre allergy attacks .

I’ve had oas to apples, pears, all stone fruit, almonds as well as hazelnuts since my childhood. And it’s gotten progressively worse. I used to be able to eat these foods cooked or baked, now this is not even possible anymore. I got a blood test a few years ago and only hazelnut came back positive. But I know when eating raw apple my throat closes up. I have to carry an epi pen with me now. Any chance it could get better? I still get dreams of eating apples. 

Welcome Jax! Glad you found us! 

New to this blog and I have to say I am relieved to know that all the issues I have been having with food is real. I have always had issues with eating bananas. The past few months I have been having oral reactions to foods. I think it is bell peppers. I am thankful to have found this blog. 

Thanks.

It’s better now . I didn’t realize watermelon crosses with grass . I know it does with latex and also ragweed. Also the list make sense since I can’t meet broccoli and cauliflower.

BenR posted:

I meant the last column is being overlapped .

Thanks Ben - we changed the formatting so it's no longer a table. Hopeully that issue is fixed.

I meant the last column is being overlapped .

Thank you for sharing this information. My allergist mentioned OAS but I didn’t quite understand. This article is great. Now I understand why peach salsa makes my mouth feel odd! 

 The last column isn’t being over lapped by all the boxes . This happens to me  when I have mango , pineapple and tomatoes it’s only during certain seasons. I’m allergic to grass , willow tree, ragweed . I’m also allergic to latex which can have cross reactions as well . Such as with the skin of some Mellon’s  and avocado .