Anybody allergic to bananas?

I've always been allergic to bananas. It used to make my lips itch when I was younger so I never really had them. A few years ago I started eating them again. The itching wasn't that bad so I continued to have them, ,maybe 3 or 4 a year.
Monday night I got really sick possibly from a stomach virus, like throwing up all night. DH said he'll pick up some Vitamin Water for me to help replace some of my electrolites since I haven't had anything in my stomach all day. I drank half a bottle and realized that the main ingredient was potassium. Immediately after that I threw up again but I felt much better after that. I did some research online and found that it's the chitinase in bananas that cause the allergy. So I drank the rest of the Vitamin Water today and was feeling nauseaus again with heart palpitation and diarrhea and my throat swelled up. Then I did more research online and found that ppl who have banana allergies are also allergic to kiwis and avocados, which I am! And also allergic to latex. I don't think I'm allergic to latex but how can I find out? This is kinda important if I ever need surgery. Does anybody else have this allergy? or am I just freaking myself out?

This is a totally personal question so feel free to think it and not answer....but condoms are made of latex....have you used condoms and had a reaction?

It's been a really long time since I used a condom. DH said he'll put one on to find out. Although the itchiness, same with bananas, is only bad if I have chapped lips. I wonder if my allergy is getting worst because I find myself scratchy a lot more all over the place. I am doing more research online. So far I only found 2 articles that linked it to latex.
Tomorrow I'm going to buy some bananas and see what happens. Fingers crossed!

to the experiment!

Good luck with the bananas

I used to work at the food court back in college and wore gloves all the time. Those are latex, no? The last time I came in contact with a latex with an open wound was when I had my wisdom teeth removed (yes, all 4 of them in one shot). Other than the normal swelling and healing process I don't notice anything unusual. So I think I'm not allergic to latex! Thank god!

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Posted by lucamon

I've always been allergic to bananas. It used to make my lips itch when I was younger so I never really had them. A few years ago I started eating them again. The itching wasn't that bad so I continued to have them, ,maybe 3 or 4 a year.
Monday night I got really sick possibly from a stomach virus, like throwing up all night. DH said he'll pick up some Vitamin Water for me to help replace some of my electrolites since I haven't had anything in my stomach all day. I drank half a bottle and realized that the main ingredient was potassium. Immediately after that I threw up again but I felt much better after that. I did some research online and found that it's the chitinase in bananas that cause the allergy. So I drank the rest of the Vitamin Water today and was feeling nauseaus again with heart palpitation and diarrhea and my throat swelled up. Then I did more research online and found that ppl who have banana allergies are also allergic to kiwis and avocados, which I am! And also allergic to latex. I don't think I'm allergic to latex but how can I find out? This is kinda important if I ever need surgery. Does anybody else have this allergy? or am I just freaking myself out?

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dh is allergic to banana's but also just about every other fruit except strawberries thats the only one he is not allergic to.

When he was a kid he went to the doc to get all the allergy tests.

Not long ago somebody his family knows talked to dh about his allergies bc of his profession he knows alot about it. He asked dh a bunch of questions to realize why he is allergic to these fruits. First i'll ask you, can you eat the fruit after its cooked, some fruit such as in pies and stuff if they are cooked at all are you still as allergic, dh is not. Another thing he realized is that why is the only fruit he is not allergic to strawberries, and the guy realized bc it has less vitamins than the rest of fruit. DH is allergic to a certain vitamin that is in all these fruits. The reason why is bc of an enzyme problem in your body. Something his body never really developed as a kid and one problem he says is if you look at other countries, you dont see ppl who have as much allergies and this is more common in the US. We are given so many shots and parents are always so careful for kids to never get sick and all that but in a way you do have to get sick sometimes and you cant stop anything happening to you bc as a kid this builds up your immune system. I had read articles about this in the past and alot of dr's say this.

I would go to your doc and do all the allergy tests, they will be able to tell you things that you are allergic to

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Posted by lucamon

I've always been allergic to bananas. It used to make my lips itch when I was younger so I never really had them. A few years ago I started eating them again. The itching wasn't that bad so I continued to have them, ,maybe 3 or 4 a year.
Monday night I got really sick possibly from a stomach virus, like throwing up all night. DH said he'll pick up some Vitamin Water for me to help replace some of my electrolites since I haven't had anything in my stomach all day. I drank half a bottle and realized that the main ingredient was potassium. Immediately after that I threw up again but I felt much better after that. I did some research online and found that it's the chitinase in bananas that cause the allergy. So I drank the rest of the Vitamin Water today and was feeling nauseaus again with heart palpitation and diarrhea and my throat swelled up. Then I did more research online and found that ppl who have banana allergies are also allergic to kiwis and avocados, which I am! And also allergic to latex. I don't think I'm allergic to latex but how can I find out? This is kinda important if I ever need surgery. Does anybody else have this allergy? or am I just freaking myself out?

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I was going to mention the latex allergy but I'm glad you've been doing research. There are a few things you can do.

1. request an allergy skin test from your primary doctor.

2. update allergy info with any healthcare institution you go to.

Most equipment in hospitals are latex free but not everything. So it is good to look into. The fact that your throat swelled up makes me worry about anaphylaxis, severe life threatening allergic reaction, so you might want to know for sure this way just in case you can carry a ID card in your wallet stating allergies.

Espo, I can eat cooked bananas and banana bread. I can also have the miniature bananas. I don't think I'm allergic to latex, at least I wasn't, but was wondering I can develop it over time since my allergy has gottten worst and sometimes I can't breath. I hate going to the doctors. I haven't see my PCP for 4 years now. I don't think she remembers me.

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Posted by lucamon

Espo, I can eat cooked bananas and banana bread. I can also have the miniature bananas. I don't think I'm allergic to latex, at least I wasn't, but was wondering I can develop it over time since my allergy has gottten worst and sometimes I can't breath. I hate going to the doctors. I haven't see my PCP for 4 years now. I don't think she remembers me.

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yeah then you most likely have the same problem dh has. Same as you he can eat some fruits if they are cooked, but not raw but thats bc once you cook them some of the nutrients in them go away and the one that is causing your allergy most likely. I guess it is possible, but if you say you havent had any problems then hopefully you arent allergic to latex. I think the test they do for allergy tests are fairly simple and nothing to worry about. If you are worried, i can ask dh exactly what they do to let you know. He had this done as a kid, its so funny bc at 13 he was also interviewed by the news, it was a special on allergies, he hates it. But you might want to get the test done just to be safe. Some allergies you just get a scratchy throat and its not that bad but alot are more severe and you dont want to risk it

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Posted by Espo22

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Posted by lucamon

Espo, I can eat cooked bananas and banana bread. I can also have the miniature bananas. I don't think I'm allergic to latex, at least I wasn't, but was wondering I can develop it over time since my allergy has gottten worst and sometimes I can't breath. I hate going to the doctors. I haven't see my PCP for 4 years now. I don't think she remembers me.

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yeah then you most likely have the same problem dh has. Same as you he can eat some fruits if they are cooked, but not raw but thats bc once you cook them some of the nutrients in them go away and the one that is causing your allergy most likely. I guess it is possible, but if you say you havent had any problems then hopefully you arent allergic to latex. I think the test they do for allergy tests are fairly simple and nothing to worry about. If you are worried, i can ask dh exactly what they do to let you know. He had this done as a kid, its so funny bc at 13 he was also interviewed by the news, it was a special on allergies, he hates it. But you might want to get the test done just to be safe. Some allergies you just get a scratchy throat and its not that bad but alot are more severe and you dont want to risk it

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I do think you should just have the skin test done to put yourself at ease. Either way, knowing you have a banana allergy, healthcare workers will always be extra careful to prevent cross sensitivities anyway.

For a long time my DH would get bad stomachaches from bananas-raw not if they were cooked in like a banana bread. Recently he started eating them again and hasn't had any problems. He and I both have an allergy to avocado but I don't have a problem with bananas. Weird.

I'm not allergic to bananas but when I was a kid I was allergic to many things...citrus fruits, nuts, milk, chocolate , eggs, and Red Delicious (but not any other kind) apples (??). I also had bad asthma. Whenever I would eat them I had itchiness, scratchy throat, all the symptoms you mentioned. My mother took me to a dr and had me tested and found out everything I was allergic to. I am not allergic to anything now except nuts (sometimes you can outgrow allergies). But I agree with the other girls, definitely get tested and see what else you are allergic to (if anything) just to be aware And if you find out that you are allergic to latex don't worry, non-latex medical stuff is always available!!!!