Very important update!!!

I decided that being allergic to peanuts and tree nuts wasn’t enough, so I decided to add something else to the mix! Just kidding, in all reality, this totally sucks, but about a month or two ago, I found out that I had developed OAS, or oral allergy syndrome. For those of you who don’t know what that is, it’s an allergic reaction in the mouth following eating raw fruits or vegetables. The mouth reacts to the trace amounts of pollen found in raw fruits and vegetables, and it gets itchy, scratchy, and swells up.

As you can see from that graphic, oral allergy syndrome can often change with the seasons. Since it’s a pollen reaction, it can go hand in hand with seasonal allergies. However, my allergist says OAS is year-round most of the time. He also says it’s different for everyone. From what I’ve learned so far, oral allergy syndrome can be as mild as an itchy throat when someone eats strawberries to as extreme as a swelling mouth when eating any foods or vegetables. In very extreme cases, certain instances of OAS can also accelerate to anaphylaxis, but my allergist says most of the time it’s just an itchy/swelling sensation whenever one eats foods with traces of pollen.

I have to admit, adding another allergy to the list always makes me kind of sad. As if I didn’t already have a bunch of things I have to avoid. Fruits and veggies have always been kind of a safe haven for me.  Luckily, this is actually not as bad as it could be. As I said, only raw fruits and vegetables make someone react. If one were to cook the fruits, then in most cases they would be totally fine to eat. Also, I only react when eating certain fruits and vegetables. So far I’ve found that I react to blueberries, strawberries, and apples, but I can eat bananas, watermelons, grapes, and tomatoes. My mom has started a chart.  Haha.

Of course, like I said, OAS is different for everyone. If you find you have the symptoms, I strongly recommend talking to your allergist and finding a plan that’s appropriate for you. From what I heard, every case of this is unique, so my situation could be completely different from yours. I’ll be sure to post updates as I find new things that I can and can’t eat with my OAS, as well as anything new I learn about my new condition.

Until next time!

Gary