I just spent the night in the ER because I had an allergic reaction that caused my tongue, lips and throat to swell. Save for seasonal nose itch, I’ve never had severe you-can’t-eat-this allergies. The one item I ate last night that could have caused it were scallops, but I’ve never had a shellfish issue. My mom is allergic to seafood. But I’m 60! Could I have developed an allergy late in life? Did you develop an allergy late in life? How did you discover it? I will be seeing an allergist and, per the ER docs, carrying an EpiPen in my already-stuffed handbag.
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I’m now allergic to hot water. Causes a histamine dump and I itch for hours.
Yes. I’ve just developed an allergy to tomatoes. I’m going to ask for allergy testing from my PCP
I developed a sun allergy at around 65 years old.
I took one dose of an antibiotic and couldn’t walk normally for over 3 months!
Chocolate. I used to love and eat tons of it. Now, nope. Sores in mouth, lips tingling and tongue and throat swelling.
I developed an allergy to penicillin at 50 after a recluse bite
Mid-40s. I was headed up to a weekend of trail running and mountain biking at a location well out of cell service. Packed the car, went out barefoot to the garden to tell my boyfriend that I was heading out and stepped on a hornet.
Within a few seconds I knew something was wrong and within a couple minutes I was starting to struggle to breathe and it kept getting worse
My boyfriend did get me to the hospital in time, as evidenced by me writing this. I’ve been on allergy shots for a couple years now and have normal reactions to stings but still have to carry my EpiPens any time I go out in the woods, which is often.
I’m 55 and never had any food allergies. All of the sudden I had a reaction to what I think is raw walnuts. The first time I experienced it I had a slight soreness on the side of my throat and tongue where I typically chew. The second time was worse and included some shortness of breath. My mom has had a walnut allergy all of her life.
I guess I’m lucky. I’m dropping allergies as I age. No more fall hay fever!
I developed allergies to shellfish late in life.
Then, it expanded to 16 other foods, that I know of.
Happened to my brother at 57. He almost died from anaphlaxic shock when he drank a margarita at a restaurant where someone who handled shellfish touched his drink. He didn’t even eat any shellfish! He’d eaten shellfish his whole life without incident prior. His allergist told him that it was common in people over 50. Who knew?
Yes , around 60 i developed chemical allergies to even the smell of many laundry detergentS, fabric softeners (worst) bleach, some candle scents. Fabreze is the absolute worst. İ can be in a clothing thrift store less than 20 seconds and if they’ve used fabreze İ start having breathing problems and every nerve ending in my body goes on hyper alert and I’m physically very uncomfortable.
İt’s eased off a bit in 9 years but I always carry my allergy tabs and inhaler just in case.
I was in my mid 40s when I ended up in ER with anaphylaxis due to eating shrimp. I now cannot eat ANY seafood and this was after a lifetime of eating lots of seafood.
Peanuts and nuts now make me get eczema.
Strawberries are now making my tongue tingle.
Getting older is not for sissies.
Yes. My mother developed asthma later in life, so did I. Teo if my kids developed shellfish allergies as adults.
Developed egg reaction late. Sucks finding breakfasts that are low carb and no egg.
At age 69 I developed an allergy to a statin I had taken for years with no side effects. Went to the ER twice with leg cramps so bad I could not walk. Had to switch to a different one, which worked.
Yes, developing allergies late in life is normal. Not everyone does, but you can get them at any age. Your body changes, and so does your tolerance for anything you ingest.
I’m mid-50s and now have a very serious shellfish allergy. I used to eat shrimp by the pound. Now I can’t even be around them cooking or my throat will get tight and I’ll start coughing. I had to go to the ER once because my eyes started to swell shut. I don’t know why but I suspect I rubbed my eyes after eating chicken strips that had been cross contaminated with fried shrimp since they were right next to each other in the case at the grocery store.
ETA: Oh and I’m also now allergic to NSAID. No ibuprofen, no aspirin, no naproxen or my lips swell up. And I have to take antihistamines for chronic hives.
I found out at 45 that I’m now allergic to fire ants. One bite now raises my skin about a 1/4” up and a spread the size of a bread plate.
😔 I now have to carry an EpiPen if I’m gonna be outside.
Which is weird. I spent my whole childhood getting ant bites all summer, every summer til I was 13.
But, yeah. Odd.
My allergy came on with menopause. Sick for 4 years before I figured it out.
Developed an allergy to alcohol at 55. Such a drag as I do enjoy a good hard cider. But, at least by the time I’m at the bottom of the glass I don’t mind being stuffed up as much.
Yes. A week ago I found out I was allergic to guaifenesin, the main ingredient of Mucinex and most OTC cough medicines. I am 62 and ended up with a rash to make you weep. Fun times.
I have a friend who in her sixty’s developed an allergy to shellfish. Does happen.
I’m now allergic to toothpaste.
I met a woman who became allergic to peanuts in her 40’s.
My grandmother developed a shellfish allergy as she aged and it also worsened as the years went on.
Google adult unset allergies
Shellfish 🦞 allergy developed at 34. I had worked in a building sharing occupancy with a shellfish heavily promoted restaurant, and aerosolized particles were constantly in the ventilation system.
You can develop an allergy at any time, unfortunately. My stepmom developed a severe allergy to crustaceans after age 60. My aunt developed the same in her 50s.
I’m starting to have issues with almonds and peanuts. I love both. 🙁 Cucumbers and cantaloupe make my mouth itch now.
You can become allergic to anything anytime in your life. NAD but work in medical.
Now allergic to eggs. Started about 58. Am 68 now.
Yes, it’s possible (and apparently not all that uncommon according to my allergist) to develop late in life.
My father developed a shellfish allergy at about age 60. It came on a bit gradually and he foolishly kept trying to see if he was *really* allergic (so he’d try some lobster or shrimp from time to time) until he ended up really dangerously swollen (and had to use his EpiPen and go to the ER).
I developed a bunch of new allergies after pregnancy (in my thirties/forties) and according to my doctor it was likely related to the pregnancy with my son who was born multiple allergies/eczema, etc.
I’m sorry for you that shellfish will no longer be in your diet–but glad you caught it and got an EpiPen to keep safe.
A classmate in college was so allergic to seafood that he had a (fatal) allergic reaction in a restaurant when a dish of steaming seafood fajitas passed his table. 🙁
Some people’s allergies change as they age. And some people’s allergies pop up at random times and move in to stay.
Mine are all getting worse, one is deadly. My partner developed a coupla new ones age 40 to 50.
My husband developed an allergy to shellfish that lasted about 10 years. It came on suddenly and then went away.
Happened to my mom. Somewhere in her late 50s/early 60s, after a lifetime of eating shellfish, she’s now allergic to it.
I became allergic to penicillin in my 50’s. An ex boyfriend ate one of my shrimp while out dining, he was 60, full blown hives within 15 minutes, ER trip to get a shot of benadryl.
It started 6 years ago, when I was 63 or so. Woke up at 1 AM with my tongue swollen, and becoming more swollen. I was afraid I’d suffocate. Husband took me to the ER, they hit me with every allergy drug they had. In the ICU for 12 hours of observation with an IV.
In that first case, an allergist was able to determine what had caused it. However, I continue getting angioedema randomly, including this morning when I woke up at 2 AM, tongue pretty swollen. I took 3 doses of Benadryl and used an epipen (rarely need this). Tongue back to normal by 8 AM. What caused it? Who knows.
I developed serious seasonal allergies, a more intense reaction to dust, a new allergy to a specific vaccine and a generalized allergic response to ingredients in certain soaps… all in my late 30s after having kids. I had specific mild allergies before. 💉Now I carry an Epipen. Dr thinks it’s due to developing a new inflammatory response after being pregnant. Severe illnesses and things like pregnancy can drastically change your body’s immune response.🧬🦠
I noticed cashews sometimes made my mouth itch, now I break out in hives .
I was 25 when I developed an allergy to shellfish. My first reaction was to scallops, also A few years later in New Orleans I learned the hard way that this shellfish allergy included crawfish 🦞. I have an Epi-Pen.
I started with eczema at under one year, added hay fever in my teens, hives in my twenties, anaphylactic reactions (flatfish started that). Over the next few decades I added more items to the anaphylactic response list). I thought I was done adding in immune responses. Nope. Asthma in my 60s.
In addition to my epi pen I took Montelukast for my hay fever and it seemed to reduce the rate at which I added new items to the list of things that are trying to kill me. When the asthma was diagnosed I switched to taking it at night. It was developed for those with asthma, but is also effective for hay fever. It is my understanding that it’s best taken in the morning for my hay fever, and best for my asthma if taken at night.
Good luck.
Poison oak. Never allergic. Do a whole bunch of yard work for friends to clear up their poison oak. 25 years later doing my usual spring clearing and land in ER with severe reaction. Face so swollen, eyes shut. Scary looking person.
Then healing was very dramatic too. Down in 24 hours.
I think it was about your age when I’ve developed a sensitivity to shellfish. The only reason I could come up with was that I was incredibly stressed and had immunity issues. The doctors had no firm reason for late development.
Great. My allergies seemed to peak at menopause- seemed to react to almost everything and went to the er several times. But after I started taking hormones I realized I have very little reaction to anything anymore at all. So far.
My allergist told me we can grow into allergies just as we can grow out of them. I developed seasonal allergies in my 40s. My ex outgrew his horrible, horrible ones maybe in his 50s. On the plus side, my allergist said it meant I had a good immune system.
I am allergic to salt water around my neck. I need a rinse in clean water to stop getting itchy and swelling.
Yes, the human body develops and heal different allergies one’s entire life.
I wasn’t allergic to anything till I was 38 and now anaphylaxis to rubber, latex, hornets, and wasps. I carry two EpiPens and hope the hospital isn’t too far.
Now 66
Mangos (urushiol) which lead to two serious run ins with poison ivy. The first was a systemic reaction treated with steroids and a rebound reaction when I stopped the steroids. Took 90 days to clear the rash. I was miserable, but I was not as miserable as the an anaphylactic reaction the second time I touched poison ivy.
Now, I’m very avoidant. No mango. No bare skin in the woods. I could eat the flesh of mangos as long as I avoid the skin, but it isn’t worth the chance.
Not me but my mom developed an allergy to raw jalapenos at around age 70 after eating jalapenos at least occasionally pretty much throughout her life.
I developed a severe shellfish allergy around 40 years old.
I’ve had experiences with ticks for most of my seven decades, from rural Wisconsin to Missouri, and now in California. The last two that I’ve found "dug in" have caused really bad swelling and inflammation around the site, and (in addition to the antibiotic for Lyme Disease) only steroids will get rid of the symptoms. This has only happened in the last couple of years.
Yes you absolutely can develop an allergy later in life.
I feeel like i got more sensitivities when i got long covid :p
Mid 40’s, I developed allergy to cashews. Lips swell and crack, hives inside my mouth – lasts for days even with OTC allergy meds. Now I have to go to urgent care to get steroid immediately when I notice symptoms.
I’ve heard of a lot of people developing allergies after catching covid
I developed a citrus allergy (orange, lemon and limes) when I was pregnant with my son at age 30. Never had any food allergy whatsoever previously,
Yeah. My dad enjoyed pistachios all his life. One Sunday in his late fifties he decided to enjoy some while watching football. Suddenly allergic.
It’s weird to think that our bodies can just all of the sudden decide NOT TODAY
Yes it’s possible. I became allergic to egg whites in my 50s. But shellfish??? Oh no, I would die!!
Pineapple, late 40’s🥺