jlo Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 During the night last night I felt as though my mouth was going a bit numb. When I woke this morning I couldn't speak properly. I asked OH if my face looked ok and he actually yelped when he saw me. One side of my face was completely swollen; my lips were bigger than Mick Jagger on botox and I felt as though I had had about four injections at the dentist's. Twelve hours and a couple of anti-histamines later, I am still feeling a bit numb but my resemblence to the elephant man has lessened somewhat. I have never had an allergic reaction like this before and can't think of anything different that I had eaten or touched to bring it about. I can't find any puncture wound or feel any specially sore bit to indicate a bite. I just wondered whether anyone else has had anything similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 Goodness. I'd get yourself checked over by the doctor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlo Posted September 8, 2010 Author Share Posted September 8, 2010 Goodness. I'd get yourself checked over by the doctor. If it hasn't completely gone by the morning I will try and get an appointment. I did try today but was unsuccessful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 Yikes Did you eat anything unusual yesterday - or any shellfish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlo Posted September 8, 2010 Author Share Posted September 8, 2010 Yikes Did you eat anything unusual yesterday - or any shellfish? I did have a quarter of an M&S prawn sandwich at lunch time but have never had any problems with prawns in the past. Maybe you can start getting allergic at my advanced age? A colleague at work suggested that I may be getting to be allergic to wine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 Blimey, you should go to the GP whatever happens as it is obviously an extreme reaction to something Something similar happened to a colleague years ago. She was in her late 50's and came in one Monday with a Lesley Ash trout pout. She had suffered a over sensitive reaction on the Saturday to something (I don't think they ever found out what) her face swollen just as you describe, and the GP thought it was exacerbated by stress as at the time they had just moved house and she was having to do a long and awkward commute. I know she was out of sorts for quite a few weeks, and decided to retire before she was 60. My mum appears to have just developed hayfever and has just turned 70 so yes you can develop an allergy at any age Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Looney Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 Ooh that doesn't sound good I had an allergic reaction to pine nuts not too long ago. It only made the inside of my lips swell a little but they felt numb and tingly for about three days. Hope you find out what caused your reaction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaP Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 I too would recommend you get checked out, just in case. You can develop allergies at any age, I have I'm allergic to insect bites and was always rather prone to getting bitten and reacting but over the last few years these reactions have intensified. Fortunately although I have a severe reaction it is gradual so I have time to identify the symptoms and know when to get help - this means that although I carry an epipen (advised by my GP), I've never needed to use it. I actually had a reaction just over a week ago, I think something bit me whilst I was cleaning out the chickens, I started with an itch on my shin but by the following morning I had a sore lump and a swollen leg. By lunchtime I felt very unwell and my mouth and throat started to feel "wrong" and my blood pressure had dropped. All signs I recognise so as soon as OH came home from work I got him to run me up to the minor injuries unit where they gave me an anti-histimine injection (I had already taken tablets). I'm also allergic to the melolin(?) dressings they use in hospital, another more recent development. Enough waffling about me, I do hope you get sorted out and that it proves to be a "one off" but do see someone just in case Lisa P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 That sounds like an extreme reaction; I'd get it checked out. I am allergic to morphine and shellfish (Bivalves only) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coco Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 I had an unexplianed allergic reaction years ago. OH and i were walking in Delamere Forest with the dogs when my eyes started to swell shut. By the time we got to A and E I could hardly see. No one had any idea what could have caused it, I've been back to the forest many times since and been fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 Crikey - wish I had seen this before the room 101 comment! You need to be tested in case you have the same thing at a later date and it gets an even worse reaction. My cousin used to be fine, but in recent years she has been more intolerant of stings and nuts so has to carry a syringe at the ready at all times because the last episode (think it was nuts on that occasion - in the salad dressing) nearly closed her throat up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 Yes,it happened to me too,on holiday in Kos a couple of years ago. It was due to a Mozzie nip on my forehead in the end - my whole face swelled up,my eyes swelled shut ,the family said it looked like I had Space Mumps (Red Dwarf fans will know what I mean!) Never been allergic or had a bad reaction to anything before in my life. I do have a photo of it at its worse,but I am NOT posting it here ....I will email it to you JLo,if you like,so we can compare symptoms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlo Posted September 8, 2010 Author Share Posted September 8, 2010 Yes,it happened to me too,on holiday in Kos a couple of years ago. It was due to a Mozzie nip on my forehead in the end - my whole face swelled up,my eyes swelled shut ,the family said it looked like I had Space Mumps (Red Dwarf fans will know what I mean!) Never been allergic or had a bad reaction to anything before in my life. I do have a photo of it at its worse,but I am NOT posting it here ....I will email it to you JLo,if you like,so we can compare symptoms. I wouldn't subject you to that Sarah!! The only other thing that has occurred to me is that I did have a Gaviscon tablet at about 1.30 am when I woke up with Heartburn. I think that it's the first time that I have had one of those but I did drink gallons of the stuff when I was pregnant so I didnt think anything of it It is reassuring if that is the last time that you had a reaction. Maybe this is just a one off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 The prawn sandwich is your most likely suspect I'd say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 I agree and I would visit Doc for advice. My eldest son had lip tingling at primary school after teacher bought in Egyptian food and he ate something with brazil nuts in. (suppose to be nut free zone -naughty) Five yrs later a cashew nut Chinese dish set off full anaphlylaxis and he ended up in Torquay Hosp on our holiday. Test revealed allergy to cashew, pistachio, brazil and walnut - fine with peanut and hazelnut. He now has Epipen. Recent reoccurence with a pesto he tried made with cashew nut oil. A foreign dr at hosp said Epipens were a waste of money - I questioned the nurse who was looking after him and she said he;d need one. As a nurse myself I felt the dr was giving dangerous advice. Please follow it up I didnt and my son nearly died. Avoid seafood till you know what it was. Good luck and keep us posted. Ali x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenNutter Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 Could you have been bitten by midges while out with the chickens? You often don't feel them, and apparently they have really multiplied this Autumn. My mother was bitten badly years ago and swelled up like you describe, she had never had a reaction to them before. Might be worth a thought? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlo Posted September 10, 2010 Author Share Posted September 10, 2010 Thanks for all the advice. I think that I will go along and get an allergy test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 There's tons of mozzies in our garden - all those leaves around to hide in (particularly a conifer hedge) and I often get bitten. They'll penetrate your clothes too, I always have had problems with the bites turning into the size of plates, but I do like Jungle Formula as a repellent - thing is I've run out and forget to buy more! Hope it's better today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
