Glad I found this forum since I thought I was the only "freak", on the plus side it's always good for a conversation starter. As with most people, when I first discovered my allergy (trial and error as a kid like a lot of you), my parents thought I was being finicky until they actually saw me choking. Since then the allergy has progressed to turkey, tuna and salmon. I was recently out on business and went to a seafood restaurant and the other tech I was with insisted that I try the alligator, so I figure sure why not, at least it's not chicken. Well, when it came it had the same look and consistency of chicken, but I tried one anyway...hesitantly...when nothing happened right away, I tried a couple more and that's when it hit me and we had to leave the restaurant right away. I have found that if I drink a lot of cold water (in sips, not gulps), it helps a little.
I found out later from my room mate who was stationed in Louisiana that alligator neither looks nor tastes like chicken and what we were given could very well have been chicken mascarading as alligator, so like my subject says if you aren't completely sure what you're eating, DON'T EAT IT!!
I found out later from my room mate who was stationed in Louisiana that alligator neither looks nor tastes like chicken and what we were given could very well have been chicken mascarading as alligator, so like my subject says if you aren't completely sure what you're eating, DON'T EAT IT!!
I just got back from the hospital about an hour ago. I ate chicken in a meal at lunch Thursday after specifically asking if there were any poultry products in it! My face immediately started to turn red and then my throat started to itch followed by excessive salivation and spasms up my esophagus. Then my cheeks and lips began to swell followed by my throat (slowly). I was able to safely drive home and take Benadryl and gulp down Pepto Bismol (which hurts with the throat spasms). I called my wife and she raced me to our doctor. They saw me immediately ahead of other patients. By this time I was getting light headed and my vision was fading in and out. My blood pressure was 80/50 and my heartbeat was 130 beats per minute. They immediately admitted me to the hospital in an observation room and hooked up the saline IV and took blood samples. I had been battling nausea and started throwing up in the provided bucket. They took my vital signs again and my heartbeat was up to 150 beats per minute. Later that afternoon they administered more steroids followed again the next day. I had pretty much recovered from my symptoms by 9:00 Thursday night. The last symptoms to go were the spasms up my esophagus. I left the hospital with a prescription for an additional three days of oral steroids and an epi-pen. Basically my body was attempting to go into anaphylactic shock. This will also cause your body to dehydrate because your body is trying to protect all of the vital organs from the poison you just ate. If it had there is a chance I wouldn't be writing this right now.
I asked my doctor why I can eat the eggs but not the meat, broth or oil. He does not know. He did say that babies that are exposed to poultry proteins before the age of one year old are more susceptible to developing an allergy later in life apparently because they hadn't receive all of the antibodies from their mothers milk. To me this just affirms even more that poultry is just basically poison.
I have had this allergy to all poultry since I was 3 or 4 (although I can eat eggs). I am now 35. When I was young the symptoms were not as serious and would eventually wear off. I just had to suffer through throwing up followed by several rounds of dry heaves and a couple of glasses of cold milk to coat my stomach. This allergy will only continue to get worse for me and everyone else that has it as well. Take it seriously and please don't make your kid eat it because they think it is all in their head like mine did.
I asked my doctor why I can eat the eggs but not the meat, broth or oil. He does not know. He did say that babies that are exposed to poultry proteins before the age of one year old are more susceptible to developing an allergy later in life apparently because they hadn't receive all of the antibodies from their mothers milk. To me this just affirms even more that poultry is just basically poison.
I have had this allergy to all poultry since I was 3 or 4 (although I can eat eggs). I am now 35. When I was young the symptoms were not as serious and would eventually wear off. I just had to suffer through throwing up followed by several rounds of dry heaves and a couple of glasses of cold milk to coat my stomach. This allergy will only continue to get worse for me and everyone else that has it as well. Take it seriously and please don't make your kid eat it because they think it is all in their head like mine did.
It is maddening. Have to be careful of soups cause they may be made from Chicken Stock. Have to be careful going to Sub Shops (I found I can only safely (and tastily) order Spicy Italian at Subway. I can NOT eat at Quizno's (I believe ALL of their meats are turkey based even though they say otherwise).
There is only one other person I've ever met that has this allergy.
I keep an EPI Pen nearby just in case.
Wish there was a cure for this as I really do love Fried Chicken (that's how I discovered the allergy). Think I must've been about 4. I loved the taste, but damn near killed me.
There is only one other person I've ever met that has this allergy.
I keep an EPI Pen nearby just in case.
Wish there was a cure for this as I really do love Fried Chicken (that's how I discovered the allergy). Think I must've been about 4. I loved the taste, but damn near killed me.
I'm so glad I found this. I too have allergy problems with chicken and I'm tired of explaining myself when I tell people. The looks you get have made me start saying I just don't like it becuase I get tired of explaining it. I've wondered if I was making it up or something but my symptoms are exactly like riker88's. To the T.
I have been allergic to all poultry since birth. If I have any or even anything cooked with it I have projectile vomiting and a constriction of the throat.
Needless to say I just stay away from it all together and live in the basement on Thanksgiving.
Needless to say I just stay away from it all together and live in the basement on Thanksgiving.
My son is deathly allergic to chicken & turkey, too--our allergist told us it is a RARE allergy!
He needs an epi-pen for it.
I'm cringing just listening to adult descriptions of the effects of this allergy, knowing he couldn't tell us these things. He gets hives immediately around his mouth and hands--that was our only clue.
Be careful with cross contamination--many fast foods places and restaurants fry french fries and chicken products in the same oil.
Hope this helps.
Heather
He needs an epi-pen for it.
I'm cringing just listening to adult descriptions of the effects of this allergy, knowing he couldn't tell us these things. He gets hives immediately around his mouth and hands--that was our only clue.
Be careful with cross contamination--many fast foods places and restaurants fry french fries and chicken products in the same oil.
Hope this helps.
Heather
It is comforting to know that others are allergic as well. I'm 45 and I started having problems when I was 10. My symptoms are an ichy head, followed by saliva issues and then finally an overall gross feeling in my body. If I get the stuff in soup it usually takes about 20 minutes to start. I usually feel fine in a couple of hours.
My management of the whole thing is to NOT eat it. My other major allergy is fish - tuna, salmon etc. I'm fine with shrimp, lobster, crab etc This one is real bad I swell up and have problems breathing.
Growing up I was the expensive child to feed.
My management of the whole thing is to NOT eat it. My other major allergy is fish - tuna, salmon etc. I'm fine with shrimp, lobster, crab etc This one is real bad I swell up and have problems breathing.
Growing up I was the expensive child to feed.
I have been alergic to Poultry all my life. I have tried everything from Meds to eating only local raised birds ( I was told once that it's what they feed commercialy raised birds) and nothing has stopped my reactions. My reactions are so bad I go into anifelectic shock (spelled wrong....I think LOL). I can't even be in the house when people cook poultry. So I do what every one else does with allergies, STAY AWAY from the cause. However, now that I'm getting older it's hard to keep weight off because if this. All the diets are chuck full of this deadly foul. I could never be a vegatarian, so who has diet ideas for folks like us?
I have always found others who could relate to my egg and my dairy allergy, but I always got odd looks when I mentioned I was also allergic to poultry. Although I am sad to know others have to deal with this, I am very happy that I am not alone.
I have also been told it is the portein that is in the meat that causes my allergy. My reaction is fast acting with hives, vomiting, and constriction of my throat. Holidays are terrible so we always try and have family dinners here. HAM! Yum! lol
I have had this allergy my whole life and as a child I often felt like the parents of my friends just thought I was a picky eatter. When turkey and chicken hot dogs became popular it was awful. Turkey ham! the same.
I have also been told it is the portein that is in the meat that causes my allergy. My reaction is fast acting with hives, vomiting, and constriction of my throat. Holidays are terrible so we always try and have family dinners here. HAM! Yum! lol
I have had this allergy my whole life and as a child I often felt like the parents of my friends just thought I was a picky eatter. When turkey and chicken hot dogs became popular it was awful. Turkey ham! the same.
I am so glad that I found you guys!!
My allergy began when I was about 23. I'd eaten chicken at least 3-4 times a week, when I suddenly started getting sick from it.
At first it was just chicken, then turkey slowly worked it's way in there and now it's eggs too.
I have noticed here recently that I can eat some things made with egg yolks, but egg whites. (I figured it'd be the exact opposite.) But there are some bakery goods that only use egg yolks - I do okay with those, but miracle whip uses egg whites and I get sick.
So I have to be very careful about cakes, cookies and anything that contains eggs too.
I don't get the thick saliva, but I do get the gassy feeling, that just makes me want to curl up in a ball and go to sleep. It makes me feel like I have to go to the bathroom, but I don't.
Gas-X or Beano helped at first, but now doesn't do anything for me. Good thought on the benadryl... hadn't thought about that. i may try that next time I slip up.
I have an appointment w/ an allergist next week. It's good to know that I'm not the only one with this. At least I can be armed with that information going into it.
I figure there is a particular enzyme in poultry & eggs that doesn't like my body.
Thanks so much for starting this thread!!!
My allergy began when I was about 23. I'd eaten chicken at least 3-4 times a week, when I suddenly started getting sick from it.
At first it was just chicken, then turkey slowly worked it's way in there and now it's eggs too.
I have noticed here recently that I can eat some things made with egg yolks, but egg whites. (I figured it'd be the exact opposite.) But there are some bakery goods that only use egg yolks - I do okay with those, but miracle whip uses egg whites and I get sick.
So I have to be very careful about cakes, cookies and anything that contains eggs too.
I don't get the thick saliva, but I do get the gassy feeling, that just makes me want to curl up in a ball and go to sleep. It makes me feel like I have to go to the bathroom, but I don't.
Gas-X or Beano helped at first, but now doesn't do anything for me. Good thought on the benadryl... hadn't thought about that. i may try that next time I slip up.
I have an appointment w/ an allergist next week. It's good to know that I'm not the only one with this. At least I can be armed with that information going into it.
I figure there is a particular enzyme in poultry & eggs that doesn't like my body.
Thanks so much for starting this thread!!!
Fried frog legs taste like chicken!
I feel your pain! My symptoms are mostly gastrointestinal so I won't go into detail. I loved chicken and have found that fried frog legs tastes just like chicken. I wish I had a substitute for chicken liver! Lol!
Like many of you this is the first time I found a forum explaining what I go through with my allergy to poultry.
I remember growing up and eating chicken daily. It was my favorite food. But when I was around 14 I pretty much over night became allergic to all poultry. I have tried chicken, turkey, pheasant, and quail. I even tried organic chicken from my ex-girlfriends family farm thinking it may have been a hormone given to poultry now. I have to be so careful when I go out to eat. I found out last year that restaurants are putting chicken stock in vegetables when they cook them. My reaction goes as follows, but varies slightly each time. After about a couple minutes I will get a tingly or numbing sensation on my tongue and cheeks. Then sometimes I will get a warming sensation over my body and a need to itch. My face or various features can start to swell. Sometimes my lips or my eyes. I may turn a little red as well. But the main thing is that I start to get a thickening in my saliva in my mouth, throat, and stomach. The worse part is heart burn or increased acid in my stomach which is EXTREMELY painful. It seems to come in waves like previous people have mentioned. I have trouble swallowing and just try to throw up at this point. But even when I throw up, it is really thick. I try to down benadryl or tums, but i don't know how much it helps. After about 45 minutes of excruciating pain, I start to get gassy and start to hiccup. Once the hiccuping starts, it the symptoms go away in about twenty minutes. I use to think that I could overcome my allergy by eating a small amount every day and get my body use to it, but that did not work. With all the acid on my stomach and esophagus, I am sure I have some permanent damage. If anyone has any they know to help ease the symptoms, that would be great.
Brian
I remember growing up and eating chicken daily. It was my favorite food. But when I was around 14 I pretty much over night became allergic to all poultry. I have tried chicken, turkey, pheasant, and quail. I even tried organic chicken from my ex-girlfriends family farm thinking it may have been a hormone given to poultry now. I have to be so careful when I go out to eat. I found out last year that restaurants are putting chicken stock in vegetables when they cook them. My reaction goes as follows, but varies slightly each time. After about a couple minutes I will get a tingly or numbing sensation on my tongue and cheeks. Then sometimes I will get a warming sensation over my body and a need to itch. My face or various features can start to swell. Sometimes my lips or my eyes. I may turn a little red as well. But the main thing is that I start to get a thickening in my saliva in my mouth, throat, and stomach. The worse part is heart burn or increased acid in my stomach which is EXTREMELY painful. It seems to come in waves like previous people have mentioned. I have trouble swallowing and just try to throw up at this point. But even when I throw up, it is really thick. I try to down benadryl or tums, but i don't know how much it helps. After about 45 minutes of excruciating pain, I start to get gassy and start to hiccup. Once the hiccuping starts, it the symptoms go away in about twenty minutes. I use to think that I could overcome my allergy by eating a small amount every day and get my body use to it, but that did not work. With all the acid on my stomach and esophagus, I am sure I have some permanent damage. If anyone has any they know to help ease the symptoms, that would be great.
Brian
Wow, for a second I thought I was just crazy with my abnormal development of an allergy to poultry.
Mine started about 4 years ago, and it started with dry white meat chicken (breast). I would get a bad heartburn that was manageable, but it didnt occur with dark meats or fried versions. It progressively got worse to the point I couldnt eat any poultry product and could immediately tell you if some was in another food product.
The family thought I was making it up and that it was just all in my head.
I can feel a change as soon as the poultry is consumed, the pain isnt immediate, but I know its coming. It is then followed my chest cramps that I dealt with by holding my breath and contracting my chest until they released. My stomach frothed up and I burped a foam. I would often grab a bottle of water and chug it, then throw it up on purpose, then repeat (to flush as much of my stomach as I could). The pain usually lasts an hour or two and in that time I am 100% incapable of doing anything else and Im a certified as****e.
Sushi use to be a huge favorite of mine. Key word use to, one day while eating tuna fish I got the same pain. Tried it again a little while later in a different form (raw Vs out of a can) and had the same results. THen a while later it happened with Salmon (I use to eat it ALLLL the time).. I dont know what I was thinking but I tried Cod to see what it would do and had the same results, so I am going to just say I have also developed an allergy to fish, I dont care to try all the variants as it is a very painful game of chance. This occured about 2 years ago and started with the tuna.
Now I can still eat shellfish no problem and, Oysters, clams, mussels, shrimp, crab, etc etc are all good.
I found this info to be interesting:
"BACKGROUND: Allergy to poultry meat is only rarely covered in science. The few reports are usually related to patients allergic to eggs or bird feathers. OBJECTIVE: Two patients with a clear history of monovalent, ingestive allergy to chicken and turkey meat, without other food allergies, were analysed. The relevant allergens were to be identified by immunoblotting. METHODS: Both patients were evaluated with skin tests and specific IgE determination (CAP). Allergens were identified by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting. Cross-reactivity of chicken and turkey meat was examined by IgE inhibition experiments. RESULTS: Skin tests and specific IgE were positive for chicken and turkey in both patients. Cross-reactivities to other poultry meats were documented for duck and goose meat. No sensitization to egg components or poultry feathers could be found. Allergenic proteins of poultry meat were detected at molecular weights of 21, 23 and 50 kDa (distinct bands) and 13, 27 and 33kDa (faint bands). An additional band at 91 kDa for turkey, can probably not be considered a distinct allergenic epitope. Immunoblot inhibition confirmed cross-reactivity of chicken and turkey meat allergens. CONCLUSION: Food allergy to poultry meat is a distinct disorder with crossreactivity among chicken, turkey and other poultries. The relevant allergens were identified by immunoblotting. Associated food allergy to egg-components is unlikely as the patients were able to tolerate egg and eggs products."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9756209
Mine started about 4 years ago, and it started with dry white meat chicken (breast). I would get a bad heartburn that was manageable, but it didnt occur with dark meats or fried versions. It progressively got worse to the point I couldnt eat any poultry product and could immediately tell you if some was in another food product.
The family thought I was making it up and that it was just all in my head.
I can feel a change as soon as the poultry is consumed, the pain isnt immediate, but I know its coming. It is then followed my chest cramps that I dealt with by holding my breath and contracting my chest until they released. My stomach frothed up and I burped a foam. I would often grab a bottle of water and chug it, then throw it up on purpose, then repeat (to flush as much of my stomach as I could). The pain usually lasts an hour or two and in that time I am 100% incapable of doing anything else and Im a certified as****e.
Sushi use to be a huge favorite of mine. Key word use to, one day while eating tuna fish I got the same pain. Tried it again a little while later in a different form (raw Vs out of a can) and had the same results. THen a while later it happened with Salmon (I use to eat it ALLLL the time).. I dont know what I was thinking but I tried Cod to see what it would do and had the same results, so I am going to just say I have also developed an allergy to fish, I dont care to try all the variants as it is a very painful game of chance. This occured about 2 years ago and started with the tuna.
Now I can still eat shellfish no problem and, Oysters, clams, mussels, shrimp, crab, etc etc are all good.
I found this info to be interesting:
"BACKGROUND: Allergy to poultry meat is only rarely covered in science. The few reports are usually related to patients allergic to eggs or bird feathers. OBJECTIVE: Two patients with a clear history of monovalent, ingestive allergy to chicken and turkey meat, without other food allergies, were analysed. The relevant allergens were to be identified by immunoblotting. METHODS: Both patients were evaluated with skin tests and specific IgE determination (CAP). Allergens were identified by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting. Cross-reactivity of chicken and turkey meat was examined by IgE inhibition experiments. RESULTS: Skin tests and specific IgE were positive for chicken and turkey in both patients. Cross-reactivities to other poultry meats were documented for duck and goose meat. No sensitization to egg components or poultry feathers could be found. Allergenic proteins of poultry meat were detected at molecular weights of 21, 23 and 50 kDa (distinct bands) and 13, 27 and 33kDa (faint bands). An additional band at 91 kDa for turkey, can probably not be considered a distinct allergenic epitope. Immunoblot inhibition confirmed cross-reactivity of chicken and turkey meat allergens. CONCLUSION: Food allergy to poultry meat is a distinct disorder with crossreactivity among chicken, turkey and other poultries. The relevant allergens were identified by immunoblotting. Associated food allergy to egg-components is unlikely as the patients were able to tolerate egg and eggs products."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9756209
I've also had this allergy ever since I was a little kid. At first, it was the more minor reaction as others had described, and it was weird because it didn't happen with all chicken. Sometimes I got the reaction, and sometimes I didn't. As I got older, though, the reaction happened more frequently, and more importantly, it became violently more severe.
I've been hospitalized about 5 times due to my poultry allergy. Once was at the beach after eating a hot dog- apparently there was some turkey mixed in. Anyways, after years of carrying an epi-pen in case I accidently ate chicken, I made the decision to become a vegetarian, and I haven't had a reaction since.
It's been 11 years now and no poultry related hospital visits.
One thing I wanted to mention, though. I'm also allergic to pennicillan, and I know most factory farms nowadays keep the chickens in such small, confined areas that the only way to prevent sickness is to keep them pumped full of antibiotics. I always thought that was the reason why I could eat the egg, yet not the chicken.
Anyways, just wanted to let anyone suffering from poultry allergies to be tested for a pennicillan allergy as well- there's a good chance that could be part of your problem, and if that's the case, getting an allergic reaction when you are already sick is the last thing you want!
I've been hospitalized about 5 times due to my poultry allergy. Once was at the beach after eating a hot dog- apparently there was some turkey mixed in. Anyways, after years of carrying an epi-pen in case I accidently ate chicken, I made the decision to become a vegetarian, and I haven't had a reaction since.
It's been 11 years now and no poultry related hospital visits.
One thing I wanted to mention, though. I'm also allergic to pennicillan, and I know most factory farms nowadays keep the chickens in such small, confined areas that the only way to prevent sickness is to keep them pumped full of antibiotics. I always thought that was the reason why I could eat the egg, yet not the chicken.
Anyways, just wanted to let anyone suffering from poultry allergies to be tested for a pennicillan allergy as well- there's a good chance that could be part of your problem, and if that's the case, getting an allergic reaction when you are already sick is the last thing you want!