Bad Reaction To Pears

[Ursa Major]

Yuck, my ONLY fruit has just decided to give me an allergic reaction! I get oral allergy syndrome reactions to a lot of things that aren't even on the lists of foods I officially can't tolerate (and which give me systemic reactions). Now pears have joined the ranks of those.

For a while I have thought I was heading this way (tingling on my tongue) when eating pears, so have only eaten one once every few days. It didn't help, apparently, in warding off this allergy.

I just ate a pear, and first got bad burning on my tongue, and then my throat got insanely itchy. Now, after eating some stir fry, it is getting better. My tongue is still burning. I am soooooooooooo mad! What will be next?

I am not looking for any of you to give me any solutions, I am really just venting. I am afraid the only solution is to now stop eating pears.

Okay, now I am getting very dizzy. I guess maybe it IS a systemic reaction after all. From pears, of all things! I think I might be able to eat them cooked, though, I just realize. I don't get this reaction from canned pears.

[jerseyangel]

Ursula--so sorry about the pears! Definately try them cooked--with Oral Allergy Syndrome, it is possible to have the symptoms with a raw fruit, veggie or nut, but not if the food is cooked. I learned this from my allergist--I thought I had an almond allergy, but it turned out to be OAS--and I can eat roasted almonds fine, but the raw ones are the ones that give me the mouth numbness.

[KaitiUSA]

I am sorry to hear that. Maybe as your body heals you will be able to introduce more foods? Anyhow, stick with what you know is safe and if you can tolerate canned pears or cooked ones then go for that instead.

[kbtoyssni]

Gosh, I have no idea. I know my mum has trouble digesting certain fruits like pears, apples and grapes, but that sounds like a completely different problem.

[powderprincess]

Oh no! So sorry to hear about your reaction to pears!

[Ursa Major]

Thanks, guys, for sympathizing. I was still eating banana chips and hazelnuts for snacks, but now I can't tolerate them any more, either. And since yesterday dark chocolate seems to be out, too! That leaves nothing for treats, other than sesame snaps. And they are sort of high in salicylates, and if I eat too many of those, I'll get muscle aches. I guess I can't win.

Okay, I am sort of wallowing in self pity, but it sure sucks.

[AndreaB]

I don't know anything about OAS but is it at all possible for stress to cause the body to react to foods?

I'm so sorry Ursula. I know you are limited on your food intake.

[Green12]

Yuck, my ONLY fruit has just decided to give me an allergic reaction! I get oral allergy syndrome reactions to a lot of things that aren't even on the lists of foods I officially can't tolerate (and which give me systemic reactions). Now pears have joined the ranks of those.

For a while I have thought I was heading this way (tingling on my tongue) when eating pears, so have only eaten one once every few days. It didn't help, apparently, in warding off this allergy.

I just ate a pear, and first got bad burning on my tongue, and then my throat got insanely itchy. Now, after eating some stir fry, it is getting better. My tongue is still burning. I am soooooooooooo mad! What will be next?

I am not looking for any of you to give me any solutions, I am really just venting. I am afraid the only solution is to now stop eating pears.

Okay, now I am getting very dizzy. I guess maybe it IS a systemic reaction after all. From pears, of all things! I think I might be able to eat them cooked, though, I just realize. I don't get this reaction from canned pears.

Had you peeled the pear before you ate it? Or was it from a different grower than the ones you haven't reacted to in the past. Just a thought.

[Ursa Major]

Had you peeled the pear before you ate it? Or was it from a different grower than the ones you haven't reacted to in the past. Just a thought.

Yes, I peeled it. I was only able to eat peeled pears, because the peel has too many salicylates. And I've been having small reactions to many different kinds of pears these past couple of weeks (I tried about five kinds, to see if it was just one). I saw it coming.

And I just ate canned pears, and something is bothering me about them as well. I might have to give up fruits altogether!

So, I guess I'll be truly living on only meat (no pork, I react to that) and about ten kinds of vegetables that I haven't had a problem with (yet).

I find I now even react to buckwheat and arrowroot (they were the last starches left), so no more baking.

Oh well, at least I HAVE food, unlike too many people in this world!