Balloons?

[Guest TerpyTaylor]

Hi everyone! Ok this might sound so crazy, but here goes! Tuesday morning I woke up and was itchy and such with little bumps on around my face, which happens to me whenever I get gluten in my system. I wasn't sick to my stomache in anyway, and I couldn't think of anything I could possibly have eaten or come in contact with that would have had gluten in it. Then it occurred to me that the night before I blew up about 25 balloons for a youth group game, and that balloons are always dusted with something to make them less sticky. Could it be flour?!? It didn't even enter my mind at the time, and I checked the bag to see if it possibly said anything, but it didn't. I can't see how to contact the manufactuerer either, they were like made it Mexico! So does anyone know? It's SO CRAZY how something like BALLOONS could make me have a reaction!

Blessings!

Taylor

[tarnalberry]

I don't believe they generally use flour (though they may use a small amount of talc). Do you ever get a reaction from bandaids or latex gloves? What you describe sounds like it could be related to a latex allergy if they were latex ballons.

[lovegrov]

It's not flour. Think what a goopy mess that would be when it got wet.

richard

[skbird]

I helped some people at work fill a coworkers cubicle with balloons as a prank recently and got freaked out that the powder was gluten as well. But from what I've read it's corn starch (seems that would also make a goopy mess). Anyway, I didn't feel great after, even when I switched to a pump, so I'm beginning to grudgingly wonder if I have a latex thing, too. I know I am uncomfortable with latex gloves and condoms (but no clear reason why). What scares me about it is the cross-reaction with bananas and avocados, two things I love.

And I'm peeling back yet another layer on the onion...

Stephanie

[KaitiUSA]

I don't think companies use flour for that.

Flour contains wheat and I think they would have to disclose if they have a major allergen in there wouldn't they? Knowing companies maybe they wouldn't If you have an allergy to latex that could have caused a reaction. Is this a regular reaction you get to gluten or not? Hope you find out what caused it.

[ianm]

Latex is coated with corn starch and sometimes talcum powder. Latex allergies are quite common.

Ianm

[Guest TerpyTaylor]

I bet it's cornstarch then. I've never had any kind of latex reaction; I use latex gloves all the time. My mom is sensitive to corn as well as to wheat, rye, barley and oats and she's been convinced that I am too, I just haven't wanted to believe it because I don't want to give up corn too!!! I'm still itchy though, so I know I'm reacting to something, who knows, it could have had nothing to do with the balloons.

Thanks for the feedback, next time balloons are around I'm using a bicycle pump or someone else's lungs!

Blessings,

Taylor