It's that Time

It's that time again, spring allergies are going strong. I had read in a few of the pregnancy books that pregnancy can make allergies better or worse. Unfortunately mine seem to be worse, though the news said that springtime allergies are going to be bad for all suffers this year.

Not only do I have to deal with the regular allergy symptoms, I have to worry about the food I consume. Lets see a pregnant lady that needs to avoid fresh fruit and vegetables, that doesn't sound right. In my case it is. I had one reaction to food a couple of weeks ago, a dish that I had eaten two weeks prior and had now troubles. Celery, that is the usual suspect, can't eat it at all, anytime of the year, started out being just with springtime allergies, I have what they call Oral Allergy Syndrome. But it's gotten worse and can't consume celery at all. My birch tree allergy causes my body to confuse some fruits and veggies as birch pollen and attacks.

I had to go online to find out the list of what I should be concerned about. The list is apples, carrot, cherry, pear, peach, plum, prune, nectarine, apricot, kiwi fruit, honey, potato, tomato, spinach, celery, parsnips, green pepper, lentils, peas, beans, peanuts, parsley, anise, dill, fennel, caraway, coriander, cumin, wheat, buckwheat, hazelnut, walnut, almond. That is for birch trees. I am also allergic to mugwort, which has a list of celery, carrot, spices, melon, watermelon, apple, chamomile, hazelnut, anise, fennel, coriander, cumin. Then ragweed will follow that one with watermelon, canteloupe, honeydew, chamomile, honey, banana, sunflower seeds, zucchini, and cucumber.

I know I can't consume celery at all, fresh or cooked, nor the spices. I also am allergic to coconut, not on the oral allergy syndrome. Both make my mouth, tongue and throat swell, but first they go numb and tingly, so that is my cue to take two benadryl, and pray. I have had to use an epi pen in the past, not fun. But the dish I ate didn't have celery, it had almonds, crispy orange chicken, carrots, red peppers, broccoli, mushrooms, rice. This time I did spot these green things that looked to me like celery, but my husband tried it and said it was green onion. The waitress assured me that it didn't have celery, and the green things were green onion. So from the big list it could be carrots or almonds. Or I have developed another food allergy. And during ragweed time I have to avoid all melons, otherwise I am popping benadryl.

Funny thing is I have issues with like baked beans in the can, so far the only one I never reacted to was bushes homestyle. Can't have much processed food, like stuffing mixes, or those boxed meals, and frozen dinners, chicken broth in the can or box contain celery. I have to read labels, and avoid anything that just says spices.

So when I explained this to the doctor's office at my prenatal visit, I got the usual, ok that is odd. And to avoid the things that cause it. Which this time is hard, I have eaten carrots, and almonds, but not since the reaction. Everywhere I go I have to ask what is in food. Most times I just avoid food at other peoples places, or gatherings. Both my family and my husbands family try to be careful with the celery allergy, but I still have had reactions, by accident.

Lucky me, I have baby showers to go to as a guest and two of my very own. I'll be the pregnant lady not eating much at her own shower. Unless food is cleared before hand to be celery and coconut free.

It's all part of my goofy life!