01-25-22

I hate allergies. I hate the feeling of my face swollen, can barely breathe or breathe thru my mouth, and sneeze for at least 5 seconds (one sneeze lasts for 5 seconds). I didn't want this to happen to Lil B but last night shocked me.

Check out my ever supportive sponsors!

Let me tell you about my allergy first and how I dealt with it through the years.

How did we found out?

Never in my mind came up the word allergy until one day when I was around 7 to 10 years old, we found out that I am allergic to seafood.

I can still remember it was around October as it is the rosary month. Our subdivision officers usually had a Mama Mary that goes house to house every week. Anyway, it was already our turn to take home the Mama Mary and we had crabs for dinner. It was the first time that I ate crabs because it is pricy and my tita brought crabs when she visited us that time. I cannot deny how tasty, delicious the crabs were, I ate a lot. Then when we were praying the rosary, suddenly I sneezed. I thought it was just an ordinary sneeze. I sneezed more and more and more and some sneeze lasted a few seconds which wasn't ordinary anymore. My nose are already drooling with sipon, I was already breathing through my mouth and when I mother looked at me, she was shocked that my eyes and lips were swollen. She came rushing to the kitchen and got some sugar and let me eat it.

They didn't think I'm going to be allergic in crabs or seafood as I am eating fish. It turned out I am allergic to seafood except for fish. Even seafood that lives in 'tubig tabang' and those that have shells like tahong, talaba, or suso. Yes, almost all seafod except for fish oh I forgot to mention, cooked fish. I can't eat raw fish like sushi or sashimi cause yes, ALLERGEEEZE!

Do I still eat seafood?

Fish, of course! Crabs, shrimps other seafood, occassionally or if I am only at home where there's a lot of antihistamine and I where I can sneeze comfortably and sleep.

Other remedies

I mentioned sugar or anything sweet really helps but taking antihistamine is still the best remedy. You just get to fall asleep after taking it.

I also have a friend who gave and advise as she have a relative allergic to seafood too. She said vinegar helps, so I tried and yes! It did help! I can eat crabs or shrimps now. However I wanted to taste the real taste of seafood too.

For shelled creatures, I remeber one time when I was in my ex-bf house and had lunch with his parents they cooked Halaan. I was so shy to tell them that I am allergic but my boyfriend knows he told his parents and they offered other food. I was still so shy to do that as they might feel offended so I still did try to eat it and I told my bf if I get an allergic reaction that's the time he van buy me other food. Surprisingly, I didn't get an allergic reaction. Why? His mother cooked it with lots of ginger. I was shocked too and happy as I can eat what his mother prepared.

Allergic reaction - moments

Basically, my face swells and I sneeze, a lot and long. There was a time that my mother just came home from the province and she brought fresh shrimps. The moment that she opened the container, I immediately sneezed. The smell was so strong that I got out of the house.

Most of the time when my mother cooked seafood, I let them eat first. I will stay outside our house or in our room so I can't smell it.

I also find it funny that my senses to any seafood heightened. If there's a food that I am not familiar with, usually I'll ask if there's seafood in it but they don't know, I'll just smell it and I would know.

Oh other than my first ever allergic reaction, I also found out that I got less allergic reaction to fresh seafood than frozen or stored seafood.

Here's how I looked like after eating left over spicy shrimp.

My mother kept asking me if I can still breathe. Yes, I still can but through my mouth. And after 2 days, I already somehow recovered.

Hahahahha! One eye recovered but I can already breathe normally, goodness gracious.

LIL B LAST NIGHT

Oh by the way, my Lil B is already 8months old and she's already eating at 6months. My pedia advised us to feed her one kind of fruit or vegetable for 3 days, then if I will introduce her to other kind of food she should eat it for 3 days. This is to easily identify what food she's going to have an allergic reaction as she only eats one type of food. I have already tried to feed her potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, banana, apples, mangoes, grapes, eggs, broccoli, cauliflower, string beans, fish, chicken, papaya, strawberries and until last night. I didn't even think that she's going to have an allergic reaction. Of course I also did some research on what food to prepare and I've read that it doesn't have much allergens BUT! I prepared eggplant for her dinner last night. I thought she was just crying cause she didn't take a nap before dinner time, I thought that she was just sleepy. She took a couple of spoons though but she still cried, after that I decided to stop feeding her. Babies eat so messy and most of the time she spreads the food all over her head or face. Right after I wiped her face, I noticed red spots all over her face, neck and ears. I panicked and got the yogurt in the fridge and called the pedia doctor. Good thing that she answered the call and told her that she got an allergic reaction to eggplant. She understand since she's a pedia and immediately recommended antihistamine for babies.

My father immediately finished his dinner and went to the drugstore. Good thing that of the nearest drug store was still open.

While we were waiting for the antihistamine, the red spots faded. Though Lil B was still sleepy, I told my mother to not let her fall asleep before we get the medicine. I was thinking what if she falls asleep and have a hard time breathing because of the allergy. I don't want that to happen. I haven't had dinner yet and while we waited for the medicine I ate dinner.

I never and I don't know anyone in my life who had an allergic reaction to EGGPLANT. I won't be surprised if she's allergic to other food that has a lot of allergens like seafood, chicken or dairy products but com'on, eggplant? Not it's not just Lil B who can't eat eggplant, I cannot eat eggplant as well because I am breastfeeding. Anything that I eat will be transferred to my breastmilk. Now, I am kind of afraid to let her try other food aside from the ones that she already have tried. I also bought Okra and I am having second thoughts to feed her that too.

It's also a good thing that I was able to know a food that she's allergic to. HUHU.

Suggestions?

Any suggestions on how to deal with allergies for babies? Food too?

To all momshies, I definitely need your help. I'd really really appreciate it.

uwu

Lead image from unsplash, pictures posted are mine