Can you pick up new allergies as you get older?

[Nerull]

I went to eat last night, and have been sick all morning (called in at work). It is a restaurant that I go to all of the time, and have not had problems before. However, I have noticed that sometimes I get acid reflux, but I get this in some other places, too. I had never been able to put a pattern to it before.

However, I just spoke to my mother, who asked me what I ate (spaghetti with marinara). She asked if the sauce had a lot of basil in it. I told her that I did notice it was a little heavier on basil that usual, and she stated that I probably had her allergy to basil (she described all of the symptoms she gets when she eats too much basil, and they match what I am going through right now). However, I have eaten Italian food for years, and have never had a problem with basil before. However, my acid reflux has gotten worse over the past year, and I started taking an inventory of those places I ate at where it flared up later, and I can truthfully say that the food was either Italian and/or Pizza, or had a lot of basil as an ingredient (I could actually taste it in the food). I do not eat much spaghetti at home, and rarely if ever have an acid reflux problem eating at home.

Is it possible to pick up an allergy that you did not have for all of your previous life? Just wondering, because if it is true, then it explains a lot of things.

[Jorath Calar]

I'm no doctor, but I've seen one on TV...
but could it be that you said the Basil had been specially heavy on last nights dish, and the allergy just pops up if you eat too much of it?

No idea, I have no alergies and know knowledge there of... [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Stormymystic]

you can get allergies anytime in life, but if you are having acid reflux, it could be any numberof things, mostly, it could just be indigestion.... if you are concerened about it, see your doctor, otherwise it is normal after eating marinaria to get an upset stomach, at least for me anyway.

[Albromor]

Yes, you can pick up allergies as you get older. For years I was allergy free. But as I have gotten older tree pollen is a killer and mold spores make me tired all the time.

[pritchke]

Yes, you can pick up allergies as you get older, you can also lose allergies that you had when you are younger.

[ 11-22-2004, 01:58 PM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

[johnny]

Yes you can. You can develop allergies for wifes and mother-in-laws, you don't have that at the age of 16.

[Nerull]

Hmmm...sounds like I picked up my mother's allergy to basil. That bites, too, because I love Italian.

[Larry_OHF]

I used that term "allergy" on a doctor when I went looking for advice about my problem with eating certain foods that I used to be able to eat, but no more. He corrected me and said that it is not an allergy, it is a food intolerance.

I am 29 years old and cannot eat fast food nor Japanese take out ever again.

I also cannot eat pizza if I have had any milk that day, nor can I eat seafood if I want to eat chocolate later. Wierd combos. It would cost me hundreds of dollars to find out what is going on, and there are many factors.

Also, I was suffering acid reflux every night until I stopped eating just before going to bed. My body no longer likes a glass of chocolate milk as a nightcap.

[Larry_OHF]

I almost forgot! A doctor gave me the name of a drug to buy that cuts down the acid level in the stomach, which is a problem I have. It is over the counter, called
Omeprazole.

[RevRuby]

almost what i was going to say larry! it is prolly a sensitivity. but it sure does feel like an allergic reaction, don't it? i don't get it with food, i get it with the topical acne medication benzoyl peroxide.

also, i hate to be picky picky, but in truth you cannot get/develop or lose an allergy, as with asthma the severity can come and go in your life time. it can be such ad ramatic difference it really does appear to "come and go" but that terminology is misleading to parents who don't have asthma, but their child does. i bet the parents do to, it has just been hidden for many many years.