I keep developing food allergies?

Question

i've always had allergies with ragweed, hayfever, etc. when i was fifteen i suddenly became allergic to watermelon, which i love and have eaten my whole life! now i'm 18 and can't eat watermelon, cantelope, pineapple, oranges, honeydew, or cucumbers. it makes me feel like there is something stuck in my throat, and sometimes i completely lose my voice! since i kind of "grew in" to these allergies, could there be a chance that i could grow out of them?

also, my dad developed allergies like these when he was fifteen, starting with watermelon. except he is allergic to bananas too. should i expect to stay allergic to these foods because he did?

Answer 1

The reason you can't eat the melons or cucumbers is because of the time they are growing to harvesting is the time the ragweeds are present. They blow with the help of the wind and land on many of your produce. Find out when rag weed/hayfever are in bloom and avoid these fruits & cucumbers during that time.

Many allergic people I know have had the same problems as you and they avoid eating those items during that time. The only thing you've inherited is allergies from your Dad. Some people do grow out of them, and some don't. You just need to manage your allergies so they don't interfere in your normal life, and avoidance is usually the first rule.

You can look up allergies and what to do about them on this website.

Answer 2

What you have now is called oral allergy syndrome. Watermelon is related to ragweed genetically. It is quite common for people allergic to ragweed to also have a problem with watermelon. I used to be so allergic to watermelon that just getting the juice on my hands would make me break out in a rash. I was also allergic to most other raw fruits and vegetables; I was even allergic to lettuce! I don't have a problem with it anymore after I went to an allergist and had desensitation shots for my pollen allergies. After five years of being on the shots, my allergy to raw fruits and vegetables went away! If you can afford it; desensitation shots are the way to go.