Developing allergies over time?

Factual Questions
1

Being a bit of a clutz (i.e. never looking where I’m walking, laying, stepping etc.) I have been stung by bees and wasps more times than I care to remember. The thing is, every time I get stung I seem to suffer a worse reaction. The first few times I was stung I experienced nothing more than the pain at the time and then an itch for the next couple of days while it healed. Now I seem to swell like a balloon, have a lot more pain, and last time, even developed a rash on my arm (when I was stung on the foot). The doctor at the time told me the rash was a reaction to the sting, and did display some concern that reactions were getting worse.

Yesterday, a bee stung me under the arm. Straight away it swelled up, turned half my chest into an unattractive red colour, and is generally much more painful than usual. A friend has been preaching at me that people can develop allergies to something in adulthood, even if they were not allergic to it as a child.

Basically, my question is…

Is it possible to develop an allergy, over time, after many stings? I thought you were either allergic to something from childhood, or you weren’t? Is it just coincidence that my reactions are getting worse, or should I be extra careful when walking barefoot in future?

Thanks!

2

It is possible to develop an allergy out of no where, and this is a mystery of the human body right now. (I had to learn the hard way and to re-check this with research)

To prevent being pounced on, let me say that if you develop a rash from contact with something that had never given you a rash before, we’d be better to describe that as an “irritant”…but essentially, to all concerned, it’s an allergy. Unfortunately, I learned from experience.

I used the same shampoo for years, then one day out of NO WHERE I developed a rash from it. It was a ‘weepy’ red rash…it was terrible. I thought the rash was from some other contaminant, but stopped my shampoo use and cleaned the area with water and , presto, rash was gone.

I doubted that I could develop an allergy, so went back to the shampoo and PRESTO - got a rash again (research says I’m not nuts, BTW)

It is possible for your body to suddenly see something as an irritant, and bug bites are just one. One day, a sweater you wore for years could just become a terrible irritant, and cause itching and swelling. It could be a plant, a pollen, a soap.

In medical terms, allergy and irritant get fuzzy, but essentially, to you they are the same.

3

It’s no mystery; that’s how the immune system works. An allergic response follows exposure.

The mystery is why in hell are we allergic to things like poison oak without being exposed?

4

When I was young, my grandmother saw poison ivy growing in our yard. She sent me and my sister inside. And since she was not allergic (or so she thought), she decided to pull it up with her bare hands. Now I’ve been around poison ivy and never reacted to it. But after seeing what happened to Grandmother, I leave it alone!

The reverse can happen. When I was young, I was allergic to just about ever insect there was. Now, they are still annoying, but a mosquito bite on my cheek will no longer close my eye.

5

The mystery is, “why the heck does this soap irritate my skin today and force a reaction from my body when this soap never bothered my before…?”

6

Thanks for the answers, guys!

I shall practice my “shriek like a schoolgirl whenever I see a bee” routine as a matter of urgency. My girlfriend already does a great one so perhaps she’ll gimme some pointers! :smiley:

7

Developing an allergic reaction later in life is very common because that ishow the immune system works. Even those who are allergic early in life don’t have a severe reaction the first time they are exposed to the allergen. But the next time is when all Hell breaks loose. The body develops antibodies and releases histamine to fight the antigen. After the first- time contact, now that the antibodies have been established, the next time is when the body is ready to fight this “adversary,” resulting in an allergic reaction.

If you are not allergic to a substance at first, with repeated exposure to the substance, the body may develop the immune system response in time to cause an allergic reaction. Smeghead or someone who is more familiar is welcome to fill in the details. :slight_smile:

8

I moved from New York to Austin, TX when I was 25. If you’d asked me, on that day, I’d have sworn I had no allergies.
But every Yankee who moves to Austin learns the same thing: if you didn’t have any allergies before coming here, you will. Just wait a little while.

No, I’ve never developed the kind of horrible, debilitating allergies a lot of friends and neighbors have, but I’m living proof (like nearly every transplant in Austin) that you can develop allergies over time.

No, that example isn’t really related to the OP’s… but the OP has probably long been aware of people who WERE allergic to various things as children, but eventually grew out of them. Those kids’ immune systems eventually adapted to their surroundings. But tolerances can be lost as easily as gained.

9

Yes, you CAN develop allergies at any point in life. What concerns me most is that your beesting allergy is 1) getting worse and 2) the reactions are pretty severe.

I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO SEE AN ALLERGIST!

It sounds like you are at risk for developing a life-threatening reaction. If you are stung and develop ANY difficulty in breathing, or ANY part of your mouth or throat swells up GET TO AN EMERGENCY ROOM IMMEDIATELY. Even if you feel “fine” otherwise.

Meanwhile, go see that allergist. It may be possible for you to be desensitized to bee stings, in whole or in part. You may also need to carry medication to use in the event of a sting, to prevent or treat a very severe reaction.

Or maybe the situation isn’t that bad - but wouldn’t you like to know rather than just guess?

10

Can I be foregiven for thrwoing this in here, since I have an allergy question?

I think I am developping an allergy to cats, since I sneeze a lot whenever I vist my parents now, and I never used to befre. Part of it may just be the large difference in dust and dead hair (two cats and a Golden retriever) between their place and mine, but I seem to really sneeze if I pet one of the cats and then touch my face. If I return to a cat environment for a long time, or get a cat, is there any way of knowing if it may get worse or better? I REALLY REALLY want a cat in this apartment, and am willing to take anit-histamines if I need to, but I wouldn’t want the reaction to get worse and worse.

I also think its odd that I mostly seem to react as I go to bed- I can be fine all day, then lie down, and SNEEZE! Any explanations out there for that?

Sorry for the hijack!

11

/me whips out his Immunology textbook.

Gather 'round, kids, and let’s talk about hypersensitivity reactions.

There are four types, depending on what part of the immune system goes bonkers. You’re most interested in Type 4, or delayed-type hypersensitivity. In this type, you develop a hypersensitivity (read: allergy) to a substance within 1-2 weeks of exposure to it.

What happens is this: you have a bunch of T helper cells in your body, each sensitive to some random molecule. The allergen activates some of these cells inappropriately (probably because the match between the T cell and the allergen is unusually good), and they multiply like mad, ready to ward off any further exposure. So, next time you’re exposed to the allergen, that’s what happens. Your immune system goes bonkers, causing redness, swelling, etc, etc.

DTH reactions are useful in fighting diseases, like certain viral infections. Because they’re mediated by cells, as opposed to antibodies, they’re important in fighting intracellular parasites. It’s just when they occur incorrectly that they cause problems.

Someone asked why we get reactions to poison oak on the first exposure. The answer is, we don’t. It’s just that you don’t notice your first exposure, because there’s no reaction.

Oh, and if you’re wondering how you can have exposure after exposure after exposure before finally developing an allergy, that’s because the composition of your T cell population fluctuates somewhat randomly. You may not have a T cell sensitive to a particular allergen for years, then suddenly one pops up. Once they’re activated, though, they hang around for a looong time.

12

Working as a young girl in a diner, one of my fave customers was an ancient fella with a handlebar mustache. He always ordered his hamburger without tomato.
I asked him one day, Mr Rushing don’t you like tomatoes?
Oh yes missy I love tomatoes. …

He was stationed in Australia while in the Army … long story short, he went out to eat, ate a plate full of tomatoes, and promptly broke out in hives. The meds told him he was allergic, after all those years of eating tomatoes unscathed, he could never eat them again.

I’ve even heard of folks becoming allergic to stuff like Tide, or Coast soap, because it builds up after years of exposure.

So! Go see an allergist. It might save your life!:stuck_out_tongue:

13

Simplest explanation: That’s where the cats sleep all day.

14

Smeghead, you either need to get your money back on that immunology book or read it more carefully.

Allergies are an immediate, or Type I, hypersensitivity reaction. Type IV hypersensitivity reactions don’t have anything to do with allergies.

Allergies are called immediate hypersensitivity reactions because, even though it takes time for you to become allergic, once an allergic person is exposed to an antigen their body reacts to it immediately. With a Type IV reaction (such as the reaction to a TB skin test) it takes much longer and happens by a totally different mechanism.

15

Again, thanks for all the answers!

Just to update everyone…

I actually got stung last Saturday evening and I have since developed a whole range of interesting symptoms. The sting is on my chest, just a few inches under my armpit. The swelling has gone down a bit in the area of the sting, but a few square inches of that area has now turned an interesting shade of yellow with red patches. It looks a bit like a large bruise, and feels numb. Bizarrely, the swelling seems to now have moved down to the side of my stomach. It looks and feels really weird, I’m pretty trim but right now it looks like I’m fat on just one side… and I can feel it wobble when I move!

Argh, now I’ve thought about all those symptoms I feel inclined to seek my doctor’s advice tomorrow!

I am in no pain, however, and neither my throat or breathing are affected.

16

Bee and wasp sting reactions can easily become fatal. As in rapidly fatal. “I felt OK, then for some reason I woke up in the emergency room…”

Racer1, you need to see an allergist ASAP and probably (on medical advice) carry an epinephrine pen (actually an injector) with you at all times. A medical alert bracelet would be a really good idea as well, comrade.

Don’t delay.

17

Both types of reactions can mediate allergy. Hay fever and bee sting allergy are Type I (immediate) reactions whereas poison ivy/oak/sumac, nickel allergy, and the TB skin test are type IV.

Allergy is not one type of immunological reaction or another. Rather, it is an undesirable immunological reaction to a foreign substance. Autoimmunity (when the immune system attacks the host directly as in lupus, scleroderma, or rheumatoid arthritis), in this context, is an undesirable immunological reaction to a host tissue.

As to the issue of developing new allergies, as others have stated, exposure is the key. How much exposure is required depends on the nature of the allergen and the individual’s particular immune system.

BTW, there is (at least?!?) one exception to the "you need exposure to become allergic " rule. This allergen in question is common and MD’s and lab technicians work diligently to ensure that these serious allergic reactions don’t occur. This allergen is ABO mismatched human donor blood. If you have blood type “O” then you possess preformed antibodies to the “A” and “B” blood antigens ( If you are “A” then you have preformed anti-“B” antibody. If you are “B”, then you have preformed anti-“A”). If a type “O” individual were transfused with “A”, “B”, or “AB” blood, the preformed antibodies in their circulation would lyse the donor blood cells, causing many uncomfortable sensations and possibly death. This is a type II (antibody-mediated cytotoxicity) response and I’d argue falls within the definition of allergy.

18

What choosybeggar said. “Allergies” covers all four types of hypersensitivity reactions. Type 4 is just the type that requires previous exposure.

19

Racer1, my question is, why are all these bees stinging you? What the hell are you doing - running around the backyard, naked, covered with honey?

20

Smeghead, I recall reading that you have to be “primed” for the allergic reaction to bee stings, which chooseybeggar said is Type 1. Coincidentally, the latest issue of *Mayo Clinic Health Letter *, August 2000, states: