# alergy to macadamia nuts **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 11, 2004, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alergy-to-macadamia-nuts/274286 "2004-11-11T22:30:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alergy-to-macadamia-nuts/274286/1 "2004-11-11T22:30:13Z")
I’ve always loved macadamia nuts. Out of the blue, a couple of years ago, I seemed to have developed an alergy to them. My throat swells up enough that I have real trouble swallowing, and I have intense pain in my stomach (I’m assuming the pain is where the throat is swollen.) This pain and swelling typically lasts an hour or two, after which everything seems ok. I don’t seem to have any other symptoms, no rashes, irregular heartbeat, no wheezing or shortness of breath. Also, I don’t seem to have a problem with any other tree nuts or peanuts. Now for the stupid part. As I said, I love macadamia nuts, especially in white chocolate chip cookies. So I eat one occasionally (every few months), knowing full well that there’s a chance I’ll be hurting pretty bad because of it. I don’t always get these symptoms, and when I do, sometimes the pain is mild. Although the odds seem to be better than 50/50 that I’ll really hurt when I eat these things. In fact, I ate a macadamia nut cookie at lunch. And man, I hurt real bad right now. I feel like there’s a knife in my stomach. Anyway, the questions: a) Is it possible/likely that other health dangers are present? That the pain I’m experiencing isn’t the whole of the problem? b) Is it common for alergies to pop up like this? I never had this problem till my late 30s. c) My research seems to indicate that this is a for-life sort of thing. true? d) My research seems to indicate a shot of epinephrene could help this. True? How about epinephrene taken via an inhaler, like in Primatene Mist? How soon could I expect relief? Yes, that’s right; I’m actually considering carrying an inhaler or even a needle with me just so I can eat a cookie now and then. Which leads me to the most important question: e) How frigging stupid do you have to be to keep doing this? Hit me with that stick one more time, please. Yeah, yeah I know: go see a doctor. any other thoughts? Thank you very much. ---
**Author:** ![dre2xl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@dre2xl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dre2xl)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alergy-to-macadamia-nuts/274286/2 "2004-11-11T22:38:51Z")
That stinks. I got lactose intolerance intolerance out of nowhere when I turned around 21-23 years old. It’s hard to imagine why you’d be allergic to macademia nuts but not other nuts–the only difference between macadamias and other nuts (besides being so-sinfully rich, of course) that I know of is that they have a different balance of omega-3 oils ( cite: [http://www.macnuts.com.au/health-benefits.htm](http://www.macnuts.com.au/health-benefits.htm) ) . My advice: Don’t ever tempt allergies. And is it really worth spending that much money on shots and living with those side effects so you can eat your cookies? Sorry. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alergy-to-macadamia-nuts/274286/3 "2004-11-11T23:00:20Z")
> [@Bill H.](#): > > a) Is it possible/likely that other health dangers are present? That the pain I’m experiencing isn’t the whole of the problem? Yes. See your doctor > [@](#): > > b) Is it common for alergies to pop up like this? I never had this problem till my late 30s. Yes > [@](#): > > c) My research seems to indicate that this is a for-life sort of thing. true? Could well be > [@](#): > > d) My research seems to indicate a shot of epinephrene could help this. True? How about epinephrene taken via an inhaler, like in Primatene Mist? How soon could I expect relief? Yes, that’s right; I’m actually considering carrying an inhaler or even a needle with me just so I can eat a cookie now and then. Primatene is not much help if you’re in big time bronchospasm. Better than nothing, but not as sure-fire as an injection from an epi pen. Carry an epi-pen. > [@](#): > > Which leads me to the most important question: > e) How frigging stupid do you have to be to keep doing this? Hit me with that stick one more time, please. You’re human. Which means your idea is really, really stupid. I’m not yet sure if you are or not. > [@](#): > > Yeah, yeah I know: go see a doctor. any other thoughts? Go see him before eating another macadamia nut. QtM, MD ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alergy-to-macadamia-nuts/274286/4 "2004-11-11T23:02:15Z")
> [@dre2xl](#): > > I got lactose intolerance intolerance out of nowhere when I turned around 21-23 years old. You don’t tolerate lactose intolerant people? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alergy-to-macadamia-nuts/274286/5 "2004-11-11T23:25:09Z")
Thanks, **dre2xl**. Thanks, **Qadgop the Mercotan**. You wrote > [@](#): > > Go see him before eating another macadamia nut. I will. > [@](#): > > Primatene is not much help if you’re in big time bronchospasm. Better than nothing, but not as sure-fire as an injection from an epi pen. Carry an epi-pen. Is your implication that assuming no major bronchospasm, that using Primatene will provide relief for one of these alertic reaction? Will it be a reasonable substitute for an injection, again assuming no massive bronchospasm? What’s the typical delay before relief? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alergy-to-macadamia-nuts/274286/6 "2004-11-11T23:31:07Z")
> [@Bill H.](#): > > Thanks, **dre2xl**. > > Thanks, **Qadgop the Mercotan**. You wrote > > I will. > > Is your implication that assuming no major bronchospasm, that using Primatene will provide relief for one of these alertic reaction? Will it be a reasonable substitute for an injection, again assuming no massive bronchospasm? What’s the typical delay before relief? > > Thanks. Primatene is less than optimal for allergic reactions. Its absorption into the bloodstream is variable, so it’s hard to dose correctly to get it to fight such symptoms as throat swelling and hives and falling blood pressure (often leading to death). But it should act quickly, and in cases where there was complete circulatory collapse and thus no veins to inject into and no point in injecting into a muscle, I have put down an ET tube and just dumped a shitload of epi down into it, and bagged the hell out of the victim. My guy didn’t live, but others have via that method. But if you don’t have an epi-pen and you’re going into anphylactic shock, for gods sake, suck on that inhaler! I will try to find my “shrimp man” story, a cautionary tale of a man who was allergic to, but really, really liked shrimp. I think I posted it here years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alergy-to-macadamia-nuts/274286/7 "2004-11-11T23:33:39Z")
Well, here’s a brief thread on food allergies, along with a short description of “shrimp man”. Sadly, it doesn’t do justice to my derring-do or the thrill ride that went on for about 20 minutes with this guy. > **[Food Allergy?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=168387)** > > I recieved a gift card to Red Lobster for Christmas (I’m a bachelor, people think this type of thing is a great gift.) Today I decided to use it. I had shrimp a lobster. While at the restaurant I started choking up and my nose started to run. My... ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alergy-to-macadamia-nuts/274286/8 "2004-11-11T23:44:05Z")
I **know** I wrote a lengthy tome on “shrimp man”! Must have been lost during the winter of our missed content. Damn. ---
**Author:** ![robcaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@robcaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robcaro)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alergy-to-macadamia-nuts/274286/9 "2004-11-11T23:45:14Z")
Sounds a lot like an allergy to peanuts and peanut butter. Go see your doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alergy-to-macadamia-nuts/274286/10 "2004-11-12T00:47:50Z")
> [@dre2xl](#): > > I got lactose intolerance intolerance out of nowhere when I turned around 21-23 years old. Lactose intolerance isn;t an allergy though, it’s a perfectly normal process that develops in all mammals to assist in weaning. Some human populations have a high prioportion of mutants that delay the onset of lactose intolerance well past the normal age of weaning or indefinitely. But it’s perfectly normal to become less lactose tolerant as you age. Nothing to do with am allergy > [@](#): > > It’s hard to imagine why you’d be allergic to macademia nuts but not other nuts–the only difference between macadamias and other nuts (besides being so-sinfully rich, of course) that I know of is that they have a different balance of omega-3 oils ( cite: [http://www.macnuts.com.au/health-benefits.htm](http://www.macnuts.com.au/health-benefits.htm) ) . No, there are a huge number of difference. Macadamias aren’t at all closely related to the other nuts, belonging to a failry primitive flowering plant family. Simply being a distinct species will give them unique proteins, sugars and even oils but belonging to such a highly distinctive family makes them highly distinctive. Allergies are triggered as often or more often by the sugars and proteins as by the oils in a food. In short there ar eguge differences between Macadamias and other nuts. The ratio of broad lipid types is a very minor part of the picture. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alergy-to-macadamia-nuts/274286/11 "2004-11-12T10:33:17Z")
IANAD (and **Qadgop** already showed up, anyhow) but I am a long-term food allergy sufferer. So let me share my layman’s experience with you. > [@Bill H.](#): > > I’ve always loved macadamia nuts. Out of the blue, a couple of years ago, I seemed to have developed an alergy to them. My throat swells up enough that I have real trouble swallowing, and I have intense pain in my stomach (I’m assuming the pain is where the throat is swollen.) Yes, that definitely sounds like a food allergy. > [@](#): > > I don’t seem to have any other symptoms, no rashes, irregular heartbeat, no wheezing or shortness of breath. Not yet. However, that could happen the next time you eat a macadamia. > [@](#): > > Also, I don’t seem to have a problem with any other tree nuts or peanuts. Doesn’t matter. Food allergies can be _very_ specific. In my case I can eat a lot of the “problem” foods like wheat, fish, milk, etc… but a lowly tomato will do horrible, horrible things to me. What sets you off is what sets you off… it may be the only thing that ever causes such a reaction or, like me, you might have several problem foods. To some extent, you have to simply accept this fact. > [@](#): > > So I eat one occasionally (every few months), knowing full well that there’s a chance I’ll be hurting pretty bad because of it. Please resist this temptation. Stop eating macadamia nuts. For good. For your sake. Yes, I know it’s hard - I’ve had to give up several foods I loved and enjoyed because of allergies. Do it anyway. > [@](#): > > a) Is it possible/likely that other health dangers are present? That the pain I’m experiencing isn’t the whole of the problem? Yes, you betcha. > [@](#): > > b) Is it common for alergies to pop up like this? I never had this problem till my late 30s. Wouldn’t say it’s _common_ but it’s something that does happen. Allergies can pop up at any age. > [@](#): > > c) My research seems to indicate that this is a for-life sort of thing. true? Yes. Adult-onset food allergies, in particular, are the “for life” type. Don’t expect this to go away. > [@](#): > > d) My research seems to indicate a shot of epinephrene could help this. True? True on a certain level - but dude, you don’t want that shot. It is about as fun as being dropped headfirst off a three-story building onto a concrete sidewalk. It’s intended to save your life, not to allow recreational macadamia nut consumption. > [@](#): > > Yes, that’s right; I’m actually considering carrying an inhaler or even a needle with me just so I can eat a cookie now and then. Which leads me to the most important question: > e) How frigging stupid do you have to be to keep doing this? Hit me with that stick one more time, please. Yes, it’s a stupid idea. However, as the good doctor mentioned, you are human. Heck, I’ve had the same thought myself. Please resist the temptation. There IS a new treatment on the market called Xolair, which, while it won’t cure a food allergy, will significantly reduce the chances of it killing you. Average cost is $1,000 a month, prescription only. Not always covered by insurance. Please listen to **Qadgop** - go see a doctor. You probably should know something about epi-pens. And for Og’s sake, give up the macadamias. At least you enjoyed them while you could, but I’d rather have you around and pining for forbidden tastes than indulging them and seriously ill or worse. Food allergies can be lethal. Is a taste of macadamia worth your life? ---
**Author:** ![dre2xl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@dre2xl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dre2xl)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alergy-to-macadamia-nuts/274286/12 "2004-11-12T10:52:19Z")
**Qadgop the Mercotan** LOL… sure set myself up for that one. **Blake** Oops. Thanks. You learn something new on the SDMB every day. I didn’t even know that macadamia nuts were so different… it would make sense that kind of like with New Zealand’s flightless birds, macadamia nuts would diverge wildly after millenia of isolation on an island. Very interesting. What made the lactose intolerance interesting is that no one in my family has had it. But, then again, I’m called the USPS Girl because I don’t look like anyone else either. Hmm… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alergy-to-macadamia-nuts/274286/13 "2004-11-12T14:03:01Z")
> [@dre2xl](#): > > **Qadgop the Mercotan** I didn’t even know that macadamia nuts were so different… it would make sense that kind of like with New Zealand’s flightless birds, macadamia nuts would diverge wildly after millenia of isolation on an island. Very interesting. Macadamia nuts came from Australia, not from New Zealand (and I think the only significant food plant that originated there), though the stff about isolation is still right. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2004, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alergy-to-macadamia-nuts/274286/14 "2004-11-12T18:30:39Z")
Thanks all for the advice and kind words.