Guinness Allergy?

[Parrothead7171]

Last night I had a terrifying experience. Now to preface, I traveled to Ireland- have drank Guinness for years. I'm 42 years old. Never had any issue with any alcohol or allergies (except to cat hair- but I would just have itchiness when around them). No food/ no medication allergies.  Yesterday, after skipping lunch I had a fast food hamburger and coke (nothing new- had for years) for dinner on my way out for the night.  I met my friend at an Irish Pub and had a fresh poured pint of Guinness. 3/4 of the glass down, my palms and neck was itching. I finished my pint and bought another round. 1/4 of the way into my next, my lips were swelling and my buddie noticed my eyes/ face were swelling. I tried to talk and within minutes my tongue had swollen to 2x the size and I could not speak. I was rushed to the ER where after 4 hours on an IV I returned to normal. Today is the next day (of course this is Christmas weekend) so I'm waiting to see my doctor ASAP. Feeling fine today- taking Predisone for the next 5 days but I'm very frightened as NOTHING has changed from my diet to my alcohol consumption. I'm terrified to eat/ drink anything right now. Has anyone ever heard of such a sudden or violent allergic reaction? Sudden allergic reaction to alcohol. Nurse added it could have been a contaminated glass, cleaning solution used, cross contamination from bartender.   IDK!!!  Nobody else at the table (and my buddie checked with the manager and no other reported complaints) had any issues or problems.  Has anyone ever heard of such a violent allergic reaction to what I assume would be a very small amount of alcohol?

[AustinHook]

This past summer I suddenly started having an allergic reaction to Guinness.  I drink very little, but suddenly there is something in Guinness that causes me to sneeze and my eyes tto water.  Not as severe a reaction as described above, but very surprising.   Just the smell of it makes me sneeze.  I still like the taste, and can drink some, but soon it becomes too annoying.  Thought it might be related to the new agent where they put something in the cans to make it foam just like if it were poured from the tap in draught form.  Had a glass of Guinness today in a pub, purporting to be a kind of Irish alehouse, and didn't look to see if they got it from on tap, but maybe they just used one of those cans of it.  Same reaction as from the cans this past summer in any case.  Well, goodbye Guinness.  It was nice, all these years, a couple times a year.  Now it's over for me.

[tschock]

I used to be able to use/eat/etc things with sulfa in it...then one day I went to the doctor for an infection. I was given sulfa based antibiotics...which I had used several times before.
Within a few hours after taking the first one my tongue swelled up, cracked, started to bleed...my throat was next...and then I woke up in the hospital.

As we age, our allergies change. One day you're eating shrimp or peanut butter...the  next time you almost die.

They say that the first time you try penicillin you probably won't have an allergic reaction...the second time you try it could be quite a different story.

So yes...I've heard of this...and experienced it first hand.

Could also be that someone added something to your burger...or you are suddenly allergic to something in it...perhaps the sesame seeds on top?
Hard to say without testing.