Mint allergy

[Kate76]

For years I have suffered from instant headaches when my kids chew gum.  Any mints do this but also all the artificial flavored gums.  My husband thinks I am nuts and my kids are tired of having a mom that is so bothered by the things that they would love to eat and chew.  I am also allergic or sensitive to perfumes, scented candles, chemicals on new clothes.  If I shop too long in a clothing store I feel exhausted.  Is there anyone else out there that is bothered by mint?

[FurballsMom]

I feel for you.  I don't have a "true" mint allergy, but I know what you're talking about all too well about not being able to be around that strong smell when someone is chewing mint gum or is using breath mints.  It does the same thing to me--headaches and nausea.

I also have MCS, so I can relate to your frustration with your experience with your doctors.  I am fortunate that my primary care doctor that I've had for many years now is open-minded about alternative medicine.  The natural medicine students actually get to practice their internships in the clinic I go to, so my primary care doctor is exposed to the naturopathic medicine, eventhough she is trained in conventional medicine.  She tends to lead a life centered on proper nutrition for herself and her immediate family, too, which really helps.

I am finally able to see a naturopath on a sliding fee schedule.  It's only been during this past year, but I'm fortunate that my primary care doctor is as open-minded about what the naturopath's suggestions are.  Even the neurologist has suggested some natural alternatives for the migraines.  So, it sounded like the neurologist, who I've only seen once so far, is going to be open-minded.  I didn't think the nephrologist was as open-minded about natural medicine, though.  

I understand that people don't believe kadam523 that exposure to mint can kill and don't take it seriously.  That has to be more than frustrating.  I know of others who can't be around even the slightest traces of certain food allergens themselves.  Being sensitive to mint is bad enough, but going into anaphylaxis because others don't take this seriously isn't funny to me.

[kadam523]

I am so allergic to Mint that I need to carry an epi-pen. People do not take me seriously when I tell them that this could kill me.

[Jaims]

Kate! ME TOO! It is such a PAIN! I sent you a message with details... i am definitel allergic to mint, you are not alone!

[Kate76]

Hi kindd,

Are you a doctor or chiropractor?  You seem to know a lot about alternative and conventional medicine.  My doctor does not believe in these things and I would love to find a doctor that believed in not only conventional medicine when needed but was open to alternative medicine.  I use to go to this one doctor who believed that but he was  a little weird.  He liked to use fear to get his patients to follow the program.  He terrified me and it was not good for the healing process.  This was not good for me, fear does not work!  Positive encouragement with hope goes a lot longer.  He was a little too extreme for me.     He is so against sugar that he said it was better to smoke than eat sugar.  Also, when I went to his office so ill with chemical sensitivities he said that it would take me a long time to get better and it would be better for me to have liver cancer.  This is absurd, you usually do not last 6 months with liver cancer, there is no cure.  I have had my chemical sensitivities for 15 years and plan, God willing, to live a long life.  This guy was a D.O. and was my primary doctor.  After that experience I am afraid to go to alternative medicine docs.  I went to this chiropracter that sold me a supplement every time I walked in the door and told me that my spine was the worst he had ever seen in all his years of practice.  Funny thing is that I didn't even have back pain.  I then use to go to this acupuncturist that also put me on these strange herbs, a new one every other week after doing this muscle testing.  That was expensive and I am not sure that all those supplements were good for me.  I love Dr. Weil, he recommends only what is proven.  Believes in combining both conventional/alternative.  He will say what is proven and what is not.  Unfortunately, there is no one like him around me that I know of.    

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

It is possible that you are allergic to mint or any of the constituents in which mint is a co-constituent like in tooth pastes along with mint,number of other ingredients are present.

You can find out whether you are allergic to mint or any other ingredient by getting allergy testing done. Skin tests are used for this purpose. This test involves pricking, scratching or injecting food extracts into the patient’s skin. The skin will react with redness and swelling for those extracts capable of eliciting an allergic reaction when consumed.Other tests used are blood tests like RAST and food challenge tests.

Treatment is complete avoidance of the offending agent.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing.