Please help - severe reaction to teas

I had a very severe reaction to either the blueberry tea or the agave nectar I put in it this morning. Severe cramping, dizziness, blacked-out in the bathroom of the coffee shop. Episode lasted for 4-6 hrs after my wife took me home. I've had this several times before - once drinking Chai tea.

Is it possible that this was anaphylactic shock symptoms I was experiencing? Could you have it without the classic throat closing/constriction symptoms?

I'm going to make an appt to see my pdoc tomorrow to get to the bottom of this.

Thanks!

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

Normally, during the course of evolution from a baby to an adult, we develop a mechanism by which we desensitize ourselves to all the materials we are exposed to. But sometimes, the desensitization may not be perfect and we develop allergic reactions to those few substances. This is what happened in your case. On exposure to the allergen, an Immunologic (IgE) or a non-immunologic reaction is set in process, which ultimately releases histamine, which acts at the peripheral receptors, resulting in allergic reactions, which can range from rashes to anaphylaxis.

The aim of the therapy is identification and removal of trigger factor. It is the most important and the only effective long-term therapy. To prevent the allergic reaction, the allergen needs to be avoided.  It may help to maintain a food dairy and keep monitoring your symptoms. This will help to narrow the search and avoid them. Further allergic testing may be worth looking into.

Antihistamines block the histamine receptors and prevent histamine from acting and thus help with symptoms.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.