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1021174 tn?1251635887

Macadamia nut/ Wasp allergy

A) I am allergic to Macadamia nuts. I have eaten them twice and had bad reactions both times. Once when I was 18 (I ate three nuts) and another time when I was 30 (one bite of a cookie) upon eating them my throat felt itchy and as they digested I could feel an itchy almost explosive reaction as they went down. I forced myself to vomit and was left with an acidic nauscuous feeling in my stomach.
My Questions:
1) why am I only allergic to this nut? I love peanuts, almonds all other nuts and have never had a reaction.
2) Is this hereditary? is my daughter (4yr old) at risk and is there some way of testing her?
3) Is there some medicine or antidote I could carry in case of emergency?

B) 1)I am also allergic to a small black wasp (been stung twice in Costa Rica) I've been stung by many types of wasp (the big ones, red, yello, the striped ones), I only get a reaction (horrible quarter-sized itchy hives all over my body starting on the arms and groin and spreading) from the small black wasps that make the round nests that hang vertically from trees/ roofs, etc.
2) Should I carry an epi-pen? Or benadryl? Or something else? In case of an emergency: If I use the epi-pen I only have 15-20 min, (from what I read on the forum). should I take a benadryl as well as using the pen? I spend a lot of time in remote areas where I won't be near any hospitals and I need to be prepared.
3) Is this hereditary?
THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP.
3 Responses
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1021174 tn?1251635887
Thanks for the info!!!
Helpful - 0
168348 tn?1379357075
Hi again,

Macadamia Nuts are "tree nuts".  You may want to do some searches using those key words.  Here is an excerpt I found from a website that is most helpful:

Cross-Reactivity Among Tree Nuts:

Most people with tree nut allergies are not allergic to all tree nuts. However, there is high cross-reactivity among various families of tree nuts. About 12 percent of people who are allergic to one tree nut are allergic to another tree nut. The strongest probability of cross-reactivity is between walnut and pecan, and between cashew and pistachio; however, many tree nuts have some possibility of cross-reaction between each other. For this reason, people who are allergic to one type of tree nut are generally advised to avoid all tree nuts as a precaution.
Cross-Reactivity Between Tree Nuts and Peanuts:

Peanuts are legumes, and are biologically unrelated to tree nuts. However, there is a high level of allergic cross-reactivity between peanuts and tree nuts, meaning that people with tree nut allergies are at increased risk of developing peanut allergies. If you are diagnosed with a tree nut allergy, your allergist will advise you whether to avoid peanuts as well.

C~http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Allergies---Food/Macadamia-nut--Wasp-allergy/show/1038448#
Helpful - 0
168348 tn?1379357075
Hi and WELCOME!!

What the Dr's usually recommend (especially with nut & insect allergy) is to carry Two Epi Pens with you.  Most of the Epi Pen holder kits have an area for two pens along with an inhaler since many are asthmatic, too.  Benadryl usually is only given in absence of anaphylaxis symptoms and from what I understand can mask an anaphylaxis and after the Benadryl wears off it can rebound worse than before because the body is brewing what makes up anaphylaxis on a low level and Benadryl is supressing it (sorry, cannot recall the name this early in the AM LOL).  

Your Dr will make up an action plan for you as it relates to Benadryl vs. Epi, etc but my daughter who is bee allergic carries a whole kit with her and it also includes an old credit card to use as a scraper to get the stinger out ASAP.

I wish I knew on the Macadamia nut an answer to your good ? but don't know offhand.  I'll try to do a search and find out if it cross reacts with anything.

WELCOME!!

C~
my children are anaphylacitc to nuts, latex, plums & bees
Helpful - 0
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