Angiodema?? (swollen tongue, lips)

[momtocole]

Hi, I'm new here. Just about 2 months ago I began developing strange allergic reactions. They have occurred on my feet, hands, back of knee, upper thigh, lip and now tongue. I have gone to the doctor before and they said it was contact dermatitis. I have not figured out what I'm allergic to yet and am still waiting for a call back from the allergy department. Last night, I woke up at about 3am with a swollen tongue. It really freaked me out. I took 2 Benadryls and thankfully it went down almost back to normal within a couple of hours. When it happened on my lip, it swelled to the size of a grape and the Benadryl took FOREVER to kick in.

Anyway, I went to the doctor this morning and she said swelling like this (tongue, lips) is called angiodema. She said if I continue to expose myself to this allergen (whatever it may be) the next stage could be anaphylaxis.

I'm really scared. I have 2 little kids and I'm terrified of something happening. I can't avoid the allergen if I don't know what it is.:(

Please help.

Thanks,
Becky

[Brooke777]

I know it's years later, but was doing a web search for angio-edema and found this thread. Re that bite on your leg, you may know this by now, but if it was a TICK, you may have what's called "alpha-gal" allergy.. You may want to google it, but summing up, one would experience angio-edema upon eating pork, beef or lamb, and typically it's a delayed reaction, happening 3-8 hrs after consumption. The body is reacting to the same "sugar" that was caused by the tick bite, and is the same sugar that's in red meat.  

[Freedom1980]

Hi April!

Thank you for your story.  I have been suffering with this problem forabout 10 months and am desperate for some relief!  Would please tell me the name of the juice that helped you and where you bought it?  I appreciate your time and help in this matter.

Thank you,
Connie

[mrblobby0]

forgot to say I think the attacks happen to most people during the early hours because thats when the body is in deep sleep and the inmmune system is not functioning as it would during waking hours.
A common factor having read and spoke to people is this can occur during periods of stress which i can relate to also been told that excessive exersize can also cause it , I used to train 6-7 days per week when it first occured but that isnt the case now so who knows
Its good to know there are other people to speak to with same issues.

Bryan United kingdom

[mrblobby0]

I have suffered with swollen tongue and face it seemed to move sides from attack to attack. mine seemed to start 2 years ago out of the blue, had every blood test they could think of and all found negative the specialist wouldnt perform allergy tests as she said it is very common and not an allergy. I also had tests for I think the nane is elicta bacta a bacteria most people have present in the gut ,it doesnt affect most people but if the gut is irratated it can cause a reaction which can cause swelling to occur. That proved negative I have had 2 episodes in the last 3 weeks girst my tongue on the right side then last saturday my right hand swelled to twice the size it should be took predisilone and piriton after an hour it subsided also chest pain as though i couldnt digest food or drink. these seem to be common symptoms. mine usualy starts with sore tongue as though I have bit it followed by swelling. most attacks in people happen in the early hours it would seem the body produces histomine to fight an allergy that isnt there ,I am told the over production of histomine is what causes the swelling hance taking the anti histomine. I would advise anyone experiencing tongue swelling if frightened to call emergency services /ambulance as it can be fatal if it spreads to the throat. better to be sent home from emergency unit with medication than being a fatality.
Bryan United Kingdom

[Lezpye]

Hello Susan, my experience appears identical to yours and started about 8 years ago when I was 49. I have given up wheat products 18 mths ago and didn't experience any problems until about 3 wks ago and now it's a slightly swollen lip most mornings and a few hives on my legs below the knees, nowhere near as severe as before.  Please keep me posted if you get any new news, cheers, Les

[Pinxie]

Hi :) Ive been having this horrible horrible swelling happen to my tongue sibce a few weeks ago. I have never had this happen before so i was really scared and I dont have any allergies. Well, not that I know of.

I was sick with the flu and i couldnt keep my food down so my doctor gave me clopaman tablets, he told me not to have any dairy products with. I forgot and had cereal on a friday monday after i had taken the becos i had to take it and hour before.
My tongue soon started swelling and it became difficult for me to breath nor talk, my words were slurred. my muscle kept spasn like i was having a seizure and my neck muscle were also making me jus look up.
At the hospital they gave me lots of injections of things i dont know. And it came down. They gave me allegex. Thats what we call it in south africa. I went home and the swelling started at night time. I toom two allegexs pills but it wouldnt come down because im not having alllergy reaction because im not allergic to anything, its just the clopaman and milk that triggered this.

We went back to the hospital and i was admitted. They told me it was jus an allergic reaction and never to take clopaman again.  During my whole stay my tongue never came down to its despise all the allergex and other things they gave me. I went home home sunday with again allergex and some prednisone to take in the morning. It helped a little bit but it had not fully come down to its normal size. Tuesday evening, it started swelling again. My tongue was getting thicker and thicker by the hour. It was rising. At about 2amin the morning i could not take it any longer, my throat was also hurting now and i felt like i was going to swollow my tongue or it was going to suffocate me. I had not slept a wink and my parents thought i was being paranoid. But we called the ambulance because we had tryed everything,  allegex, gaggling my mouth with salt water and rubbing my tongue with ice cubes.

The paramedics came and saw it was rising. They said it was anaphylaxis and took me to the hospital. I was admitted again and diagnosed with something ngitis at the end. I was given lots of medicine and injection. My blod pressure was low though. but my tongue just kept on swelling. I went to go see a specialist at the hospital and he put a. Camera down my nose and told he thinks its and infection in my throught but i will go to theater and have them put a camera down my throat. at night it became unbearable my tongue still had not come down since i got there.

The next day i went to theater,  came back and was told i will be discharged the day. I went home with pariet. The tablets were working and my tongue came down even down it still felt a little too big for my mouth it was a jus a little longer and wider. On wednesday night it started swelling again. I was panicking,  we phoned my doctor aunt and asked her what to do. She said i should take perdnisone bout 4 Tablets but they should have given me injection in case of sitiations like this and a list of things i shouldnt eat becos i must i have an unkown allergy. I took the 4pills of prednisone and it soon was manageable becos then the tip of my tongue was touching the roof of my mouth and it was wider and longer. If i put my tongue behind my teeth where its supposed to be it felt like i was going to swallow it and the front of my tongue now had the shape of my mouth as if it was being forced into that possition. I id not sleep a wink becos i was scared of suffocating to death in my sleep as my aunt said it would happen if i didnt do anything bout it.

So please help me u guys! :( Im only 15 by the way