general health

[mariajose46]

for some reason everytime my husband eats fresh hot pepper from the garden he always haves problems breathing. it last for about five minutes. his face turns dark red..  

[Gio77Italy]

right well I guess he could do without the hotpeppers! :)

or try drying them then trim and use it in food in smaller quantities not a whole.

[mariajose46]

when he eats the hotpepper it would go throw his nose and make him throwup.

[Gio77Italy]

trouble breathing would lead to a allergic reaction but she should give a more detailed description because a 5 minutes reaction is within a normal reaction to chilly peppers.

isn't there a way to get tested for such an allergy?

[caregiver222]

With respect Gio77Italy, you are incorrect in your evaluation and analysis of the potential for mortality with such a reaction.  There are degrees of "allergic" reaction, and those degrees are not always predictable. One does not necessarily have to go into anaphalactic shock for there to be a hazard.  There is a genetic component to such susceptability. There is not necessarily a fatal consequence, however this is a possibility. The key issue here is the statement "has trouble breathing". The juxtaposition of this symptom with the ingestion of an antigen is a red flag. Bronchospasm, especially in an asthmatic secondary to ingestion of capsaicin has caused deaths. Her's my citation. I've been physicially present in an ER working a cardiac arrest in an asthmatic precipitated by ingesting too much hot sauce (containing capsaicin). She did not survive.

[Gio77Italy]

it doesn't take an allergy to have that type of reaction from chilly peppers.

once I ate so much of them as a sort of a game that I think I almost had brain hemorrhage.

an allergic reaction would be much worse than that, swelling, edema, and it would last only 5 minutes. when you're not breathing from allergic reaction it feels like there was a egg down your throat. or you just get edema and choke.

did you try and eat them the same way as he does?

any ways go easy on the chilly peppers because although they are a natural product it doesn't mean that they are harmless.

the active chemical in chilly peppers is called Capsaicin.

"Acute health effects
Capsaicin is a highly irritant material requiring proper protective goggles, respirators, and proper hazardous material handling procedures. Capsaicin takes effect upon skin contact (irritant, sensitizer), eye contact (irritant), ingestion, and inhalation (lung irritant, lung sensitizer). Severe over-exposure to pure capsaicin can result in death; the lethal dose (LD50 in mice) is 47.2 mg/kg.[43][49]
Painful exposures to capsaicin-containing peppers are among the most common plant-related exposures presented to poison centers. They cause burning or stinging pain to the skin, and if ingested in large amounts by adults or small amounts by children, can produce nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and burning diarrhea. Eye exposure produces intense tearing, pain, conjunctivitis and blepharospasm.[50]"

[caregiver222]

The problem with these allergic syndromes, especially when they affect breathing, is that they are unpredictable. A person who has a reaction to a bee sting, for example, may experience several stings, each provoking a reaction, but for some unclear reason the cells become "sensitized" and the next sting may be fatal unless medication is readily available. This DOESN'T always happen, but it is prudent for a person who experiences documented difficulty breathing upon exposure to an antigen to be prepared. In the case of substances affecting breathing the air passageways may suddenly constrict to the point where there is nor merely "air hunger", but an inability to inhale. In these cases paramedics insert a breathing tube into the trachea, preferably by endotracheal intubation. Generally, these dire outcdomes can be avoided by insuring emergency medications are readily available.

[caregiver222]

First of all, this is a potentially life-threatening problem and should be taken seriously. It is clear he is having an allergic reaction. That is a reaction to an antigen, or non-self substance.  The situation you describe is a big red flag. It means "General quarters". Battle stations. These reactions tend to be unpredictable, and after sensitization, a far more severe attack may take place resulting in a "locked lung" and death by asphyxiation. Things can go downhill very rapidly, usually far from medical aid. You may not be able to make it to a hospital, even if you call 911.  Usually someone with such sensitization reacts to a variety of antigens and should carry an antidote "package" with them at all times. This should include an epi-pen, benadryl tablets, and 40 mg of prednisone and an albuterol sulfate emergency inhaler.  Don't settle for less. Keep these meds in a sealed container with a packet of moisture absorbant silica gell. It is helpful to visit an allergist to determine exactly what substances to avoid.