I have just had an allergic reaction to a Banana.....?

Question

Been eating bananas for years, one a night and all of a sudden last night my mouth lining swelled up and my 'lip' just in side my mouth also. it is still quite inflamed and sore....to be fair I have just had new dentures about three weeks ago and seriously thought it was those but now I am sure it was the banana

It is not an anaphilais attack.

MY question is why do things like this suddenly happen after years of exposure?

Why does a simple thing like a banana suddenly become an enemy?

anyone out there with an interest in immunology explain this?

I am 66 and do have autoimmune diseases and OK I do have some allergies already, but why do things suddenly become like this?

Please answer I am baffled. G

Answer 1

Maybe they used a different chemicle or pesticide when growing these bananas.

Answer 2

The same allergic reaction happened to me a few years back when I ate a peach. Since then, I haven't been able to eat peaches, strawberries, and almonds, unless they are organic. I was told that it was the pesticide they spray on the crops. Try eating organic bananas, as they don't spray them.  

Answer 3

Its all to do with antigens.  You may have been exposed to something recently to which your body became sensitized against (i.e. the next exposure will probably cause an allergic reaction). Say this allergen that you hadn't come across before carried 3 proteins on its surface, and your body was sensitized by one of those three, a defense will have also been mounted against the other two.  Now imagine the the cells of the banana contain a protein or have a surface protein that is similar to one of those two proteins your body has just prepared a defense against.  Even though youve been exposed to them many times before, your body now sees them as a threat.  No more banana bread for you.

Answer 4

I have the same problem. It's called oral allergy syndrome. It's when your body reacts to the proteins in the fruit as if it were an allergy. There's a good chance this might happen (in a milder form) with other fruits. Allergies can come and go suddenly.

Answer 5

I was told by my doctor that your allergys change around every seven years, that you can become deathly allergic to things you used to love and eat every day, it also works the other way i guess where you can become immune to allergys that bothered you before

Answer 6

I have some pretty severe food allergies, and I have been told that your autoimmune problem could have caused the problem. Also, the coding in your DNA might just have kicked in telling you no more bananas. Thank God it wasn't anaphalaxis. I've been there a few times.

Answer 7

Hi,

Are you allergic to latex and avocados as well?  Bananas are in the same family.

I too have an auto immune disorder and I can have reactions to different things on different days.  It all depends on your tolerance levels.  Today I have sores in my mouth and on my tounge ,it is usually a sign that I am going into a flare so I take it as a sign that I need to rest up.

Are you taking any herbal medicines?  These can interfere with your other medications so best to check with your Dr.

You could also be reacting to the resin in your false teeth.  Immunology is a baffling science and I think you should discuss these things with your Dr at your next consult just to be on the safe side.