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Recently Diagnosed With An Egg Allergy? Reducing The Risk Of Exposure
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If you've just been diagnosed with an allergy to eggs, you may be wondering how to overhaul your diet to avoid exposure that can trigger an allergic reaction. Even if you're not a huge fan of eggs on their own, the number of processed and prepared foods, medications, and beauty products that incorporate egg whites and yolks can be staggering, from packaged pasta to flu vaccinations to certain types of makeup. Read on to learn more about minimizing your exposure to eggs and other tips to handle this allergy without too much upheaval in your daily life.
Read Labels
If there can be said to be "good" news about developing an allergy, egg allergies are generally less likely to lead to anaphylaxis than other serious allergies, like peanut and dairy. Often, your first indication that you've ingested something with eggs as an ingredient will be stomach trouble, mild to moderate itching, or a red raised rash.
However, it's still important to minimize your exposure to eggs. Although research has yet to uncover what causes certain individuals to develop allergic reactions to substances later in life, one explanation is the "immune overload" theory. Under this theory, every person has a certain threshold for common allergens; once their lifetime exposure has met or exceeded this threshold, they'll begin to have an autoimmune response upon exposure. This can mean that even if your allergy is currently mild or manageable, failing to take steps to reduce exposure could mean it will grow worse over time.
Reading labels and taking note of "safe" brands can go a long way toward reducing your exposure to eggs. Fast food and restaurant food may be a no-go for a while (unless you're patronizing a vegan restaurant, which will naturally be egg-free). Once you've gotten a better handle on which foods are likely to contain eggs or be vulnerable to egg cross-contamination, it may become easier to dine out.
Carry Antihistamines Wherever You Go
Taking an antihistamine immediately upon any inadvertent egg exposure can go a long way toward quelling your symptoms if you tend to have a histamine reaction like swelling, itching, or a rash. The more you can do to reduce your symptoms at the get-go, the shorter your reaction time and the quicker your recovery. If your allergy is a severe one, or if you've noticed you tend to react more strongly now than you did when you were first diagnosed, you may also want to carry an EpiPen around with you so that you can prevent serious, airway-restricting reactions.
Choose Your Vaccines Carefully
Many vaccines are "grown" in eggs or through the use of egg byproducts. It's important to let your doctor or healthcare provider know of your allergy before you schedule any vaccines; while most vaccines are available in egg-free versions, these versions can sometimes be costlier and aren't always kept on hand.
There are some ailments for which no egg-free vaccine is available. You and your doctor may need to discuss the risk-benefit trade-off, balancing your risk of a serious allergic reaction to the vaccine with your likelihood of contracting the disease or passing it along to others in your family.
Talk to a doctor for more information about allergy treatment.
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