Fish Allergy
A fish allergy is one of the most serious allergies that you can have. The good news is that fish is fairly easy to avoid, the bad news is that if you do accidently eat some fish the reaction can be very serious. If you have an allergy to fish it is important that you make sure you know what is in everything you eat.
Fish allergies are fairly common in adults; they are one of the few allergies that tend to appear in adulthood. Most allergies appear in children who tend to outgrow them; this isn’t the case with fish allergies. Most of the time a fish allergy will not appear until you reach adulthood and it may get worse as you get older. There are certain types of fish that are more likely to cause allergic reactions like salmon, cod or tuna. However there is also a great deal of cross reactivity when it comes to fish so if you are allergic to one type of fish there is a fairly good chance that you will be allergic to other types.
One of the problems with an allergy to fish is that the reaction can be very serious. In mild cases you may see just a rash from eating fish but a more serious reaction is quite likely. Asthma is very common with fish allergies but the most severe reaction will be anaphylaxis. This is a very serious condition that will require you to seek medical help immediately. Unfortunately every year there are several people who die from an allergic reaction to fish.
Since the reaction to a fish allergy can be so serious it is highly recommended that if you have a fish allergy you avoid eating fish. In fact the risks are so serious that it is recommended that if you have an allergy to one type of fish that you avoid all fish. If you know that you have a serious reaction when you eat fish it is a good idea to carry an EpiPen with you. This is an auto injector that you can use to give you an emergency dose of epinephrine in the event that you have anaphylaxis.
The good news when it comes to a fish allergy is that compared to other food allergies fish is fairly easy to avoid. There are some sauces and salad dressings that use fish but in general it is not widely used in foods that are not clearly fish. If a food product does use fish it should be clearly labeled. The bigger problem is for example going out eating on holiday in Kuala Lumpur; there is a serious risk of cross contamination. If a restaurant serves fish there is a pretty good chance that the fish will end up on the same cutting boards and in the same pans as the other foods. That means that there is a good chance of cross contamination. If you have a fish allergy make sure that you let your waiter know.