~ Scary Experience...What Should I Do Now? ~
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Anonymous
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Okay, I am a lady who is 42. I love McDonalds and have been eating there off + on there since I was a kid.
As an adult, my usual has always been a Filet-of-Fish Sandwich, large french-fries and a Hi-C Orange soda. Well last week, after I consumed my fish sandwich and fries, I went to dump my tray. As I walked toward the trash can, I noticed a swelling/tightening sensation in my throat. It lasted a good 3-4 min and I must admit, it scared the Be-Jesus out of me. My friend had eaten the same thing I just did and was experiencing none of this. I felt so scared because it felt (literally!) like a lump was forming in the back of my throat and I had 0 power over it. My friend told me to keep talking and said as long as I could speak, that was a good sign. Thankfully, I kept talking and when I got home I took a Benadryl. Anyway, I told my pharmacist about my experience and he told me it was probably a panic attack. (My friend thought perhaps it was analyphalactic shock to a food allergy, etc.) He didn't think it was AS because I didn't end up suffocating from it (I guess most AS victims end up dying from it.) Also, I didn't develop any rash/hives and my lips didn't swell up. I asked him if I should ask my Dr. for an Epi-pen, but he said it was probably not necessary. He said if it lasted less than 5 min. and I could still talk, it wasn't AS. My aunt who is a nurse disagrees strongly. She thinks at this older age, I may have developed an allergy to fish and/or other seafoods. She told me what happened to me could have been lethal and it was by the "grace of God" my throat didn't fully swell and close up. She thinks I had a mild AS experience, but that next time it could be deadly. She recommends I get allergy tested and ask my Dr. for an Epi-pen in case my throat closes up again. What do you guys think? Can one suffer analyphalatic shock w/out actually dying from it? Like...can one suffer a minor form of it? Also, can food allergies just suddenly develop after 40yrs? Could it be AS even if I didn't break out in hives or a rash and my lips or face didn't swell?? I am not sure what to do next. Should I stay away from seafood and get allergy tested by a professional allergist? |
Anonymous
| Do you have a regular to check with? At the very least, I would not touch another fast food fish sandwich. |
Anonymous
| *regular doctor |
Anonymous
| It sounds like it was probably an allergic reaction because you can develop food allergies as an adult. You don't have to go into full shock but it could be a little milder, kind of like a warning sign. Stay away from fish for now. Agree with your aunt to get allergy tested and get an epi pen from your doctor. |
Anonymous
| Definitely get an allergy test. Or at least eat your next bite of fish in the emergency room waiting area. |
Anonymous
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McDonald's fish sandwiches are made from the Hoki fish - high in mercury. Although your symptons don't quite sound like it, you may have experienced mercury poisoning. A study of 5 sandwiches from fast food restaurants all had mercury levels in them, some at unacceptable levels. Google McDonald's fish sandwich mercury poisoning and hit on a few links. It you had any dizziness along with the choking, it may be this. Check the symptoms to see if they correlate with your one.
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Anonymous
| Talk to your doctor. |
Anonymous
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Now you know how that fish felt.
Give me back that filet-o-fish! Give me that fish! Whoooooo! How would it feel if it were you hanging up on this wall? If it were you in that sandwich you wouldn't be laughing at all! |
Anonymous
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Get an allergy test, pronto. Yes, you can absolutely develop an allergy to something you've safely eaten for years.
It sounds like an anaphylactic *reaction* and the Benadryl may have saved your life. I have severe fish allergies and must carry an Epi-Pen. I had an AS reaction when I ate a piece of cod fish as a little kid. Months later, my mom cooked the fish and of course, I was not going to eat it, but this time, the fish cooking vapors made me go into AS shock. No seafood restaurants for me. That was over 40 years ago. AS can be progressive; you're next reaction could be much, much worse and I hate to sound like an alarmist, but it could be your last. Be careful; I'd say that until you get an allergy test via an allergist, avoid going into a place where fish is being cooked. |
Anonymous
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You can absolutely develop allergies as you get older. I have a freind who is allergic to a variety of things, and it all happened in the years after she turned 50. OP, your slight reaction may become a full-blown emergency next time. Do not wait to be tested and do not eat that meal again until you have some answers!!
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Anonymous
| I was never allergic to penicillin when I was a kid, but was prescribed amoxicillin in college, took it and immediately felt like my throat was closing up and had to go to the ER. Allergies can definitely develop during adulthood, and I have two very close friends who have similar stories to mine, but with shellfish. However, I have never heard of an allergy to regular fish. |
Anonymous
You are a moron they are made from cod and contain no more mercury then anything else. Also mercury poisoning is a gradual not a sudden thing. |
Anonymous
| No, you are a moron. McDonald's does use Hoki. earch.aol.com/aol/search?s_it=topsearchbox.search&v_t=comsearch50ct17&q=mcdonalds+fish+sandwich+hoki |
Anonymous
| And here is a link about "mercury toxicity" in McDonald's fish sandwiches. http://search.aol.com/aol/search?s_it=topsearchbox.search&v_t=comsearch50ct17&q=mcdonalds+fish+sandwich+mercury+poisoning |
Anonymous
| And here is a link about "mercury toxicity" in McDonald's fish sandwiches. http://search.aol.com/aol/search?s_it=topsearchbox.search&v_t=comsearch50ct17&q=mcdonalds+fish+sandwich+mercury+poisoning |