Vietnamese food allergy?

Question

I ate at a new Vietnamese restaruant the other day and I think I had an allergic reaction to something I ate. My sister noticed that I was getting hives on my face although I felt fine. We left right after that. When we were pulling out of the parking lot, my heart started racing, I felt a cold rush down into my legs, a strong itchy tickle in the back of my throat and I felt really weird. I made my sister drive towards the hospital and on the way she stopped and got me liquid Benedryl. We sat in the parking lot for about 20 minutes until I felt better.

I don't have any prior food allergies, but I get a rash from penicillin and hives when I am near a flowering Peace Lily.

We ate beef with pan fried flat noodles and a tamarind-based soup that we added tomatoes, green onions, okra, bean sprouts, and something I've never seen before. It looked spongy, but was crisp. We asked what it was and were told it was a long leaf (maybe Vietnamese rhubarb?)

Any ideas?

Answer 1

Go to your doctor and request a Rast Test. It is a blood test that can tell if you have allergies-especially to foods. Sounds like you had a bad reaction to something-if you eat it again you may have an even more severe reaction next time.

Answer 2

I had the same reaction to Vietnamese pho noodle soup about a year ago and had such a hard time breathing that I went to the ER. They hooked me up to something AND gave me Benadryl. Last Saturday I ate udon noodle soup at a Japanese restaurant and a very similar thing happened. This time at least, the swelling was on the outside so that I looked like I had a double chin but I could breath so I went to the drug store and got some Benadryl and, again, it worked. My rash and something like hives disappeared within 24 hours. I still have a little swelling under my chin. It's strange because I've eaten Asian food all my life, including soups of all sort (Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, and Filipino) and I assume they all (or most of them) have MSG. But this reaction has happened to me now twice in this last year and never before. I had a food test about two years ago (I have other allergies, mostly hay-fever) and seem to have no allergies to food. It's a mystery. Carlene 12/20/16

Answer 3

From what you describe, the vegetable you ate is the stem of a plant that resembles the taro plant somewhat. I don't know the name and can't seem to find a common name for it. To prepare it for consumption, the outer "skin" to the stem has to be stripped away and the sap can cause skin irritation. At a pinch, you could have had a reaction to the improperly prepared vegetable but I think its unlikely as the sap would probably be neutralised by the cooking process.

It is possible you had a reaction to the MSG but my understanding is that its added into a lot of processed foods and not just Asian - look for food additive E621 - thats the same thing. Its likely you would have encountered it before. You'll find it in a lot of canned soups.

The tamarind soup you had traditionally is made with a seafood stock, check that you don't have an allergy to specific seafood.

Answer 4

It's funny, but the same thing happened to me. I never did found out what it was. This happened long ago. I got the same reaction you did except I was having a little difficulty breathing, and took benedryl, and felt better. What I had was pho beef noodle soup. I ate that kind of soup many times at different restaurant, even cook them myself. I was thinking that a bug felt into my soup or they accidently dip another ingredient into by mistake. You should go back to the restuarant and asked them for the ingredients in those dishes and see if you are allergic to any of it. I don't think it's msg. It might be some herbs or veggie plant. I wish I did ask them.

Answer 5

Call the restaurant and ask them if they use MSG in their cooking.



It is not uncommon for people to have allergies to MSG and MSG is very commonly used in Asian cooking.

Answer 6

MSG. Google the word to find more info. I always ask the waiter to leave that stuff out. Many people are allergic to it.

Answer 7

hm idk. i'd go to the doctor to check for allergies again



as for the spongy crisp thing, i think it was lotus plant