Beside the sinus infection....

[Lothlorien]

I now have confirmed an allergy to food coloring, myself. I've had excema, on and off, for several years. Last year, I bought some of that Crystal light junk with food coloring in it, for myself. Had terrible excema all over my neck and face and terrible itchiness along the back of my scalp. I hadn't realized it was the food coloring until a few months ago, when I made myself some again and it came back.

Today, stupidly, I decided to open up a small...and I mean small bag of peanut M&Ms from my kids candy bowl from Halloween. Ugh....I have hives all over my neck, back, scalp and face. I guess that will be my last bag of M&Ms. 2 allergy pills later and I'm still quite itchy.

Pffft!

 

[susiestar]

I am sorry. Allergies to food colorings can be hard to manage because so many, many foods have them. You also may want to check any lotions, etc... that you use in case topical application is a problem. I had a friend in the dorm who used to have awful breakouts from various lotions - first thought to be lanolin or mineral oil that caused problems but then she finally figured out it was the colorings in the lotions. She had to stop using makeup completely, which was very upsetting to her.

As for managing the food color allergies, there are a LOT of natural things that you can use instead of food coloring. You will likely need to avoid all processed foods and food mixes (like cake mix, etc...). There are some great cookbooks with recipes for your own mixes that can be a HUGE help. I even make our own cake mix - it costs less than store bought, tastes better, and doesn't take very long to make, esp if you have a food processor. Even with-o a food processor it doesn't take long. Make a Mix Cookery, by Eliason (sp?) is my favorite, and along with The Complete Tightwad Gazette (Amy Dacyzian), are the most useful books I have found to help deal with this issue. There is very little that you cannot figure out how to make with-o food color using these books.

I hope benadryl helps the itching. You might combine the tablets with some benadryl ointment or even the Aveeno calamine and pramoxine ointment. The pramoxine is a pain medication and makes a BIG difference when I get itchy patches of skin. I hope you feel better soon! FYI, to make 1/2 gallon of lemonade you can use 1 c sugar (or equivalent sweetener), 1 cup lemon juice and enough water to make 1/2 gallon. If you want pink lemonade, add strawberrys in syrup, cranberry juice, or cherry juice. If you cut the lemonade 1:1 with iced tea it makes a really nice summer drink. Jess and thank you like to use club soda for the water in lemonade, but only to make a half batch at a time because it goes flat.

I am sorry you are so itchy.

 

[Lothlorien]

Thanks Susiestar. I'll look into that book. I generally don't eat much with food coloring anyway. Mighty Mouse doesn't have the reactions to it like Missy. He gets a little hyper if he has too much. I tend not to use premade/prepackaged foods. I do use cake mixes. I'm a cook, not a baker. I cheat. I generally try to stay away from the ones that have color added, because of Missy.

I still have some hives on my neck and chest. I couldn't believe I woke up with it even worse after taking Benedryl too, just before bed. I took two more this morning and slept for about 2 hours. I hate Benedryl. Makes me sleepy and makes Missy just nasty (I never give it to her anymore). I had to just su-ck it up and take it tho. Combined with the Medrol Dose Pack for my sinuses, it seems to be helping with the hives.

 

[hearts and roses]

Oh that stinks - I'm sorry. I suffered with SEVERE eczema my entire childhood all the way until I was 19. I hope you feel better~

 

[tiredmommy]

How awful! Ugh!!!! We've found that Zyrtec works wonders for hives.

 

[HaoZi]

Have you tried some Gold Bond lotion or hydrocordizone cream? Hope you're feeling better soon!

 

[Hound dog]

Brandon has severe eczema. He's had it since he was a small infant. I've been telling easy child to get him checked for allergies for months and months. She has to keep him dressed in blanket sleepers so he won't scratch himself until he bleeds, poor lil guy. I have a feeling he's allergic to the cats. (3) But for some reason I can't quite understand, easy child does not want him tested. Irritates me no end as most days Brandon is pretty miserable.

Allergy to food dye would major hoover due to so many foods and other things containing it. I've done the whole body hives thing before (even inside my mouth) thanks to the adhesive in tape. I don't EVER want to go through that again. Once was enough.

(((hugs))) I hope the hives vanish soon and you start feeling better.