Morning dizziness for days after eating fish

[alexandra00000]

Hi. This is my first post. I have been researching about my symptoms for months now and can't really find an explanation for what's going on with me.

Back in March I went to a restaurant and I had oysters. In the mornings that followed I felt really dizzy when waking up, it is a strong vertigo that makes it hard to be on my feet. I went to the doctor and he said that it was poisoning due to the oysters and it would last some weeks. Indeed it last around 3 weeks.

A few weeks ago I had a tuna steak and I felt the same symptoms. After that, I had white fish and salmon, both grilled and felt nothing. This weekend I had Japanese food (avoided the tuna) and here I am, dizzy for the 3rd day now.

I have never had any allergy reaction to food and I really don't know what's going on. Is it possible that after poisoned by an oyster I became allergic to fish? Or raw fish?

[GoingNuts]

Welcome Alexandra!

Wow, this sounds very confusing and unpleasant.

First of all, there are different categories of fish, so you can be allergic to one kind of fish but not another.  This can make figuring it out on your own even more difficult.

Did you have any other symptoms besides the vertigo?  Vertigo on its own would be a pretty unusual presentation of an IgE mediated allergy, but one thing I've learned here is nothing is impossible.

I think you should see an allergist who specializes in food allergies to help figure this one out - and avoid fish for now.

FWIW, my MIL got bad food poisoning from oysters, and the symptoms did indeed last for about 3-4 weeks.  It was a nightmare. 

Good luck, and I hope you get some answers!

[alexandra00000]

Thank you so much for your answer! I'm avoiding fish now and feeling amazing. It might psychological also, after I had oyster poisoning. My doctor just says - stay away from fish rich in Magnesium such as tuna and salmon. I'm taking magnesium supplements now too, doctor says it might help to balance the level of magnesium in the body. I might have a heavy reaction also because of the lack of Magnesium in my body. Anyway, once again a big thank you!