Mystery reaction

[Dewey]

I had a reaction last night - no idea what caused it. My older sister and I are both home from college for the summer, and our parents were out last night. We had eaten pasta salad that I made at home - none of the ingredients had known cross-contamination, same recipe I've made before. About 20 minutes after we finished I threw up, and I initially thought it just didn't agree with me or something, but then the next thing I knew I had hives everywhere, my mouth and throat were itching, and one of my eyes was starting to swell up.

I epi-ed - the swelling started going down almost right away - and my sister drove us to the ER, which is just a few blocks away from where we live. At the ER I got to experience a biphasic reaction for the first time (woohoo). About half an hour after the first epi, I started having some slight chest tightness, then more hives, mostly concentrated on my back and chest, and the itching in the mouth and throat came back. 2nd epi, steroids and Benadryl, back home a few hours later.

I'm feeling a lot better today, although I've been kind of twitchy all day from the two epi's, and I still have some hives on my back and chest. But as I said, I have NO idea what caused it so now I'm just kind of   

[GingerPye]

oh NO.  That sounds absolutely scary.  I'm so glad your sister was there and could get you to the ER!!
We ALL hate those mystery reactions. 

[nameless]

sorry that happened Dewey

Once I went to college and would go back home to visit, I'd have to rewash everything and use a new dishcloth/sponge. My mom didn't stay pn/tn free and everything would get cross-contaminated. Didn't help that she doesn't have a dishwasher. Same now when I visit and/or go to my sister's house b/c her house is chock-full of pn/tn, except for when I visit they clean up.  However, I have learned to wash my plates, glasses, any cookware, silverware, anything with a new sponge before using it. I've had some minor reactions previously, which I think were about pb residue leftover on things.

Adrienne

[GoingNuts]

What was in the pasta?  I was thinking maybe X-reactivity with whatever pollens are around right now?

Hope you are feeling better today!

[lakeswimr]

I'm sorry that happened.  YOu did well giving your self the epi and the ER sounds good, too.  Even though the ER was so close I would call 911 because if you had a rebound reaction in the car it could have caused your sister to have an accident.  If you enter via ambulance you get seen sooner, etc.  It is safer to go by ambulance almost always.

I also think the most likely explanation sounds like xcontam of cooking utensils or bowls or else xcontam of ingredients. 

Maybe your parents do not take the same care to prevent xcontam when you aren't there that they used to when you still lived at home all the time.  I hope you figure it  out soon.