Nut allergy.

kingfisherblue

I have a nut allergy but am fortunate that it only affects me if I come into direct contact with a nut. I carry two Epipens. Even my children know that they are not to eat nuts as they could then transfer to me via a kiss - one of my sons has special needs and it is written on his school notes that he cannot come into contact with nuts due to my severe allergy, and despite his learning disability, he knows that he cannot have nuts.

As it happens, I don't travel on planes as I don't go out of the UK. However, I fully understand why planes ban nuts as it really can be a life threatening situation for some people. When you're in the air, you can't just call an ambulance! (and even if you could, it might still be too late).

I have seen my son fighting for his life, for other reasons (born with numerous congenital abnormalities, then later with pneumonia). It's one of the most distressing things that a parent can go through. We were lucky, the doctors and other medical staff were wonderful and saved his life on two critical occasions. Would the OP really want to put a family through the horror of watching someone with a nut allergy go into anaphylactic shock and possibly die? I doubt it.

Perhaps part of the problem is that so many people claim to be allergic to something, when in fact they are intolerant. An intolerance is not as severe as an allergy, and is not life threatening. It is unpleasant but can be managed.

OP, I can't decide whether you are a wind up merchant or merely a selfish individual with no compassion for others. Just be aware that one day, you might develop a life threatening allergy. It can happen quite suddenly. I was 35 when I developed an allergy to ibuprofen, following a bad throat infection. I then developed allergies to aspirin, nuts and (bizarrely!) pineapple. Previously I had no allergies, although I am intolerant to several soap powders, fabric conditioners, and skin products.

Our Brownie pack holiday next month is nut free - all parents are aware of my allergy.

The-Truth

z1a wrote: »

The sufferer should either take the risk, or charter their own private transport.

I've got an idea, why don't you chater your own transport if travelling with the masses bothers you that much!

maninthestreet

Nut allergies seem to be a modern phenomenon - they didn't seem to exist when I was growing up in the 70s.

z1a

The-Truth wrote: »

I've got an idea, why don't you chater your own transport if travelling with the masses bothers you that much!

Travelling with the masses isn't a problem, it's travelling with the one that has a problem that bothers me. So, no, I don't need to "chater" my own transport.

Pollycat

maninthestreet wrote: »

Nut allergies seem to be a modern phenomenon - they didn't seem to exist when I was growing up in the 70s.

Or maybe they did exist but weren't often diagnosed as such.
Or maybe it just wasn't reported as much as it is now.

z1a wrote: »

Travelling with the masses isn't a problem, it's travelling with the one that has a problem that bothers me. So, no, I don't need to "chater" my own transport.

Exactly.
It's a health problem in exactly the same way as someone who has a heart problem.

If you think blithely consuming peanuts after being requested not to do so is perfectly reasonable - especially given the information in the link posted earlier in the thread about the little girl - maybe you would have no alternative but to charter your own transport if you were banned from flying (as the Zimbabwean guy was).

If you were, I'd be one of the ones :T - and I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one.

Hermia

Pollycat wrote: »

Or maybe they did exist but weren't often diagnosed as such.
Or maybe it just wasn't reported as much as it is now.

I also think back then people were expected to just suffer! I have asthma and both my junior and secondary school were completely useless and unsympathetic. At my secondary school pupils were not allowed to have their inhalers with them during PE! The asthmatics would just keep their head down and stagger to their locker after PE to use their inhaler. If you complained about your breathing the PE teacher would get angry. So, it probably did look like there were less asthmatics simply because children now can be more open about it.

I think there is a lot of research being done on why nut allergies are on the increase. It does seem that there is a definite increase, but they just need to work out exactly what is causing it. I suspect it is linked to why there has been an increase in asthma which is that kids are not exposed to as many allergens in early childhood which means their bodies don't learn to cope with them.

parkrunner

z1a wrote: »

Travelling with the masses isn't a problem, it's travelling with the one that has a problem that bothers me. So, no, I don't need to "chater" my own transport.

You're the one with the problem.

Pollycat

parkrunner wrote: »

You're the one with the problem.

The OP certainly seems to be in the minority so far.

kingfisherblue

maninthestreet wrote: »

Nut allergies seem to be a modern phenomenon - they didn't seem to exist when I was growing up in the 70s.

I grew up in the 70s and 80s, and I agree that I didn't even know that it was possible to be allergic to nuts - it just never occured to me. Having said that, I developed my allergy when I was 35 (13 years ago). It's a definite allergy, with life threatening consequences, as my face and neck swell suddenly, and my body is covered in a rash. I have to inject Epipens and dial 999 if I have a reaction, otherwise my throat could swell and cause my breathing to become impaired.

I don't know why allergies are on the increase, but that isn't the issue that the OP has. The OP is annoyed that they might have to travel for a few hours without eating nuts, whereas someone with a nut allergy may be worried that they might have to travel with someone who has a total disregard for the health and wellbeing of people who have no choice in having an allergy that threatens their life.

Sicard

Next time OP, if you're so desperate why not chew on your own nuts.