it sucks to be allergic to onions...
i can't kiss my boyfriend after he eats some onions... ahhh.... i hate it!

My sister has a similar problem, her throat starts to close up when she eats any produce that has been treated with certain pesticides (or at least that's the theory) -- not just onions. She's only been able to figure this out by trial and error with various organic produce. She never has a problem with the organic stuff.

So, hey, maybe there's hope for you yet. Maybe it's just trace elements of pesticide you're allergic too! Try picking up an organic onion and giving it a taste test. It's a long shot, but I think I'd cry if I couldn't eat onions.

Are you allergic to sulfur drugs? Because suflur drugs are related to onions and garlic. I am allergic to garlic like your onions I can't breath or swallow. And I stay clear from onions too. Like onions and garlic they are high in sulfur.

Hi! I'm new to this forum. I'm highly allergic to Onions, just the smell of them cooking will cut of my breathing.

Prior to getting lunch, I spoke to one of the food servers at our company picnic, and was told that no food was prepared with onions or onion powder. I began to eat my lunch of beef, potatoes and a salad, and all of a sudden my throat starts to tighten up and close off.

The potatoes had green onions chopped up so fine that I didn't notice.
I found out different when I start pucking and swallowing water was not possible since my throat had closed off.


Why all of sudden are my allergies going out of control? I never had allergies growing up.

Hi all. I would like to say thnks to the person who posted the comment about sulfa and onion allergies. I am allergic to sulfa meds and within the last year, became sick when i eat onions. I get a bad stomachache, headache, light sensitivity. It stinks bc right now I am in the desert deployed with the military and almost every food at the chow hall has onions. i have been very sick lately.

I hate being allergic to onions I cried once it was confirmed my wheezing and nausea was caused by raw and now cooked onions. In my culture onions is a main ingredient in many meals. I cook less now because of it.

I just found out that all of my allergic reactions to foods are from onions. Is there any help out there for any of us that have this allergy? I can't seem to find anything.

When I was a little girl I would run to my dads garden with a salt shaker in hand and eat all the baby onions I could find right out of the garden. I loved onions any which way they came. Well! About 2 years ago I discovered that every time I eat an onion, raw or cooked. The smell and taste in my mouth would become soooo overwhelming I couldn�t bare to be around myself. No matter how many times I would brush and floss and gargle the taste wouldn�t leave for several several hours. Also my lips would feel like they were swollen not Angelina Jolie swollen but I could tell they were not themselves, shortly there after my hands would feel swollen and would become so irritable that I felt like I wanted to jump out of my skin or cry. The only thing that seems to remotely help these symptoms is a lot of water all at once. Not long after that I discovered that garlic has the same affect on me. Does anyone else have these symptoms? Or am I crazy?

For me, any sort of onion causes a horrible drowsiness. Fresh, powdered, any trace of onion in salad dressing or whatever! Its horrible. The grogginess puts me out for a couple of hours and when I finally wake up, its not a refreshed sleep at all. I think there are other foods that do this, but I'm not sure how to figure it out. The onion problem was the easiest to figure out.

I just came back from the ER last night. I was eating a spicy meal with 1 onion, jalapeno and sambal olek (chili paste) in it, when 10 min into dinner my mouth went numb and my chest, arms and legs gave out I could not feel them anymore. My left side of the face went numb and I could not even communicate to my husband what was wrong with me. I panicked and started yelling and crying uncontrollably. He called 911 in panic and they were there within seconds. My brain went blank in that second and I could neither talk, nor think straight. In the hospital they asked me to fill out documents- my arm was so numb (hand included) that I wrote like a second grader and I had to spell out everything loud since my brain just did not want to function. It got better within 30 min or arriving in the ER- now a day later I still feel weak, mouth still feels weird and my hands are still not back to regular strength. When I told my Doc a few years ago that I had an allergic reaction to a RED onion- she laughed at me and said...okaaaaaaay!!! I had not had a red onion since, but obviously the allergy has evolved! Grrrrrrr

I too was an onion lover as a hispanic child I was often rushed to the hospital with mysterious illnesses that could not be diagnosed correctly, usually it occured after a juicey hamburger topped with a thick slice of bermuda onion at a family cookout. Noone ever linked my numerous health issues with onions. For over 20 years I suffered and spent many weeks in hospitals while they tried to figure it out. I became pregnant at 27 and craved chow mein (mainly onions)that was when I realized my problem was onions. I have not eaten one since, unless unknowingly, and then I pay with a vengance, nausea, swollen lips with little blisters all around the edge of them, swollen tongue and itchy throat, unending thirst, stabbing pains in my stomach, gas, diareah, body swelling, irritability and the worst part, I can't sleep for 24 to 48 hours ( it's like I took speed). All those sleepless nights as a child and hyperactive days in school explained at last. Just the smell of them makes me ill, the taste in my mouth won't leave, it's unbearable. They are hidden in everything everywhere. It's so hard to eat out or at someone elses house. People think your nuts when you tell them you are allergic to onions. I'm 58 now and it only gets worse not better. The weird thing is I can eat garlic and scallions with no reaction, and some vinegar based salsas w/onions in it, also dehydrated onions only give a very mild reaction, but I never know when my throat will close up, it has happened an is very scarey. My heart goes out to all those afflicted with this intolerance. My remedy when exposed is lots of water all at once, benadryl,asprin,and a bathroom.

ther are mentions for sulfur disballance. sulfur is involved with minerals a good educational site for mineral balance is ithyroid.com it teaches how to avoid health issues similar to what you are all experiencing. allergies are an indication of a deficient imune system & a alkalizing diet would help a lot of those suffering from this irritation as the foods some of you have mentioned are extremely acid.

Onions never bothered me thoughout my life but lately I've noticed that after I eat something with onion in it, especially the red ones, my mouth goes dry, tongue feels swollen, and my throat is scratchy, plus I need to drink a lot of water.

My suspicions were confirmed once I read some of the other entries. Will confirm with my doctor.

Hi All (particularly KarmaConscious!)

I'm a 32yo white male living in the UK, with Welsh heritage. I suffer from the same symptoms after eating raw red onion as KarmaConscious.

Particularly when I was younger, I had a few occasions where I had slight panic attacks due to the after effects of eating raw red onion. Usually, the worst effects came the day after. I would feel shakey, nauseous, have gas, nervous and anxious. Kind of freaked out, like a drug comedown - and the parallels with taking speed were there too, in that I felt like my nervous system was 'stressed', making me hear my own heartbeat if my ear was on the pillow and preventing sleep somewhat.

I find 'grazing' helps though, if I am suffering from the effects of eating red onion. If my stomach is empty, the headache/rattling/etc is worse.

I recently had an experience of eating red onion in the last few days. My symptoms were as described above, although much more general and less severe. I have had an upset stomach, slight pain behind my left ribs, gas, slight headache, tiredness and weakness, thirst, irritability, feeling of 'stress' and emotionality, unable to concentrate, and most bizarrely some light twitching of muscles!! I've broken out in a couple of mouth/throat ulcers too.

I won't be eating red onion again!! I can still function with the above symptoms, they aren't 'severe' enough to stop me from functioning, but concentrating on daily tasks has been super hard as you can imagine.

One last thing, coffee and alcohol seem to make it all much worse - as though my stomach lining is irritated, and the harshness of coffee/alcohol really doesn't help.

Would love to hear from anyone that would like to write to discuss experiences - dwtramsey at gmail dot com

Take care x

Onions:
Yup, it might be uncommon... but there are a lot of people with it, which makes the Internet one cool tool!

There are a few different groups of "problems".
Mine allows me to enjoy GARLIC, but
Onions, Chives, Cilantro, Leeks, Shallots are a NO NO!
Raw, cooked, powdered

I've traced the problem back to the following;
I ate a lot of onions and onion rings as a kid.
I took a LOT of TETRACYCLINE between ages 15 and 18.
The problems began at about age 16.
I have a SLIGHTLY ELEVATED Liver Enzyme.

I get, to varying degrees, headaches, fatigue, loss of coherence (dizzy thinking), photo sensitive, reddish skin tone.
The worst is that I fear a hear attack, as it seems to affect an enzyme in muscles, and I have collapsed, twisted my ankle, and had the inability to stand, walk, hold on to anything. Yes, it's really hard when people make soup, stew, Italian, Mexican. Pretty much, if I don't make it, or KNOW the person that mad it, I am suspect. I know I'm not alone, I just wish there was a cure, a pill, or something to make it POSSIBLE to enjoy them... but I've walked through a kitchen with onions cooking, and fell! If I TOUCH something with onions in it, with my left hand, I feel a pain shoot up my left arm... gotta love it... !

There are specific attributes that MAY exist onlt in certain Alliums (onion family). Seems that someday, WE could be cured! Ahhh, how I long for the simplicity!

My skin will get bad irritation or cut immediately after I touch onion or garlic. It hurts and takes couple of weeks to heal completely. However, I have no problem eating them.
With such reaction on my skin, I am just wondering would it be possible that onion and garlic will do something invisible by me in my system?

I have a strange reaction to eating raw onions and garlic. On top of feeling a horrible taste in the mouth from the first bite, being thirsty all the time, I can't fall asleep for a long time and when I finally fall asleep, it's awful, I toss and turn all night long.

Sometimes when I cut fresh onion, if my eyes start to water, the hell breaks. My nasal passages instantly clog up for hours and the eyelids swell. I can't breath thru my nose for a couple of hours and my face looks like I just woke up.

But working with raw garlic is not an issue at all.

My main concern is a ruined night sleep and that nothing takes away the awful taste in the mouth and unpleasant feeling in the stomach.

I learned from my own experience not to eat fresh onion and garlic starting from lunch time. I can eat just a bit in the morning. Also, sweet Vidalia onion seams to be OK for me.

So far I could not find anybody on the net who has similar reactions. As a matter of fact I read raw onions is a "good remedy" for good night sleep!

Does anyone have any idea of how many people in America are allergic to onions? Do you have to struggle to find foods on grocery shelves or when getting take home food, that don't have onions? Please pm me.