On Monday evening, Ronnie Rasmusson ate some almonds, something he had done many times before. Half an hour later, he was in the emergency room.
On Monday, Ronnie Rasmusson sat at home watching TV. For a snack, he found a handful of almonds. Just 10 minutes later, Ronnie began experiencing a stuffy nose, itchy and swollen eyes, and difficulty breathing.
Ronnie, who had eaten walnuts and almonds his entire life without problems, didn't understand what was happening.
“I only ate peanuts a week ago and almonds were never a problem before, so I didn't understand anything,” says Ronnie.
After calling 1177, he was asked to go immediately to the emergency room.
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– When I got to the emergency room, there wasn't a second of waiting. Within two minutes I was in a ditch and receiving treatment.
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With the help of antihistamines and epinephrine, the allergic reaction could be relieved. He had to go to the emergency room to make sure the medication was working, but after a few hours Ronnie was able to go home again.
Allergies usually occur in childhood, but adults can also develop allergies, even if you've never had a problem before.
“At the hospital, they said it's unusual to have allergies as you get older,” says Ronnie.
Ronnie says that despite the reaction, he has not been told to avoid almonds or tree nuts in the future, but the incident still makes him anxious.
– Of course I won't eat almonds again, but I can be a little worried about it. I've only eaten nuts for a week or so, but I don't know if I'd dare to do it again.
“It was nice that everything went well. But when it did, I was really scared,” Ronnie says. “I was lucky that a friend was able to take me to the emergency room.”
facts
What is allergy?
Allergy means hypersensitivity to a particular substance. Allergies usually develop in childhood, but adults can also develop allergies.
About a third of the Swedish population suffers from some kind of allergy.
Allergic disorders occur when the immune system reacts to certain substances to protect the body from them. The immune system then produces allergy antibodies that settle on certain cells in the body.
The allergen then binds to antibodies and causes cells to release histamine and other irritants. These are the substances that cause allergies.
Information comes from 1177.se
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