Last week I got me some grapes that I brought to work and ate for lunch. The first day I brought them I started to feel some tingling in my lower jaw. I didn’t connect the dots at all, thought that I had touched something and then my face maybe. And it was still manageable. It took about two hours and it went away. No redness more than from what I itched and no swelling, just the sensation.

The day after I brought some more to eat and the itching came back, this time a little bit faster. This was when the thought hit me that maybe this itching actually came from the grapes. I have never had any reactions to any fruit, ever. I have been able to eat all kinds of grapes and raisins in loads before without any problems. I am allergic to alcohol, seafood and ice cream but that’s it. The itching actually went away faster this time and I didn’t think more about it. Not until yesterday when I bought this

I didn’t think about it when I bought it, nor when I started to eat it but it was about 80% raisins in this bag. Sitting in the truck and eating it all happy and boom! The tingling in my jaw came back worse than ever, my tongue started to tingle and go numb. It didn’t swell thankfully. I didn’t want to say anything to my partner, hoping that this would subside by itself. I could breathe just fine so it was just about how long time this reaction would stay. At least I could connect the dots now. I don’t think I have to do an allergy test, it is just to accept that I am most likely allergic to grapes. It took about 20 minutes and the tingling was gone and all back to normal. Another item to add to my allergy list I guess.

Started to think about in what food I find grapes and/or raisins. Mainly pastries? It is not really the kind of fruit that you hide in food and need to be cautious about thankfully. I know we have some Swedish pastries with raisins in (Lussekatt/saffronbun) but other than that it isn’t much. Wine but I can’t have that anyway. I think that if I accidentally get a raisin in me I’ll be fine but I shouldn’t have a bunch of them. And I love trail mix, that is not to think about anymore. That will probably be the hardest thing to avoid. Just looking at the bag right in front of me is making me drool but I am not taking any chances. Next time I get a handfull of it, the reaction may be even worse than some tingling and numbness and I don’t have a Epi-pen. So with this, start to remember that grapes and raisins is not for me.