Hello,
I am currently awaiting a latex allergy test ( which is taking a long time due to being referred to wrong hospital !! ).
Anyway, in the meantime, please can anyone help or give some feedback ??
 
MY SYMPTOMS HAVE BEEN FOR LAST 4 MONTHS OR SO - THROAT FEELS SWOLLEN LIKE I'M BEING STRANGLED/RESTRICTED - I CAN SWALLOW OK BUT FEELS REALLY TIGHT ( HAD BARIUM SWALLOW SCAN WHICH WAS OK ) AND I HAVE REALLY BLOCKED EARS.  WHEN I TOUCH ANYWHERE AROUND MY JAW/THROAT IT ALL BLOCKS UP.  I HAVE ASKED TO BE REFERRED FOR A LATEX ALLERGY TEST AS WE HAD A NEW BED 4 MONTHS AGO WHICH IS A FUTON BED AND FRAME IS MADE FROM RUBBERWOOD, AND I'VE FELT LIKE THIS SINCE HAVING THE BED - BUT THIS MAY BE CO-INCIDENCE.  
 
I ALSO HELP RUN AN EBAY BUSINESS, AND MY JOB INVOLVES A LOT OF PACKAGING SUCH AS PLASTIC SELF SEAL MAILING BAGS, DOCUMENT BAGS, PARCEL TAPE ETC - I HAVE NOTICED A FEW TIMES MY TONGUE TINGLES WHEN I LICK MY FINGERS ETC SO I TRY TO AVOID THAT NOW.  
 
I'VE ALSO NOTICED MY EARS GET BLOCKED UP WHEN I PUT BALLOONS NEAR MY EAR SO THIS IS WHY I THOUGHT WORTH HAVING THE TEST - I ALWAYS ASSUMED THIS HAPPENED TO EVERYONE ??
 
WE'VE TRIED WRAPPING THE BED FRAME UP IN PLASTIC DUST SHEETS FOR NOW BUT SYMPTOMS ARE PRETTY MUCH UNCHANGED - THEY ARE PERMANENT, BUT THROAT GETS WORSE AT TIMES.
 
I FEEL LIKE I'M GOING MAD - I DO HAVE A CRACKED TOOTH, SO TOOTH PAIN ON TOP BUT THIS IS BEING SORTED SOON, AND DENTIST SAID UNLIKELY TO GET SUCH SYMPTOMS WITH CRACKED TOOTH.
 
JUST AFTER SOME FEEDBACK REALLY WHILE I'M WAITING FOR TEST - ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED AS I DON'T KNOW IF THESE SYMPTOMS ARE KIND YOU CAN GET WITH LATEX ALLERGY ??
 
MANY THANKS,
 
CAL

Hi Cal,
Welcome to the forum, it sound really uncomfortable and difficult, I have never experienced blocked ears during an allergic episode but I hope someone else will be able to offer some advise, we are all different in the way we react to latex.
Be sure to let the dentist know that you may be reacting to latex, they often use latex gloves and some of their equipment can contain latex.  
Take care  
Tabby

Hi Cal,
 
I found an article which lists 'Recurrent otitis media' as one of the symptoms of latex allergy.
http://www.sagins.co.za/gitlatex.asp
I know nothing about the organization [South African Gastro-Intestinal Nurses Society (SAGINS)] or it's validity but I thought you may be interested  
 
take care, Tabby

Sellotape (the genuine branded one) is latex free Cal.   Some other tapes are not.

Your right about parcel tape, I react very badly to it but as Bob said the genuine sellotape is fine.

Hi again,
 
Had my RAST test results finally back today - my Doctor wasn't sure how to read the results so I went home and he said he'd call me after speaking to the lab.  he called me this afternoon to say it shows that I am allergic to Latex, and the next step is to have the Skin Prick test and for now to avoid latex.
 
All I wanted to know was - there is no info on my notes re : results from RAST - how doe you find out what type of allergy you have - i.e - type 1 etc - is this done after the skin prick test ??
 
Thanks,
 
cal