April 11, 2007
ALLERGIC REACTION - FAT LIP
When you wake up at 4:45 a.m. with your lip looking like this, it's best to call in sick, take a few pictures to show your doctor (and just for kicks, your Mom and friends too), and go back to bed:
It is now 10:15 a.m. and the swelling has not gone down one bit.
The first time this happened to me was when I was in college. A college chum drove me to a emergency room where a bunch of doctors and medical interns proceeded to point, probe, and proudly commit to statements like, "I have no idea," and "Wow, that must really hurt!"
Years later, it still happens, and I've been able to unprofessionally narrow its cause to a few culprits, including Coriander (Coriandrum sativum), also commonly known as Cilantro; Jalape�o, which is a cultivar of the species Capsicum annuum; certain types of red peppers (also part of the Capsicum genus of plants); and maybe even Splenda.
If anyone else has experienced this sort of reaction, please leave a comment below. Outside of going to a doctor or allergist who will to stick me with a large number of needles, I'm interested in finding out exactly what causes this and what sort of remedies are available for the associated pain and swelling. A few years ago, I posted something similar to this blog about an allergic reaction I was having to Splenda. To date, 207 individual comments have left on that post. Perhaps the same will eventually occur on this one.
Posted by Mikal at April 11, 2007 10:15 AM
I think God is trying to tell you something.
This happened to me a couple of times in college and I had a great doctor who finally figured out that it was an allergic reaction to situations I didn't like. (This was after she sent me to several other doctors.) I wasn't happy in general and so it got triggered easily. She told me to leave the state of Texas and return to Colorado ASAP! I moved back to Colorado and the problem went away.
Sorry to say it, but this tickled my funny bone. It brings back such wonderful memories of near-death experiences. Too bad I can't share pictures in a comment or I'd post a couple too. I guess I'll email them to you for your personal enjoyment.
As far as advice. The number of things that can cause reactions like this are many and indeed not all are food. As far as getting the needles in the back test goes, it isn't so bad. They are very small needles and half the time they tickle when you get poked. The test won't work for telling you about peppers since capsaicin (the hot in peppers) produces a reaction on the skin even if you're not allergic to peppers. It may tell you about the other things though.
For treatment, epi-pens work miracles, but are $50-60 a pop and they don't store so well. Your reaction looks minor enough that benadryl would help. It takes time to work 20-30 minutes, but the hospital will likely give you something similar. The unfortunate thing is that allergic reactions like this can increase in severity with each contact with the allergen.
I'm doubtful that this was a reaction to a food. They do not generally take that long to affect you. I'm assuming you were asleep for several hours. I'm a tiny bit surprised it lasted so long. Did the doctor not give you anything? Even without drugs it seems somewhat long in duration, but I'm only judging from my experience and what I gather from doctors.
I'm willing to talk at work sometime if you want to go over it in more detail. If you ever have a truly bad reaction at work I've got an epi-pen in my drawer.
I'm an allergy sufferer and have had this sort of thing happen. It's funny, but really not--just think how close your lips are to your throat and what would happen if your throat swelled like that!!
I concur with Adam: the needle tests at the allergist aren't so bad, and you do need to find out what the cause of this is. Then you can avoid it. My worst reaction happened as a result of a new medication I was prescribed; I think they decided it was a cross-reaction with some other meds. Could be that. And yes, benedryl should help a lot, but you have to *take it* when you notice yourself reacting! THEN you can take photos of yourself. :-)
What you want to avoid is needing an epinephrine injection in the ER--that REALLY sucks (but they keep the breathing tubes open in a crisis so that's good).
Get thee to an allergist, with the photos.
It wasnt Kahlua...was it?
Well Hello Mikalina Jolie! You know, women in LA pay lots of money to have lips like that. Very comforting I'm sure.
This is a good picture of angioedema that could be due to an allergy, but more often is not. It most commonly falls under the heading of idiopathic angioedema which means there is no identifiable pattern or cause.
What I would recommend is the following:
1. Get RAST testing for the foods that have seemed to trigger the reaction. But remember, testing is not perfect and, if you eat those foods in similar amounts at other times without a reaction, then those associations were more likely coincidental.
2. Get a blood test to rule out a condition called hereditary angioedema, which causes spontaneous swelling like this due to a deficiency in an enzyme called C1 esterase inhibitor. This is a rare condition but can go on to have dangerous swelling of the airway, and can be treated with specific medicines.
Please pass this information on.
Sounds like the last post stayed at a "Holiday Inn Express" last night!!!!
Wow that looks uncomfortable.
I had the same thing once after eating a breakfast sandwich. It was years ago. I had not had any food or done anything out of the ordinary since the night before. Then about 9AM bought a breakfast sandwich and ate it. Within an hour or so I had a fat upper lip.
I never figured out what the cause was. The sandwich was bacon, egg, and mayo on an English muffin. Nothing weird.
That's all I have to say about that. Except that my lip went back to normal and I didn't get my handicapped parking spot after all.
Dang! What a fat lip... Hope the swelling is gone by now. {BTW: Duh-lip looks as bad as the picture...you poor thing!}
Wow, I remember the first time I saw you in that state. It was the weirdest human medical condition I had seen personally. Hopefully, you are back in the swing of things. Maybe you should keep some Benadryl around, just in case.
Oh my goodness!! Your poor lip! Im glad you are better!
I'm gonna go with the Splenda thing. For years, I avoided artificial sweeteners. Early ast week, I decided to give Pepsi One a try. So, I bought a 12-pack to spread out over a couple of weeks.
I liked the taste, but didn't like the effects nearly as much.
One morning, I woke up with a red blotch on my face. Out of nowhere. I was busy that day and stuck to water, leaving the Pepsi One untouched. The blotch disappeared within 24 hours.
I had another can, not realizing yet that it might've been the source of the problem. I got stomache pains. I figure that maybe it was something I ate.
The pain soon disappeared. A day went by and I ignored that shiny 12-pack of Splenda laden soft drink. On the weekend, I had 2 cans. Big mistake. Within an hour or so, my bottom lip inflated and my mouth felt irritated/itchy.
Considering that the only thing new I added to my diet was something with Splenda, I researched the side effects. Sure enough, all of the above mentioned effects have been reported as potential symptoms of a Splenda allergy. Not too surprising since chlorine - a known carcinogen - is an ingredient to Surcalose/Splenda.
I haven't been to a doc, but the reactions all jibe perfectly with a Splenda intolerance. No symptoms since I dropped Pepsi One.
I have not had any allergy testing done personally but both of my boys have and neither one noticed the poking. The nurse was super fast and then after 15 minutes she used a benadryl spray to clear off the skin, so they wouldn't react farther. I think the worst part was not scratching the reaction spots during the test.
If you swell like that again you should take benadryl right away.
I have had some tongue swelling after eating strawberries or tomatoes but only during my seasonal allergy season, when my hystamine levels are raised. And always withing minutes of eating said fruit.
I have not had any allergy testing done personally but both of my boys have and neither one noticed the poking. The nurse was super fast and then after 15 minutes she used a benadryl spray to clear off the skin, so they wouldn't react farther. I think the worst part was not scratching the reaction spots during the test.
If you swell like that again you should take benadryl right away.
I have had some tongue swelling after eating strawberries or tomatoes but only during my seasonal allergy season, when my hystamine levels are raised. And always withing minutes of eating said fruit.
I
have been getting a lip like this and waking up like this its really scary Usually happens after i cook with herbs.....thinking it could be coriander too...or something i am eating...i still dont know...i really understand yr concern.
It happened last night...and im so upset..
Mikal! Do you sleepwalk? Maybe you walked into a door. I do agree with Oscarina; I think you could use your image in a profitiable infomercial.
this has happen to mea couple of weeks again and my doctor gave me lataradine. Just when I thought it went away it came back this weekend. I woke up with my lip all swollen Saturday morning and it went away that night but when I woke up the next day which is today my face was all swollen I looked like the elephant man. I don't know what to take for this. Can somebody help me does anybody no what I can take for this. I certainly don't want to go to work like this.
I totally know what that feeling is like to wake up to a fat lip like that. It happens to me tooooo often and is one of the first reactions I get from the sun. I noticed that other than your lip you don't seem to have any other visable symptoms. I am very allergic to the sun so that could be something to look into. In addition somethings you are ingesting or putting on your face could be reacting from the sun. My condition in Polymorphic Light Eruption...just something to consider...best of luck
I had this happen just the other night... traced it back to Splenda. And, have had it happen to a degree with Strawberries and Kiwi, and from pepper... Hope you are much better now.
I woke at 4:15 this morning with a bottom lip similar to yours. I could feel it start to grow with a small round lump on the inside of my mouth. I am a stressed 24 year old college student who just finished a weekend job waving signs on a street corner in California, I am convinced this is from the sun, although I have spent many weekends in the sun without waking up from a fat lip. It is now four hours later and I have iced it, taken advil, and am not in much pain, and the swelling seems to be down slightly.
I've been thinking maybe it was the chapstick. The ingredients are: beeswax, coconut oil, sunflower oil, vitamin E, lanolin, titanium dioxide, pepermint oil, comfrey root, rosemary extract.
I have had several reactions of this type over the last few years. I am almost certain it is due to something I have ate. More that likely a spice or hot pepper. I have also had this happen with mangos, the skins have oil that it highly allergenic for some people. I think all you can do is try to avoid these things. I has never been painful to have a fat lip but, somewhat uncomfortable. And of course it gets old explaining to people what has happened. I hope this helps. Good luck.
Yeah things happen like that more than we would know. I struggle from constant allergic reactions to mangoes. My lip swells almost to the point where your's does and fills with liquid bumps that ooze when touched. The doctors pinpointed mine a couple of years ago saying: that it had to be from my mango eating. I have them right this moment as I'm posting this...
Hmm..sitting here with fat bottom right hand side of lip and numb top lip...weird...also happened a couple of weeks ago with novelty top lip..
had stir fry with full red pepper in it....well that's the last of those then
Paul
I had the same thing happen to me last Sunday night. I narrowed my possible causes down to an apple I ate (yes, I did rinse and dry the apple before eating it). The ER Doctor told me that they are now spraying apples with chemicals to preserve them. It is a waxy substance that no amount of washing can remove. He suggested I peel the apple next time.
this is really strange but i just found this on google because the same thing happens to me. usually in the morning before i've even had a chance to ingest anything i could be allergic to. not only do my lips swell like that but the palms of my hands and the bottoms of my feet itch like mad. and the insides of my ears itch. its crazy but i think its a stress thing. good luck!
I had this happen to me. It was always triggered when I was nervous, anxious or stressed. Pollen also triggered it from time to time. I noticed that it happened more frequently when I was a teen and more insecure than now as an adult. There is no remedy for it, thats for sure. Calm down and take a nap.
I've had this happen to me recently also. It started over the summer.I'm 41 yrs old and never had this before it is very frustrating. The only good news is that it usually goes away within a few hours. I'm thinking maybe Splenda has something to do with it. Good luck.
Hi,
My advise it to look up on "Salicylates sensitivity" SalicylateSensitivity.com
This might answer all your questions.
All the best
Dalene
I HAVE THIS HAPPEN ON THE UPPER LIP... FROM PORK ALLERGIES....
WHEAT AND DAIRY.
IT GETS DOUBLE TO TRIPLE THE SIZE..... WITHA A WHITE BUMP IN THE MIDDLE.... ALMOST LIKE A COLD SORE BUT NOT.... OR IS IT?
IT IS PAINFUL AND LASTS A WEEK OR MORE...
I have lip swelling too and I still don't know the cause but i'm like you & don't wish to go to the allergist.
I take A few Benedryl allergies when i know it's about to swell, it does make you drowsy and basically unable to do anything but it helps swelling go down faster. You should also use ice to help stop the swelling.
I've found that when my lip's about to swell the area around it starts itching, but i have no pain, just swelling.
Benadryl ... take it as soon as you feel anything starting. Like AG said, it messes up your day, but you won't get the massive swelling. You'll be back to normal in a day or two instead of a week or two.
In my case, it's a sun allergy. The only time it happens is when I'm in the sun for a half day or more, but only when I haven't been in extended direct sunlight for weeks or months.
I have the same thing occur to me too. It happened a few times as a child, but now I'm in my early 20's it has become a lot more frequent and severe over the last few years. It also occurs in the palms of my hands, bottoms of my feet, sometimes eyelids, and I get hives on my hips and top of my thigh. I've seen allergy specialists, but they can't seem to pin point an allergy, except do lots of tests and think that it could possibly be Hereditery Angioedema. Which does not have a cure as yet. I take antihistamines to try and prevent triggers and the onset, but once it happens the only thing that assists in it going down is a form of steroid I've been prescribed, or walking around to get my blood flow going. Other than typical allergy triggers (dust maybe, tho they can not pin point anything) stress seems to be the major cause.
Good luck with your condition. The last few years have been a long road for me trying to deal with and manage my condition. Lets hope we can all find away to prevent every individual case. As I of all people know how uncomfortable this can be getting reactions a few times a week.
Very good site. Thank you!!!
This is an old thread, I see, but I found it during a google search for "Why does my lip swell when I'm stressed."
B/c that's my problem; When I get really stressed, a little bump (like a hive bump) appears on the line of my lip- usually upper, but right now as I type this, it's the lower left. It causes the area to become red and swells- it just throbs and itches and is very unpleasant. I put ice on it, which helps keep the swelling down. It doesn't get as swollen as the one in the pic here, but it's def. noticable.
It's from stress- I've had this issue all my life. It always goes away once I calm down. I'm sure it's somethign to do with a stress related chemical that's released into the system that causes it- just like some people get hives.
I too have this affliction and feel your pain. Most times there is little you can do except swallow a couple of spoons of liquid Benadryl, it works the fastest. For it started about a year after I moved to Florida when I was 22, twenty years ago. I have had them come up without any particular cause and at any time day or night. In my case I have noticed that most times they will come up in “quadrants” i.e. lower lip, center to left corner, or upper lip, right side center to corner. Most time the next outbreak will not come up in the same spot as the previous one. Mine also do not seem to be food related, in my case they seem to be seasonal from February to October. I may have them appear only once, or they may reappear a dozen times during the season. This year’s occurrence (as I am writing this) happened to coincided with heavy pine tree pollen, which turns everything yellow. Cars, windows, and standing water etc, any where it can blow. I have had the skin tests all of which showed only minor reactions to about 3 items. The only advice I can offer at this time is keep the Benadryl handy. Once these start I take a once a day dose of Claritin (Loratadine) which usually prevents a reoccurrence, and sometimes a Zantac (Ranitidine Hcl) which has a H2 inhibitor (histamine) if I get a small one while on Claritin. Good luck in your search for a solution.
I have had the same issue happen for almost 7 yrs now and through my own diagnosis i have boiled it down to Bell peppers too! However I have tried to steer clear of aspirin as per my doctors request! This is a huge issue as i find it incredibly inconvenient. It is actually happening right now and I have just started a new job so what does one do! I carry and Ephipen but that is not always a good option for me as I have a fear for needles! picture included.
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Got my fat lip tonight for the second time in a year, never before. Went looking on the Web for "allergic reaction fat lip"; here I am. I'm gonna stock up on Benadryl. Good luck.
So, usually its my top lip that i wake up with swollen...but this morning its my bottom lip!! i have been thinking all morning what i could have aten and been allergic too...nothing the only things i ate yesterday are the things i eat on a daily basis!! im so pissed!!!!!!!!!!
I was having a dinner party for my brother in law, we had strawberry angel food cake, and THIS is how i awoke. im pretty sure i almost made my wife almost pass out. i asked her not to look at me as she sleepily found me sitting on the couch at 6AM. of course she forced my hands away from my face, and nearly face dove onto our hard wood floors. it sucks man, im sorry and i feel your pain.
Crazy glue does that to me.
I woke up this morning with a lower lip resembling yours and it's so annoying. I think mine is due to an allergic reaction from medicine. I took some co-codimol for my back, I go to sleep then wake up with a monster of a lower lip.
Hi!
Yesterday they removed my wisdome tooth at the hospital. They gave me Brufen 600mg (painkillers) and i could take 3 bags a day (they taste really good btw) and today (the day after) after i had my first dose i noticed that my lip started to grow up to 4/5 times the normal size! wow i relly felt f*cked up! i first called the doctor, they told me to call the dentist, and they told me to call the hospital and they asked me to come over right away :-)
after i've been laughed at and they asked me lots of funny questions (some hot nurses btw..) they decided to make a picture of me :D the doctor told me i'm probably alergic to ibuprofen.
they prescribed me 2 new pills and this shoudl do the trick (i hope). the medicine is called tavegil 1mg.
a couple of weeks ago, my body went into an allergic reaction, hives as well as swollen lips and face now. i have found i believe it to be an allergic reaction to advil. check any medicines for any histamine blockers they have in them, advil does.keep some benedryl on hand, and just this morning i found the topical applicator a little helpful in bringing down the swelling. our bodies are constantly changing, and what once worked well, may no longer be helpful.good luck.
hey man yeah no way this happend to my lip yesterday but it was my top lip! someone told me it was from stress and i think it's true because it happend when i was in a very angry/sad mood and having my lip sweel up like a baloon didnt help haha
hey man yeah no way this happend to my lip yesterday but it was my top lip! someone told me it was from stress and i think it's true because it happend when i was in a very angry/sad mood and having my lip sweel up like a baloon didnt help haha
This happens to me also - except it's also on my tongue, feet, hands and most recently knees and arms- accompanied by hives. I have not found a trigger (or cure) but I'd like to thank you for your post, before I thought I was the only one dealing with this. Does the swelling itch to you?
First of all I would like to say THANKS to you and everyone who replied; it makes the frustration of my situation a little more bearable. Well I've been dealing with this issue since I was 13. I am hyper-sensitive to nearly everything ,it seems, but my 'fat lip' is caused by a food allergy (citric acid- i think). I am 20 now and finally decided to switch doctors because the first kept telling me to wait it out (about a week). Today my new doc prescribed prednisone (a steroid that reduces inflammation) and fexofenadine (Allegra). Of course the results aren't immediate but I do feel that the steroid is preventing any further swelling (which would usually continue for about 3 days... it gets PAINFUL and UGLY). I hope you've found your cure by now!
Hello,
2:43 am, just woke up and I think I may soon have what you have. Below my bottom lip now feels a bit swollen, sensitive to touch.
I have been eating a lot of new foods lately, mainly Libyan, Somali, and Sudanese. I think I am alleric to something in one of them. Maybe a type of bean
I have also experienced this. One night after I ate a slice a pizza and I watched Blood diamond and passed out. Once 2am rolled around and I looked like the picture above. I realized that it maybe have been from my lunch earlier in NYC at a local sushi place. I stopped going there, but for some reason like clockwork the weekened would roll around and my lip would blow up! I have cut tons of things out of my diet, like coffee, splenda, pizza and shellfish. The two big ones are I think splenda and Shellfish (although I was never allergic) to either of them. I hate the itchy,pulsing feeling that comes with his swelling. I buy the benedryl quick dissolving strips and put them right on the area that is blowing up. I find this works better than the pill form. The strip dissolves right into the blood stream and hits that area that is swollen immediately. It will usually go down in a few hours, the pill form can drag the lip swelling issue into almost a 1-2 day production..not to mention the tiredness
I also thought it may have been salsa--perhaps the peppers in it. My lip also seem to react to the beezwax chapstick containing sunflower oil, which is also in lays potatoe chips.. That made my lip swell as well.
i was talking on the phone and all of a sudden my lower lip felt numb! so i got up and looked into the mirror and BAM! a BiG FAT LIP! i took benedryl and i hope it works....
i did eat some sushi way earlier today...maybe thats why this happened
I get this happen when I eat berries, especially strawberries. Actually have a fat bottom lip now, as was silly enough to drink a strawberry and kiwi cordial drink yesterday. I havent found anything that works yet, but havent been to the docs about it either...
I have gotten this also many times. I was allergic to gluten.This is an allergic reaction probably to food , ever since I eliminated gluten from my diet I have never had it happen again.I hope this is helpful.
Im having something similar, and wishing that away for the last 2 years. It is periodic. One good thing is it goes away when I take anti histamine tablets recommended by my doc. But i never had such disease in the first place and cannot remember what started it two years back. A tuna sandwich perhaps. It must have had additives and preservatives.
My bro now having fat lower lip,started a year ago become fat every 2-3 months every time can see in the morning last 6-12 hours, visited doc said food or drink allergy,now he eat only veg but still not stop,he very sad and upset to be like that but when I find many others similar cases now I have to tell him.Good luck..
do all people that smoke pot get this reaction? do you smoke pot? does it happen to you?
To: georgia_bol1047
That's a random and suggestively inappropriate comment to make. However, since I have an open comment policy and since you did ask a question that on some far-reaching level may have relevance, the answer is no... I do not smoke, anything (not now, not ever--aside from a cigar or two in high school or college).
Mikal
My lip will look just like yours. I also get hives and itchy swollen fingers, hands, toes and feet. The culprit: SOMETHING IN SOFTDRINKS, especially the ones that are colored green like MOUNTAIN DUE, OR MELLOW YELLOW. This stuff is POISON. A lot of you people are perplexed as to what causes this. SOFTDRINKS- at least in my case. I don't know which chemical it is,but you are drinking a chemical cocktail when you drink this stuff.Now I drink icewater and have no hives or swollen areas
i have that happen to me every few months, not quite that bad, but still large and bothersome. i just take 3 motrin for the pain and suck on some ice for the swelling. after a few hours it goes away, but again, mine is never that bad. i've yet to figure out what it's from, so i can't really help you, but i must say that i am glad that i know it happens to others as well. sorry i can't be of assistance.
addison
i was looking for a cure for my lip.this is the second time this has happened. The first time both my lips were swollen so i couldnt put a spoon in my mouth.It s happening right now and its nasty. Its so fat that if i make a kissy face it touches my nose
hey, yes i do agree with melissa...i was on a boat all yesterday in the heat sittin right in the sun, about 2 in a half hours after i got home my lip went like yours...its HUGE! So the sun can do it to your lip as well...but take some really hot water and put it on your lip and hold it there for a lil while it will go down..then take some blistix!
i was watching some tv.. and at about 1 AM my top lip started to feel numb, so I looked in the mirror and saw that my lip was swelling up. it's HUGE. the bottom of my feet are very itchy and have red bumps. my hands are also itchy and have redness. I feel like angelina jolie
Hey .. yes this happens to Me as well when I have an allergic reaction to somthing.I have been sent to the emergency room and gotten a shot of benadryl.Helps a little and for the rest of the day I take a Benadyl every few hours seems to take the swelling down .
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