Latex Allergy Stories

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My grandson was born in 2007 with spina bifida and several allergies, including latex. Dominic is often restricted because of his mobility issues, often cannot eat what the other kids eat because of his several food allergies, and now local parks are changing from using wood chips as a base to using chopped up rubber. At age 3 little boys love to climb and play at the park, but Dominic cannot join his friends. I beg all of you to send this site and petition to everyone and let's get the law changed! ALL allergies are a disability and public, tax paid for places should be safe places for all children and adults.

My niece is extremely allergic to Latex and had to abandon medical school dreams because of the allergy that she acquired while working in a lab. She can not eat at any restaurant that uses latex gloves and needs to carry an epi pen at all times in case of accidental exposure.

The most disconcerting aspect of having a latex allergy is the negative reaction and disbelief that most people have. Workplace, restaurants, grocery stores and most medical facilities refuse to acknowledge the life threatening reactions we experience when exposed to items containing latex. Hidden latex contamination is especially difficult to ascertain because companies are unwilling to give credence to our affliction.

my latex allergy, like others, began slowly and with steadily increasing symptoms. i first noticed it in college, about 20 years ago. in 2008, after i dropped my daughters off at preschool, i suffered anaphylaxsis, though was thankfully driving by a hospital on my way home. when the doc asked me what has triggered my reaction, i though of nothing other than my daughter rubbing a balloon on the outside of my skirt at dropoff. has it come to that, i thought...now it only has to touch my clothes? my doc advised against epi-pens because i would have to use them too often. i go through benadryl like water. it's apparently not harmful, in fact i have thrice been told benadryl or hydroxizine pam is much better for my body than epi. i live in maine and in san diego, two totally divergent places, and find latex is overused in southern californian restaurants. it is to the point where there is benadryl in my: car, upstairs bath, downstairs bath, purse, husband's car, parent's home, and at the gym. i often have hives, joint pain, swelling, slurred speech, and a host of other symptoms. i feel badly for my daughters who know not to bring latex anywhere near me, and who know how to call for help when i can't breathe well. they make fun of my slurred speech and beg for balloons. this is a crappy allergy, because it's airborne, everywhere, and not too many folks take it seriously. this site is a blessing and a great restaurant guide. when i am in san diego, i often get hassled by restaurant mangers for asking if latex is present. just two days ago a manager said, "if you have a food allergy i can help you, but i have never heard of anyone being allergic to latex. it's what restaurants use."

I have been anaphylaxis to latex for 15 years. I have experienced two episodes related to meals eaten at restaurants where the food provider wore latex gloves. Both episodes required hospitalization. I avoid latex balloons, gloves, anything that could set off an attack. My husband is an executive with a large company, we are often invited out, it becomes embarrassing having to "check" if the restaurant is latex free. I am often told it is a health department rule that latex gloves are worn. I usually miss most dinners, he goes alone. I see a dentist in NY city who has the same allergy, his practice is latex free, his entire career has changed because of the allergy and yet he adjusted so why can't the food industry adjust? It is such a simple thing for restaurants to change and yet it seems like a monumental task when you ask them to change. They are putting their own employees at risk.

I am a 29 yr old female who developed an allergy to latex slowly. As a child I got hives, as a teen I got blisters, and as an adult I can't breathe when latex is around. I can't walk into a building with fresh latex or within 20 feet of a balloon without a reaction. I have to call ahead to hospitals, doctors, dentists, and restaurants to know if they are latex safe. I have lost jobs because of my allergy, lost hours of work from airborn contact, and lost time with my child because of the aftermath of the allergy. My mother has this allergy, so do several of my friends. I as all children loved balloons, but now I fear them as does my 7 yr old who looks out for anything rubber or latex that could make mommy sick. This is a disease not just an inconvience (although it is that as well). What will it take to get the word out about the dangers of this product long term? People don't know the serious side effects or how to react. People ask questions about obvious things, but are unaware of what we go through.

I was pregnant with triplets. When I went to the clinic for routine blood work I told the lady I have a latex allergy. She repeatedly touched latex (gloves and tournicate)I asked her to wash her hands and she refused. She stuck the neddle in my arm and drew my sample. Five minutes later I went into shock. I ended up with lesions and hives for 3 months. I was having problems breathing and they gave me several different drugs to counteract the latex poison. I ended up losing the babys at 3 1/2 months.

Had my 3rd C-section and couldn't breathe, didn't know at that time I was allergic to latex, had to be hooked up to oxygen. Went to a dentist, got itchy and difficulty breathing. Cleaned our home toilets with playtex gloves, couldn't breathe. After these things happened I Went to an allergist, tested me for latex allergies. Tested severly allergic. Waitressed in a restaurant that used latex gloves, couldn't breathe, they switched to vinyl. Just started a job as an Occupational Therapist in a retirement home, I stated that it would have to be latex free. I was assured that it would be, it wasn't, ended up in the ER since I couldn't breathe. I worked there, had orientation for 3 hours and couldn't believe they didn't get rid of the latex after they said they would accomodate me. It is so frustrating when these medical places could use Nitrile or Vinyl instead of latex.

My Son 15yrs old is type 1 allergic to latex. He was diagnosed at aged 9 yrs old. We had a terrible time with his school who would not spend £42 to change things so he could attend and when we offered to pay still refused to implement changes. It took his specialist to call a meeting of the headmistress,school Dr, Health and safety at the local council (who declined to attend) to persuade them to change things. Meanwhile my son lost a month of education,I lost my sanity and he lost his trust in his school saying "I don't want to go back to that school they don't want me to be safe". It broke my heart. It is a terrible allergy because you have relatively little control because it is not like food allergies where a- you can choose what to put in your mouth and b- It is easier to decide what is safe because labelling is so advanced and c- awareness for latex allergy is so poor even amongst professionals who should know better.Also all spontaneity goes out of your life,even a visit to my sons friends house becomes a round of phone calls to people I have never met before to ask weird questions. At the moment we are trying to travel for a holiday to USA and have met nothing but problems no one is willing to change anything re food prep. I was so surprised because I thought USA would be so advanced and ultra aware because of the litigation culture of your country ,although UK is catching up fast on that front.

I am really more "sensitive" at this point than allergic, but I know all too well how swiftly that can change. I've been a nurse for 25 years. I am also a lesbian. When anything with latex touches a mucous membrane, the burning is unbearable. Unfortunately, most sex "toys" are latex, and most condoms are latex. In the age of HIV/AIDS, it's appalling that non-latex condoms (which I've used to protect myself from latex in toys) are grossly more expensive and often hard to find. It is critical that you expand your campaign to include condoms--especially since that is the major preventative with all STDs, but especially HIV. As for me, I make sure I list latex as an allergy. I personally have had allergies cross over from annoying to life-threatening.