Hello. Greetings first of all. Well, see, on Tuesday morning I felt fine, nothing seemed to be wrong. Went to work at a restaurant, 3 hours cause it's split shift. Came back home and was supposed to go back to work at 5pm. Right around that time I started to feel bloated, and had lots of gas. Then my stomach started aching, and felt like I was going to throw up. Later all my skin began to feel sensitive, like aching... such as when you get the flu or a cold. Then I learned I had diarrhea too, and was very very watery. And heavily nauseated I was. The restaurant didn't open for some reason that night which was lucky or else I would've gone and felt worse.
Then around 7:30 to 8:00, I vomited repeatedly what I had eaten. Hours passed and I kept feeling really bad, sore skin, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting repeatedly. Felt pretty dizzy and could hardly walk straight due to bad discomfort. At 12:00am I vomited several more times until I had not a drop of fluid left or anything in my intestines. That's when I went to the hospital and they performed tests by drawing blood and urine sample. Had an IV, with sodium chloride and two medicines for nausea and overall discomfort and diarrhea. They said tests came out normal, and that it could be just food poisoning.
Here's the thing though, no one else in my home got that, and I did not eat out for two days. The day before which was Monday though, my grandma made some shrimp stock and then sent me some. I only ate a little bit before I started to itch at my throat and lips and then I felt a lump on the back between my throat and nasal passage. I usually get itchy on my throat and mouth when eating shrimp and occasional swelling around lips, but never had I swelled that much from inside.
After the effects were gone, I did not have any more discomfort due to shrimp the rest of the night nor the next morning, until Tuesday at 5 like I mentioned. So I am wondering if in fact it could've been the shrimp, even though many hours passed after eating it, or if it really was food poisoning from another source? Also none of my relatives who ate the shrimp stock got sick either. I would like to figure out if they could have caused it so I can be a lot more careful in avoiding it. If it was a different source then I have no idea what it was.

It was the shrimp that did you in. Many, many years ago I went out to dinner for my birthday at a famous restaurant in Ft. Lauderdale and had shrimp cocktail. I was violently ill for two weeks unable to keep anything down, dizzy, etc. It was the shrimp that did me in. I didn't get ill right away but hours afterward. Apparently whatever piece of shrimp you got your relatives didn't get and that one piece was bad. I haven't eaten shrimp since.

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Originally Posted by METERRE

my grandma made some shrimp stock and then sent me some. I only ate a little bit before i started to itch at my throat and lips and then i felt a lump on the back between my throat and nasal passage. I usually get itchy on my throat and mouth when eating shrimp and ocassional swelling around lips, but never had i swelled that much from inside.

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These are classic effects of anaphylactic shock. You ARE allergic to shrimp, most likely all shellfish, and this can be deadly. Your throat could swell to the point where you cannot breathe.

Now, as far as the vomiting and nausea goes, it may be the shrimp, or it may be a coincidence as food poisoning usually occurs within 8 hours off eating the tainted food.

I know that where I live there is a very vicious stomach flu going around keeping people down for several days.

All right, thank you. However then I would still wonder what it was if it wasn't the shrimp, since I didn't eat anything my family didn't eat. I'm the only one allergic to shrimp around here so that's why I would've narrowed it down to that. Anyway for sure I will be trying my best to avoid shrimp in the future even though I still like it. What a bummer.

You're right, if you like seafood, a shellfish allergy sure is a bummer. I know because I have an allergy to ALL shellfish.

Although I know I am allergic to shellfish, sometimes I simply cannot stop myself from indulging. I put it in the same class as people who have unsafe sex. They know they are engaging in risky behavior, they know it could kill them, but they do it anyhow. This is the same way the mind processes a food allergy. Remember, our food allergies are almost always our favorite foods. It is a curse for sure. For me, it boils down to nothing more than a sheer lack of self control, which I can admit.

However, I have never had full blown bouts of vomiting as a result of one of my allergies though… never. Nausea is a different story though. So that part of your ordeal is kind of confusing for me. Have you had similar experiences in the past when eating shrimp or was this an isolated incident? If this was an isolated incident then of course I would guess it was food poisoning or stomach flu. I’ve had food poisoning before and your experience sounds similar except for the throat swelling... that sounds like a typical shellfish allergy.

My doc taught me a way to eat my allergies without any ill effects whatsoever. But I would not recommend this advice for you as our bodies are totally different and what works for one may not work for the other. You could have such a severe reaction to the shrimp someday that your throat will close like J_9 said, and you could die. If you are anything like me, and lack self control, make sure if you are going to consume these allergies that you do so in the presence of other people, possibly sober people, who could call for help if you needed it. Just speaking from experience.

Good luck.

Well see the throat swelling was the day before around nighttime, when I couldn't resist. Also I had to try it since my grandma sent it to me. Of course not knowing or forgetting I have any allergies to it. And so the symptoms came the next day starting at 5pm, started like gas, then tummy ache, then nausea, body aches, diarrhea and finally lots of vomiting. The fact that it wasn't right away or just a few minutes after ingesting shrimp, says it could be food poisoning. But then thinking about how I didn't eat anything that my family didn't eat makes me wonder cause they would've gotten sick too. So the exact culprit is unknown, but at least now I know how bad my reaction to shrimp can be.

Ok I have one more question. I still have some pain from when I vomited so much. It is on my left upper abdomen. Seems to be just under the ribcage, by the stomach, only it's not the stomach. Is it possible that vomiting basically until there is nothing left in the intestines, could cause any spleen damage? Like due to all the contraction of the stomach? Or what would you guys think?

Spleen is far on the left. Almost on side. Spleen may hurt from heavy exercise, like long running. I wouldn't worry about it now, spleen damage would put you into - emergency room.

Allergy response may be early (in minutes), or late (usually within 24 hours, can be up to 72 hours) - and it obviously was allergy - lip swelling and skin itching doesn't occur in food poisoning. Diarrhea and vomiting also go with allergy. Dizzines and weakness probably came from dehydration.

It's probably some trapped air in your left colon. Avoid vegetables and fruits, but make sure you don't get constipated. Bread is a good choice, if you ask me, but "morning cereals" may contain excessive fibers and make you bloated.