USVI-On-Line

Exit Zero wrote:I have had my lips swell when I eat raw mango - this was not true for years but started happening awhile ago - it doesn't affect my breathing but I now avoid mango altogether.

I feel your pain. Sadly. Mango is my favorite fruit and it affects me the same way. Every once in a while I'll make a "Suicide Smoothie" - fresh mango blended with strawberries & kiwi fruit... all things that hurt just a little when I eat them whole. For some reason, blended and mixed with a little ice and rum... I feel OK.

Cheers, and let's hope that path to the lungs doesn't swell too much!

A combination of salt and sun would do it for me. I use clear zinc on my lips at all times... Also an actual mosquito bite on the lips ( while you sleep) can do that...been there. Hope it is better

Sounds more like something you ate or drank. I don't know if they use latex in snorkels/masks just because it's expensive and alot of people have reactions to it. It could be combination of things too like medication plus sun exposure - diuretics do it for me. Or it could have been some sort of food combined with sun exposure. Take benedryl and keep an eye on it - when my husband had a reaction to an antibiotic the ER added a Tagamet (Cimetidine) with the benedryl because they said it made it more effective for some reason. Did you have some sort of new (to you) food item or drink before the snorkel trip?

Minde,

I have had a similar issue. Through a process of elimination I think the problem was the SPF ingredients in sunscreens and lip balms. I only have a reaction on my lips and it only happens when I wear sunscreen on my face and lips. I have since gotten sunscreen and lip balm from my dermatologist that is better, not perfect but better.

This is a brand new issue for me. I have been wearing sunscreen for years (as a melanoma survivor) and have never had an issue until this past year.

Hope you can solve the problem. Enjoy the rest of your vacation!

You can probably file this under "irrelevant responses", but I had a bad reaction when I got a tiny bit of spray sunscreen in my eye last year on vacation -- my eyelid puffed up so badly that I looked like a prize fighter. SO maybe another vote for sunscreen allergy?

Thank you all! I'm so relieved that no one said "oh no! You xxxxxxx'd" I already took Claritin and Cimetidine. Benadryl knocks me out. It could be sunscreen. That or the snorkle are my two strongest suspicions. I couldn't use my own snorkle today, so I'm swollen and sore again. Going to use my own tomorrow and go from there.
Thank you for the reassurance that I didn't come into contact with anything bad in the sea. If I do figure it out, I'll let you know.
Yes, I told Blaine I felt like Angelina. I don't look like her, but wouldn't like my lips feeling like this all the time, soooo....

Switched to my own snorkel today, and I am fine. Must have been sensitive to something in that mouthpiece.

Sweet of you, Pia. Thanks. 100% resolved. And having a great trip!

Yay! Good news!!