Can I take loratadine if I have food allergies?

Loratadine can be taken to relieve symptoms of mild to moderate food allergy, but it is only effective for mild histamine-mediated skin and mucous membranes. Using it in severe allergies will delay the opportunity for emergency treatment.

Not long ago, my best friend ate half a Tainong mango. As soon as she put down the peel, her mouth became red, and it was so itchy that she wanted to scratch it. At that time, I happened to have an open box of loratadine on hand. Within half an hour of taking it, most of the itching was gone, and the redness and swelling were basically gone the next day. In fact, hers is a very typical symptom of mild to moderate food allergy. We usually have wheals, itchy skin, itchy eyes, itchy nose, and stinging and redness of oral mucosa after eating allergenic foods. Most of them are caused by the stimulation of histamine released by mast cells in the body. Loratadine is commonly used. The second-generation H1 antihistamines used can just block the binding of histamine to receptors, cutting off the source of such discomfort reactions at the root. The side effects are much smaller than those of the older generation antihistamines, and drowsiness is rare. It is no problem to have the preparation at home to deal with such mild symptoms.

However, I have also seen many people saying that taking loratadine for food allergies is useless, and even almost dangerous. In fact, most of them are not sure about its applicable boundaries. I once saw a news story about a boy who was severely allergic to peanuts. He accidentally ate a cookie mixed with crushed peanuts. As soon as he developed rashes all over his body and a tight throat, he took loratadine. He lay in bed and waited for improvement. However, within ten minutes he was out of breath. His roommate called 120 and sent him to the emergency department. He was already in shock when he arrived. A severe allergic reaction like this, which has already caused laryngeal edema, difficulty breathing, severe abdominal pain, dizziness and unsteadiness, progresses very quickly. It takes at least an hour for loratadine to take effect, which cannot keep up with the progress of the disease. At this time, the only effective emergency medicine is an epinephrine pen. If you wait for the antihistamine to take effect, your life may be in danger.

Another pitfall that many people have stepped on is that loratadine is used as a "talisman" for food allergies. I have a friend who is allergic to shrimp. I heard someone say that if you take loratadine in advance, you can eat seafood. I deliberately took one pill in advance and went to the seafood buffet. As a result, I started vomiting and diarrhea before eating two pills. I had wheals all over my body. I went to the emergency room in the middle of the night and took hormones to suppress it. In fact, loratadine can only relieve symptoms, but cannot prevent allergic reactions at all, and it cannot replace allergen avoidance. Even if you eat it in advance, as long as you are allergic to a certain food, it may still trigger an allergy after ingestion. The drug may even mask early mild symptoms, delaying the discovery of serious reactions.

To put it bluntly, if you only have a slight reaction in the skin and mucous membranes after eating allergenic foods, it is absolutely fine to take loratadine. But as long as you have severe discomfort in breathing, digestion or the whole body, don’t hesitate. It is safest to call 120 as soon as possible.