How To Live with Allergies to Eggs

Eggs are an excellent source of proteins, especially the egg white, and are found in many food products. However, for people with an allergy to eggs, consumption of eggs leads to allergic reactions which may be as mild as red and bumpy hives on the skin, to a life-threatening condition called anaphylaxis. Diagnosing an egg allergy often requires avoiding all egg containing products and then submitting to a food challenge under the care of a doctor. Learning to live with egg allergies is thus very important for people who have had allergic reactions to eggs. The following are some steps you can take:

1. Avoid keeping eggs in the same house as someone with an egg allergy. Even touching eggs or inhaling their smell can cause a person with egg allergies to have an allergic reaction, which could be potentially dangerous. It is not enough that the person with an egg allergy only avoids eating eggs, but they or anyone they live with should not even store eggs in their home.
2. Get a prescription for an "Epipen," which is a shot of epinephrine you can self-administer. In case you accidentally come in contact with egg products either in your home or outside, you should carry an "Epipen" with you which you can use to inject yourself with epinephrine in the case of severe allergic reaction. You should then proceed to your nearest emergency room or urgent care center as the medication in the Epipen only lasts temporarily.
3. Get advice from a dietitian. Because a lot of foods may contain egg products you should get the advice of a registered dietitian to help you choose foods that will give you a balanced diet and allow you to avoid food products containing eggs. Many food products these days are labeled as "containing egg products" to alert people with egg allergies, and you should avoid these foods.
4. Educate and involve your friends and loved ones. It is important to discuss with your family and loved ones the changes that you will need to make in your life and how they can best help you avoid egg containing food products. Letting your friends know about your egg allergy will help them avoid sharing any food product that might contain eggs with you.