>
Article snippet: When Kammy Eisenberg broke out in hives last December, she attributed it to stress. But the rash persisted, and Ms. Eisenberg was covered in hives “from head to toe” for eight months. “It was everywhere,” said Ms. Eisenberg, 52, who lives in Atlanta. “I was beyond itchy.” Even powerful drugs like prednisone provided only moderate relief, she said. “My allergist was at a loss.” She eventually consulted Dr. Robert Swerlick, an Emory University dermatologist known to take on difficult cases, who reviewed her medical record and suggested that since she was allergic to sulfa drugs, she might also be sensitive to dyes used to color medications. Within days, Ms. Eisenberg switched her anti-allergy pills, which contained two blue dyes, even though they looked white, to a dye-free brand. “The day after I switched, I was 90 percent better,” Ms. Eisenberg said, adding, “I was swallowing my problem by the handful every day.” Doctors disagree on whether food additives like dyes, preservatives, stabilizers, emulsifiers and other substances can provoke a true allergic reaction. Medical journals have published case reports of allergic responses to food additives, including anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening reaction that causes the throat to constrict. But many allergists say such reactions are extremely rare, noting that the reports are anecdotal and that rigorous double-blinded studies have not found evidence that allergies to food additives exist. “It’s very, very ra... Link to the full article to read more