Latex Allergy Stories

Krissy's Story

I discovered my latex allergy following the birth of my first daughter in 2003. It was discovered that my breast milk was leaking into my latex bra causing a rash from head to toe and difficulty breathing. My symptoms baffled my dr's including a dermatologist and was put on prednisone (stopped nursing). I quickly discovered the most amazing... Read more ›

Amber's Story

All my life I have had a problem with band-aids. I would get red welts and we always thought it was due to the adhesive. The welt from the band-aid always took longer to heal than what the band-aid was originally covering.In 2009 I had surgery, informed the medical staff of my issue with adhesive - so none was used, but I still had an itchy rash... Read more ›

Tater's Story

In May of 2014 our 8 year old son was diagnosed with a very severe Type 1 Latex Allergy. We have to carry two epi's at a time everywhere since it hits him so fast and so often. The doctors recommended a medical alert service dog to help us get control of his life back. Meet Tater (our son) and Tot (yes he named him). Just completed basic... Read more ›

Renatta's Story

My parents discovered my latex allergy at a young age. I must have been about 3 years old. I was playing with a latex glove and my parents that saw I had broken out in hives and that my tongue was swelling. My airway was tight and the hives were spreading. They took me to the local hospital and the doctors confirmed my reaction as Type 1... Read more ›

Martha's Story

At a community barbeque our 10-year-old daughter was drawn to the clown making balloon animals. She ran to have a ladybug made. She loved it and wore it on her wrist. Upon returning home from the 10 minute drive, her wrist was blistered with bleeding lesions. We remembered a similar reaction the previous summer and only then realized that the... Read more ›

Tara's Story

I knew I was allergic to latex in the late 90's while working as an EMT. My hands would swell and itch. There was a university hospital that had non-latex supplies and would let me have some for personal usage. My company didn't get non-latex supplies for several years. So I just stayed away from it. Read more ›

Claire's Story

I asked my daughter to order a foam rubber mattress for my bed. We had all thru our house in the country but many years ago. She did and I was covered with an unbearable itch all over my body. It took a while but we finally realized it was the latex. Claire Read more ›

Rhea's Story

Almost ten years ago, I gave my daughter twelve purple latex balloons full of helium on her birthday. I had no problems with balloons at that time. Over the past ten years, I must use latex free products like gloves and bandages. Read more ›

Scott's Story

I spent most of my adult life as a Paramedic for an EMS agency. About 20 years ago I started developing these little fluid filled blisters on my hands when wearing latex gloves, they itched something awful and hurt when they broke open. Later, I started developing a rash when wearing gloves. I finally went to my manager and Read more ›

Nancy's Story

I learned that I had a severe allergy to Latex when I was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer in 2009. Due to all the latex still being used in the hospitals, and the use of it on me, I almost died. My breathing stopped, I turned bright red all over with itchy hives, went into a coma and all my organs started to close down. It turned out that one of... Read more ›

Cindy's Story

Around fifteen years ago, at the age of 35, I was faced with having my tonsils taken out. As I was waking up I heard two nurses talking, over the top of me, and saying "What happened to her?" When I was able to talk I asked my husband if they told him anything about latex, he responded with "No!" At that time I brushed it off. Latex allergies was... Read more ›

Jenna's Story

When I was a baby, I was allergic to bandaids. I would get a rash after a day or so of having it on my skin. My parents weren't worried about it since it's common for babies. Over the years I'd get painful, itchy rashes from things but I couldn't figure out what they were from. It bugged me but I ignored it. Read more ›

Mary Grace's Story

Ever since I was a kid I couldn't stand socks, or band aids. One day I was using some gloves, it was a hot day and my arms, hands, and face started swelling. It got so bad that I couldn't breathe. About three days later my throat was still sore and swelling. My mother took me to the doctor and they diagnosed me with mono, then in about 2 more days... Read more ›

Becky's Story

I'm an EMT and wear gloves quite a bit. I didn't realize I was allergic to latex until we had several runs in one day and it was very hot. My hands and arms turned red, burnt, and eventually cracked across my hands. After a couple of more days similar to the first day I asked the ER doctor what the problem was. He never thought twice just said "... Read more ›

Peggy's Story

Peggy’s Story Since it is Latex Allergy Awareness Week, 2012, I thought I would finally share part of my story. Read more ›

Anne Marie's Story

My 13 year old daughter has had a latex allergy since she was 2. It was discovered at her dentist appointment first reaction seemed like a mosquito bite on her face. Next visit 6months later a few more hives around mouth and lips thought it was from the fluoride treatment. Her third visit we came home with the dentist hand print on her face made... Read more ›

Jessi's Story

My first major allergic reaction was in a college chemistry lab, I put on my gloves and goggles, and I started to work on an experiment. After about 5 minutes I felt kind-of sick to my stomach, and my throat, was really tight, and I felt itchy and sweaty on my arms, face and chest. Read more ›

Molly's Story

My story is that two weeks ago I found out that my wonderful, expensive, healthy latex mattress is causing me a LOT of health problems. Previously I'd known that the latex in my underwear caused redness and itching, but it did not bother me a lot. However, about 3 years ago I purchased the latex mattress and my health has deteriorated severely... Read more ›

Judy's Story

I have known I had a latex sensitivity for many years. However, after two surgeries, it has now been diagnosed as Type I Latex Allergy. I am a teacher of young children. I was standing in a doorway during an assembly one day. Read more ›

Ericka's Story

I am currently a student in an Occupational Therapy Assistant program, and it was not until 2 months into my program I found out that I had a latex allergy. I found this out the hard way, being in class with 20+ students stretching Thera Band™. Thera Band™ is an elastic stretching band that many facilities such as Physical Therapy, and... Read more ›

Jennifer's Story

We first suspected a latex allergy when my daughter was almost two years old. We put a bandaid on a sore on her arm. A few days later, when we took it off, welts had formed just under the adhesive part of the bandaid. The welts gradually shrunk, but even a year later, you can still tell where the bandaid was placed, as some redness remained. ... Read more ›

Kristal's Story

Me and my boyfriend would use latex condoms. Before him, I wasn't really sexually active so there was no possible way that I could have known that i was allergic to the condoms. Every time after having sexual intercourse, my lady parts would get itchy. They would also burn, and occasionally get a little swollen. This would only happen after sex.... Read more ›

Cathryn's Story

I am a nurse working in the operating room. After a few years of wearing powdered latex gloves I developed a dermatitis reaction and changed to non latex gloves. One day I went in to relieve another nurse. Within a few minutes, I had red welts on my face, chest and trunk. After a few more minutes, I began having trouble breathing. I went to the... Read more ›

Angie's Story

I had never had a problem with latex allergies before. In fact, I was a clown you used the "character balloons" in my shows. I was diagnosed with MRSA in late 2004. Soon after, I began a treatment for the MRSA with a drug called Zyvox. It threw my immune system into overdrive and I could not tolerate ANY medication necessary to maintain my healthy... Read more ›

Laura's Story

I am (was) a health care worker and I was recently forced to leave the field because of a progressive latex allergy. I was diagnosed 2 years ago with a contact allergy which was reasonably easy to control. However, in the past month, I had 2 reactions in which I started to experience respiratory symptoms. I was informed by my employer that I could... Read more ›