my upper lip suddenly swelled up loads-should i be worried?

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so my upper lip just randomly swelled up loads about half an hour ago,and i've no idea why...
the only thing i could possibly attribute it to is that i smoked a joint,but that in itself is not an entirely rare occurence...
could this be anything dangerous,or is it just some weird thing that'll go away?
i mean,i wouldn't normally worry,and its not that sore,but its really swollen...

― robin (robin), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 02:50 (twenty-two years ago)

i've seen this happen with food allergies, like seafood for example..

― the surface noise (electricsound), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 02:52 (twenty-two years ago)

unless you burnt yourself... not that I've um.. done this or anything. You know. Nope. Not me.

― luna (luna.c), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 02:53 (twenty-two years ago)

coldsore, possibly? My lip swells like a bastard when i get them. is it itchy/tingly?

Also, what Jim said. Allergies, maybe an insect bite?

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 02:53 (twenty-two years ago)

it feels like its a little burnt,but not really,i mean,i only had a few drags off a joint-this doesn't normally happen...
i'm not too worried,but it is really really swollen
as long as it couldn't be a manifestation of anything actually dangerous i don't mind...

― robin (robin), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 02:54 (twenty-two years ago)

i nominate myself for worst thread idea ever,by the way...

― robin (robin), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 02:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I think becky lucas beat you, sugar.

― luna (luna.c), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 02:56 (twenty-two years ago)

YES, it could be a manifestation of something dangerous. you may have developed an allergy; swelling of the lips and windpipe is one type of allergic reaction which most people are aware of. the treatment is adrenaline, normally carried in an injection.

go to a doctor, and do it soon.

― Danny Quintana (danny quintana), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 02:57 (twenty-two years ago)

really?
i haven't eaten anything in a while though...

― robin (robin), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 02:59 (twenty-two years ago)

what would be the danger if it is an allergy?
i mean its not getting any bigger i dont think...

― robin (robin), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 03:00 (twenty-two years ago)

i totally jumped when i read this -- you've described, perfectly, a symptom of an allergic reaction. if your windpipe was going to constrict, i'm thinking it would have done it already, so it's not an emergency. but i would go to a doctor sooner rather than later. outpatients at any A&E should do -- it's good if they can actually examine the swelling.

― Danny Quintana (danny quintana), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 03:02 (twenty-two years ago)

don't kid yourself about the food thing either. the cause of 90% of allergic reactions is never detected.

― Danny Quintana (danny quintana), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 03:05 (twenty-two years ago)

hmm...could it get worse if i leave it though?
its 3 in the morning here

― robin (robin), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 03:06 (twenty-two years ago)

nhs direct?

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 03:07 (twenty-two years ago)

robin, anaphylactic shock is the risk if you ate/took/were exposed to something you're allergic to. Probably you'll be just fine, but anaphylaxis is nothing at which to sneeze. At the very least call a nurse's hotline or something. They will probably tell you to see a doctor.

― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 03:12 (twenty-two years ago)

its ok,i just talked to my dad who is a doctor,he says if it was anything to worry about it would have spread in some way,and not stayed the same for half an hour...
i reckon it must be a burn of some sort...
fairly weird though...
sorry to bother everyone...

― robin (robin), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 03:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Could it be a bug bite?

― tokyo rosemary (rosemary), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 04:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I nearly died from anaphylactic shock when I was nineteen (banana) and the same will happen if I eat walnuts. The lip thing happens with Gala apples for me but it's harmless aside from looking way too pouty for my face. If it was dangerous, you'd be covered in hives by now. Which is sexy, but it's no backne.

― Le Coq (DarrenK), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 04:21 (twenty-two years ago)

As a general rule, the first one (or two or so) allergic reactions to something that causes your lip to swell/start going numb are fairly mild. If you keep exposing yrself to the allergen, subsequent reactions are more severe, sometimes all the way up to anaphylactic shock. As I recall, the last two times I had the swelling from the start of an allergic reaction, the back of my throat got really tickly & my eyes were kind of swollen... I think you can just have any one of those alone, though.

Of course it could just be a cold sore or something, but if you have any doubts about it being caused by an allergic reaction, you should go see a doctor. The doctor can do a set of allergy tests to see if you have reactions to anything. Not to scare you or anything, but a lot of times you only get one or two "mild" reactions to stuff you're allergic to before you body goes into full on "get this out of me!" mode on the next exposure.

― lyra (lyra), Wednesday, 14 January 2004 04:25 (twenty-two years ago)

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