[Note: I'm not a medical professional; this isn't medical advice, just stuff
I've gleaned by researching this problem with a laywoman's understanding, so
take with a grain of salt. Also, this is for Lyn, but I'm responding to the
whole list, in case anyone else is in a similar situation.]

Lyn--check with the manufacturer (or if you don't have the contact info for
the manufacturer, try the place from which you purchased the matress) and
ask them specifically if the mattress contains natural rubber latex. Latex
can be used as a general term in manufacturing; the allergy is to natural
rubber latex derived from the rubber tree. Synthetic rubber should be okay,
unless you're actually allergic to the chemicals involved in processing,
which can be found in either natural or synthetic products.

If you are allergic, it is best to avoid natural rubber latex if at all
possible. However, some people have been able to tolerate contact with
natural rubber by encasing the elastic, item, etc. in cloth so it does not
touch the skin. There are two types of latex allergy, type I and type IV.
Type I tends to have systemic reactions, including breathing problems,
wheezing, hives, etc., and can lead to a potentially fatal reaction called
anaphylactic shock (much like someone who's severely allergic to peanuts or
beestings). Type IV tends to be contact based--there may be eczema or
itching, burning, rash, etc. when in contact with the allergen. You can
have both types, and even if you 'just' react to contact, you MAY, and I
stress MAY, be at risk of developing the more systemic variety over time, so
it's still a good idea to limit exposure whenever possible. Also, allergies
tend to have a 'load'; that is, the more allergens you're body is exposed
to, the worse you tend to react. So, if a person's allergic to grass
pollen, is eating foods he or she is allergic to, and sleeping with animals
to which he or she is allergic, he or she will probably be quicker to react,
feel generally worse, and may be unable to tell what he or she is reacting
to--some symptoms may be masked by others. So allergists generally have you
cut down on exposure. [Now that I've left an apartment in a 150-year-old
house that was giving me fits and bumped my cats and dogs out of the bedroom
entirely, for example, I can tolerate pizza every now and then, even though
I'm allergic to wheat and milk].

I know that you're already dealing with doctors for the arthritis and
fibromyalgia, but it really could be in your best interest to find a good
allergist. There's been recent work in a possible connexion between
fibromyalgia and allergies (especially food allergies). Also, allergies and
rheumatoid arthritis are both immune system problems--your body begins to
react to normal things (like your own body or various proteins--whether
latex, animal, food, etc.) and that makes you feel ill. And fibromyalgia,
and allergies, I know, tend to worsen with stress. (I'm not sure about
rheumatoid arthritis; I don't experience with that, but I have both FM and
lots and lots of allergies, latex just being the crown on top of most
everything else around me).

Unfortunately, diagnosing latex allergy isn't always simple. Allergy tests
in general are not extremely accurate, and the ones used for latex allergy
aren't well codified or proven. Many latex allergy sufferers are diagnosed
more on history than quantitative tests; For example, I score barely
positive on scratch tests, with a negative RAST--but I have a long history
of reacting to gloves, condoms, elastic, etc. And like fibromyalgia, latex
allergy is controversial, so you sometimes find idiots who want to tell you
it's all in your head. Check and see if you can find an allergist who has
experience with latex allergy--not only are you more likely to get someone
who is informed about this problem, but you're less likely to encounter
latex in the office itself. Allergy testing can be expensive, especially
without insurance, but if you're not going for a full battery and just
looking at latex or certain cross-reactive foods, it isn't as bad. You'll
probably want to talk to an allergist before you make lots of major changes
in your life. However, in the meantime, you should tell your other doctors,
dentists, other health care workers that you think you may have a natural
rubber latex allergy so they can take precautions. Having this allergy
means walking a very thin line between panicking (and there gets to be a
point where it seems like you can't enjoy your life because you're avoiding
everything) and pooh-poohing the problem (and therefore putting yourself at
risk for a potentially life-threatening reaction). Finding a balanced point
in between can be difficult, but there are more and more people out there
who can serve as resources, in my own experience, the medical community is
taking this much more seriously than they once did. Hope that helps!

Lisa Rowan
erowan@...