Allergic reaction to formaldehyde: Has anyone else dealt with this?

So, I wanted to share a little bit about the allergy situation I’ve been dealing with lately. It all started with a nickel allergy, which was actually a side effect of developing occupational asthma from my work, and honestly, it means I have to be incredibly careful about what I eat because even a small slip-up can trigger a reaction. But lately, things have taken a bit of a scary turn because I’ve started reacting to formaldehyde too. It’s this toxic stuff that, if I even get near it, causes my throat to swell up and makes me feel like I can't breathe, which is just terrifying, right? The biggest headache right now, though, is trying to find decent shoes to wear. It feels like almost every single manufacturer out there—I’d go so far as to say everyone—is using formaldehyde in their processes. Has anyone else here ever dealt with this specific kind of allergy? And more importantly, does anyone know where I might actually be able to find some footwear that is completely formaldehyde-free? Thanks so much in advance!

Amy Howard54 said:To give you the short version of my allergy situation: I’m allergic to nickel, which actually stemmed from occupational asthma. I have to be incredibly careful about what I eat to avoid an allergic reaction. But lately, I’ve started reacting to formaldehyde. It’s a toxic component that causes my throat to swell up and makes me feel like I'm suffocating if I come into contact with it. My biggest headache right now is finding decent shoes. It feels like almost every manufacturer out there uses formaldehyde in their process. Has anyone else dealt with this kind of allergy? Does anyone know where I can find footwear that's formaldehyde-free? Thanks in advance.

From what I understand, any clothing or footwear treated with formaldehyde during manufacturing is banned in the USA, so it really should be regulated here too. Usually, it's products coming out of China or India that contain it. Your best bet is to stick to brands that manufacture entirely within Europe.
In a weird way, you might be lucky that you can detect it immediately.