Food allergies

[Scared_11]

This is my new fear!

I am becoming so scared of having a severe allergic reaction to anything I eat that I dot want to eat at all!!

I have oral allergy syndrome with apples strawberries and pears but have never had any severe reaction!

I dot want to eat anything an I know this is going to take over my life! Can anyone help or offer advise! I don't know what to do and I feel so fearful I don't want to leave the house.

Thanks

[Andromeda]

'but have never had any severe reaction'

I think you've sort of answered you're own question there.

Many people have mild reactions to things and as far as I'm aware OAS is fairly common.

You just have to be cautious when it comes to eating fresh fruit and vegetables.

I recommend discussing your worries with your GP, they'll be able to give you the best advice about keeping the OAS under control.

It would be very very rare for you to have a severe reaction so you need to weigh up the probabilities. You can't avoid things out of fear, it will ruin your life.

:flowers:

[xJust_Sarahx]

Hi
i can totally relate to u on this. I have never been allergic to anything food wise in the past but the last year or so i have been obsessed with what i eat. I wont barely eat anything and i have lost so much weight and its even harder now becaus eim pregnant. But i wont eat anything containing nuts or seeds etc even if it does only say "may" and yet i never used to be allergic to anything of that stuff.

I dont enjoy food at all these days and foods i used to enjoy are out this time of years but i dont dar eeat them, im scared incase you can develope allergies etc, and if i eat something even if it doesnt contain stuff im scared of then i will still think im going to react to it, and i wont try anything new just things im familar with.
Its torture.

Im craving pickled onions at the mo with this pregnancy but they all say they may contain nuts.

[Scared_11]

I just don't know what to do with this one!! I am so scared of food even touching it is making me feel itchy!! I have always been a huge fan of food and eating out and trying new thins but I can't bare the thought to eat out now!

It's such a horrible fear to have. Do I go to the doctors for an allergy test? I am anxious about doing this as I fear it will show I have allergies I didn't know I had and my phobia will become worse!

I don't want this to take over and I know I shud not change my eating habits but I feel like I am on a downward spiral and I am going to end up living on water and bread! Because I have had mild reactions to fruit in the past I can't face eating any fruits atall as I fear I will collapse and stop breathing!

I think the fact that allergic reactions can develop at any time, I think that this is going to happen to me. I need help with this and a don't know what to do.

Thank u for ur replies, and xJust_Sarahx I hope this is something we can get over.

[Andromeda]

Like i said, there's only so much reassurance you can get here, if you really want to tackle the problem you need to discuss it with your doctor before it gets out of control.

The obsessive thoughts will just manifest themselves in other ways unless you deal with the underlying issues X

[AllInMyHead]

Have you considered CBT?

It seems that the problem is the way you have started thinking about food. CBT would help you to 'retrain' the way you are thinking about it, and help you get back to enjoying it again xxx

[Scared_11]

I have had CBT before for OCD and intrusive thoughts. I am not sure how it wud help me with this one!! I think I need to go to my go an have some tests done!! I just don't want to hear something that I don't like or that will make me worry more!

[Zee]

I developed a "food anxiety" almost 2 years ago..Mine started off with eating honey and had very bad indigestion pains. I was afraid to eat anything for days..and then I started to fear eating most anything..I also lost a lot of weight because of the low amount of calories I was eating...I had tests done for allergies...It was found that I had intolerances rather than allergies with certain foods..with intolerances im ok eating the ingredient but in low amounts. e.g. wheat /gluten intolerance..Im ok eating just 2 slices bread per day. Lactose intolerance..just have to read the food labels..there are other intolerances, and I have avoided certain foods because of the discomfort to my digestive system...Ive just learned what foods im ok with and make sure I steer away from highly processed foods.
I just started off trying foods in very small amounts, and progressed from there when I was sure I had no tum discomfort from them.

[allergyphobia]

You are me!!

I have oral allergy syndrome and developed a massive food phobia because of it. I'm at work right now but I promise i will write to you properly as soon as I can.

Be gentle on yourself, one mouthful at a time - don't worry about fruits at the moment, you can find loads on oral allergy syndrome online but i'd say to not read up on it as it can scare you more than it can help! Everyone is different with it but it commonly a mild syndrome that doesn't progress into anything more.

I have had tests to confirm my OAS but they do not give you an epi pen or anything like that. We have a support group on facebook if you are on there?

It's scary and frustrating but your anxiety is perfectly normal. I avoid nearly all fresh fruit and veg as I am too scared to try anything - but that doesn't inhibit me too much. Just don't let your phobia take over all foods - it can really go crazy in your head.

Look back at my old threads you can see what A mess I was but I am leaps and bounds ahead now.

Will write more when i have time - stay strong

Allergy x

---------- Post added at 15:07 ---------- Previous post was at 14:55 ----------

Also try not to fret about getting tested unless your reactions get more serious (which is VERY unlikely). The NHS are not particularly bothered about OAS as they consider it mild and they simply won't test you for much as it is too costly - they will basically ask you if you are able to eat cooked apple pie, and if you can, you have OAS not a direct food allergy.

[Scared_11]

Yes I had read some of ur posts and could relate to them so much!! The allergic reactions I experienced with strawberries and apples were just in the form of itchy throat lips and a small swelling of the lips!! I haven't ate them since!!

I have read loads about it on the Internet and your right, the information just scared me even more.

I am just so scared of developing allergies to all other things. I feel anxious after everything I eat. Even things that I have always ate throughout my life.

I have to dye my hair this week aswell and I keep putting it off because I am scared of developing a reaction to this aswell xx