Food Anxiety Ruining My Life

[Crazy]

So I had an allergic reaction 2 years ago that ended me in the hospital. The doctors didn't tell me what I was allergic to so I went to an allergy specialist... well, they did a test then gave me a list of everything I "was allergic to" but then they told me the test was only 50% accurat!!!!! For example, shellfish and barley were on there but I've eaten them my whole life with no issue as far as I know but it also had grass and cats on it which I know I'm allergic to.

Ever since then I've been afraid of all foods and new things in general and it's ruining my life down to me not trying new make ups or eating anything that I didn't specifically watch get made. Rice and noodles are my diet now and it drives my husband and friends crazy and I'm always hungry. I don't know what to do to make it better i can't afford epipens...

Can someone please give me advice on how to not have a panic attack every time I eat?

[Catherine S]

Allergies can occur at any time in your life, and with food, you can react to something you've happily eaten before. Sometimes it's just part of life. People who develop Crohn's disease later in life find they have to give up eating things they could eat previously. Most people have at least one food item or drink that makes them ill enough to avoid it.

But reading your post, it seems that you haven't had much closure on what you reacted to that put you in the hospital that day....you've only been given 'maybe this or could be that', so now you are suspicious of everything. Can you not find out what they thought you might have reacted to...you should be able to ask for your records, not sure how the system works in the US though.

You're in a downward health anx spiral, but fear of eating can eventually lead to anorexia if your fears about food become rooted. So you really need to get a doctor on board with this and find out for sure what's going on.

Also...you have to pay for epi-pens there? That's a big surprise tbh. It re-enforces how well off we are here to have our free national health system.

Take care x