Food allergy phobia

[viole927]

Back in July I had a horrible panic attack, but at the time I thought i was having an allergic reaction to the food that I was eating at the time. I felt like i couldn't breathe, my body got hot, i felt dizzy and my throat was itching and tightening. I was so scared that I called 911 and was rushed to the ER. The Dr examined me and said that everything is fine and that I was having an anxiety attack.  Ever since then I now have a food allergy phobia.  I've been having panic attacks lately whenever i eat food, especially when i go out to eat or order in. I'll be eating my food and then during it or after I start to panic. I get these sensations in my throat. Sometimes it feels like its swelling, tightening, itchy or dry. Some spices that I have noticed that are on the foods that I eat cause my throat to get itchy as well, but I am not really allergic to foods.  Anyway,  during these panic attacks I check my chest and arms for hives and I constantly look in my throat to see if there's anything there because the itchiness and tightening in my throat drives me nuts. Then after drinking tons of water and trying to talk myself out of it, the feeling goes away and I feel better. My throat will still kinda bother me though, but after a few hours I feel fine.  I really don't know what to do about this because it is literally ruining my life. I am so scared that I'll eat something and my throat will close up and I won't be able to breathe. I carry around Benadryl just in case.  Do you think I should get a food allergy test done to make sure that I am not allergic to any foods?  What are some ways to overcome this?

Thank you

[viole927]

Thank you so much! I will def try and cutting out foods and seeing if it helps!

[Julie359]

U may have something called food intolerances, this is different to allergy but can produce some of the feelings ur experiencing.  With an intolerance you can get the itchiness in throat and even anxiety symptoms, it still means your body is having a reaction but just noit as severe as having an allergic reaction.  In your case I personally believe your having partly both an intolerance reaction and anxiety attacks... The anxiety attack may be made worse by the food reaction.

What you should consider doing is cutting out these foods and spices that provoke a reaction for at least 6 weeks, then very slowly reintroduce them one at a time, leaving a gap of at least three days between each food introduction.  This will let u knw fairly clearly which foods u react to and once u establish them u can steer clear altogther.

Most allergy clinics don't really look for intolerances but there are also kits u can buy to help u work out what u react to as well, which from experience are fairly realible.

If once u do this u discover that in actual fact ur just randomly having panic attacks each time u eat, then I would say its time to seek professional help and seek out a therpist who speicalises in CBT (google n hava read up).  You really don't want to develop a eating disorder due to ur connection of food n fear.

Goodiluck n all the best xxx  

[viole927]

I forgot to add if its possible that I may have an oral allergy and if that is why i sometimes have an itchy throat as well as sometimes my mouth and tongue feeling tingly?