How do you eat what you are afraid of?

**Its a New Day** · Post by **Its a New Day** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 11:28 am

My struggle with eating healthy is that I have convinced myself through years of anxiety that I am possibly allergic to every food that people have common allergies to and I haven't eaten alot of them for years because of that fear. I know that this sounds stupid but is really hard to overcome. The fear of my throat swelling shut because of a certain food has controlled what I will eat.

rica516 · Post by **rica516** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 12:10 pm

Oh no, it doesn't seem silly at all. I am living it. I'd have body symptoms associated with food and quit eating them. I STILL am having body symptoms with certain foods, but am getting better at recognizing that alot of it is anxiety- I use the skills from the program to help. I did have allergy testing done (IgE is what tests for anaphylaxis). The only food that tested "medium" level allergy was corn. I'm going to have a corn challenge at the allergists' office in about a week to see if it is a true allergy. I am definitely intolerant to milk, but not allergic. The program has helped me tremendously to deal with symptoms and fear, but it was also helpful to talk with an allergist.

Jstmagn · Post by **Jstmagn** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 3:13 am

I know exactly how you feel.
I have gone through the exact samething.
I did talk to my doctor about it and we also did an allergy test. My test came back that I am not allergic to anything. I still questioned it, wondering if I would become allergic to anything. I am 41 years old and my doctor said that he would bet his license that I will never have an allergic reaction to food. I kept those words in my head and slowly started adding the foods back into my diet. I have days when I feel more confident than others and can eat whatever I want, then I have days where I question it. I have given myself permission to feel those days knowing that there is something else triggering the feelings of being afraid of food and I don't worry about it anymore knowing that I'll probably eat it tommorrow. I may have this issue the rest of my life and I have been able to have the attitude of "Oh Well" there are worse things out there I could have and everybody, even people without anxiety, have things they avoid so I am really not that different.
Start with talking to your doctor about this let him ease your mind and if you don't have the program consider investing in it.
You are not alone, we know how you feel and it is not anything to be ashamed of.
God Bless You

**Its a New Day** · Post by **Its a New Day** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 11:57 am

Jstmagn,
Thank you for your reply. I have had such a hard time because I know how ridiculous it is to be afraid of food. I do have the program and am doing awesome with all of my other anxiety issues, this just seems to be the one I am stuck on. I should go get allergy tests but I am afraid of the reaction that could cause LOL. I have limited myself so much I eat NO fruits or veggies except potatoes, I eat nothing that has ever been near a nut, it is crazy. It is good to hear that someone else has made it through this.

belinda1974 · Post by **belinda1974** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 1:20 pm

Hello there,

I am going through the same thing right now. I have a panic attack everytime I eat. I have not been to the doctor for allergy tests but that is a good idea. I just tell myself that I have NEVER had an allergic reaction to any food and that what I am feeling is anxiety. It is still really difficult but I am able to eat. Good luck!

rica516 · Post by **rica516** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 5:59 am

I understand, belinda!
johnsonnelly- they can do a blood test.

**Its a New Day** · Post by **Its a New Day** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 6:39 am

Rica,
How does the blood test work??

rica516 · Post by **rica516** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 1:43 am

Sorry for the delayed response. For the blood test, they will draw several tubes of blood and then in a lab see how your blood responds to certain substances, like foods. They measure a substance called IgE, which is responsible for allergic responses.

JOSEPHINEXX · Post by **JOSEPHINEXX** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 7:05 am

When did this first start? What was going on in your life at the time...How is is affecting your life now? Are you avoiding certain situations...that kind of thing...are you holding on to something of the past that you no longer need? And finally, even if you did have a food allergy, it is very unlikely that it would manifest itself in such a dramatic way .

Anxious Jenny · Post by **Anxious Jenny** » Sun Jul 11, 2010 1:12 pm

This is such an old post but I was looking to see if anyone had the same problem of being scared of an allergy to foods. My fear has become an obsession. I won't eat anything that are the common food allergens too! It's so crazy and it frustrates me so much but I feel like I can't help it. For a while every time I ate eggs for breakfast I would get a stomach ache and then one day I ate Chicken Francese (this one seemed to have had a lot of egg coating) and got stomach pain and diarrhea right after I ate it. I also noticed when I would eat almonds the roof of my mouth would get a little itchy. But, I thought for a while, it's probably just my anxiety and I'm thinking about it too much. I decided then I was allergic to shell fish, strawberries, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, apples, etc. I got smart and decided to go to an allergist. They tested me and said that I have a slight allergy to eggs and to tree nuts sure enough! But nothing else beside mold and dust mite (which doesn't bother me because most people are) But the allergist I went to drove me insane by not giving me straight answers and delving into my anxiety disorder. He was inferring that my anxiety/panic disorder was coming from something else going on in my body! He was scarring the crap out of me! So here I sit not touching anything with egg or tree nuts in it afraid that I'll go into anaphylaxis even though he said that I wouldn't! And still afraid to eat the other things that he said I wasn't allergic too! Aghhhhhh! I just want this damn anxiety to go away already! I HATE it! I HATE it! I HATE it! I was NEVER this way (Hypochondriac) before! 2 years ago my world got turned upside down with this! I wish there was a miracle for this problem! To help us all!