I am going to start for the beginning, I feel this situation was the root of all my panic. 4 years ago, I got stung by a wasp. I had no idea that I was allergic, and was told that if I had waited 10 more min. to call the ambulance I would have died. I went into anaphlactic shock. I was swollen all over, hives every where, and could not breath. I was dizzy, and sick to my stomach. Before this, I was "normal". Ever since that day, I have been dealing with bad, bad panic attacks. I would avoid anything and everything that I have ever heard of anyone being allergic to. For example, shellfish, peaut butter, or any type of nut for that matter. Even if I had eaten those things my whole life, I wouldn't go near them for fear of another allergic reaction.I do not go anywhere without my epipen, not even the bathroom, even now, 4 years later.My reasinong was that I never knew I was allergic to wasps, what else don't I know about. Also that for some weird reson, because my body had reacted so strongly to that, mabey some kind of chemical change would have accoured and it would react that way to things I have had before. I know, crazy. The bad part about my panic attacks is that panic, and anaphalic shock, to me anyway, feel the exact same, with the exceptin of the hives and swelling. I can't get a breath, I am dizzy, and feel sick to my stomach. I feel like I am going to pass out.
I took me almost 4 years to slowly start to live normally again. I had tryed almost all of the foods agin, paniced bad, but lived, didn't have a reaction. (Still to scared to try shell fish though)Just recently I had finally started to feel better. I was getting control over the panic, and had finally convinced myself I was not allergic to any thing beside wasps.
AND THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN!!! My biggest fear relized. Only this time it was not wasps. It was somthing I didn't even know existed. I just found out I have exercise induced anaphlacsis. I had taked Lucinda's advice to exercise, and got a gym membership. I had worked out particularly hard the other day, and had to stop because I couldn't catch my breath. I thought it was just normal from the exercise, and was calm. Untill I saw the hives all over my stomach. After all these years of struggling with this fear of an allergic reaction, finally getting over it, even though took me 4 years, it was happing all over again.
I have slid back to the way I use to be. I am scared to death to do anything. I will prob. become anorexic because I am petrified to eat anything. I need to know if someone else has gone through anything similar to this. For my sanity, please let me know I am not totally alone in this!!! I feel like it is going to start all over agin, and I can't live like this again. It took me 4 years to get over it the first time it happened. I feel like I haven't been able to take a breath since it happened,(two days ago) and my midn will not stop racing.
Any way, thanks for letting me vent if nothing else.
HELP!!!! Panic and allergies (Long story, but I feel like I am losing it)
Meg ~ As far as the bee stings are concerned, my husband (who does not have issues with panic) had a severe allergic reaction to bees when he had never been allergic before. I got him to the hospital just in time. He was allergic to all bees and went through bee allergy shots. He does not have to have an Epipen. The allergy doctors tell him he is safer now than other people as he has built up immunity through the shots. I don't know if the two are related but when he gets hot thru exercise/high levels of activity a red rash develops on his shoulders, chest, stomach. The rash itches. Do you think you were short of breath due to the exercise? When this occurred do you think that you got scared and went into panic mode? I know this is scary so we are here for you. Vent all you want to as I have found that helps. Take care ~