Food Allergies Suck!!

My most favorite thing to eat are shrimps. I love them cooked in any way. I love them fried the most. Being that I am a born and raised Louisiana girl, this would seem like a good combo. Seafood is huge here. There is only one problem. I am allergic to them. :( Yes, it's true and so sad. I have not always been allergic to them. I wasn't aware of this particular food allergy until I was 14. Until that fateful moment, I was blissfully unaware that I was ingesting something that wasn't good for me. I used to eat shrimp at least 3 times a week in some form. It was a staple in my family and in my house.

The night all of this changed was a horrible one. We had just returned from a class trip to Atlanta, Ga. While there for 5 days, I believe I ate a shrimp dish every day. After going to sleep, I woke up feeling ill and itchy. Before turning on my lights, I scratched my neck and my chest over my heart and rubbed my eyes. My body was hot to touch. I went into the bathroom and turned on the light to look at myself in the mirror. I was red and splotchy all over. My eyes were swollen. My hands were red and I was watching bumps rise up all over my body. Then, my throat started to tighten as well as my heart. I was in pain and panicing quietly in the bathroom. I got into the shower and stood under the cold water because I was so hot. After getting out, I went to wake my Mom up to show her what was happening. She took one look at me and knew. She was allergic to seafood and recognized the symptoms. It was a terrible experience that I would repeat for years. Sue me, I'm hardheaded. I loved shrimp too much to not eat it.

I finally learned how to control my food allergy. I do not eat shrimp as much as I used too. But, yes, I still have it. It's gotten to a point that I can take over the counter Benadryl for it. I know food allergies can be deadly. I do not take it lightly. I just feel that I am growing out of mine. I haven't had a reaction from eating shrimps in a few years. Which, by the way, is great. I think it's awful to have a severe food allergy. It's the worst. For years, I would just eat shrimps and suffer the cosequences. I have gotten so much better at avoiding eating them. It's a struggle because they are so good. But, for the most part, I persevered. Do any of you suffer from food allergies? If so, which ones? Let's dish.