My name is Eleonora. I’m 23,
I’ve been allergic to milk since I was born. I manage it thanks to my parents’ and friends’ support. Since childhood, I understood that I needed a Dairy allergy Test, a serious health problem. So, I’ve always been alert about what I eat. I have taken my full allergy medication and test kits with me for a long time. Two adrenaline, antihistamine drops and pills, and Ventolin. I’ve never forgotten them because I know they can save my life in case of anaphylactic shock. I must read the ingredients carefully when buying something in the supermarket.
When I go to restaurants, I must explain what I am allergic to to the servers and ask them what dishes I should eat. Often, I decide to take a salad or some beef, obviously without cheese, butter, or anything else that contains milk. If I’m unsure about something to eat, I decide not to eat it because my life is more important. When I go abroad with my parents or friends, we prefer to stay in a flat to cook meals at home, so I know what I eat. When I go to restaurants abroad, I eat beef or fish, obviously explaining what i’m allergic to and the risk of having an anaphylactic shock to restaurant staff. Due to my dairy issues, I learned with my mum to modify many recipes with ingredients I could eat, obtaining great results.
Feeling different
When I was younger, I saw my needs as a big problem when making new friends because I felt different from my peers. Luckily, I grew up and understood that being allergic to so many things did not hinder me from having friends. Now, my friends know that I am allergic to dairy and are very careful about what I eat. I have no shame in explaining what I’m allergic to to people because I’ve always lived with this issue with tranquillity, just paying attention to what I eat.
It is serious; sometimes, people don’t understand the danger. They confuse it with intolerance, but they are two different things. When I explained the risks, they understood that it is not a joke. In conclusion, I’ve learnt to live with my issues. Sometimes, I prefer not to eat something if I’m not sure I can, but I can still spend a wonderful day with my friends or relatives.
Margherita
Living with regular allergy Testing is challenging. I have been suffering from food issues since I was a child, but I was lucky to grow up in a family that never let me think that it was a big problem. I was educated to always ask about ingredients, be independent, and avoid food if unsure or comfortable about the dish. They are a part of me but did not impact my life negatively, even though I used to pay a lot of attention to them. This was a normality that I had accepted until I moved to a new city for my University studies. There, all my reality changed.
New people and a new environment tested and questioned me and my lifestyle, often undervaluing my condition. So, I started to research more and more on this issue that had always characterized me. I had never considered it so consciously. After that, I began to feel limited and different in a negative sense. In addition, my biggest fear became the possibility of having an allergic reaction that I could not control.
Anxiety about eating outside
For a long period, the anxiety of eating outside the home overcame the joy of participating in social life. Going out with friends is not easy because food & beverage services are often unprepared to help you. However, at some point, I decided to react and find my way to live life to the fullest. I realized that it is not impossible to deal with Full allergy test needs. And it just takes more time. Outside my home, I try to be as clear as possible and always order simple dishes. I always bring the whole emergency kit, which includes 2 epi-pens. Staying calm in front of a dish prepared by someone else is always a challenge. My dream is to find more and more places with labelled food. As long as I feel safe, I can enjoy every moment of my life.