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A Minnesota woman discovered she has a rare disease that makes physical activity, such as exercise, life-threatening.
Maggie Havasy, from Plymouth, was diagnosed with exercise-induced anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a rare and dangerous allergy that can cause everything from hives and vomiting to life-threatening throat swelling and even death. Now, Havasy doesn’t go anywhere without receiving two doses of epinephrine in case of possible life-saving intervention.
“I’m allergic to working out. The normal reaction is, ‘Haha, me too!’ right? ‘People love to say that. It’s a joke, I’ve heard it a million times,” Maggie Havasy explained. fox news. “But no, it’s like, literally, it could kill me.”
Her symptoms, which only affect a few people, began subtly about 10 years ago, with milder symptoms first appearing after the birth of her first child.
“After I gave birth to her, I went for my first run, and it had been a few months since then, and I felt really itchy,” Havasy recalled. “I noticed that my whole body was covered in hives and I thought, this is kind of weird, maybe it’s environmental. I don’t know. I didn’t really think about it. Then it was… It kept happening. But not only did it keep happening, it kept getting worse.”
Havasy often tried to go for a run or attend a workout class, but was forced to quit when her eyes swelled shut, her torso began to itch and she broke out in hives. Over the years, she has undergone countless tests by various allergists. Her current specialist, Dr. Mika Karasov of Advancement in Allergy and Asthma Care Ltd, emphasizes that her case is particularly unusual because it is unrelated to food allergies.
of cleveland clinic Although the exact cause of exercise-induced anaphylaxis is still unknown, scientists note that in most cases they have identified specific foods that can trigger the reaction. Potential culprits include alcohol, apples, beef, eggs, fish, legumes, mushrooms, milk, nuts, peaches, pork, shellfish, soy, tomatoes, and wheat.
“Most people have a food trigger, whether it’s wheat or soy or whatever, unless you avoid that food, like if you eat it two to four hours before exercise, you’re not going to react. No,” Dr. Karasov told the media. “Maggie’s case is unique in that food was clearly not the cause, as she had not eaten during that time.”
While fasting for Ramadan, Habashi noticed a pesky itch creeping up his throat just 20 minutes into his workout class. Well aware of the signs, she called her husband, who rushed her to the emergency room. He was upset when he saw her.
“He saw that my whole face was swollen. I couldn’t speak and the doctor asked, ‘Has anything like this ever happened?’ “I’ve had allergic reactions during exercise before, but never anything like this,” Havasy said. “The doctor seemed really scared and she said, ‘I don’t know what would have happened if I had waited 10 minutes.'”
Havasy said she still tries to work out, but her symptoms often appear after just 15 minutes, cutting her sessions short. Other factors, such as a cold or menstrual cycle, can also cause a reaction. Dr. Karasov emphasizes that for those dealing with this condition, the first priority is to tune into the body’s signals and be prepared for any outcome.
“Always, always, always, always, always carry an EpiPen with you and stop exercising if you start having a reaction. It’s like a natural medicine for this type of condition, and if you stop exercising early enough, “Remain calm, as this may increase the likelihood of a reaction,” Dr. Karasov warned.
