I Am LITERALLY Allergic to Exercise!!!

Warning: Hideous Picture Ahead.....
This is a picture of me from just moments ago (explanation follows)...

Many of those who know me know I suffer from exercise induced anaphylaxis. In layman's terms, I am allergic to exercise. At random, over the years after I work out, I will break out into killer hives that swell my eyes shut, make me itch so badly I want to rip my face off, and cause me to have trouble breathing. Lucky me, it happened tonight. Tobey and I were doing a workout in the basement and all of a sudden I felt a little itchy. I looked down on my arm, sure enough my (as I call it "indicator hive") had flared up. Whenever this has happened in the past I get a hive in one exact spot on my arm before any other hives flare up. I immediately ran upstairs and took Benedryl because I knew what was coming. Sure enough, within minutes I was having an anaphylactic attack. Itchy, hive-covered, swollen, and scared we rushed over to our neighbor's house (they are both nurses) to have them check my blood pressure and pulse. Luckily, I did not end up in the emergency room this time (I have had to go before with another outbreak).
After researching on the internet I read that these hives may be caused by exercising too soon after eating a food your body is not normally allergic too. By exercising with these foods in your body with the changed body chemistry from exercise it causes outbreak. As much as these hives suck, I personally think life without working out would suck worse. I love to exercise, so for me quitting is not an option. However, I will say that I will not be working out within two hours after eating from now on. Hopefully by doing this, I will prevent any further "killer" hives. :(

Comments

Katie The Lady said…
That is just about the craziest/ scariest thing ever!!! And for you- someone who loves to work out and is constantly ddoing it!!!

Terrifying!
Kathi said…
That is very interesting Melyssa - good thing to know/learn. Thanks for posting it. Your eyes are so swollen! I believe you would die if you couldn't exercise :) so good thing you know how to avoid those attacks. Good luck.
Does the benedryl take it down fast?
lrix said…
If I were you I would use that as the very excuse to not have to exercise ha ha...that coming from someone that does not enjoy working out. Glad you are ok. I get hives all the time too but haven't figured out why. Good times. I was just at the doc yesterday because of a new flare up. We could have hung out with our awesome skin and made everyone think there is a new disease outbreak. :)
Katie Fish said…
OH MY GOSH!! I've heard you talk about it...I guess I never imagined it as bad as that pictures shows. :( Glad it wasn't TOO serious this time.
Christina White said…
Melyssa!!! No . . . that is so awful!! But your eyes look really pretty and green in your pictures!
Hohmann Family said…
'Course Chris would find the silver lining in this picture... :) That's pretty incredible. I generally have to exercise in the morning before I eat anyway. But, being a mom yourself, you probably realize how often things actually happen that way. :)

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