A woman allergic to fruit and vegetables hasn’t eaten a single green in more than 20 years – and says a bite could kill her.
Chloe Raisbeck, 27, was diagnosed with oral allergy syndrome (OAS) – an allergy to any pollen-derived substances – in January 2005 at the age of seven.
She first realized something was wrong when a bite from a peach at school caused her lips to swell and her throat to itch – and she sought help from the school nurses in May 2004.
After feeling she “wasn’t taken seriously”, that same week, she had an apple and began displaying the same “painful” symptoms.
She was taken to the doctors, where a blood test confirmed she had allergies, before being referred to an allergist – who diagnosed her with OAS after a skin prick test revealed a whole list of food reactions.
Chloe is now allergic to 15 different fruits, vegetables, and nuts – including bananas, kiwis, carrots, almonds and bell peppers – and has avoided eating her five-a-day for 20 years.
She has developed a “fear of eating” and now relies on multivitamin supplements to get enough nutrients every day – and carries an EpiPen everywhere in case she goes into anaphylactic shock.
Chloe, a recruitment consultant from Solihull, West Midlands, said: “My allergies came out of nowhere.
“I was able to eat fruit and vegetables normally with no symptoms.
“But since taking a bite of that peach, my relationship with food has changed.
“If I eat any of my five-a-day, I develop swollen lips, an itchy throat, and lumps in my mouth.
“I’m lucky my symptoms aren’t too bad, but every time I eat, there’s a constant fear.
“It has made eating very difficult – and I’ll have to rely on giving myself multivitamins every day to treat my allergies.”
Before the age of seven, Chloe was eating fruit and vegetables normally and had no symptoms.
But after a string of adverse reactions – including puffy lips and itchy gums – from a peach and an apple in May 2004, Chloe claims she was initially told her allergies “weren’t that serious” and to “not worry”.
“I went to the school nurse because my lips started to swell, and I could feel my throat getting sore,” she said.
“They said not to worry and dismissed my symptoms; it was never followed up.
“That same week, I had an apple, and that’s when things started to spiral.
“My allergies got worse.
“I began developing bumps in my mouth and I could feel my throat starting to itch.”
Chloe told her mum, Trisha, 56, and she was rushed to her local doctors, where a blood test revealed some allergies – to apples, peaches, nectarines, plums, and cherries.
But months later, Chloe began discovering other foods which gave her similar reactions – like kiwi and almonds.
Chloe said: “My mum and I still didn’t know what was causing these reactions, so we went back to the doctors – and they then referred me to an allergist, where I had a skin prick test.
“Turns out I was allergic to a lot of foods.”
Chloe was diagnosed with oral allergy syndrome (OAS) in January 2005 at Solihull Hospital.
She is now allergic to 15 different fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
The condition affects only two per cent of the UK population – and its causes and symptoms are commonly linked to hay fever.
“Being told by my allergist that I could potentially die by eating a single piece of fruit or going into anaphylaxis was terrifying,” she said.
“I was given an EpiPen and other antihistamines, which was confusing for a seven-year-old.
“Since then, my relationship with food has been very difficult.”
There are certain fruits and vegetables Chloe’s never tried because she’s too scared of a reaction – including strawberries, melon, mango, and blueberries – and she claims to have not eaten a single green in 20 years.
Chloe often brings her own food to social events to avoid “accidentally” eating fruits and vegetables and to skip any “awkward conversations” about her food choices.
In more extreme cases, she’d ask her boyfriend to brush his teeth after eating anything she’s allergic to, to prevent a reaction on her lips if they were to kiss.
She said: “It’s a mare when people are cooking for me because my condition is a difficult thing to believe.
“It makes me worried that they aren’t going to take it seriously, and I could end up seriously hurt.
“When I go to the supermarket or restaurant, I’m often googling or looking up the ingredients to ensure my safety.
“It has taken over a lot of my life and has become somewhat of a phobia.”
Chloe’s diet is restrictive and usually consists of “beige” foods – including pasta and rice – and she frequently rotates between fish, meat and dairy for many of her meals.
She relies on daily multivitamin supplements for the missing nutrients – as there is no cure or specific treatments for the disorder – and without them, she can often feel fatigued.
However, this year, Chloe has started introducing foods she’s never eaten before to see if she’d react – and has now started eating raspberries.
She hopes to build a healthy relationship with food and not eat in fear.
Chloe said: “I will be allergic to those foods for the rest of my life.
“So I’m trying to reintroduce stuff that I’ve been so scared of eating.
“Over the next few years, I hope to have more varied diets and that I can eat more things.
“But for now, I’m going to take it slow, one bite at a time.”
List of foods Chloe is allergic to –
Apple
Peach
Plum
Nectarine
Cherry
Banana
Kiwi
Carrot
Spinach
Bell peppers
Parsley
Almonds
Hazelnuts
Avocado
Raw tomato
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