Chloe is an Mst Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics student at Trinity college.
Clubbing with EpiPens tucked into my heavier-than-ever handbag was totally not on the cards when I first applied for Oxford in my final year of undergraduate studies. However, the increased prevalence of adult-onset food allergies shows that I am far from alone in receiving an allergy diagnosis in my twenties and beyond. At present, around 6% of UK adults have a food allergy, but this is only the tip of the iceberg.
It took nearly five years before I eventually received my diagnosis of a buckwheat allergy (yes, you probably haven’t heard of it either!), and only then after a semi-anaphylactic reaction occurring days after being misdiagnosed with IBS by an allergist. Year-long waiting lists, even for urgent referrals and a chronic shortage of allergists throughout the UK mean that many undiagnosed allergy sufferers resort to private clinics. Of course, this is only an option for those who can afford it, spending nearly four figures on tests which should be funded by the NHS.
This ongoing allergy epidemic is one example, among many other health conditions, of widening regional inequalities in the UK, particularly acute in the region where I live (East Midlands) with its only allergy clinic for adults open one morning a week. Consequently, thousands of adults are living with what can only be likened to a ticking health bomb, waiting to detonate at any given moment – or, in my case, just days before I was originally due to begin my masters degree at Oxford back in 2023. This unfortunate timing (courtesy of a frozen veggie meal) meant that I had to pause my studies before I could even truly get a taste (no pun intended) of Oxford life a few weeks into my first term.
During my time off, I finally got diagnosed, a deeply vindicating moment after being turned away from an allergy clinic shortly before my allergic reaction. Despite this milestone (and relief that I could finally eat Lindt chocolate again after years of being misdiagnosed with another allergy) I can’t help but think my diagnosis should never have happened like this. But many others – children and adults alike – are facing dire treatments and, dare I say it, medical gaslighting from doctors ill-equipped and inadequately trained to support allergy sufferers.
Living with (un)diagnosed, potentially life-threatening allergies is both a physical and mental health issue with allergy-related anxieties potentially leading to eating disorders and a fear of food, both among allergy sufferers and their loved ones. Luckily, I have mostly managed to overcome these fears by eating regularly at my college, whose catering staff has always taken my allergies seriously and will even tell me if any of their dishes contain my allergen. Unfortunately, not all allergens (including mine) are listed in the top 14 allergens and so do not have to be listed on food packaging or menus. However, taming those persistent fears of experiencing a severe reaction is sometimes difficult, especially on the rare occasion that I eat outside my “safe spaces” of college or home. Unfortunately, not all restaurants or cafes are equally allergy aware, some even claiming that they are not entirely sure what ingredients their so-called “freshly made” food contain, something which has happened to me several times in Oxford.
Sometimes, I simply have to laugh about having an “unusual” allergy; in typical Aquarius fashion, of course I couldn’t just follow the crowd and have a more “conventional” top 14 allergy. After all, it is much cooler to be a trend-setter. But, if there is one trend that I would like to set, it is that we need to bring allergies and related autoimmune diseases to the forefront of medical debates. The number of allergy diagnoses have continually risen over the past two decades, and shows no sign of abating any time soon. And no, eating junk food or getting immunisations are not triggers for food allergies, which are sadly common misconceptions.
So, the next time you hear someone list their allergies or ask for the ingredients of a dish served in a restaurant, spare a thought for them. It is a daily, often hidden battle that many of us face, with good and bad days, much like any other health condition. We’re not being awkward or pretentious, but simply trying to stay safe: a privilege that too many of us take for granted. And if you want to be an allergy ally, don’t get me started on explaining what buckwheat is…
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