A woman’s rare and extensive allergies left her malnourished and able to only eat four types of food — a situation that left healthcare professionals flummoxed for years.
Amy Francis-Smith, 32, found herself suddenly suffering from severe allergic reactions to the foods she normally enjoyed — and everyday smells most people don’t even notice — back in 2015.
“I had malnutrition as I was only able to eat beef, pears, courgette and rice for at least six months,” the Leicester, England-based architect recalled.
“It ended up being a gamble every time I ate anything. It was very much a case of finding out what I could and couldn’t eat.
“It was the start of a very terrifying few years.”
At her lowest point, she was reacting to so much, she could only eat eggplant, rice, pears and beef.
She also found herself allergic to carbonated water, public transportation, air fresheners, heat and cold. (Vapes and gas stations did not bother her, however.)
Worse still, Francis-Smith found herself completely unsupported by the medical community.
“I was referred to allergy clinics but I was being told that I wasn’t allergic and I was making it up,” she recalled.
“[Emergency room] staff thought I might be poisoning myself on purpose or having a mental health crisis. But if I ate something, I’d end up in the hospital, so it was real,” she said.
The then-graduate student first knew something was up after she began reacting to peanuts and lemons.
Then, after eating a tomato, she went into full-blown anaphylactic shock.
The attacks kept coming — at one point, she was experiencing them 50 days in a row.
Francis-Smith dropped out of school in London and moved home with her family.
“I was really heartbroken that I’d had my career cut short and I couldn’t earn any money,” she said.
“I tried to go back to work, but it didn’t last long at all.”
Finally, in 2017, she received a diagnosis of mast cell activation syndrome. Francis-Smith was also suffering from Crohn’s disease and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome — hereditary disorders that attack connective tissue.
“When you finally get that diagnosis it’s weirdly a big relief that you weren’t going insane,” Francis-Smith said.
“Mast cells are all over your body — for whatever reason mine had become activated. They release chemicals which causes the swelling, rashes and breathing issues. It meant that it affected every single organ,” she explained.
“My liver wasn’t working — my spleen, my bladder was screwed. I had heart issues, my hair was falling out, my teeth were eroding quicker than they should have been. My feet and hands had neuropathy.”
Years later, Francis-Smith has made incredible strides towards normalcy, overcoming the worst of her allergies through stress reduction, thanks in part to her supportive family and partner, nutrition management and the reduction of inflammation.
After a great deal of experimentation, she’s also eating a much more balanced diet.
“Through a lot of experimentation, trialing nutrition, stress reduction and reducing inflammation, I was eventually able to complete my masters in Architecture at Birmingham City University and have a bit of money coming in,” a grateful Francis-Smith reported.
“I’m gradually adding in more foods and gaining more strength. I’ve never been better. I don’t think I’ve ever had this level of health in my life before.”
