A woman who is allergic to exercise has opened up about her condition and how it impacts her daily life.
Maggie Habashy, from Plymouth, Minnesota, has been diagnosed with exercise-induced anaphylaxis - a rare and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction triggered by physical exertion.
Exercise-induced anaphylaxis can lead to symptoms like hives, vomiting, throat swelling, and, in extreme cases, can be fatal.
As per Anaphylaxis.org: "Exercise-induced anaphylaxis (pronounced anna-fill-axis) is a type of serious allergic reaction that happens during or after physical activity. It can be brought on by exercise alone, but for most people, it happens when there are other factors involved, such as eating certain foods or taking certain medicines."
While food and environmental allergies are well-known, an allergy to exercise is virtually unheard of, making Habashy's journey both unique and challenging.
Describing her first experience with the symptoms, Habashy told Fox News: “I went out for my first run after I had [my child]; it was a couple of months after, and I just felt really itchy.
"I realized my whole body was covered in hives, and so I was like, okay, this is kind of weird, maybe something environmental. I’m not really sure what. I didn’t actually, like, think about it too much. And then it kept happening. But not only did it keep happening, it kept getting worse.”
As her reactions intensified, Habashy tried different workouts but often had to stop mid-session as her eyes would swell shut, and her skin would break out in hives.
Despite extensive testing with multiple allergists, doctors struggled to identify a food trigger often linked to exercise-induced anaphylaxis.
“Maggie’s case is unique in that there was clearly not a food trigger because she was fasting during the time,” said Dr. Micah Karasov of Advancement in Allergy and Asthma Care Ltd, per Fox News.
“Most people… as long as they don’t eat [certain foods] for, let’s say, 2 to 4 hours before exercise, they’re not going to react.”
During Ramadan last year, when Habashy was fasting, she experienced one of her most severe reactions.
Twenty minutes into a workout, she felt an itchiness in her throat. She quickly called her husband, and they rushed to the emergency room.
“He could see my whole face was swollen up. I couldn’t talk, and the doctor, she asked him, ‘Has this ever happened?’ He said she’s gotten allergic reactions before from working out, but definitely nothing like this,” she recalled.
“He said the doctor looked really scared, and she said, ‘I don’t know what would have happened if she would have waited ten minutes.’”
When reporters joined Habashy for a recent workout, she had to stop after just 15 minutes.
“Sometimes I make it 15 minutes, sometimes I make it 45. It just kind of depends on the day,” she said. “Some days are more emotional than others. I get frustrated that I can’t finish it, but I just do the best I can and move on.”
Dr. Karasov emphasizes that those with this condition must stay vigilant. “Always, always, always, always, always carry EpiPens and stop exercising if you start having a reaction,” he advised.
“If you stop exercising early enough, the reaction is going to be more likely to stay mild.”
