Allergies Community

This year I developed more than 30 (mostly food) allergies and intolerances, and I keep gaining more. My state's law forbids me from getting health insurance until open enrollment this summer, which is infuriating! I feel utterly helpless to protect myself.

I am 24 and live a healthy life. Before developing these allergies I mostly ate organic, local, whole, objectively healthy foods and I exercised regularly. I never had any allergies until a few years ago when I became sensitive to celery and kiwi. A year later I became sensitive to dairy (causing respiratory symptoms instead of the common gastrointestinal issues) and carrots. I have no idea why, but this year brought on a few dozen new food allergies.

I am currently allergic to most vegetables, herbs, dairy, nuts, seeds, and a few fruits. I can eat grains, meat and most fruit (which is more limiting than it sounds!), but I see signs of more allergies/intolerances developing. I am afraid of taking vitamins to supplement my lackluster nutrition because they are predominantly derived from vegetables. Without this proper nutrition I feel fatigued and depressed all the time. My body is totally out of whack and is starting to seem foreign to me (different skin, hair and muscle characteristics, etc.) I feel as if I am falling apart and have no way of keeping myself together.

My allergic reactions range from small, itchy bumps to full on coughing fits, accompanied by a pounding heart, difficulty breathing, and a swollen and painful tongue. I typically only have respiratory and skin reactions, and only rarely have gastrointestinal reactions. My lungs have felt like they are lined with gunk for the past eight months. My reactions typically occur instantaneously and usually from the scent of the allergen. I'm thinking this is all related to my lungs rather than my digestive system.

I avoid my allergens to the best of my ability and now carry Benadryl tablets with me everywhere, but I'm getting scared that it soon won't be enough. I can't afford an epipen without insurance, but at the rate I'm accumulating new allergens, I've got to do something. Has anyone heard of allergies like mine? Is there anything I can do?