Minnesota woman’s rare allergy turns exercise into a life-threatening risk: ‘I’m allergic to working out’

A Minnesota woman discovered she has a rare condition that makes physical activity, including exercise, life-threatening.

Plymouth native Maggie Habashy was diagnosed with exercise-induced anaphylaxis – a rare and dangerous allergy that can trigger anything from hives and vomiting to life-threatening throat swelling, and even death. Nowadays, Habashy never goes anywhere without two doses of epinephrine, prepared for the possibility of a life-saving intervention.

“I’m allergic to working out. The usual response is, ‘Ha ha, me too! Right?’ People love to say that; it’s a joke, I’ve heard it a million times,” Maggie Habashy explained to Fox News. “But no, it’s like, literally, it could kill me.”

Her condition, which affects only a few, began subtly about a decade ago, following the birth of her first child when milder symptoms first emerged.

“I went out for my first run after I had her; it was a couple of months after, and I just felt really itchy,” Habashy recalled. “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.”

Habashy would often try a run or join part of a workout class, only to be forced to stop as her eyes swelled shut, her torso began itching, and hives appeared. Over the years, she’s undergone countless tests with various allergists. Her current specialist, Dr Micah Karasov of Advancement in Allergy and Asthma Care Ltd, emphasizes that her case is particularly unusual because it’s unrelated to any food allergies.

The Cleveland Clinic notes that although the precise cause of exercise-induced anaphylaxis is still unclear, scientists have identified certain foods that can trigger the reaction in the majority of cases. Potential culprits include alcohol, apples, beef, eggs, fish, legumes, mushrooms, milk, nuts, peaches, pork, shellfish, soy, tomatoes, and wheat.

“Most people, there is a food trigger that as long as they avoid the food, whether it’s wheat or soy or whatever, as long as they don’t eat that for, let’s say, two to four hours before exercise, they’re not going to react,” Dr Karasov told the outlet. “Maggie’s case is unique in that there was clearly not a food trigger because she was fasting during the time.”

While fasting for Ramadan, Habashy noticed a troubling itch creeping up her throat just 20 minutes into a workout class. Knowing the signs all too well, she called her husband, who rushed her to the emergency room. He was shaken at the sight of her.

“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,” Habashy said. “He said the doctor looked really scared, and she said, ‘I don’t know what would have happened if she would have waited 10 minutes.’”

Habashy said she still makes an effort to work out, but often, symptoms hit just 15 minutes in, cutting her session short. Other factors, like a common cold or even menstrual cycles, can also set off reactions. Dr Karasov emphasizes that for anyone dealing with this condition, the top priority is staying attuned to their body’s signals and being prepared for any outcome.

“Always, always, always, always, always carry EpiPens and stop exercising if you start having a reaction, because that’s almost like a natural medicine for this type of condition where if you stop exercising early enough, the reaction is going to be more likely to stay mild,” Dr Karasov cautioned.