Q. Have you ever had anyone "test" to see if you were faking an allergy/intolerance?
Doctor Answer is medically reviewed by SecondMedic medical review team.
Yes, I have had someone test me to see if I was faking an allergy/intolerance. It happened several years ago when my doctor suspected that the symptoms I was having were due to something other than a food allergy or intolerance.
At the time, my primary care physician wanted to make sure that I really did have an allergy or intolerance and wasn't just using it as an excuse for poor dietary habits or something else entirely. To do this, he ordered a comprehensive battery of tests ranging from skin prick testing to RAST (Radioallergosorbent Test) testing. The results showed that I did indeed have food allergies and intolerances which explained why I was having such severe reactions whenever certain foods were consumed.
So while all of this may sound intrusive and unnecessary, in reality it is actually quite beneficial since it helps medical professionals accurately diagnose their patients' issues quickly and can help avoid dangerous health complications down the line. Furthermore, being tested also allows people with allergies/intolerances to feel more confident in communicating their needs around food to others as well as knowing how best to manage their own health on an ongoing basis.