Bethenny Frankel is struggling to cope with her recent near-death experience. The Real Housewives of New York City star was a guest on The Dr. Oz Show on Thursday, January 31, and she spoke candidly about her potentially fatal fish allergy about a month after almost losing her life because of it.
In December 2018, the 48-year-old ate some soup that, unbeknownst to her, had fish in it. It triggered a reaction that caused Frankel to fall unconscious and require emergency medical treatment. Following the harrowing ordeal, the entrepreneur credited first responders and an EpiPen with saving her life.
During her chat with Dr. Mehmet Oz, Frankel admitted the incident has made her fearful. “Thank you for having me,” she told the talk show host. “I’ve been home a lot and this is the only time I’m really coming out to do any television, because I wanted to actually share this message and get your advice and your expertise.”
When Dr. Oz, 58, asked the Skinnygirl founder how she’s been feeling, she said she’s “doing better,” but wasn’t really prepared for the aftermath of her heath scare. “I didn’t think that it would be such a recovery process. I think people sort of just think you slap an EpiPen and then life goes on,” she explained. “It’s definitely a scary thing.”
The reality star, who said she’s had this fish allergy for her “whole entire life” and experienced a series of milder reactions in the past, is still coming to terms with how serious her aliment can be. “Now I realize that it is a big deal,” she told Dr. Oz, later adding that she feels “a little bit of shame” when even simple restaurant outings result in unwanted attention because of her dietary restrictions.
“It’s crazy. I don’t like to be alone anymore,” she explained to the Food Can Fix It author, according to Page Six. “I don’t want to be at restaurants alone, and I’m not that type of person. It’s very scary. It changes your whole entire life.”
Since the December ordeal, Frankel has had two additional scares involving fish being served on flights she was taking or about to take. “You can’t write this. Now another airline is serving cooked salmon for my next flight,” she tweeted regarding the second plane mishap. “I have contacted them multiple times to no avail. I guess I’ll have to take another poll w my cabin. BC everyone is dying to eat cooked fish on a plane.”
The Dr. Oz Show airs weekdays. Check your local listings.
