Bethenny Frankel is trying her best to get her potentially fatal fish allergy under control. The Real Housewives of New York City star visited an allergist on Wednesday, March 20, and underwent a series of skin prick tests to determine exactly what foods she’s allergic to.
The 48-year-old documented her doctor’s visit on Instagram Stories, explaining, “They take these things and prick, all these prickers.” The test uses several different lancets to check for immediate allergic reactions to as many as 40 different substances at once, and is designed to help patients figure out what foods could be making them sick.
According to Dr. Clifford Bassett, a New York City allergist who has not treated Frankel, the allergy tests are a step in the right direction. “We do blood, skin testing and food challenges when it’s necessary for adults that are at risk for a food allergic type reaction and need to clarify what the triggers or the culprit is so it’s not misdiagnosed by other things that cannot be an allergy,” he explained to Us Weekly.
During her visit, the Skinnygirl creator was given skin prick tests on each arm and was checked for allergies to fish, shellfish, oat, buckwheat, wheat, dairy, eggs and nuts. “Look, the fish is ragging,” she said as she gestured to the inflamed part of her arm that was tested for a fish allergy. The wheat is ragging a little too. This is so itchy.”
Despite multiple needle pricks, Frankel marveled at the “fascinating” process. “They’re giving you the allergen to see how you react, and the really puffy ones are the worst ones,” she explained. “It’s fascinating science.”
The reality star’s allergy test comes about three months after she nearly lost her life because of a severe allergic reaction. In December 2018, Frankel ate some soup that, unbeknownst to her, had fish in it. It triggered a reaction that caused the BStrong founder to fall unconscious and require emergency medical treatment.
Since that ordeal Frankel has had two additional scares involving fish being served on flights she was taking or about to take, and in a January appearance on The Dr. Oz Show, she admitted that she doesn’t “like to be alone anymore.”
Added the entrepreneur: “It’s very scary. It changes your whole entire life.”
