Bethenny Frankel, entrepreneur and former Real Housewives of New York star, shared on Sunday that she had had an anaphylactic reaction while vacationing with her daughter Bryn in Costa Rica.
She was diagnosed with a fish allergy based on allergy testing she underwent which she shared with fans in 2019.
Knowing she was severely allergic to fish, she and her daughter ordered dinner from the restaurant’s vegan menu, but she was mistakenly given another diner’s plate which contained fish.
She realized something was amiss after she bit into a vegetable roll that tasted differently than expected.
She asked the server about the ingredients in the roll and claimed that they seemed ‘scared’ to tell her after they realized the mistake.
Said Bethenny:
So it ended in shots and a medical situation. But please be hyperaware. Carry your EpiPen and tell every person you can how allergic to food you are.
Here is her harrowing recount of the incident:
@bethennyfrankel Be prepared for a 911 & have a medical plan while traveling. #allergy #epipen #safety #antihistamine #foodallergy #allergyawareness #prepare #travel ♬ original sound – Bethenny Frankel
She also reached out to her followers on Twitter:
If you have severe food allergies, please carry your epi pen & an antihistamine with you. Even if you explicitly state a deathly allergy & order something vegan, mistakes can happen. Someone brought me someone else’s food & it became a 911 & a serious care for bryn Xo #staysafe
— Bethenny Frankel (@Bethenny) February 20, 2022
We couldn’t agree more: regardless of how careful you are in a public setting, mistakes do happen, so you must always take 2 epinephrine auto-injectors along everywhere, every time, and administer the drug as soon as you suspect anaphylaxis. Remember to always administer epinephrine first as antihistamines can mask the symptoms of anaphylaxis.
Here she answers a question by a fan as to whether her daughter Bryn (aka “peanut”) also has a food allergy:
She does not…feeling the responsibility of administering the pen & being afraid throughout the night was scary for her. Have a thorough and annoyingly obsessive medical plan before traveling…. https://t.co/1thAjIwllB
— Bethenny Frankel (@Bethenny) February 20, 2022
In this case, the server brought the wrong dish to her table, but even the correct dish can contain traces of an unexpected allergen due to cross-contact unless the kitchen staff is very careful to use clean surfaces and implements:
I have eliminated all fish and eat mostly vegan. This was a mistake in what was brought to my table. https://t.co/0KOiYTfrw3
— Bethenny Frankel (@Bethenny) February 20, 2022
Although her daughter was shaken up by the incident, she was there by her mother’s side to help during the crisis. Bethenny tells her readers to always have an emergency action plan in place when traveling, and make sure to let your fellow travelers know about your allergies and what to do in an emergency:
My girl being terrified while I slept was the worst part but she’s learning to be safe & prepared in how to act in a crisis. Plus I have the platform to remind people to be cautious & have a med plan when traveling. Always have 1 point person’s info that responds at all times. https://t.co/g2vs3mnVi0
— Bethenny Frankel (@Bethenny) February 20, 2022
I keep hearing about how expensive epi pens are. I’m going to think about a side charity effort on this topic per bryn. Militant parents are one thing but kids & teens bear this responsibility & stigma of not being normal & people doubting until something happens.
— Bethenny Frankel (@Bethenny) February 20, 2022
We do encourage the star to establish a fund to help those with food allergies that can’t afford epinephrine and we will reach out to her to offer our help in doing so.
We’re happy Bethenny is well after her ordeal and wish her and her daughter good health with no allergen mishaps in the future!
Bethenny Frankel Educates the Public by Sharing Photos of Her Allergy Testing
