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I kissed a guy in a nightclub and it almost KILLED me – my throat closed up, I was covered in hives and I was rushed to the hospital.

I kissed a guy in a nightclub and it almost KILLED me – my throat closed up, I was covered in hives and I was rushed to the hospital.

A WOMAN almost DIED after kissing a man in a bar and was rushed to hospital covered in hives.

Phoebe Campbell-Harris was thrown into “pure panic” as she felt her throat tighten at the Paris nightclub.

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Excerpts from a short film called A Matter of MinutesCredit: instagram/@amatterofminutesfilm

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Production aims to raise awareness of serious food allergiesCredit: instagram/@amatterofminutesfilm

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Phoebe Campbell-Harris almost died after kissing a man at a nightclubCredit: Linkedin

The 18-year-old had gone out for her friend’s birthday and spotted another party-goer who “had a cute smile”.

At the end of the night, they kissed, but things took a dark turn.

“My throat felt like sandpaper. Everything had become scratchy. That’s the first sign, then it gets harder and harder to swallow and that’s when you know your throat is closing up,” Phoebe told the Times.

She ran to the bathroom, where upon inspection she discovered rashes and hives all over her body.

The young woman remembers being afraid for her life and going into “fight or flight” mode.

Quick thinking, Phoebe, who is severely allergic to nuts, gave him his EpiPen and called the emergency services.

As she lay in the ambulance, she thought about what she had eaten and drunk throughout the evening – but could not remember any trace of the allergen.

But Phoebe suddenly realized that her anaphylactic reaction might have had something to do with the kiss.

The man must have eaten some nuts, perhaps from a shared bowl at the bar, before chasing her, she thought.

Phoebe, now 28, has been hospitalized six times after suffering allergic reactions.

Signs of an allergic reaction and anaphylaxis + what to do

The SYMPTOMS of an allergy usually appear within minutes of contact with the offending food or trigger, but they can also appear up to an hour later.

Most allergic reactions are mild, but they can also be moderate or severe.

Anaphylaxis is the most serious form of allergic reaction that can be life-threatening.

In some cases, symptoms of anaphylaxis lead to collapse and loss of consciousness and, in rare cases, can be fatal. It is therefore important to know how to recognize them and act quickly.

Mild to moderate symptoms include:

  • Itchy mouth, tongue and throat
  • Swelling of the lips, around the eyes or face
  • Red, itchy rash (often called nettle rash, hives, or hives)
  • Vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea
  • Runny nose and sneezing

Serious symptoms of anaphylaxis include:

  • Swelling of the throat and tongue
  • Difficulty breathing or breathing very quickly
  • Difficulty swallowing, tight throat or hoarse voice
  • Wheezing, coughing, or noisy breathing
  • Feeling tired or confused
  • Feeling weak, dizzy or faint
  • Skin cold to the touch
  • Blue, gray or pale skin, lips or tongue – if you have brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet.

Anaphylaxis and its symptoms should be treated as a medical emergency.

Follow these steps if you think you or someone you are with is suffering from an anaphylactic reaction:

  1. Use an adrenaline auto-injector (like an EpiPen) if you have one Instructions are included on the side of the injector.
  2. Call 999 for an ambulance and say you think you are having an anaphylactic reaction.
  3. Lie down – you can raise your legs, and if you have difficulty breathing, raise your shoulders or sit up slowly (if you are pregnant, lie on your left side).
  4. If you have been bitten by an insect, try to remove the sting if it is still in the skin.
  5. If your symptoms have not improved after 5 minutes, use a second adrenaline auto-injector.

Do not get up or walk around at any time, even if you feel better.

Sources: Allergy UK, NHS

She made a short film, A Matter of Minutes, to raise awareness about how anaphylactic reactions can be triggered in the most unusual ways, such as kissing.

The filmmaker warned that food allergies can be “severe, unpredictable and potentially life-threatening”.

“Unless you’ve experienced it yourself,” she said, “anaphylaxis seems like a foreign idea.”

Phoebe said she never let her guard down and developed “hypervigilance” to stay safe.

The 28-year-old knows the warning signs to look out for, having had her first allergic reaction when she was just three years old.

Her most terrifying experience took place during a trip to India where she ate a curry containing nuts.

She didn’t remember any ambulances and had tried to get to the hospital while navigating bumper-to-bumper traffic during Delhi’s rush hour.

Phoebe said she even thought about calling her parents because she “wasn’t sure she could make it.”

The filmmaker pointed out that even if you talk about your allergies at a restaurant, you can’t always count on it.

She once had an anaphylactic reaction after eating an acai bowl, even though the staff assured her there were absolutely no nuts in it.

On another occasion, she saw her barista accidentally pour almond milk instead of oat milk — and had to insist that a different pitcher be used.

Phoebe tries to increase her chances by taking “mini-bites” of new foods, whether store-bought or ordered, instead of eating everything.

She even completed a ten-hour flight consuming nothing but water.

This comes as higher rates of serious allergies are recorded among young people.

Researchers have not been able to identify where this trend comes from.

The data revealed that the average age of a person hospitalized for a food reaction fell from 19 to 13 years old.

Meanwhile, the average age of people suffering from food-related anaphylactic shock is 24 years old.

Scientists at Imperial College London found that the age group with the highest number of food allergies was children under five.

“Teenagers try to have fun and fit in with other teenagers. Their brains may not be developed enough to think, “Maybe I shouldn’t trust this person, or maybe I shouldn’t do this,” Phoebe warned.

But the 28-year-old wants to encourage his colleagues with food allergies to continue living their lives without being in a constant state of anxiety.

Phoebe found support through THE Natasha Allergy Research Foundation (Narf) which was created in memory of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse.

Natasha, 15, who was allergic to sesame, tragically died in 2016 after eating a Pret a Manger baguette containing the ingredient.

His mother, Tanya Ednan-Laperouse, founder of the charity, urged everyone to watch A Matter of Minutes.

She said: “Millions of people in the UK are now living with a diagnosed food allergy. Food allergies can be a serious, unpredictable and potentially life-threatening health problem, with far-reaching consequences on the lives of not only those with allergies, but also their loved ones.

“They can make daily activities such as eating out or going to parties full of anxiety and potential dangers.”

Natasha’s Law

By Ben Griffiths

THE family of an allergy sufferer who died after eating a mislabeled Pret sandwich on a BA jet have told how they forgave the high street giant.

Grieving Nad and Tanya Ednan-Laperouse, whose daughter Natasha died in 2016, even praised the sandwich chain for leading the way in implementing new packaging rules.

Natasha’s Law – named after the 15-year-old girl – requires companies to list all ingredients in pre-packaged foods.

In an exclusive interview, the family spoke of their “great pride” in having the historic new regulations in place.

This means that an item like the artichoke, olive and tapenade baguette, which Natasha died after eating, will now have to list all 34 ingredients – instead of the THREE shown five years ago.

Speaking to The Sun on Sunday, Tanya, who with Nad won an OBE for her work in getting the law passed, said: “I know Natasha would be very happy for this law to come into force and that we managed to get it happened.

“You can’t do anything if you’re filled with hate, so we forgave Pret. That doesn’t make up for the fact that she’s not here now, but Pret actually led the way in changing her packaging.

“They have spent millions to bring their packaging into compliance and educate staff about allergies.

“The new law means tens of millions of sandwiches across the UK will now have to detail everything they contain, down to small traces of ingredients.”

Natasha was on her way to Nice, France, for a summer holiday with Nad and her best friend Bethany Holloway in July 2016 when she bought the baguette from Pret a Manger at Heathrow Airport.

It contained hidden sesame seeds, which she was allergic to, but the ingredient was not labeled on the package. Shortly after takeoff, Natasha had a reaction.

Nad rushed her to the bathroom and gave her two shots of adrenaline from his EpiPens that he hoped would combat the reaction.

His last words were “I can’t breathe, I’m choking, help me daddy”, before suffering a fatal heart attack.

In 2018, an inquest into Natasha’s death criticized Pret for its “inadequate” labeling and fault in Natasha’s death, forcing the company to commit to “meaningful change”.

Nad and Tanya launch their mission to change a law after the investigation. This now means that any fresh product prepared at the point of sale will now have to list all the ingredients it contains.

To visit the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, visit www.narf.org.uk.