Frustrated mum finally receives diagnosis after five years of 'daily agony'
Bridie Metcalfe, 48, suffered from a long list of symptoms for five years until a diagnosis helped her reclaim her health.
Sydney mum Bridie Metcalfe was fortunate enough to live a relatively healthy life until she celebrated a milestone birthday back in 2015.
"I hit 40 and it was like I hit a brick wall," she told Yahoo News Australia. "It was just one thing after another ... constant bloating, reflux, fatigue. I was getting urinary tract infections continuously."
Bridie said her health deterioration was swift and sudden, explaining she was in "daily agony" from the endless list of symptoms plaguing her life.
"I was doing nothing. I couldn't go on holiday, I couldn't go out for dinner with my husband ... I can't tell you the number of weddings I left early from. It was really, really affecting my life," she said.
Despite pleading with doctors to pinpoint what was wrong with her, Bridie felt "dismissed" by healthcare professionals for five long years. Eventually, she turned to a private dietician in a desperate attempt for answers.
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'Sounds like you have allergies'
After several consultations with the dietician, Bridie was referred for allergy testing and came back with a long list of allergies, which includes onion, garlic, red capsicum, corn, gluten, lactose, grains, lentils, dust, grass, cats and horses.
It is relatively unknown how allergies are developed, however, like Bridie two per cent of the adult Australian population have one, with many facing life-threatening reactions if they come in contact with their allergen.
Bridie expressed her gratitude for finally knowing what health issues she was facing, describing her diagnoses as "incredible".
"I lost a large amount of weight but for me it was about getting my health back — about getting my life back," she said, now able to manage her diet to avoid the long list of foods. "I'm going out for dinner again, exercising with my children, I couldn't do all of that before."
Allergies in Australia
Around 20 per cent of the Australian population has an allergy, however, it is more common in infants and children with 40 to 50 per cent of Aussie children suffering from at least one allergy.
Bridie encourages others who are facing unknown health issues or suspect they may have allergies to be persistent despite any "frustrating" setbacks.
"It's a long life to live if you're feeling that miserable and sick."
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