# Hypochondria and allergies. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 11, 2009, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypochondria-and-allergies/502638 "2009-07-11T03:07:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bites_when_provoked/32/18073_2.png) [@Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bites_When_Provoked)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2009, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypochondria-and-allergies/502638/21 "2009-07-12T00:25:47Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > There’s a woman at work who fits this description and has problems with allercies. One is to cigarette smoke (a common allergy, I hear). We were talking about that once when I mentioned that I had been a smoker, but she misunderstood me to say that I was presently a smoker. All of a sudden her started watering (very slightly) and she waved her hand in front of her face and backed up a couple steps. I told her that I hadn’t smoked in years, which surprised her. Then she said that it didn’t make any different, **the smoke stayed in my body forever**. :rolleyes: (bolding mine) Grr. This one actually made me angry because it reminded me of a co-worker I used to have who overheard me talking with another coworker. I mentioned I was a non-smoker but apparently while listening in she overheard that, and afterwards did this tiny pathetic cough whenever we were stuck together. A quiet little _caff_ _caff_. :mad: And no, I don’t have hygeine problems, and I don’t wear perfume in the workplace (or pretty much ever) because I know it upsets asthmatics. This was a totally ridiculous, passive-aggressive anti-smoker reaction levelled at someone who had never smoked. I have the greatest sympathy for you, **mangeorge**. Co-workers like that are really unsettling to be around, and make the work environment unpleasant. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2009, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypochondria-and-allergies/502638/22 "2009-07-12T00:32:10Z")
I tried to be clear that my sample is quite small. That’s why I put it in IMHO, not GQ. I do watch PBS a lot, and it seems (without actual stats) that a lot of those there who complain of allergies do fit my description in the OP. Take the recent “peanut” thing, _please_. 😛 (Mangeorge believes that kids did indeed get sick from eating peanuts, but doesn’t know why that particular allergy lay dormant for so long.) ---
**Author:** ![Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bites_when_provoked/32/18073_2.png) [@Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bites_When_Provoked)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2009, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypochondria-and-allergies/502638/23 "2009-07-12T00:32:36Z")
> [@DanBlather](#): > > Quack doctors do tests where they put an item in your hand and then push down on it. If it is easy to push down then you are “allergic”. Hehe. They’re saying that something you’re allergic to is basically your ‘kryptonite’ and takes away your power? I’m not sure whether to be horrified that people fall for it, or slightly impressed that even in this day and age - with information available freely - shysters never seem to run out of niche markets for credulity. I’m caught halfway in the middle. ---
**Author:** ![King\_Bobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@King\_Bobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Bobo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2009, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypochondria-and-allergies/502638/24 "2009-07-12T02:35:18Z")
Sometimes “sensitivities” are defined as allergies by those who suffer from them. If I may, I will tell you from personal experience. Despite the monikker (which is derived from a puppet toy which I own), I am female and have had several episodes of food sensitivities - particularly when I went into a bit of a premature menopausal stage. First I could eat eggs, then everything with eggs would cause severe itching, interestingly enough starting around my wrists and ankles and then spreading. This ceased after around six months. Then I became reactive to shrimp - same pattern. I hated that stage as I love shrimp. Six-ish months later, no reaction. Now I seem to be reacting to something else as yet unidentified, I am just a few weeks into this outbreak of itching/hives. I attribute this to hormonal changes. My doctor seems to agree in a certain sort of way (well dear if that is what you experience). Online searches seem to support me as other women report similar things (google it). So screw the male doctor. I just deal with it as it happens; whenever I identify a problem food, I avoid it. Is it possible your original “Miss Mouse” is also a lady of similar age who has not yet made this connection and who has a doctor as clueless as mine? ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2009, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypochondria-and-allergies/502638/25 "2009-07-12T04:06:36Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > I hate shellfish, and it seems to me that for some reason people are unusually pushy about trying to get others to eat shellfish (especially shrimp). If I’m at an event with for instance shrimp appetizers I experience this sense of dread because I know SOMEONE is going to try to force one on me. I have often been tempted to claim an allergy, because some people will just not accept “No, I really don’t like them” as an answer. There have been times where I was reduced to hiding bits of shellfish under a piece of lettuce on my plate or slipping them into a paper napkin to discreetly throw away. That’s the good thing about keeping kosher… someone says “try this shrimp kabob”, and you say, “Hey, thanks, but it’s against my religion. No hard feelings.” Of course, if shrimp is on the menu it’s safe to assume the whole meal isn’t kosher either, so you end up not being able to eat anything except salad and plain water. But at least you don’t have to eat shrimp. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2009, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypochondria-and-allergies/502638/26 "2009-07-12T06:47:55Z")
Cool, I’m going to have to use that ‘allergy’ excuse for my hatred of anything licorice flavored. I can’t stand anise, tarragon, absinthe, red vines, or black jelly beans. Friend: Here, try this absinthe it’s great! me: Does it taste like licorice? F: Yeah and it fucks you up! M: Oh, I’m sorry, I’m allergic to licorice, it gives me weird farts. F: What do you mean? M: I mean, it gives me bad gas and it sounds like HOOOOOOnDAAAAAA F: It what? M: Yea seriously, absinthe makes the fart go honda. I also hate cilantro ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2009, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypochondria-and-allergies/502638/27 "2009-07-12T07:51:40Z")
> [@EvilTOJ](#): > > Cool, I’m going to have to use that ‘allergy’ excuse for my hatred of anything licorice flavored. I can’t stand anise, tarragon, absinthe, red vines, or black jelly beans. Funny, in my experience, licorice flavor is one of the things it’s safe to say you don’t like. Loathing the flavor (and even the smell) is so common that I’m more likely to hear apologies from people who like it. (It is always nice to know who the resident black licorice fan is so that we can dispose of black jelly beans around Easter.) That said, Red Vines (and Twizzlers, et al.) don’t have licorice flavoring. Granted, I can’t stand Red Vines myself (though I like Twizzlers), but that’s more because the fruit flavor used is too gross. They’re like solidified chunks of red NyQuil. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2009, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypochondria-and-allergies/502638/28 "2009-07-12T19:55:24Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > That’s the good thing about keeping kosher… someone says “try this shrimp kabob”, and you say, “Hey, thanks, but it’s against my religion. No hard feelings.” Of course, if shrimp is on the menu it’s safe to assume the whole meal isn’t kosher either, so you end up not being able to eat anything except salad and plain water. But at least you don’t have to eat shrimp. I love pork and cured pork, and I’m a strident atheist, so that’s NOT gonna work for me. Sometimes I do say that I don’t eat bottom feeders, or filter feeders, though. I particularly enjoy saying this to people I don’t like, and with a horrified look on my face. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2009, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypochondria-and-allergies/502638/29 "2009-07-12T21:13:50Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > I love pork and cured pork, and I’m a strident atheist, so that’s NOT gonna work for me. > > Sometimes I do say that I don’t eat bottom feeders, or filter feeders, though. I particularly enjoy saying this to people I don’t like, and with a horrified look on my face. The _only_ reason I’m not Jewish is because I wouldn’t be allowed to eat those things. No shrimp, no mussels, no pork chops or bacon! So what am I, chopped liver? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypochondria-and-allergies/502638/30 "2009-07-13T16:27:24Z")
> [@EvilTOJ](#): > > Cool, I’m going to have to use that ‘allergy’ excuse for my hatred of anything licorice flavored. I can’t stand anise, tarragon, absinthe, red vines, or black jelly beans. > > Friend: Here, try this absinthe it’s great! > me: Does it taste like licorice? > F: Yeah and it fucks you up! > M: Oh, I’m sorry, I’m allergic to licorice, it gives me weird farts. > F: What do you mean? > M: I mean, it gives me bad gas and it sounds like HOOOOOOnDAAAAAA > F: It what? > M: Yea seriously, absinthe makes the fart go honda. > > I also hate cilantro Oooh, I didn’t know [Stephan Pastis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephan_Pastis)was one of the posters here! Mr. Pastis! Mr. Pastis! May I have your autograph, sir? \ Mr. Pastis? Mr. Pastis?!? ---
**Author:** ![Aangelica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Aangelica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aangelica)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypochondria-and-allergies/502638/31 "2009-07-13T16:56:33Z")
I have what the allergist I was sent to as a child referred to as “atypical drug reactions”. They sent me to an allergist essentially as a last resort, since I kept _almost_ dying when I was a small child. My mother noticed that I generally almost died after having been treated for various childhood maladies with OTC drugs. I’d get a random childhood disease, she’d treat it, and then shortly thereafter, we’d be on our way to the emergency room post haste. It took a while for her to realize it was the drugs and not just the original illness getting suddenly a lot worse - or not being the mild malady she thought it was. It took the doctors even longer - since they tended to only see me when I was already deep into the “trying to die” phase or after I’d recovered and was perfectly healthy. The allergist was essentially to settle the argument between my childhood doctor and my mother. Turns out my mother was right - and mostly because she, her siblings and her mother all have atypical drug sensitivities to the same family of drugs that were causing my troubles. Just not anywhere near as severe as mine. Scratch tests come back negative, but if I take an NSAID (or any of several other fairly common and some uncommon drugs - I have a list, which I’ve memorized, and over the years have added to the hard way several times), I suffer an immediate and very, very severe (in some cases it’s been life-threateningly severe) reaction. It’s a totally consistent, 100% repeatable reaction - but it’s not technically an allergy. Calling it an “allergy” is shorthand. Everyone understands that allergies can be life-threatening - in my case, taking one of the drugs on my prohibited list can be life-threatening. So even though what I have isn’t technically an allergy, I think of it that way and call it an allergy when discussing it with people. Fortunately for me, it’s at least the sort of thing where it’s childishly easy for me to avoid triggering a reaction. I haven’t had a problem in almost 15 years. Unlike food sensitivities, nobody randomly sticks my triggers in appetizers or hides them in casseroles.\* Although it gets to be a pain when rattling off the list every time I see a new doctor for something. Also fortunately, there are no drugs on my list which are likely to be administered in an emergency situation (i.e., one where I or my proxy aren’t in a position tell people not to) so I can avoid the whole medic-alert bracelet fashion statement. Weirdly, the topic of my “allergy” comes up more often than you’d think - particularly since one of the drugs that triggers my reaction is THC, and I’m sensitive enough that being near someone who’s been toking up in their car over lunch break can set off a full-blown reaction. I’m better than a damn drug sniffing dog. I haven’t been able to attend a professional concert for _years_. Which is a shame, since I really like music 😛 Also, when you have a headache or the sniffles, people want to help out and they tend to offer you OTC drugs. The vast majority of which I can’t touch. So saying “No, thank you, I’m afraid I’m allergic to aspirin/Advil/Tylenol/etc.” is just easier than trying to explain the “atypical reactions” dealie. \*My profoundest sympathies go out to anyone who’s ever had to say “Oh shit! Were there nuts/shellfish/etc in that?” as the hiving starts up. My best friend has terrible, terrible food sensitivities (and actual allergies as demonstrated by repeated scratch tests - she visits an allergist every year since she keeps adding more things to her allergy roster) and I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve seen her lunging for the Benadryl because of an incomplete food description on the menu. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypochondria-and-allergies/502638/32 "2009-07-13T17:25:32Z")
I have no doubt that these allergies exist. I’ve seen people’s eyes puff up and water, hives break out, hands swelling and so forth. But the misuse of “allergy” to mean “something I don’t like” drives me nuts. Even if there are symptoms. Yes, I understand that broccoli makes you gag, but that doesn’t mean you’re allergic to it. It just means you hate the taste and/or texture. There are some I’m not so sure of. A strong perfume can damned near close up my nasal passages. I get so stuffed up that I really do have trouble breathing through my nose after riding in an elevator with someone wearing too much cologne or perfume, and that gives me a sinus headache. But is it an “allergy” or just a reaction I have to really strong smells? I don’t know. > [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Oooh, I didn’t know [Stephan Pastis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephan_Pastis)was one of the posters here! > > Mr. Pastis! Mr. Pastis! May I have your autograph, sir? \ Mr. Pastis? Mr. Pastis?!? That joke long predates _Pearls Before Swine_. I first heard it in the mid 90’s. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypochondria-and-allergies/502638/33 "2009-07-13T18:59:50Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Since many of these substances are food, this is generally referred to as a food intolerance rather than an allergy. It is rarely life-threatening (biggest exception is celiac sprue) and it’s best served by just having the patient avoid the food they don’t tolerate. How often is celiac life threatening? I was diagnosed with celiac (via a blood test) at 14 months and my parents were told I’d outgrow it. And for nearly 40 years I ate wheat. Eventually I got sick of gas, bloating, diarrhea and migraines - and gave up wheat with substantial improvement. I know a lot of people who are gluten intolerant with the same sort of profile. Many of them told they have celiac sprue by their doctor - some with a blood test, some with just the ‘see what happens’ diagnosis, some with biopsies. And while we are certainly less pleasant if we have a cookie - none of us has yet dropped dead. And none of us were malnourished before our diagnosis - just cranky. I know there is an increased risk of some sorts of cancer with non-compliant celiacs - but that is all I know about. ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypochondria-and-allergies/502638/34 "2009-07-13T19:42:21Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > Please don’t yell at me, okay? I’m curious, not mean. > I can’t help being suspicious of some people I know who claim allergies. It seems that too many of them are of a type. Unsuccessful in romance, few friends, hungry for attention, and, for a better word, mousey women. (Sorry) > Are there any studies for imagined or made up allergies? > Peace, > mangeorge I’ve taken care of enough people with assorted allergies to have developed an unscientific–but popularly-shared among us ED docs–rule of thumb: the more allergies, the nuttier the patient. I should note, before the defensive sufferers chime in about their “life-threatening” allergies, that I’ve seen many a putatively allergic reaction vastly worsened by the nuttiness of the patient. Said nuttiness increases syncopal reactions and adrenergic responses for example, as well as more aggessive clinician responses (since the nuttier people have more extreme presentations). The aggressive responses by clinicians then multiply the whole problem since some of the things we use–adrenaline, for instance–have their own secondary morbidities. Not a perfect rule. And real allergies do exist. But a pretty darn common impression. “Show me a cite,” an allergy sufferer might say. There probably are some. But I’ll just let it go before I offend any more. (FWIW I estimate I’ve seen a total of about 100,000 patients in my clinical career…) And yes, I realize you are glad I am not your doctor. But trust me; your doctor thinks you are nutty if you have a lot of allergies even if you don’t think she thinks that. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypochondria-and-allergies/502638/35 "2009-07-13T23:07:32Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > How often is celiac life threatening? Not often. But more often than ‘rarely’. Call it ‘infrequently’. Here’s a list of untreated or refractory celiac sprue complications: 1.Intestinal stricture (and Bowel Obstruction) 2.Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (relative risk: 3 to 6) 3.Small intestinal cancers (relative risk: 10) 4.Oropharyngeal cancers (relative risk: 2.3) 5.Esophageal Cancers (relative risk: 4.2) 6.Right-sided bowel adenocarcinoma (relative risk: 2.3) 7.Primary liver cancer (relative risk: 2.7) > **[Gluten Enteropathy](https://www.fpnotebook.com/GI/Malabsorption/GltnEntrpthy.htm)** > > This page includes the following topics and synonyms: Gluten Enteropathy, Gluten Sensitive Enteropathy, Celiac Sprue, Celiac Disease, Coeliac Disease, Nontropical Sprue, Gluten-Induced Enteropathy. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypochondria-and-allergies/502638/36 "2009-07-13T23:08:34Z")
> [@Chief\_Pedant](#): > > rule of thumb: the more allergies, the nuttier the patient Yuppers. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypochondria-and-allergies/502638/37 "2009-07-13T23:15:16Z")
> [@Bites\_When\_Provoked](#): > > One Indian place I went to said that it was refreshing that when I asked about whether the naan came with coriander leaf on it (it did), I politely declined by explaining I didn’t like the taste of it. They said they found it annoying when customers would say they’re allergic to something when it’s simply a taste they don’t enjoy. How did they know they were lying? ---
**Author:** ![Alias](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@Alias](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alias)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypochondria-and-allergies/502638/38 "2009-07-13T23:40:35Z")
My mother’s boyfriend is the hysterical allergy type. I don’t doubt that he has allergies, but they seem to get a lot more severe when they’re on his mind. When he and my mom started seeing each other, Harborwolf and I spent time with them on several occasions with no incident. No problems at all. Then, one day I mentioned that Harborwolf and I have two dogs. He suddenly started tearing up and sniffling and complaining about how dander stays on people and gets on everything! ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypochondria-and-allergies/502638/39 "2009-07-14T00:05:32Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Not often. But more often than ‘rarely’. Call it ‘infrequently’. > > Here’s a list of untreated or refractory celiac sprue complications: > > 1.Intestinal stricture (and Bowel Obstruction) > 2.Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (relative risk: 3 to 6) > 3.Small intestinal cancers (relative risk: 10) > 4.Oropharyngeal cancers (relative risk: 2.3) > 5.Esophageal Cancers (relative risk: 4.2) > 6.Right-sided bowel adenocarcinoma (relative risk: 2.3) > 7.Primary liver cancer (relative risk: 2.7) > > [Gluten Enteropathy](http://www.fpnotebook.com/GI/Malabsorption/GltnEntrpthy.htm) Thanks, pretty much what I knew. Not so risky as to panic over soy sauce or accuse my friends of trying to kill me with making their gravy with flour instead of corn starch - big enough that I really don’t want to take up regular pizza and bread consumption. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypochondria-and-allergies/502638/40 "2009-07-14T00:17:10Z")
> [@Alias](#): > > My mother’s boyfriend is the hysterical allergy type. I don’t doubt that he has allergies, but they seem to get a lot more severe when they’re on his mind. When he and my mom started seeing each other, Harborwolf and I spent time with them on several occasions with no incident. No problems at all. Then, one day I mentioned that Harborwolf and I have two dogs. He suddenly started tearing up and sniffling and complaining about how dander stays on people and gets on everything! First RedHawks, and now Harborwolfs (wolves. I know). What the heck is a Harborwolf? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypochondria-and-allergies/502638.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypochondria-and-allergies/502638.md?page=3)