A Canadian woman who claims she is “allergic to running” said she nearly died after suffering a severe reaction when dashing to catch a flight.
Divz Mangat, 27, was traveling with her sister and friends to the Dominican Republic on April 27, when she sprinted across the terminal to make it in time.
Once they arrived at the gate, Mangat broke out in hives and struggled to breathe — a moment her sister Dee Mangat captured in footage that has gone viral on TikTok.
“How she almost died because of a delayed flight,” reads the text overlay on the post, which has been viewed more than 6.6 million times.
“For the past few months, every time I run or get stressed out, I’ve been breaking out in hives. I wasn’t sure if it was due to running or stress,” Divz told Newsweek.
“But, that day, I realized it 100 percent has to be due to me running and being stressed out,” she said.
“I’ve gone to the hospital a few times regarding this. I’m waiting on a specialist and the hospital isn’t really able to provide more information at the moment.”
Dee told the outlet that her sister said she might be allergic to running after she developed reactions several times.
“I was like, ‘Yeah, OK, sure. I’ve never heard of that,’” she said.
After several visits to the hospital, she was given an EpiPen, a self-injection device that delivers epinephrine to treat anaphylaxis, a serious, life-threatening allergic reaction.
Divz has not been officially diagnosed but believes she is suffering from exercise-induced anaphylaxis, or EIA, a rare disorder in which symptoms occur after physical activity, Newsweek reported.
These can include hives, itching, flushed skin, swollen lips, nausea and vomiting — and in severe cases, a dramatic fall in blood pressure that can lead to anaphylactic shock.
Sufferers also may develop difficulty breathing and swallowing.
In some people, there is a link between both exercise and food or drink consumption — a condition known as food-dependent EIA.
“I was a bit panicky and saying we needed to tell somebody,” Dee told Newsweek about the emergency on the plane.
“But she said, ‘No, let’s just wait, try the EpiPen and see if the reaction settles.’ The last couple of times after the EpiPen, her hives did go down,” she said.
By the time they arrived in the Dominican Republic, Divz was feeling much better, so she decided not to go to a hospital, though it is usually recommended after the use of an EpiPen.
“The whole trip the girls were like, ‘Don’t run. Just walk where you have to go,'” Divz told the outlet. “I’m very cautious of not making my heart beat really fast. I’m just trying to be very calm and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Many social media users shared their own experiences in reaction to Dee’s video.
“Exercised induced anaphylaxis is real! You should get tested for it for sure,” one person wrote.
“Exercise-induced anaphylaxis is a real thing. Mine doesn’t get that bad but I used to have to carry an EpiPen in case it did,” another said.
Divz said she appreciated the feedback.
“Doctors have reached out and let me know there are lots of possibilities, and when you read the comments, some people say it took them years to figure out,” she told Newsweek.
