Katherine Sidnell
We’ve all made silly mistakes regarding our health, but probably not a life-threatening one.
However, one influencer has shocked fans by admitting she didn’t realise she was having a severe allergic reaction – even though her face was extremely swollen.
Documenting the horrifying effects on social media, Shivaika Sewlal even shared how she’d been rushed to hospital over the mistake. Take a look below:
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Ironically, the 29-year-old influencer is known for making content about her severe allergies.
With over 590,000 followers on TikTok, the Cape Town resident often shares tips and tricks for dealing with food intolerances, as well as eczema and asthma.
Despite this, the TikToker struggled to recognise that she was having a severe reaction even as her face swelled.
Filming the intense reaction, she wrote in the caption: "Me not realising that I'm having a life-threatening allergic reaction..."
Acknowledging her face, she told fans: “I don’t know whether to go to hospital or not. I feel completely fine, it’s just this is not looking fine.”
Whilst most of us would have rushed to the emergency room at this point, she admitted that she stayed home despite being barely able to see.
Things got so bad that she was unrecognisable to the security system in her building.
Having finally made it to the hospital, the influencer was told off for not using her adrenaline pen, which is also known by the brand name, Epi-pen.
As the two-minute video continued, Sewlal could then be heard chatting with shocked medics explaining how she hadn’t eaten anything.
All it took was a simple touch for the influencer to become ill, which resulted in her having three injections and a drip.
Understandably, fans were horrified by the viral video – which has since gained over 22.4 million views on the app.
Many concerned viewers asked why Sewlal hadn’t used her adrenaline pen before arriving at the hospital.
"Why wouldn't you use your epi pen? This is insane," one wrote, with the comment gaining over 122,000 likes.
Another user joked: “love how she's just calmly swelling up like a grape.”
However, a third had a little more empathy and commented: “The way we have been gaslit by society to always think we are being hypochondriacs could literally kill us. I’m so glad you went to the hospital!!”
Sewlal even admitted this herself, telling fans that she thought she was being ‘over-dramatic’ and had intended to take an allergy pill before going to sleep.
She added: “When in doubt, just go to the hospital!”
We’re just glad she’s okay now.