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Abigail Griffith is a freelance social media manager from Irvine, Calif.

Since discovering her nightshade allergy at the age of 23, Griffith rarely eats out unless she is traveling

Recently, while out to dinner with friends, the 29-year-old came into contact with the allergen

Growing up, Abigail Griffith could sense that she had a food intolerance, though she was unable to identify exactly what it was.

At first, she suspected dairy or gluten – given that pizza often left her feeling sick – yet she had no trouble with ice cream or cake.

“Eating felt like Russian roulette; I truly never knew what would send me to the bathroom throwing up,” Griffith tells PEOPLE exclusively. “I was an athlete, so I was hungry all the time but kinda scared of food.”

Over the years, countles

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