Peanut Allergies? Anaphlaxis?

AJCM
AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
edited September 19 in Chit-Chat
Hi MFP Friends,

We spent a frightening night at the hospital after my daughter got a lick of peanut butter and went into anaphylatic shock. Anyone out there been through this? I'm really stressed out all this (and my hubby is not as worried as me - I've been finding him unsupportive) and would love to talk to other parents going through this!

My son (who is 4) has been diagnosed with severe allergies since 18 months, but after experiencing the actual anaphylaxis, it's a whole other ball game!

Thanks in advance! :flowerforyou:

Replies

  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
    Hi MFP Friends,

    We spent a frightening night at the hospital after my daughter got a lick of peanut butter and went into anaphylatic shock. Anyone out there been through this? I'm really stressed out all this (and my hubby is not as worried as me - I've been finding him unsupportive) and would love to talk to other parents going through this!

    My son (who is 4) has been diagnosed with severe allergies since 18 months, but after experiencing the actual anaphylaxis, it's a whole other ball game!

    Thanks in advance! :flowerforyou:
  • Iceprincessk25
    Iceprincessk25 Posts: 1,888 Member
    Do you guys carry epi-pens with you?
  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
    Do you guys carry epi-pens with you?

    Yes, we carry two Epi pens at all times (always have done, because of my son), and Benadryl, but she literally got the tiniest amount of peanut butter and almost died. I've never been so scared in my life! Before that experience, I had no idea how severe and quick the reaction would occur.

    :frown:
  • Marla64
    Marla64 Posts: 23,120 Member
    oh my-- I have no information or experience-- just reading through-- I'm so sorry about your experience today-- it must have been horrific. I nearly lost my daughter last year to a diabetic episode-- nothing worse or makes you feel more helpless.

    God bless you and your family-- I hope she'll be okay.
  • Iceprincessk25
    Iceprincessk25 Posts: 1,888 Member
    My Boss's husband is deathly allergic to shellfish and I can't count the times they've had scary mishaps happen to them. Even if other food is just barely touching the shellfish he reacts. I ca't imagine it!

    My sister is allergic to soy so we have to be really careful about what I buy because freaking EVERYTHING has soy in it!!!
  • kattiek
    kattiek Posts: 83
    I'm allergic to nuts, and it can be a scary thing. Luckily I've never gone into full blown anaphylaxis where my throat has started to swell shut, but I've gotten pretty close to that point. You really just have to be careful and ALWAYS read food labels and ask if you're going out to eat somewhere. It's possible to deal with it, obviously, cause I'm still alive lol. I love Asian food and I'm a granola fanatic so the nut allergy makes it hard for me to eat those kinds of things sometimes. By the way, soy butter is a pretty amazing substitute. It's more expensive than PB, but worth it. I recommend I.M. Healthy brand (but NOT the unsweetened kind!!) or Wal-mart brand. It's good that you already have the epi pens and benadryl, you're definitely going to want to keep those on hand. Everything will be ok! :flowerforyou: I'm glad the scary part is over for you.
  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
    oh my-- I have no information or experience-- just reading through-- I'm so sorry about your experience today-- it must have been horrific. I nearly lost my daughter last year to a diabetic episode-- nothing worse or makes you feel more helpless.

    God bless you and your family-- I hope she'll be okay.

    Hi Marla - thanks for the kind words. She is fine for now, I'm just worried!:flowerforyou:
  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
    My Boss's husband is deathly allergic to shellfish and I can't count the times they've had scary mishaps happen to them. Even if other food is just barely touching the shellfish he reacts. I ca't imagine it!

    My sister is allergic to soy so we have to be really careful about what I buy because freaking EVERYTHING has soy in it!!!

    Yikes about your boss' husband! I'm kind of scared to leave the house!
    :frown:
  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
    I'm allergic to nuts, and it can be a scary thing. Luckily I've never gone into full blown anaphylaxis where my throat has started to swell shut, but I've gotten pretty close to that point. You really just have to be careful and ALWAYS read food labels and ask if you're going out to eat somewhere. It's possible to deal with it, obviously, cause I'm still alive lol. I love Asian food and I'm a granola fanatic so the nut allergy makes it hard for me to eat those kinds of things sometimes. By the way, soy butter is a pretty amazing substitute. It's more expensive than PB, but worth it. I recommend I.M. Healthy brand (but NOT the unsweetened kind!!) or Wal-mart brand. It's good that you already have the epi pens and benadryl, you're definitely going to want to keep those on hand. Everything will be ok! :flowerforyou: I'm glad the scary part is over for you.

    Thanks for sharing your story - we are vigilant about reading labels, asking at restaurants (and down right avoiding ones that have the allergens in many dishes) but I'm just so nervous about the cross contamination issue!

    Have you ever had to inject the Epi-pen in your leg? Just wondering about that issue too! Will she do it to herself if the issue arises when she is older?
    :flowerforyou:
  • kimber607
    kimber607 Posts: 7,128 Member
    Hey

    ((HUGS))
    I can't even imagine how scary that is!
    We have a close friend with a severe peanut allergy.....
    He carries an epi pen and has had to use it a few times, but now as an adult is very very aware of his situation and how to handle it, or use th epen when need be

    VERY scary!
    Kim
  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
    Hey

    ((HUGS))
    I can't even imagine how scary that is!
    We have a close friend with a severe peanut allergy.....
    He carries an epi pen and has had to use it a few times, but now as an adult is very very aware of his situation and how to handle it, or use th epen when need be

    VERY scary!
    Kim

    Thanks Kim! I know all the logial protocol, it's this terrible panic in my HEAD that I need to get under control! Since becoming a mom, I'm such a worrier!
    :flowerforyou:
  • Mireille
    Mireille Posts: 5,134 Member
    OMG, you just described my worst nightmare.
    My 5 year old is allergic to peanuts and I'm terrified each day that she will be exposed. Thankfully, I have never had to give her her Twinject.
    The closest scare we had is when we were in Niagara Falls a few weeks ago and my DH gave her a small piece of fudge (:explode: ). She ended up getting 2 hives around her mouth and the benadryl took care of that. I too find that my DH doesn't take it seriously enough. It is very frustrating.

    Can I ask how it happened?
    Did you administer the shot or did your husband?


    I'm sending you a million hugs!
  • kattiek
    kattiek Posts: 83
    I'm allergic to nuts, and it can be a scary thing. Luckily I've never gone into full blown anaphylaxis where my throat has started to swell shut, but I've gotten pretty close to that point. You really just have to be careful and ALWAYS read food labels and ask if you're going out to eat somewhere. It's possible to deal with it, obviously, cause I'm still alive lol. I love Asian food and I'm a granola fanatic so the nut allergy makes it hard for me to eat those kinds of things sometimes. By the way, soy butter is a pretty amazing substitute. It's more expensive than PB, but worth it. I recommend I.M. Healthy brand (but NOT the unsweetened kind!!) or Wal-mart brand. It's good that you already have the epi pens and benadryl, you're definitely going to want to keep those on hand. Everything will be ok! :flowerforyou: I'm glad the scary part is over for you.

    Thanks for sharing your story - we are vigilant about reading labels, asking at restaurants (and down right avoiding ones that have the allergens in many dishes) but I'm just so nervous about the cross contamination issue!

    Have you ever had to inject the Epi-pen in your leg? Just wondering about that issue too! Will she do it to herself if the issue arises when she is older?
    :flowerforyou:


    I have never used the epi-pen. The last time I had a reaction I probably should have used it on the way to the ER. I was swollen and itchy, but wasn't having breathing problems so I was stubborn and was convinced that I was ok without it....yes, I realize that wasn't one of my smarter moments. My roommate and I had ordered chinese and it was a couple bites of an eggroll that made me react.

    I worry sometimes about the cross contamination issue too and I've also become a little paranoid about certain foods (like eggrolls now) if I can't tell exactly what is in them. I just do without, I'm much better off.

    The epi-pen is designed to be easy to use. When she's older she will definitely be able to do it herself if, God forbid, the situation arises. HTH :smile:
  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
    OMG, you just described my worst nightmare.
    My 5 year old is allergic to peanuts and I'm terrified each day that she will be exposed. Thankfully, I have never had to give her her Twinject.
    The closest scare we had is when we were in Niagara Falls a few weeks ago and my DH gave her a small piece of fudge (:explode: ). She ended up getting 2 hives around her mouth and the benadryl took care of that. I too find that my DH doesn't take it seriously enough. It is very frustrating.

    Can I ask how it happened?
    Did you administer the shot or did your husband?


    I'm sending you a million hugs!

    Thanks for the support Mirielle - I will PM you the whole story (just have to feed the kids lunch) - it was a NIGHTMARE - my son's had the pen since he was a baby, and we've seen mild reactions, but this has changed everything. I feel for you! I've signed up for a support group in Toronto - I need some strategies to cope with the anxiety. I bet it sounds ridiculous, but I am just terrified about cross contamination (because it takes SO little for a life threatening reaction).
    :flowerforyou:
  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
    I'm allergic to nuts, and it can be a scary thing. Luckily I've never gone into full blown anaphylaxis where my throat has started to swell shut, but I've gotten pretty close to that point. You really just have to be careful and ALWAYS read food labels and ask if you're going out to eat somewhere. It's possible to deal with it, obviously, cause I'm still alive lol. I love Asian food and I'm a granola fanatic so the nut allergy makes it hard for me to eat those kinds of things sometimes. By the way, soy butter is a pretty amazing substitute. It's more expensive than PB, but worth it. I recommend I.M. Healthy brand (but NOT the unsweetened kind!!) or Wal-mart brand. It's good that you already have the epi pens and benadryl, you're definitely going to want to keep those on hand. Everything will be ok! :flowerforyou: I'm glad the scary part is over for you.

    Thanks for sharing your story - we are vigilant about reading labels, asking at restaurants (and down right avoiding ones that have the allergens in many dishes) but I'm just so nervous about the cross contamination issue!

    Have you ever had to inject the Epi-pen in your leg? Just wondering about that issue too! Will she do it to herself if the issue arises when she is older?
    :flowerforyou:


    I have never used the epi-pen. The last time I had a reaction I probably should have used it on the way to the ER. I was swollen and itchy, but wasn't having breathing problems so I was stubborn and was convinced that I was ok without it....yes, I realize that wasn't one of my smarter moments. My roommate and I had ordered chinese and it was a couple bites of an eggroll that made me react.

    I worry sometimes about the cross contamination issue too and I've also become a little paranoid about certain foods (like eggrolls now) if I can't tell exactly what is in them. I just do without, I'm much better off.

    The epi-pen is designed to be easy to use. When she's older she will definitely be able to do it herself if, God forbid, the situation arises. HTH :smile:

    OMG - so sorry to hear about the egg roll reaction! No kidding that it is hard to administer that pen - at the hospital they hooked my daughter up to an EKG because they said she could go into cardiac arrest!!!

    I am terrified, so I pretty much have always avoided Chinese or Thai around them. We are also fearful to travel out of North America, for fear that language barriers could end us up in trouble).

    The daycare at my gym had a bag of mixed nuts on the reception desk, and I diplomatically educated the gals, but now I feel sick thinking what could have happened if she'd pulled that out AFTER I dropped the kids off! :ohwell:

    Once my daughter is about 4 we will let her practice with the expired Epi-pens on oranges. As you know, the pens only have around a 12 month shelf life, and we have about 10 around at any one time, so we always have lots for practicing.

    Today at Easter Dinner the whole family is getting a presentation and Epi-pen practice session!
    :blushing:
  • becauseimworthit
    becauseimworthit Posts: 6
    As I preschool teacher for Head Start, we are given lots of training in this area. So when "Britt" showed up on the class roster with a distinctive red "allergy" next to her name, I did what I've been trained to do. I interviewed the parents, sent a letter to the doctor asking for confirmation and step by step directions as to what to do in case she was exposed to peanuts. Things went well for about two weeks, no episodes, then we had peanut butter with some kind of cracker for snack. I put Britt next to me and she happily consumed cream cheese with hers. We watched her carefully for the next few minutes, like the paper said, we asked her if she was in distress (she'd had attacks before) and she said no. So we sent her on the bus. Her dad called the next day saying she needed a breathing treatment as soon as she walked off the bus because she could not breath. I went right there to talk to the family again and found out that she really had the WORST case of allergy of this type that her allergist had ever seen and that being the room was enough to set it off, depending on other factors. It might have been enough for her to touch a chair that another child had touched with their dirty hands and left traces of oil, she did not need to consume it to react. I promised the family to do more to protect her in school. All the teachers in the school helped me sanitize all services in the building and we posted big red "STOP DO NOT BRING NUT ITEMS INTO THIS CENTER" signs on all the doors and sent out notices to all the groups that used the community rooms. This was not the last attack of any kind that she had, the future ones were related more to recovering from a cold and stress. We had the ambulance on speed dial. This is scary, scary, scary and I have a lot of sympathy for families who are dealing with this.
  • Frost
    Frost Posts: 312 Member
    Hi-I can't even begin to tell you how much I can relate and feel so badly that you all have to go through this. I was going to point out that peanut allergies have a really crazy level of sensititvity for some folks but becauseimworhtit already did and very well I might add I don't have to :smile: . I am an adult who went through a period of several severe allergies. One of the hardest things is when people don't take it seriously OR even worse think you're faking it for the attention. Support from both of you is really important because allergies immediately make you "different" in the eyes of those who don't get it. I would recommend carrying a letter from your doctor stating the allergy history for both children in case of a trip out of your local area. I have been admitted to ER's on vacation to find the doctor on staff to not beleive you can have some off the allergies I have had (spider bites, cleaning solutions, paint fumes, peanuts, shellfish, pine nuts). I'm one of the lucky ones and some of my allergies have decreased because they were brought on by extreme stressors. I even have a letter stating I have to carry the epi-pen at all times so I can take it on planes and secure buildings which was job related.

    The other thing I recommend is read every label. I went to buy a loaf of potato bread from Safeway. Somehting urged me to read the label. It was made with peanut flour. Who would have guessed that? I read everything now. I also alert the waiter in restauarants to my food allergies. This keeps the possibility of cross contamination down.

    Hope this helps. Please shoot me a message any time you just need to chat about this. I know how stressful it can be.
  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
    As I preschool teacher for Head Start, we are given lots of training in this area. So when "Britt" showed up on the class roster with a distinctive red "allergy" next to her name, I did what I've been trained to do. I interviewed the parents, sent a letter to the doctor asking for confirmation and step by step directions as to what to do in case she was exposed to peanuts. Things went well for about two weeks, no episodes, then we had peanut butter with some kind of cracker for snack. I put Britt next to me and she happily consumed cream cheese with hers. We watched her carefully for the next few minutes, like the paper said, we asked her if she was in distress (she'd had attacks before) and she said no. So we sent her on the bus. Her dad called the next day saying she needed a breathing treatment as soon as she walked off the bus because she could not breath. I went right there to talk to the family again and found out that she really had the WORST case of allergy of this type that her allergist had ever seen and that being the room was enough to set it off, depending on other factors. It might have been enough for her to touch a chair that another child had touched with their dirty hands and left traces of oil, she did not need to consume it to react. I promised the family to do more to protect her in school. All the teachers in the school helped me sanitize all services in the building and we posted big red "STOP DO NOT BRING NUT ITEMS INTO THIS CENTER" signs on all the doors and sent out notices to all the groups that used the community rooms. This was not the last attack of any kind that she had, the future ones were related more to recovering from a cold and stress. We had the ambulance on speed dial. This is scary, scary, scary and I have a lot of sympathy for families who are dealing with this.

    Yikes - very scary. I'm glad the school reacted as they did - that is GREAT!

    Allergy, and anaphylaxis is a spectrum condition, and the scary part is that allergists/immunologists often don't know where on the spectrum the child falls. In allergy skin testing, the size of the wheel (the hive that appears after the serum is applied to pricked skin) only correlates to the liklihood that a reaction will occur, not the severity of the reaction.

    One thing parents can look for is that if there children get swelling from the cold, they may be more likely to experience anaphylaxis (on a winter day, my daughter would start to swell from being outside and playing in the cold).
    :flowerforyou:
  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
    Hi-I can't even begin to tell you how much I can relate and feel so badly that you all have to go through this. I was going to point out that peanut allergies have a really crazy level of sensititvity for some folks but becauseimworhtit already did and very well I might add I don't have to :smile: . I am an adult who went through a period of several severe allergies. One of the hardest things is when people don't take it seriously OR even worse think you're faking it for the attention. Support from both of you is really important because allergies immediately make you "different" in the eyes of those who don't get it. I would recommend carrying a letter from your doctor stating the allergy history for both children in case of a trip out of your local area. I have been admitted to ER's on vacation to find the doctor on staff to not beleive you can have some off the allergies I have had (spider bites, cleaning solutions, paint fumes, peanuts, shellfish, pine nuts). I'm one of the lucky ones and some of my allergies have decreased because they were brought on by extreme stressors. I even have a letter stating I have to carry the epi-pen at all times so I can take it on planes and secure buildings which was job related.

    The other thing I recommend is read every label. I went to buy a loaf of potato bread from Safeway. Somehting urged me to read the label. It was made with peanut flour. Who would have guessed that? I read everything now. I also alert the waiter in restauarants to my food allergies. This keeps the possibility of cross contamination down.

    Hope this helps. Please shoot me a message any time you just need to chat about this. I know how stressful it can be.

    Thanks Frost, and sorry to hear of your allergies.

    We always read all the labels, and I will now, more vigilantly, check Anaphylaxis Canada's website for mis-labelled food (I didn't even know this happens!!!!! Food that says peanut free on the label can accidentally get it!!! Remember that Hazelnut mishap with Cadbury last Easter? Hazelnuts made there way into plain chocolate!!?!?!?!?!). Ugh!
    :flowerforyou:
  • kimber607
    kimber607 Posts: 7,128 Member
    Hi again

    I'm not going through what you are, but I can't even imagine the anxiety and worry you must be feeling
    Just an FYI...avoid ALL chinese food
    Our friend that I mentioned, even though being very very clear about his allergy when ordering or going to a Chinese restaurant has ALWAYS had a problem (I guess cross/contam)
    In my mind, not worth the risk

    Kim
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