Reply to phantom allergy: what to say

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It's not that hard to get an epi pen. I have severe allergic reactions that I have been able to halt with a double dose of benedryl thus far, and we have not been able to pinpoint the exact cause. The doctor has never seen the reaction, I didn't test high enough that I should be anaphylactic to anything, but I was given an epi pen rx, "just in case." [/quote]

what are your symptoms? [/quote]

in this order...
My ears clog completely
My tongue gets itchy/tingly
My throat starts itching
My sinuses fill suddenly
I start wheezing and coughing

It hasn't gotten past that point. I take benedryl as soon as my ears clog and it usually starts slowing down before the wheezing and coughing.

[/quote]

Benadryl can reduce these symptoms yes, but it cannot stop anaphylaxis.

An antihistamine pill, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), isn't sufficient to treat anaphylaxis. These medications can help relieve allergy symptoms, but work too slowly in a severe reaction.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-anaphylaxis/basics/art-20056608
[/quote]

That's actually not true. I have an allergy to nuts but am very diligent about it so haven't had a reaction in a long time. I recently ate something new and started to feel symptoms differently than I had with other reactions. I felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest and had no idea why. No congestion, no itchiness, no hives like I usually get. Just a horrible indigestion feeling and finding it hard to breathe. I thought I may be having a heart attack, actually. Finally after about a minute (which felt like 10) I remembered I had eaten something new and took a double dose of Benadryl right away. I had my epi pen in one hand and my finger on the "9" button on the phone, and I started to feel some relief. Then more relief.  After I was sure that my breathing was getting easier I put away the epipen. Not all anaphylactic reactions look or feel the same. More importantly, your symptoms can be different with different exposures.

But, Benadryl can stop some anaphylactic reactions if given right when you recognize the symptoms. I speak from experience. [/quote]

NP here. It was my understanding that some anaphylactic reactions can stop progressing on their own and that Benadryl has nothing to do with it; Benadryl can mask the symptoms of anaphylaxis, which is why in the light of the Natalie Giorgi tragedy, people made now told to give the epi upon known ingestion and not wait until they see signs of ana. [/quote]

19:57 again.  Which is one reason this is so strange.  If the op had given the epi and there was no allergic reaction she could have killed the boy. Epinephrine is a very serious drug.  [/quote]\\

Epinephrine is safe.  It is extremely unlikely that it would hurt the boy other than make him a bit jittery.  Don't feel hesitant to give the epipen in the case of exposure to an allergen.

"Epinephrine is a life-saving medication in the treatment of anaphylaxis. This study demonstrated the relative safety of its use in 116 consecutive patients treated for acute anaphylaxis," write Larry Posner, MD, from the University of California at San Francisco, and colleagues in the poster. "The use of epinephrine for anaphylaxis should only be limited due to cardiac or other contraindicated conditions."

The investigators contend that epinephrine, although the treatment of choice for anaphylaxis, is frequently underused, possibly because of the fear of adverse cardiac events.

To determine the safety profile of epinephrine administration in the acute setting, they conducted a retrospective chart review of 116 consecutive patients who received epinephrine in an allergy office between 1999 and 2004. The review included data on adverse events and vital signs, both of which were monitored every five to 10 minutes for a minimum of 30 to 90 minutes after epinephrine administration.

A total of 116 patients received 131 epinephrine injections. The authors found that of 110 evaluable patients, 72% of those younger than 30 years and 68% of those older than 30 years had postepinephrine heart rates of fewer than 100 beats per minute (bpm). Only one patient (younger than 30 years old) had a heart rate greater than 130 bpm.

Similarly, systolic blood pressure stayed between 80 and 140 mm Hg after epinephrine administration in 91% of the younger patients and in 59% of the older patients. No patient had a systolic pressure higher than 182 mm Hg at any time. Diastolic pressures were in the range of 60 to 90 mm Hg in 78% of the younger patients and in 91% of those older than 30 years.

The most commonly reported adverse effect was jitteriness, which occurred in 19% of all patients, followed by headache, palpitation, and nausea (3%), and vomiting (1% -- one patient). There were no serious adverse events, all elevations of vital signs were transient, all patients responded to epinephrine, and all were able to return home.
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