Onset of anaphylaxis unknown allergen

[Aurorie11]

Looking for advice having spent 5 hours in A&E today.

Background, early 50s F minor allergy issues hay-fever for 40 yrs plus, bit of a reaction to a wasp sting couple of years ago but dealt with at home with antihistamines.

Yesterday woke with puffy face and neck both sides, no issues breathing etc. Went to pharmacy and given alternative antihistamines.

This morning at 5.30 eyes didn't feel right, took new antihistamine then. Made a cup of tea antihistamine had no impact and rash spread to neck/upper chest and upper back. Phoned 111 for advice who wanted to send an ambulance but I declined and drive myself to A&E.

Had adrenaline and IV antihistamines and hydrocortisone. Bloods taken, no issues there.

Discharged with 5 days of steroids and 3 days of antihistamines.

No idea what triggered this, racking brain to think of anything different to eat or new products used, but struggling to identify anything.

Doc at A&E recommended getting appointment with allergy clinic specialist, phoned GP and got GP appointment in about two weeks to ask for a referral.

Looking for advice/experiences please

Hi, I had a reaction to kiwi fruit recently. Completely out of the blue, and I had eaten kiwi fruit with no problem less than a week before.
I had a swollen, burning throat and wheezing, although because I have asthma and take daily antihistamines for rhinitis, I didn't connect it to the fruit immediately.
What had you eaten just before your first symptoms? Google tells me onset is usually 20 min to 2 hr after ingestion.

So did you have any other symptoms apart from swelling and rash?

Just trying to work out if it really counts as anaphylaxis. You can Google idiopathic urticaria /angioedema which is quite common and maybe more likely?

Allergy clinic.. Could be anything. Got my diagnosis in late 40s from hospital. On patch testing I was clear at 3 days and severe reaction day 5. Now all very well managed, there were follow ups for about a year and now advice on request. I carry epi-pens etc but to try and diagnose is best left to professionals.

it's hard because you could have been in contact as far back as 7 days ago.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be something new. Adult onset allergies are possible. My list continues to grow.

Thanks all.

@scissor going to try again on Tuesday to get hold of allergy clinics going to pay to start off diagnosis as long lists but no secretaries for the clinics were picking up phones on Thursday/ Friday

@juggins2 swelling and rash, and spread to top of back and chest. Can't remember what I'd eaten, I have a suspicion of a cleanser containing fig (didn't know until later checked ingredients) as we have a fig tree and the sap gives me a rash on my hands. But there are other allergens linked to fig.
Will Google your suggestions

As a fellow 50+ with many allergies, a couple anaphylactic I would recommend you start a diary of foods and products you use on your body

You may see a common product in a pattern and it will also help an allergy specialist look at what you regularly expose yourself to

@Tomnooktoldmeto when you say anaphylatic how is this defined for you?
In my episode I had no effect on breathing and felt well - I just had a puffy hot cheeks, side of neck and then spread to eyes, 2 patches at top of chest and top of back.

I have severe anaphylaxis to wasps, full blown collapse and loss of consciousness, with my second anaphylactic allergy (cephalosporins) my face, mouth and airway swells and with both I get impending sense of doom, sensation of someone walking over your grave which is actually your body responding to a drop in blood pressure

Peri menopause/ menopause is a time when we can develop new allergies, sadly I developed one to Celery last year and also reacted to my third covid vaccine which will be a problem going forward

OP you will need a GP referral to the allergy clinic. I know this as I spend at least an hour a week in my local one having my anti bee venom therapy. They give advice to people who phone though but you need GP to get the appointment. I got referred very quickly by my GP after a telephone appointment and you will need a prescription for epi pens. The allergy clinic then gave me training for using them. I think the care I've received has been outstanding.

@ThackeryBinks GP prescribed epi-pens day after A&E, got lesson with practice nurse tomorrow to learn how to use them.
GP ready to do referral to allergy clinic, only question is whether NHS or private, I need to let them know which. If private isn't silly money will go this route as big nhs lists.

@tomnooktoldmeto that sounds really scary. My experience was different, I felt well (read most of a book whilst in A&E) but the rash had spread. My blood pressure was slightly on the high side.

I think I was seen at the allergy clinic about 2 weeks after my referral. Had bloods done to gage the reaction and they take a while. Once blood tests were in I saw the consultant and started the therapy the next week! So big reaction in June stated therapy in October. Really can't fault it! They even make me a cup of tea while I wait for an hour after my jab before going home!

@Aurorie11 the best and quickest route usually is to pick someone private who practices NHS in your area, pay for initial referral or use private health care (normally less than £500) don’t agree to bloods or tests unless you have health care, if you have check your limit (mine has a yearly cap) then ask to be moved to their nhs list

Private bloods and tests can be very pricey, we once had a bill for £1K just for bloods

@Tomnooktoldmeto is there an easy way to identify them?
Don’t have health insurance

@Aurorie11 you can ask your GP or your nearest private hospital, they’re usually very good at giving you information as they want your business

Heard of a few incidents of allergic reaction to goji berries recently.
When did you get your booster?

@junebirthdaygirl end of October

@Aurorie11 in a weird turn of events here today DD 19 started to have a severe reaction similar to yours

Tachycardic, rash on face , torso and itchy. We’re well set up for monitoring and treatment so I handled it and she’s ok now but this is my one DC. With no known allergies and despite my knowledge of allergens she’s not reacting to anything obvious

So now I’m on high alert for any further reaction, DS has an anaphylactic allergy to shellfish and I’ve many allergies but up till now DD was fine. Ho hum life’s never quiet with kids

@Tomnooktoldmeto that sounds scary when it's one of your children. How did you handle it?

@Aurorie11 fortunately I’m a retired theatre practitioner so fairly used to situations like this. I already have monitoring equipment due to my own condition and even epipens to hand

I Dosed with antihistamine as the reaction emerged and fortunately headed it off, she had a second spike of raised heart rate a couple of hours later but it’s recorded as she had an Apple Watch on for continuing monitoring

My greatest concern is that it was potentially a reaction to a medication that she takes for ADD as she’s just about to take her mocks and can’t afford to be unmedicated

@tomnooktoldmeto out of interest what dose of antihistamine did you give her?
Mine started on Tuesday and I took 10mg of cetirizine hydrochloride. I then went to pharmacist for advice who said I couldn't take anything else for 24 hours and I was left thinking could I have done.
It was the next day I went to A&E as it had spread

@Aurorie11 we use Loratidine 10mg routinely, in the past I have personally been prescribed higher doses by a specialist and when I had a recent reaction did take a second dose but wouldn’t advocate or do this with another person

If an allergy of unknown cause isn’t settling on a standard dose it really does need assessing, however we aren’t living in normal times and I’m CEV both DC are CV so unless we really have no choice we’re avoiding hospitals