This was anaphylaxis wasn’t it? Nuts.

[Mytortoiseisbetter]

Ds2 (16) has always had hay fever/throat-clearing type symptoms ans the odd rash after food but last night something more serious happened.

he ate 4 Brazil nuts and a few minutes later his throat felt weird and his breathing became noisy. His eyes were red.

We happen to have a neighbour who is a local GP and he kindly came over. He got ds2 to take antihistamine. Then he got an inhaler, then a steroid inhaler. The throat cleared a bit and he sent ds2 to bed saying he should go to hospital if it didn’t settle. He said “we’d know by now” if it was going to be severe (he stayed with us for an hour)

I slept in the same room as ds2. Shortly after going to bed he got very agitated saying his heart felt like it was on fire. I thought it was a panic attack but then he threw up and after that it all subsided. He says his throat still feels a bit “cottony”.

I had assumed the vomiting was a response to the inhaler but Google tells me that vomiting and heart issues are actually part of anaphylaxis especially if food-related.

this morning I obviously called our own GP who ordered a RAST(?) test but that’s not till next Friday. She said normally you call 999 with any breathing issues.

I realised I’d failed to tel, her about the heart and vomiting to called back and gave a message to the receptionist.

dh is in complete denial saying “it could be nothing”.

it’s not though is it?

my neighbour has shown us where their epipen is (it went out of date in 2020).

Not sure what I’m really asking here. I guess a handhold? My older son had a life threatening emergency just a month ago requiring neurosurgery and I’m only just recovering from that!

I’m a parent of a child with allergies. For future reference this should have been an immediate 999 call. Your GP surgery should have given you an emergency appointment today.

If he has allergies, it could also be oral allergy syndrome.

The doctor was negligent at best.

Yes, it sounds like anaphylaxis. My daughter had it and the symptoms sound similar. She was hospitalized and prescribed an Epipen.

Are you sure the Brazil nuts aren't being confused with pecans?

What else did he eat?

Huh?

treat this as a warning shot (I’m sure you do but telling teenagers is another thing!)

epipens and antihistamines buy you time in a severe reaction so if he does get a pen it’s not to be solely relied upon with a reaction.

allergies are strange things and can happen out the blue. I had 35 years of apple eating until my first anaphylactic episode

Sounds familiar. You mention hayfever too. Look up MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome) in case that might be relevant for your son.

Often those who have negative RAST tests & non-IGE reactions, get anaphylactoid/anaphylaxis reactions as part of MCAS.

It can be triggered by an infection, virus, vaccination etc. Starting to see it it more in the news now with Long Covid's.

Best of luck

Just to say I'm reading every message and very very grateful for them all.

He still has a slight "oddness" in the back of his throat. I guess avoid exercise and that's the episode fading?

lucky his football tomorrow has been cancelled anyway.

I hope your ds is ok and you get answers soon.

Sorry for hijacking your thread @Mytortoiseisbetter but anyone that has experience of this, what's the best antihistamines to take in this case?

Allergic reactions can happen up to 24 hours after exposure to an allergen.

You can have a gastro reaction and then the next time it can be a more severe response.

I had to do my anaphylaxis training at work this week and it said that the reaction could either be Uniphasic - severe and quick or biphasic - might recur after 6 hours
So I wouldn't have sent him to bed!

Cetirizine is one of the fastest acting.

Also to add, as someone mentioned you'd know it was anaphylaxis if someone stopped breathing, that isn't always the case, and if people think that it can mean serious allergic reactions might not be recognised. Anaphylaxis is a systemic reaction which includes the airways and/or respiratory system and/or circulatory system. For example, I go straight from skin symptoms to BP crash/tachycardia.

999 and say anaphylaxis.

Ds2 says he remembers as a young child trying a nut and it leaving a weird metallic aftertaste that led him to dislike nuts. He just thought that’s how nuts tasted He says that last night after eating the four Brazil nuts he thought “oh, there’s that taste again”. But this time obviously it escalated.

Once more I have read every reply and appreciate each one.

It’s helping me adjust to this new “place” I need to live in.... seems to be full of nice people.

The GP you saw is wrong and could of killed him - you go to a and e.

you can use any out of date Epipen - if you hold it up and it is clear they should be usable.

antihistamines yes and I would make him take one each day for the next week.

no need for steroids unless he had continuing symptoms in which case go to a and e.

sadly most gp are not well informed and getting an Epipen is like getting blood out of a stone.
an urgent referral to the allergy clinic after 5 epipens in 7 days and numerous trips to a and e took me 7 months.

I’m on 3 different antihistamines for life and steroids 3 months on and then off etc

i would have gone to hospital with what you described - you can’t see swelling inside your throat.

Sounds like a serious allergic reaction.
He definitely needs epipens.
Hopefully with RAST test results this will follow. I would also avoid all nuts until I have the results.

This name age and address as well as the above. Do not mess around.

get an emergency gp
appointment with your own gp

My DS2 had similar symptoms at age 13 after eating pesto. He was referred to our local (excellent) paediatric allergy unit where, after tests, he was found to be very allergic to certain nuts. Repeated tests over the last few years show that it's not improved and he carries an adrenalin pen. We were told that if the reaction involves breathing, it's anaphylaxis and any subsequent reaction could be worse.

And, as pps have said, avoid all nuts and related products until you have a diagnosis. DS's reaction was to pesto, but he is not allergic to the pine nuts that were on the ingredients list. Apparently, pesto often contains traces of walnut owing to Italian manufacturing processes.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/antihistamines/

for me
take a non drowsy one

I’m on fexofenadine x3 every day montelukast 10 mg a day I also take piriton when needed. And cetirizine

you need to be careful and seek medical advice first
some of the Cetirizine brands (which work well for me) contain soya, and can not be good for people with peanut allergies

if you are having tests for allergies ALL antihistamine need to be stopped before so they can see your natural reaction

please go to a and e or a gp and don’t take no for an answer

this serious shit - by the way if you even do use an Epipen - I go cold and clammy after and my heart races like I’m going to have a heart attack but 20 minutes later I’m much better but wiped out for days.

all antihistamines have side effects!

steriods affect your immune system - I was and am ECV

pm
if you want more info

Also don’t get confused between piriton and piritrase different active ingredients

It definitely sounds like you should have dialled 999. unfortunately it's quite common for health professionals not to recognise anaphylaxis. Both my DC have presentations that most wouldn't recognise as anaphylaxis.

DD coughs and gets hoarse and her speech is affected. DS goes grey and floppy.

This is the allergy action plan similar to theirs for non AAI carriers. It's really useful for reference to determine what symptoms indicate anaphylaxis and what to do.

www.bsaci.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/BSACIAllergyActionPlan2018NoAAI2981-2.pdf

Thank you @Yarnasaurus

I don't think i have cetirizine in the house anymore as it makes my essential tremors bazillion times worse but I'll be sure to get some for just incase. I do have a couple antihistamines for previous suspected labrynthitis, promethazine and one beginning with m?!? And of course piriton and twenty diff hay fever meds.