been referred to immunologist for allergies and going to be given an epipen.....what can I expect?

[Psychomum5]

I had a very bad allergic reaction the other day.

DD1 and DD2 decided to make me a smoothie, (which was lovely BTW), but they know I am allergic to milk and apples.

they duly took attention and made said smoothie without putting in apples or any milk/icecream, yet within second of drinking it (and it was so nice it went down rapidly), my mouth started to tingle and itch, and lips to swell.

I went up to get out of my clothes as was feeling VERY hot and itchy and agitated, only to come downstairs to shocked faces......I was totally covered in hives, from top to toe.

I was also clawing at my throat and wheezing, so started using my blue inhaler, drank some piriton and took one of my antihistamines......only to feel most odd as my heart started racing and going 'bonkers'.

asking the girls what they had given me, they suddenly realised that apple juice is made from apples, and admitted that apple juice was the base for my smoothie......

I cannot believe I have never ever explained to them that apple juice is made from apples.

they felt so awful for me, and was fretting lots.......I on the other hand was not so charitable as was beyond calm and into panic mode by then, so went to bed.

luckily the hives soon started to go, but heart stayed racing, and woke the following day feeling most strange so trotted to the doctors, to find her telling me off for not going to the hospital as apparently I was in 'allergic shock'!.

my reactions have been getting slowly worse since xmas, and each and every time now that I react to milk I get the same wheezy/tight chest and hives, but not yet bothered the docs as have been so busy and to be honest, quite scared.

She tho has decided that I am getting to the stage that I will need and epipen (is that the right spelling?), and more involved testing (the previous tests were basic blood done at the docs and I was sent away again to read up on my own!).

BUT.....what now......not ever had to learn about them, let alone deal with someone as allergic.....and the docs have said that should I react as badly next time I will need to call 999!!!!! DH reckons otherwise as he think I will recover......doc says otherwise as each time I get worse!

is it very scary the thought of having to jab yourself/someone else, and in the meantime.......is calling 999 going to be an over reaction (asked my DH).

thanks in advance for answers

not exactly sure what the q is - but def get an epi pen - you prob won't need to use it but best to be safe

sorry, not clear.

what will they do regarding testing?, and how and who will they train with reagards to me having an epipen???

......i didn't realise and thought I would have been laughed at....or at least been told I was wasting their time.

docs was cross with me!

and what could happen anyway?? (regarding another reaction that is......will it really go into major reation?)

Pschomum5 - don't worry - epipens are incredibly simple to use - just make sure that when they explain it to you that your dh is also there to find out how to use it. But it is easy - my dd would be able to do it to herself if she had to. Your dh is WRONG WRONG WRONG - allergic reactions get worse with each exposure - hence your GP's concern. If you go into full anyphlactic shock next time without an epipen near you you could die, as an epipen is NOT a cure - it simply buys time so that you can be taken to hospital. Calling 999 is NOT an overreaction: if you don't you are risking your life! The more involved testing simply means that they will do a series of tests to try and establish a 'range' of potential allergens which you should then avoid.

Anything that affects the airways should be a 999 call psycho.

Epipens are great, because all you need do is aim in the right spot, and press and hold down. (none of this "stabbing" action you see in the movies ).

You need to sort this sooner rather than later. My DD used to get hives when someone kissed her, having had coffee with milk several hours earlier.

You could get to that stage - physical contact with someone who's had milk or apple could kiss you and you could be very ill with it.

Yes they will train you to use an epipen- and give advice on when to use it. If your dh can accompany you to the appointment it'd be good for him to learn how to administer it too - in case you are ever taken so ill that you can't. Clinic will probably do RAST (blood) and skin prick tests - but as you've just had a bad reaction they probably won't tell you anything new.

You will also get the chance to ask lots of questions, some of which they'll be able to answer. But a lot of allergy-related stuff is guesswork ie how severe future reactions may be.

FWIW your last reaction sounds extremely epipen-worthy and should you ever react in similar style again you should definitely use it and dial 999 (in fact don't wait for it to get that bad - using an epipen prematurely won't hurt you).

Whilst not wanting to scare you unnecessarily you and esp. your dh do need to understand that people do die of the sort of allergic reaction you describe. The good news is that most of these are people who do not carry an epipen, or don't use it in time. So once you have one, carry it and know how/when to use you will be pretty safe. So don't worry but please do take this seriously

and .

I knew I was not feeling right........but have never been at that stage where I thought I would be this ill, and still think I was ok.

it simply never crossed my mind that I should have needed to go to hospital.....I was dealing with it as far as I was concerned, and even then would never have gone to the docs had my heart not still seemed 'bonkers' the following day!

When DD got her epipen, a HCP came to our home to demonstrate how to use the epipen. The HCP also went to her nursery to show them too! They were quite thorough (which is saying something for our local PCT).

Oh, and you can administer epipen even if not absolutely necessary without any ill-effects so no need to worry about unecessary use - always better to be safe than sorry.

Don't be

I think lots off us mums are far more relaxed about our own health than is wise. Bet if one of your daughters had had a reaction even a quarter as serious, you'd have called the hospital.

kerrymum......I am not lacksidasical so much as just not really thinking I was that allergic IYGWIM.

I have been living with almost constant hives for 5yrs, and the docs fobbing me off, before finally insisting that they do something as by this time last year I was completely run down with feeling crap.

docs did, and then called me in to tell me it was milk, and also by then I figured apples didn't like me as everytime I ate them my mouth tingled and lips swelled, but again, my doctor said in ws 'just' oral allergy and nothing to panic about!!!

I was also, when told about the milk, just sent away with the info to avoid dairy.....it was me that then found that dairy meant 'whey powder, casienate, lactose etc'.

they didn't advise at what point allergy would become serious!!

and now I feel stupid

Dont feel stupid

If you dont know, you dont know. Your GP hasnt really been forthcoming so why would you worry?

I have nearly lost my MUM 7 times in the last 15 years due to anaphylatic shock as the substances she is alergic to are quite often hidden in other products. The only thing that saved her was her epipen, and quick reactions by friends, family and paramedics. DO NOT underestimate how serious this is, you have children don't leave them motherless.

thanks all for the rapid responses by the way

I am shocked by this (me reacting), and also by how knowledgable you all are.......rather reassuring and also, maybe had I come online while feeling crap realising that you would have told me where to go (IE hosptial!)

and yes.....I would have rushed any and all of my kiddies had they reacted half as much!!!

well, the other doc I saw seemed very good (much better than the first doc I saw......mine is a big practise as there are at least 7 named docs which you could see!)

she did say about hidden ingredients in food, and also warned me about going to restaurants for now until I get the proper testing as it would be harder to work out what I had reacted to.

I am so scared tho......how much restrictions is this going to hold??

Well, we found out DD had a milk allergy by pure chance when she was 6 months old. She'w now 4.5 so we've had 4 years of practice

She'd been b/fed until 6 months and we were wanting to get her on to formula because I was going back to work. We tried her with it and she screamed hysterically and we thought she was just being fussy. Then, a few minutes later she had red welts all around her mouth and where the formula has splashed on her face. We felt like such bastards . It made sense finally as to why she often had red marks on her face that came from nowhere (people kissing her having eaten dairy products). She was also being exposed to small amounts through my breastmilk so it explained why she had such explosive diarrhoea since birth, and all over eczma. We were told the diarrhoea was normal for b/fed babies, and the eczma was milkspots.

We learnt through our mistakes too. Dont beat yourself up over it.

thing is, and what makes me feel more foolish, is that 3 of mine cannot tolerate milk.....but they are 'just' sick and have 'poorly pooh', rather than hives and wheezing.

all this is new for me.......

oh, and altho the kiddies react, it is to large amounts rather than to traces, so I can avoind milk and icecream and yoghurs etc, but not panic about chocolate or bisciuts (well, other than 'build-up).

plus DD3 sufferes migraines should she be exposed, but again, not full on allergic responce and needing of an epipen, so again, all new and to be honest, all seeming the other day of overreacting to go to hospital.

Kmum.....apparently 'oral allergy' means that you react if you eat it by tingling mouth, but it doesn;t involve the immune system, which is what allergic shock and annaphetactic(sp?) is......a major response by your immune system which is why I am being referred to an immunologist.

well........that is what the doctor said at any rate.....