How do they decide if you need an Epi-pen?

[StableButDeluded]

Sorry to start a new thread whilst my previous question is still ongoing, but I thought if I tagged this question on to the end of that, no-one might see it.

After discovering last week DS aged 4 is alleric to cashews, we are now waiting for allergy testing & have been advised to have piriton on hand at all times & to call 999 if the reaction happens again. HV said that after the allergy testing, they 'may' decide to give an Epi-pen.

I don't understand how they decide who needs an Epi-pen? Is it based on the allergy test results? Or the severity of his reaction? And what is classed as a 'severe' reaction?
Is it only people who are potentially anaphylactic who get them? And how would I know if Ds is anaphylactic?

Lots of questions, sorry. Just rather worried at the moment.

Hi we were given epipens on our history ,DD history and after her first major reaction which was dealt with at the hospital we went straight to gp who gave them to us.

In our case severe was a 2 year old ,who swelled up completly doubled in size and lost Consciousness after eating a safe plate of food at a resturant.

We have never ever used it though as we avoid lots of situations and the rest seem to be MOSTLY dealt with by piriton.

To add have you visited /www.peanutallergyuk.co.uk

they are very helpful as is www.anaphylaxis.org.uk

My GP just gave me one as DS had come up in hives when he was a baby but he had not yet been tested for nut allergy and I was panicking about what would happen if a more serious reaction happened. My GP is obviously pretty slap dash about prescribing things I think.

(In the end 3yo DS was tested for nuts last month and is fine, so hopefully we will never need it).

I just reread your post ,HV seem to be very hit and miss,I would go to your GP qoute diagnosise and ask for an epipen.If Ds has an anaphylactic episode you will know things aren't right (as i started to describe above in our case .)

But i think generally if you have given piriton and nothing is changing or hives are getting worse go to A &E.

I had a potentiaally life threatening allergic reaction in the summer, which involved a trip to A and E, and all I have to do now is carry around two little tablets in my purse - something stronger than Piriton, can't recall the name. It wasn't a peanut allergy though.

did you have Prednisone ?

I initially went to the out of hours GP clinic and had pink tablets in some sort of liquid, and had to breathe in using some electric machine thing and a mask, then I had to go to hospital for observation while it all settled down. It was a bit scary.

Do you have any idea what you you reacted to?

I was referred to the allergy clinic and I went along very cynically, refusing to admit I had a problem, and after the prick test, I had another big reaction to ... wait for it ... BIRCH TREES!!!

I love birch trees and have them in my garden in the special area I sit in to recover from parenthood.

I was prescribed one when I was going abroad on hol.iday 'in case' and once you've got one they just keep re-prescribing, which in my case is a good thing, because restaurants don't seem to 'get' allergies. Net result is I barely eat out and haven't had to use one for a few years....

My specialist said you need to have already had an anaphylactic reaction to get one

DD1 was prescribed one for her milk egg and peanut allergies despite never having had a serious reaction (just hives and vomiting). However the children's hospital where she is now seen only prescribe them following a serious reaction involving breathing problems etc. So it just depends who you see really.

Ds was prescribed one because of the severity of his egg allergy (at testing) in combination with his asthma. The consultant felt a severe reaction could compromise his breathing. We had to pay for the first two privately and they cost about £70 (for two). We have not have to use them but nearly did when travelling in Belgium (eggs everywhere...and reaction probably due to cross contamination). It was a severe reaction and I was very glad to have the epipen. Also glad to have it when travelling on long haul flights.

SnowyBoff birch pollen can cause cross reactions with tree fruit. My husband gets reactions when he eats apples during the hayfever season but far less during the rest of the year. I know of another girl who has reactions with most tree fruits because of her birch pollen allergy.

Hi My DD took a severe reaction to food colouring earlier in the year, swelling, hives, pretty scary moments!

She eventually had blood tests to check for other allergies and they said depending on those they would decide if she needed an epipen for other things.

As it turns out her results for clear for EVERYTHING but the problem is that blood tests do not cover food colouring so we just have to avoid that particular colour (the colouring in a creme egg) at all costs.

Well I am still in denial and hope it doesn't come back - they have asked me to go straight in if it does, 'as it will be very interesting'.

SnowyBoff - the pink tablets were probably steriods and the mask thing was a nebulizer; all to help your lungs recover from the reaction.
My dd was prescribed Epipen because she is very atopic and has asthma. She has had a couple of severe reactions to horses which caused extensive hives, swelling of the eyes, lips and nasal passages and an asthma attack. This resulted in a trip to A&E and Epipen prescription. After testing we now know her triggers and now keep away from farms, stables etc she hasn't needed to use it.

I think if there is a history of asthma they are much quicker to prescribe Epipen as a precaution.