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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think this can't really be a life threatening allergy?

61 replies

Feminine · 22/08/2011 22:12

I might be getting this all wrong?

My newish neighbour has just told me that she has a severe nut allergy ,throat closes ,can't breathe etc...

I said " Oh ,goodness sorry, and I've been sending your children over with cakes and biscuits not realizing! you must have an Epi pen right?"

"No" she said " "I just drink half a bottle of Piriton"

For a life threatening allergy ...is that enough? Confused

OP posts:
Melly20MummyToPoppy · 22/08/2011 23:18

Just out of interest, why do you bake treats for your neighbours? I've never ever known anyone do that, apart from Bree Van de camp :o And even then she's not a real person!

Melly20MummyToPoppy · 22/08/2011 23:20

P.S. I would love to have a neighbour like you!

Original poster
Feminine · 22/08/2011 23:36

melly it tends to just happen round here :) (small town USA).

I am not just baking for her/ neighbors though...that could make me sound a bit silly!

if I am making something ,I will send her some ...of course sometimes they are just treats for her children from my biscuit tin!

My children and hers play together so I am just sharing really...

LRD when she explained her situation I (just making convo really) said "oh you have an Epi pen then?" in a kind of making chit- chat way.

imperial that is just tragic.

A good friend of mine recently found out she is allergic to wasps ...didn't know till she was 38! she has been given a pen ...it must just be on my mind I guess?

OP posts:
Melly20MummyToPoppy · 22/08/2011 23:44

Oh i seeee. I get it now!

My mums in america at the moment :( she's been there for 4 weeks and she was meant to be back tomorrow. But she decided to stay another 4 weeks, won't be back till 18th september! I wouldn't mind but she's missing out on so much of my DDs life :( she's only 9.5 weeks old!

Blush sorry didn't mean to get carried away. I just miss her :(

Original poster
Feminine · 22/08/2011 23:48

I just had a peep at your little one ...congratulations! mega cute!

I have had enough of the US ,I am coming home next year...

Your Mum will be back soon enough :)...I know its tough,my Mum hasn't even met my dd2...

OP posts:
bruffin · 23/08/2011 00:02

Both ds and dh have nut allergies and don't have epipens.
The consultant we saw for DS said that he gives epipens if there was asthma involved. DS does not have asthma so he said it was our decision. We decided against an epipen and rely on piriton.
I don't think epipens were even around when dh first had nut allergies. I would also point out that whether a nut is cooked does make a difference to DH. He is also allergic to cats but is fine once he is around them for a while. The only reaction he has to our cat is if she licks his hand he sometimes gets a skin reaction. He is very careful about putting his hands near his face if he has been stroking her. When he was at my sisters house he had an awful reaction to her cats. You just can't judge oher peoples allergies.
My only proviso is if they claim to have allergies and have been diagnosed by a kinesiology or vega testing quack.

Melly20MummyToPoppy · 23/08/2011 04:32

Thanks, she is rather beautiful even if i do say so myself! :o

That sucks that your mum hasn't met your dd2, how old is she? (dd2, not your mum :o)

Can't wait for her to come back, she's bringing some amazing looking snacks back. She's also been to forks Envy so will probably bring back half the Twilight shop! She's staying in Everett, in Seattle. :)

Iteotwawki · 23/08/2011 06:36

I have a lifethreatening nut allergy, I d

Iteotwawki · 23/08/2011 06:43

I have a life threatening peanut allergy, I don't have an epipen. Several reasons - they are not subsidised here and are hideously expensive for one, and for another I do know how to manage it. I avoid anything which has nuts in, which would include a kind gift from a neighbour unless they could reassure me that there were no nuts in it. Easier to avoid all nuts (not really keen on any other nut anyway) than risk finding out there is a cross reactivity.

MrsDBouquet - I am also quite seriously allergic to cats and have to take an antihistamine or 3 any time I visit someone who has them. It didn't stop me having 2 of my own which I got used to over several weeks (helped by a course of steroids when I first got them and a month of antihistamines daily). Once I was used to them I was fine with my 2 but still reacted to everyone else's - and had to reacclimatise to mine if I ever went on holiday.

ComeWhineWithMe · 23/08/2011 07:23

If it was serious she should have an epi-pen. You can send me the baked goods I don't care if they have nuts in!.

Melly I've just shown my Poppy Louise (age 5) your Poppy Louise and she was really impressed they shared a name.
Beautiful baby and cool name, Congratulations!

bruffin · 23/08/2011 07:25

Actually also forgot to make a point, DS worst nut is hazlenuts, also has seed allergy and has problems with seseme and DH's brazil nuts but they get mild oral reactions to others.

busterk · 23/08/2011 08:00

Not everyone who is allergic to nuts gets an epipen. My daughter has a peanut allergy, was tested using the skin test and the consultant did not advise an epipen. We carry piriton everywhere and have piriton in every place she is watched etc. However the best thing is complete avoidance which she is very good at considering she is only 5.

zdcgbjm · 23/08/2011 08:13

My Ds is allergic to lots of different nuts, he is under the care of a consultant and has been tested. When he has a reaction he coughs like he has something stuck in his throat. It's a very distinctive cough. I assume that is due to some swelling. He doesn't have an epipen as he has always been treated successfully with piriton although the consultant hasn't ruled out giving him one in the future. I'd call his allergy severe, it's horrible to watch, coughing, swelling, blotchiness and vomiting. Not life threatening though, yet. I try hard to avoid testing the theory it could become so...

babybarrister · 23/08/2011 08:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

extremepie · 23/08/2011 08:57

I have a friend who's mum is severely allergic to nuts and both she and her brother have always been taught that they have it too, even though neither of them have ever been tested!

I always thought it was really weird that they were both so fussy about what they ate and could only eat certain brands of chocolate, etc after finding out that they might not be allergic and it was 'just in case'.

Eh? Just seemed really weird to me, especially after friend's brother had to dramatically rush out of the cinema because he accidentally ate a peanut m&m - nothing happened to him! Yet they still avoid nuts!? Strange....

nellymoo · 23/08/2011 09:13

extremepie I'm sure it does seem weird to you, but if you or your DC had ever experienced a reaction, of the type Babybarrister speaks of, you too would be wary of exposing your children to potential allergens. My DD, like babybarrister's DS, is severely allergic (life threatening anaphylaxis) to many different foods. This has made me extremely nervous about giving her younger brother any foods which she is allergic to, in fact, I just don't! Please don't judge.

nellymoo · 23/08/2011 09:16

Also there is a genetic link and allergies, or rather the potential to suffer from allergy, is an inherited trait. So seems fairly sensible to be cautious in this case...

Melly20MummyToPoppy · 23/08/2011 09:19

Thank you comewhine, what excellent taste in names we have! :o
All your pictures are gorgeous aswell, ooh i do love babies!

HappyCamel · 23/08/2011 10:15

Does sound like she might be exaggerating a bit.

Having said that, I have severe allergies including to sulphite, which is the preservative in an epipen. So I have to treat myself with steroids, anti histamines and, if necessary, a trip to hospital for preservative-free adrenalin.

Also, if she's breast feeding Piriton is the only thing she can have.

babybarrister · 23/08/2011 10:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mistlethrush · 23/08/2011 10:49

I've got an 'admit to hospital via A&E' allergy but don't have an epipen - as I'm unlikely to get paracetamol or codiene etc without taking it deliberately.... Can't cope with just antihistamines though - have to have steroids to stop the anaphalaxis

borderslass · 23/08/2011 10:53

DD1 has a severe nut and egg allergy she doesn't have an epipen she just has to be extremely careful.

babybarrister · 23/08/2011 10:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

extremepie · 25/08/2011 09:09

Nelly, I'm not judging, I'm just saying that I thought it was strange that you would suspect something like this and make no attempt to find out for sure. Even after my friend's brother ate a whole peanut with no ill effects he still continued to avoid nuts - why wouldn't you just get checked?

Nuts are in so many things these days that surely avoiding all nuts just in case must limit what you can eat in a lot of places - why do that for your whole life if it isn't necessary?

Allergies quite possibly have some genetic connection - both my dad and sister have asthma, hayfever and are mildly allergic to mustard yet my brother and I have none of those. My friend could be allergic while her brother is not? Again, why wouldn't you just make sure?

babybarrister · 25/08/2011 11:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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