Hello
First Post here so sorry if this is the wrong place!
Posting to see if any is in the same situation or has any experience/advise.
My youngest son had severe anaphylactic shock last September aged 3 ( he is 4 now). This was the result of him having a bite of a reeses peanut chocolate and came totally out of the blue as we had no idea he had an allergy and nobody in our family does. He said the chocolate was disgusting and began trying to be sick and then it was like he was choking. He became quite out of it and kept Gipping and then it seemed like he was struggling to breathe. I had no idea what was happening but just felt absolute terror and knew it was something bad. I phoned 999 for an ambulance but they said they were quite busy so luckily my dad who was there drove us quickly down to the local children's hospital. He had been saying it was the chocolate but I didn't think it was because I've never experienced anything like this. He has asthma which was undiagnosed at the time (because he was under 5) which was poorly controlled as he was just using reliever inhalers and had not been given preventor inhalers. I thought maybe it was an asthma attack or something. The car journey was horrific and by the time we got to A and E he was very pale and lethargic. They took him straight into the resus room where they gave him 2 shots of adrenaline, steriods, oxygen and other things. He developed full body hives during this time and at one point his oxygen level was 74 and they were struggling to get it up. Thankfully, all of the treatments began to work and after a few hours they admitted us to the ward. They said they had planned to put him in ICU but because he had stabilised they thought he would be ok closely monitored on the ward. We were discharged the next day with epipens and finally a preventor inhaler and began this scary journey. Allergy tests a few days later confirmed he is allergic to peanuts and house dust mite and mould so we cleared the house of anything containing nuts and avoid peanuts/ nuts like the plague now.
I have been suffering from PTSD since the event with panic attacks, nightmares and generalised anxiety. I read every label many times and still feel nervous that I may have missed something on it, when he eats i am anxious. I took a few months off work and kept him at home but I have now gone back to work and he is at nursery which is good, he does karate and football and we go out places, I just have to fight the underlying constant anxiety. I have spoken to his consultant and my doctor about the way I feel but have not been offered any support which I find strange due to the situation which I found hugely traumatising and life changing.
I am just struggling to manage my anxiety and wondered how others cope in this situation? I dont know anyone who has or has children with severe allergies like this. I dont feel comfortable eating out anywhere and am only just comfortable sending him to grandparents who he spent lots of time with before, as long as I provide all of his food and they do not give him anything else. He is starting school in September which is another worry.
I guess I am struggling to draw the line between keeping him safe and being over cautious and consumed with worry and fear which I dont imagine helps the situation for anyone.
We are up north but I payed for a private consultation with a respected allergy specialist in London who offers treatment for peanut allergy. Unfortunately them and my sons nhs consultant felt his reaction was too severe for this treatment, although they did say he could have another treatment but that is 18,000 which I cant afford!
Anyway, wow that's alot to take in so if you have got this far thank you! It helps a bit to write it all down as I dont feel many people around me truly understand the situation and think I am over the top so it would be nice to hear from anyone in this boat.
Thanks for reading