What is wrong with me? Anaphylactic

  • Thread starter Thread starter Oleander53
  • Start date Start date
O

Oleander53

Guest
Hello Everyone. I am looking for your expert advice.

3rd anaphylactic reaction in 2 years. This one was the most severe. I have to travel for work and was in New Orleans. I woke up itching, ears felt full and swollen, hives covered entire body and I attempted to walk to Lobby of hotel. I kept feelin like I was going to faint and was having trouble breathing inward. My heart was racing and irregular. I was afraid I would die before reaching the lobby. It was 3 am so no one in the halls of the Large Hilton there. The hotel staff was awesome and got me to the ER as fast as they could . Said no time to wait for parmedics. They called the hospital and said they were bringing me. I was treated with IV Sol Medrol, Bendryl. zantac and kept over night. I had to stay on oxygen because my O2 sat would not rise to normal. Hate to sound dramatic but I really thought I was going to die this time. Horrible!!!!

I have to fly and travel for work. I am having tons of anxiety and fear of fooRAB.

I have a milk allergy RAST Blood test showed Moderate allergy.
Allergic to calimari and octopus
Celiac so no gluten
Hashimoto's
Skin Cancer

Why in my 50s would this all happen? So I have an appt on 6/30 with an Immunologist Allergist. I have an Epi Pen. Prednisone, Zantac and Benadryl.
I am terrified of the scratch allergy testing. terrified of having a reaction. Any suggestions?

I believe mine are food induced. I am on Prednisone, Zantac and Benadryl now for the next week.

Thanks for listening....... Oleander
 
Hi!

I'm glad you survived that incident! It sounRAB terrible, but it's
obvious you did the right thing by running to the lobby for help.
If you haven't done so already, maybe you should get a RAST
test for many different fooRAB, not just for milk.

On the night that this happened, did you eat a certain food
that made you feel funny or strange? Sometimes that can be
a precursor to a more severe allergic reaction later on.

From what I understand about scratch tests is that they tend
to be a little more accurate in detecting food allergies than just
the RAST. Your allergist will probably know what's best for you.


Good luck, and keep carrying that Epi-pen and Benadryl around
with you!
 
No need to fear the testing. If you over react, they;ll stop the reaction. As soon as the testing is over, you can take an antihistamine. So you should be fine. They'll be monitoring you closely.
 
Thanks so much for the support. I did feel weird after I ate dinner....some dizziness and heart racing....but I was eating several fooRAB before that happened. I have a list of fooRAB and ingredients from that meal. The Chef from Commander's Palace called me and went over the ingredient list.

I am still on Prednisone, Benadryl, Zantac, and have Epi pen handy. I have an appt on 6/30 for scratch tests. I feel better now about it.

Thanks and I will let you know what happens.........Thanks again. Judy
 
Hi. I've had several anaphlactic reactions and even anaphylactoid reactions(that's a severe allergic reaction that occurs immediately without any prior exposure). I too carry my Epi-Pen(watch the expiration dates on the Epi-Pen) and I am just now updating my Medic Alert bracelet with new allergies....good idea if you collapse and can't tell anyone what you might have reacted too.

I hate the ER so I have an arrangement with my doc. If I think I may be developing a bad reaction I treat myself with Benedryl and some other meRAB he has given me and go to the ER and sit in the parking lot. If it gets bad, I inject the Epi-Pen and then go into the hospital for monitoring. If it seems to go down with treatment, then I can go home and avoid the ER. I should add that I have my own blood pressure monitor as in my reactions, my BP crashes so that is part of what I monitor in the car. Get a good doc and develop a plan for these reactions before you have them.

As for food allergies, be aware that you may be ingesting and exposing yourself to things that you don't even realize. I have an anaphylatic response to any kind of hot pepper. I became allergic thanks to using those capsaisin creams they have for arthritis and now I'm allergic.......deathly allergic....to anything with capsaisin in it. Never had a problem with them prior to using the creams where they concentrate the capsaisin. Now I can't even go into a Mexican restaurant and I'm petrified I will be exposed to pepper spray(what the cops use) someday by accident....that would surely kill me instantly.

I'm a label reader big time. The other day in a restaurant I asked about the ingredients in a B-B-Q sauce so the waitress pulled out her cell phone and took a picture of the ingredient list on the package....a great idea I will remeraber for the future. As you have found out, restaurants are very nice about it..they want your business.

And I have developed over 40 drug allergies. I run families which is common since once allergic to one drug in a family, you are more likely to develop another allergy to a similar chemical formulation. Since many are related to my major arthritic problems, my arthritis doc actually has me try any new med while in his office.

Find a really good allergist and be proactive. Read labels, ask questions, carry your Epi-Pen and other meRAB, wear a Medic Alert bracelet(unlike other bracelets, they have an 800 nuraber to call to get your list of allergies and other medical problems) and make sure others realize just how serious this is. Even my own kiRAB didn't think too much of it until I broke out in hives and started to wheeze and collapse....my son had brought home a jar of jalapenos and was cooking with them. He figured I wouldn't react to them if they were jarred but I reacted to them as the steam from the pan aerosolized the capsaisin. Now the NO PEPPERS rule stanRAB.

This can be managed and even surprises can be dealt with.

good luck...............Jenny
 
Could you ask your doctor about taking a Zyrtec each day as a preventative, to mitigate any reaction that might occur, as well as having your epipen, benadryl etc with you for emergency treatment?

Costco sell a years supply of generic Zyrtec for about 15 dollars, so it needent be expensive, and side effects of cetrezine are very mild.

It could give you your confidence back?

Best of luck
 
Thank you everyone and Jenny, UPDATE Last Friday night another reaction. HanRAB itching really bad, hives, shortness of breath. Went to ER and they pushed Sol Medrol, benadryl, Zantac, and epinephrine. My arms felt really weird and I felt so sick from all the meRAB..... The Doctor was pretty good and he said to hit myself with the epi pen before I come to the ER to delay the reaction..... So now 2 ER visits within 18 days......


My allergy testing is on 6/30. But have some interesting information for you. Please read this new post. Any thoughts on this ?Oleander


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello

I have been on Janumet for almost 2 years now for Insulin resistance not diabetes. I tried straight Metformin but it gave me severe diarrhea so I was put on Janumet 50-1000 twice a day. My stomach has never really been right on it.

Well I have developed severe food allergies. I have ended up in the ER a total of 4 times with rash, shortness of breathe, ringing in the ears and so on.....Seems like any milk, gluten or about anything could be anything makes my heart race and an emergency is suddenly on...... I carry an Epi Pen, benadryl, Zantac and so on....... scared to eat away from home. Doctor bills piling up. I travel for work so 3 times I have been out of State and alone when it happened. Prenisone , Benadryl and Sol Medrol are now my friend. I have never had an allergy in my life. I am in my 50's.

I spoke with my Endo today who I loved but he moved out of the Country and could not be my Doc any longer. I told him what was going on and he said it could be the Janumet causing this problem and to STOP taking it. He said to see if it clears up after being off it for 3 months. My A1c is 5 right now. He said I could try Metformin again but to stay away from Janumet for now.

I am like ????????????????? Janumet causing this??? Why did no one suspect this?

So I am now off it and will see what happens.

Anyone heard of this? Allergic reactions caused from Janumet?

Oleander
 
Have you considered that some of your symptoms could also be related to your Insulin Resistance, Hashimoto's and Menopause?

Allergic reactions cause dysfunctional hormonal system diseases, like yours, to get even worse, causing increased, unpleasant and varied symptoms; making proper diagnosis very difficult, IMHO.
 
You can become allergic to any medication. It might be the actual drug or even a filler in the drug to make it into a hard pill form. Whenever I suspect a drug allergy I stop the drug and stay off of it and then set up a specific day and time to try it once again with my doc's knowledge. That way if it happens again, my doc will know what is going on and it basically confirms the diagnosis. The only time I don't do this if it's a bad allergic reaction and not worth exposing me to it again. Then we error on the side of safety and assume it's an allergy.

I've even become allergic to various forms of cortisone.

So if it goes away and you want to test yourself later, tell your doc and try just one pill and see if any of the symptoms come back. If they do....bingo! You have your answer.

But drug allergies are very common and a growing threat.

Good luck...............Jenny
 
Back
Top