[Sassy Girl]

On Thursday night I had a severe allergic reaction or anaphylaxis .

I developed extremely itchy palms of hands, soles of feet, swollen tongue (could barely speak). It was when my tongue swelled up that I called an ambulance. Then I developed the most weird and severe rash that I've ever seen so called the ambulance again. The rash worked it's way from the backs of my hands to my elbows. I collapsed three times between our entry and the ambulance (that was probably caused by severe panic attack brought on by the allergic reaction). TMI but I Projectile vomited in the ambulance and then when I was finally in emergency started shaking severely. I thought that was the panic attack but was told it was the allergic reaction.

Anyway I now have an Epi pen and have a referral to an Immunologist. My sister died 20 years ago from medical negligence while she was having Immunotherapy by the top Immunologist in our area so I am obviously scared. I am absolutely terrified of not only it happening again but also the treatment.

I had a childhood allergy that was investigated but never diagnosed. My eyes and/or lips would swell up. I grew out of that at about 12 and I'm now 40. I also had a severe reaction with my tongue and lips swelling when I was about 22 or 23. That was to Bactrim and/or Sulphur which according to my GP at the time is a very common allergy.

Has anyone else developed an allergy as an adult ? Is it as rare as I am led to believe ? If you have developed an allergy as an adult what has been your course of action ?

[His Boy Elroy]

Yes.

I developed an NSAIDs (salicylates) allergy when I was about 28ish.

I now carry an epipen with me EVERYWHERE.

You are not the only one.

FWIW, I too have had immunotherapy treatment injections (dust mites, pollen and grass) over the last 4 years (just finished), and the results have been AMAZING! My quality of life has improved beyond belief. I was suicidal before treatment started because of the relentless 24/7 severe rhinitis etc.

THings are a great deal more controlled with injectable immunotherapy now. Immunologists are not permitted to "mix" treatment themselves anymore. Mine had to be imported from France every 2ish months. Very expensive ($280 per vial), but worth every cent.

[Yomumma]

Hi Sassy Girl,
I developed an allergic reaction to bee stings at the age of 20 despite having being stung as a child with no reaction. I went into analphlactic (sp) shock and was taken to emergency. Following this I too got an epi pen. I was referred for immunotherapy which involved getting an injection of bee venom each week gradually building up to two bee stings. The frequency of the needle declined as the dose went up. I was instructed to take an anti-histamine prior to my needle. Immunotherapy can take up to 5 years.

Hope this helps. I only had one adverse reaction during that time and it was not serious enough to call an ambulance. If you are struggling with the dose the allergy doc will likely increase your dose a bit slower or do the same dose for a few weeks.

This post has been edited by Yomumma: 11/11/2012, 07:57 AM

[FluffyOscar]

Hi Sassy Girl, my friend developed a nut allergy at 40. Her lips and tongue swell and she gets a rash. She avoids nuts but has no epipen (she is not the greatest at looking after herself).

You often write about your sister's death, I would be interested to hear her story if you would like to share it, or via PM if you want to. My daughter had an adverse drug reaction and I am still trying to make sense of it.

[Guest_~Songbird~_*]

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This post has been edited by *SnowFlower*: 20/02/2013, 07:27 PM

[Hattie]

I developed an allergy to penicillin in my 30's. I'd had penicillin many times before over the years with no reaction. Fortunately for me my allergy does not extend to anaphylaxis, so I am not faced with the same issues as you.

Good luck.

Julie

[Sassy Girl]

Thank you both for replying.

I will never subject myself to immunotherapy because of my sister's death.

You have both described the exact same treatment my sister was supposed to receive 20 years ago. Nothing has changed by the sounds of it in that time.

What unfortunately occurred to my sister and other's like her (although my parents were told that no one had ever died from Immunotherapy before my sister had treatment it came out in the Coroners Inquest for her death that there were other deaths before hers and have been since her death as well) was that the Specialist, doctors and nursing staff didn't follow the strict guidelines that Immunotherapy still has.

How were your allergies diagnosed ? Was it easy to pick up what you were allergic to or did you have to have skin prick testing or RAST tests or something else ?

[Sassy Girl]

FluffyOscar, I'll pm you when I'm feeling less anxious as I don't want to scare anyone on here. I'm sorry if it seems I mention it too much on here but her death still affects everything single thing that I do I wish it didn't affect me so much but it still does. I may have developed a nut allergy as I ate two Brownies on Thursday that I've never eaten before. They had what I think were walnuts in them. I'll find out tomorrow when the owner of the cafe gives me the list of the ingredients in them and also all the other food he sells.

If it is a nut allergy it will mean a total change to my diet as the vast majority of my diet has always contained nuts.

Julie, I took an Amoxil tablet on Thursday so I am also wondering whether it maybe an allergy to that. The only other thing that stands out that may have caused it was that I had my eyebrows and eyelashes dyed at a new place on Thursday.

This post has been edited by Sassy Girl: 11/11/2012, 08:36 AM

[Guest_~Songbird~_*]

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This post has been edited by *SnowFlower*: 20/02/2013, 07:27 PM

[halcyodays]

I developed anaphylaxis to something- probably shellfish- when I was 4 months post partum. We still don't know what it is, but I've avoided shellfish every since and have not had a problem, thank goodness.