My Mother had SEVERE reaction to H1N1!!!

[Mickeyistheman]

Last night I get a phone call that my mother is having a severe allergic reaction to the H1N1 shot and they were rushing her to the hospital.

She didn't want to get it, but because my grandmother is in Rehab/Home and my mother visits her, she had to get it.

Literally not even 2 minutes later, she says am I supposed to be this itchy. Everyone saw that her face blew up like a balloon and she was as red as a tomato.

I get to the ER and when I go in to see her I mean I wash shocked at how she blew up. Even her Dr.'s were shocked b/c she isn't allergic to eggs, but they said she must be allergic to one of the preservatives in the shot.

So all the nurses in her office are not getting it now. After some meds and benedryl she came back to normal and we went home. It was scarey because she was having trouble breathing as well.

They had to report it to the CDC and she is the only one at least in NJ, that had such a severe reaction. She can never have that shot again, the Dr.'s had said.

[clovergirl5]

Wow, sorry that happened to her and glad she's alright. Does she ever get the regular flu shot?

[C.Ann]

That's scary - so glad she's okay though..

Sounds like a typical allergic reaction - which is why they are making people wait 15 minutes after receiving the shot before they can leave.. Was she at a clinic? If not - and she was at a doctors office - I'm very surprised they weren't equipped with the correct medications to handle it right there.. I had the same reaction to a sulfa drug - after having had no problems with sulfa drugs my entire life.. Within seconds I was itchy, beet red, swollen, and couldn't breathe.. A good dose of benedryl and I was fine..
With my severe sensitivities to medications, it's a bit of a concern - but not enough to prevent me from getting the vaccination..

Hope your mom feels better now.. No reason to think there will be any further issues..

[Mickeyistheman]

She has always gotten the regular flu shot and she did get the regular one in September.

She works at a Cardiologists office, for the first time there were not Dr.'s there. The one nurse didn't want to wait till today to give it to her.

My mother is allergic to sulfer but every Dr. that saw her in the ER asked if she was allergic to eggs and she is not. They all were quite baffled by it. They shot her up with Benedryl and then more at the ER and some Prednisone. They were all quite shocked and now are saying it could have been a bad batch, but they really need to know WHY she had such a reaction when she had nothing with the regular flu shot.

[C.Ann]

Originally Posted by Mickeyistheman

She has always gotten the regular flu shot and she did get the regular one in September.

She works at a Cardiologists office, for the first time there were not Dr.'s there. The one nurse didn't want to wait till today to give it to her.

My mother is allergic to sulfer but every Dr. that saw her in the ER asked if she was allergic to eggs and she is not. They all were quite baffled by it. They shot her up with Benedryl and then more at the ER and some Prednisone. They were all quite shocked and now are saying it could have been a bad batch, but they really need to know WHY she had such a reaction when she had nothing with the regular flu shot.

Did anyone else in that office receive a shot from the same batch today? Any reactions? I hope they kept the indentifying info from the batch she received so it can be tested and reported!

[golfgal]

Allergies are developed, they aren't something you are born with. Sometimes you are severely allergic to something the second time you are exposed to them and sometimes it is the 100th time. Most likely that is what happened in her case. You can't have an allergic reaction to something the first time you are exposed to it-not physically possible as you have not histamines in your system to cause the reaction.

[*BTMRR*]

I'm glad she's going to be ok! Whenever someone in our family gets shots, the nurse reminds us to stay in the clinic for 20 minutes or so. We always follow that advice, but now I see just WHY that is so important!

[taximomfor4]

Originally Posted by C.Ann

Did anyone else in that office receive a shot from the same batch today? Any reactions? I hope they kept the indentifying info from the batch she received so it can be tested and reported!

Protocol dictates that the lot number and manufacturer info are written down for each and every shot given, right on that patient's sheet.

OP, that is definitely a textbook case of an allergic reaction. The question is what component is she allergic to. Eggs are generally the most likely.

The big question here is whether she can get seasonal flu shots ever again. My thought is NO, since they are made exactly the same (same components, with only a different strain of virus riding on it).

[Normangirls]

Originally Posted by Mickeyistheman

So all the nurses in her office are not getting it now.

That seems ridiculously shortsighted and reactionary to me. I'm sure they have seen other people with allergic reactions before -- if someone came in with a reaction to strawberries, did they swear off strawberries?

They are health care professionals. They should be making better, more strategic decisions.

[justhat]

Originally Posted by Normangirls

That seems ridiculously shortsighted and reactionary to me. I'm sure they have seen other people with allergic reactions before -- if someone came in with a reaction to strawberries, did they swear off strawberries?

They are health care professionals. They should be making better, more strategic decisions.

I agree. Many people have allergic reactions to things, doesn't mean the rest of the world should avoid that allergen.

[Carly_Roach]

Originally Posted by justhat

I agree. Many people have allergic reactions to things, doesn't mean the rest of the world should avoid that allergen.

Unless it's peanuts.





















Sorry! Sorry! I couldn't resist. Guess I'm in a mood today.

[justhat]

Originally Posted by Carly_Roach

Unless it's peanuts.

How could I forget peanuts after my peanut free flight 2 weeks ago!?!

[Mickeyistheman]

Everything was reported and all of the Dr.'s at her practice said she can never have the H1N1 shot again.

I can also understand why the rest don't want to get this shot again. My mother still today does not feel well and has been given pres. Meds by the hospital. My fear now is that she is going to GET H1N1 b/c she had such a severe reaction to the shot. Her Dr.'s warned of this as well.

We really don't have enough information about this H1N1 and it has not been clinically tested enough for me to run out and get this shot. Several of my friends are nurses and have been for many years and they are outright refusing to get this shot BECAUSE there is not enough information on it.

My mother is not allergic to eggs and that is what the Dr.'s kept asking her. I had said in an earlier post she is allergic to sulfer and the Go Lightly ( she must take the pill form ) So they need to find out what exactly was in that particular batch that caused this severe of a reaction.

[justhat]

Originally Posted by Mickeyistheman

Everything was reported and all of the Dr.'s at her practice said she can never have the H1N1 shot again.

What about seasonal flu shot? They are made exactly the same so she would likely react the same way.

I can also understand why the rest don't want to get this shot again. My mother still today does not feel well and has been given pres. Meds by the hospital. My fear now is that she is going to GET H1N1 b/c she had such a severe reaction to the shot. Her Dr.'s warned of this as well.

Why would this be the case? How would reacting to an allergen in the shot cause you to contract the H1N1 virus?

We really don't have enough information about this H1N1 and it has not been clinically tested enough for me to run out and get this shot. Several of my friends are nurses and have been for many years and they are outright refusing to get this shot BECAUSE there is not enough information on it.

The H1N1 shot is exactly the same as seasonal flu shots so this doesn't make any sense. The seasonal flu shot contains 3 possible strains of the flu. H1N1 is one of those strains. Unfortunately, the seasonal flu shots were in production before they knew that H1N1 would be so prevalent or deadly. Had H1N1 become what it is now just a little earlier in the year it would be one of the 3 strains in the seasonal flu shot.

My mother is not allergic to eggs and that is what the Dr.'s kept asking her. I had said in an earlier post she is allergic to sulfer and the Go Lightly ( she must take the pill form ) So they need to find out what exactly was in that particular batch that caused this severe of a reaction.

.

[lsyorke]

The H1N1 shot is exactly the same as seasonal flu shots so this doesn't make any sense.

Obviously it's not "exactly" the same, since this person had a severe allergic reaction.