Off the subject.......... serious allergic reaction......

[wiskband]

Hi all, I had some drama in my life the past few days just wondering if anyone has ever experienced anything like this........

Ill try to be breif............
when I was about 12 I ate a piece of choclate ( with brazil nuts) and found that I had had an allergic reaction, my lips swelled as well as my throat not bad enough to have to go to the hospital but was uncomfortable............
This happened again at age 24, while on vacation in Miami, I had drank a chocolate shake and had the reaction, again, not too too bad but I almost went to the hospital but, turned out OK...........
Last thursday, after work my friend and I decided to sto and have a drink, I had a diet pepsi with lemon and then a corona with lime, about 3 minutes into the corona, my throat began to swell as well as my lips, my face turned red and my head with throbbing, I felt as if my feet hands etc, had swelled as well....... I really paniced, I thought my throat would completely close. My friend got me out quickly, and we stopped and bought an antihistamine, she got back int he car and realized it was much worse, and rushed me to the hospital!
Once I got there, I literally did not have a voice and was totally freaking out, they rushed me to the back and immediately gave me an IV and some benedryl. After a few minutes, I felt better but then I began to get hives, the ones on my back were huge they gave me some sort of steroid which got rid of the hives, a few hours later, I was fine and released.

The doc sent me home with instructions to get some benedryl and a script for the steroid.
I could not fill that script, I had a feild trip the following day from 8 am till 7 pm. I did howver buy the bendryl BUT did not take it!
That evening, we were celebrating a B day and I poured myself a bacardi and diet coke. a few minutes later I had anothe reaction. A bit milder than the night before but the same symptoms. We got half way to the hospital and then turned back because I felt better..............

So you know, I have had both coronas, diet sodas, bacardi and lemon and limes........... I am so freaked out by all this, I am assuming that perhaps I may be allergic to alcohol........ but can one develope an allergy? I do plan on following up, I am not sure what kind of doctor I should see for this, but I am really scared that this may happen when I am alone or with my kids, god forbid driving......... I know that there is a pen ( needle) that one can carry with them, in case of an emergency, I will look inot that as well...........
any insight, anyone? Has anyone got any ideas as to what may have hapened? this ever happen to anyone?


HELP!

renee

 

[FreshTressa]

Wow, scary!! Good luck figuring out what it was!

 

[Christine]

My son has serious food allergies so I know what you are going through. The fact that you have a *history* of food allergies (brazil nuts and something in the chocolate shake) makes you far more susceptible to continuing food allergies throughout your lifetime. And yes, you can develop and allergy to anything at anytime. At this point it is hard to determine if you are allergic to soda or alchohol. I am assuming that the second drink you had (the Bacardi and Diet Coke) did not have any citrus in it? If it did, that would be my first choice. If not, I guess I would assume it is alcohol.

The best doctor to go to for this is an allergist. They can test for just about anything. Either through skin prick or blood test. If it is something they cannot test for, it might not hurt to do an oral challenge in a medical setting just so you can determine what it is.

Make an appointment as soon as you can. These reactions sound pretty serious.

 

[toystoryduo]

Wow Renee!
You have been through a lot the past few days! I hope that you are feeling better.

My DH is allergic to chicken and turkey. We have had to be very, very careful about the types of food that we buy because of the reaction that he has. Our main concerns are hot dogs and sausages that may have turkey or chicken in them.

A few years ago, we were eating at a restaurant and we asked if their appetizers were cooked in the same vat as the chicken. The waiter told us that no they weren't. So, we went ahead and ordered them. About 5 minutes later, my DH started having one of the worst allergic reactions he has ever had. The restaurant happened to be near a pharmacy and he left the restaurant and headed that way. A couple of minutes later, I went to check on him and he was lying in the parking lot gasping for breath. I ran over to the pharmacy (I was 7.5 months pregnant at the time.) and bought some Benadryl. I went back and gave it to him and we took him to the ER. Thank God he was okay!!! Needless to say, we are very, very careful about what he eats now. If there is the slightest chance it has chicken or turkey in it, he foregoes eating it.

A couple of weeks later, he got stung by a bee and had a reaction. He went to the doctor and the doctor prescribed him an Epipen. If he was ever to have an allergic reaction, he would inject this pen in the fatty part of his thigh, and then call the doctor for further instructions.

I think it's a good idea for you to see an allergist as soon as possible. They can help determine what the problem is and give you the best solution for it. As for developing allergies as an adult, I think you can get them at any time in your life. For example, I have never had a problem in the past with outdoor allergies and this year, I have been miserable during allergy season.

Please let us know how things turn out for you. WISHing you the very best!!!

Tracy

 

[karebear1]

what everyone else has posted is excellent advice. I ahve these smae kind fo reactions and know exactly how scarey it is! My last serious one was about 12 years ago- but I have NEVER forgotten it! It is really important that you take the benedryl. Just because your body has settled down some from the first reaction, doesn't mean that the reaction is over! I learned taht the hard way too! You should get an epipen- it will give you an enormous amount of security when you're out in the future. you should also be aware that allergies often change as well. One summer I was allergic to tomatoes- but I am not any longer. It's a weird thing- but allergy testing will help you determine what you're allergic to and how allergic you are to it. I would suggest because if the reaction you had, that whenever you have a slight reaction- that you address it immediatley with taking benedryl- that you have with you in your purse at all times! Good luck!

 

[disneygoof]

You should go to an allergist. They can do testing to determine exactly what you are allergic to, and determine if you need a prescription for an "epi" pen (epinephrine sp?) that you can carry with you so if you get a surprise reaction, your ability to breathe won't be compromised.

I also would suggest keeping a journal. For years I thought I was allergic to a combination of shrimp and wine or shrimp and vodka. I would very carefully avoid wine or vodka when I had shrimp, and then one day with just beer, I broke out with hives all over my body (more unsightly than anything else and would be gone within an hour). So I thought it was shrimp. But I wouldn't always break out, and sometimes another kind of seafood would trigger it. I finally tracked it down to an allergy to the preservative they use in frozen seafood...this literally was about 15 years after my first reaction. The guy at the fish market said it was quite common.

Good luck figuring it out!

 

[disykat]

We carry an epipen at all times for my son's peanut allergy.

I am allergic to gin because it is made of juniper and have difficulty with wine because of the wood casks it is stored in. I don't drink much and any small drink made me sick to my stomach almost immediately. I didn't make the connection until my allergist mentioned it.

The chocolate shake seems out of place with your other reactions, but usually the blender attachment that they use is not cleaned between drinks and it could have been a cross contamination issue. Cross contamination is a huge issue in any kind of soda fountain/ bar because you never know what kind of drinks they have mixed. I know from my own experience that employees tend to mix up things because they sound good, so you can't assume if it's not on the menu it hasn't touched the blender.

 

[Baileymouse]

You can develop allergies at any time.

I was always a big shrimp lover/eater, and now I can't go near them - major anaphylactic shock.

See an allergist and have the epi pen prescribed for you.

 

[Lisa62064]

Allergies can be outgrown or developed- When I was small I was allergic to wheat & oranges....I can eat them now....my DD 19 developed seasonal allergies when she was 13, she has to take daily prescriptions, they are so severe allegra etc doesnt help.. I have to watch eyeshadows, never had any trouble untill 5 years ago....never know which ones will do it, expensive vs inexpensive, I just never know. Trial & error is painfull as it starts out a little itch and then within 15 minutes my eyes are swelled shut...I don't know why I bother LOL

Lisa