Talking Allergies

Hi Sandy, welcome.

Shake off the guilt. I understand it, (it's a mom thing) but none of this is your fault.

If you didn't treat the pneumonia while you were pregnant, would the baby have been better off? NO

Of course you ate her allergens while you were pregnant. You probably also ate fish, wheat, soy, and all the other allergens too. If eating them *caused* your child's allergies, then she would also be allergic to the other stuff to.

Hi Sandy and a welcome.
Yes; I to have passed on allergies, as did my family before me.
We are lucky now adays that there is more that can be done.
We are all hear to listen, understand and learn from each other.
I say again welcome everyone here is so nice.

I hope it's OK to quote from the Allergic Living magazine. (Just a little quote ) Because, I found the perfect response to the *it's all my fault* syndrome.

In a small article about Allergy's Rapid Rise, in response to whether eating an allergen raises the risk of baby developing an allergy to that food, Dr. Scott Sicherer responded "We've also seen a rise in cat allergies and, as far as I know, mothers aren't eating more cats than they used to"

You have a great sense of Humor Anna Marie.
I laughed when I read that the first time, this time harder.

Hello, I've already made a few postings but I thought I might as well introduce myself.
Our 5 year old daughter is allergic to milk, fish, nuts and probably peanuts. We found out when she was 5 months old after trying Milupa cereal (which has cow's milk formula already added in)
Well we gave her one little baby spoonful and she spit it out and she did not lilke it and wouldn't take any more. Then she started bawling. We figured she was tired... put her in the crib.... she kept crying and screaming and then she started to sneeze violently, over and over with long strings of mucus... her face was very red and a seemed a little swollen, and then I opened up her sleeper and saw her chest. She was lobster red all over her chest and back; at this point we realized she was having an allergic reaction and rushed her to the hospital where they took her right away.
The milk allergy was confirmed by skin test and by rast tests and we got an allergist, an epi-pen and a new way of life.
at about 1 year she had a second serious reaction; we don't know to what (she got something in her eye) At first she was just rubbing her eye and it seemed a little bit red and the nose was running so I decided to give her some Benadryl. Well, in less than 2 mins (the time it took to get the Benadryl and spoon) her eye had swollen shut. her cheek had become all bubbly and blistery and a red rash was spreading to her neck. The rappidity of it scared me - I thought of what could happen it her neck swelled and throat closed- so I gave her the epi-pen and we rushed to the hospital. She threw up in the car. We arrived at emergency with this screaming child, with vomit on her pj's, blood streaming from her leg because of the injection and a red swollen hivey face. Again they took us right away. we still aren't sure what caused it. Maybe a crumb of cheese? Maybe an allergy to something else?
She reacted to white chocolate just from touching a table that had some on it (not serious that time- just some hives but still; she's so incredibly sensitive to milk protein)
At about age 3 she reacted to a "soy cheese" that someone in the family gave her thinking it was non-dairy but it was full of casein like most soy cheeses. We didn't go to the hospital that time but in retrospect we should have. I'll save that story for another time.
Age 4 she had a reaction after helping to fill the bird feeder. That time she had hives and wheezing. The bag of bird seed says "may contain peanuts" we go to the hospital but her symptoms all subside on the way there. She has had several minor reactions in restaurants or while visiting relatives. (once because she played under the table for about a minute) The Benadryl takes care of these little "mystery" reactions. Her most recent hospital trip was on father's day from one bite of hamburger that contained milk ingredients.

To sum it up, she's not quite 5 yet and she's been to the hospital 6 times- 4 times for allergic reactions and twice for branchiolitis- a sort of cold induced asthma when she was very young

Hi kids!

I have been reading your postings for about 3 hours now and decided to register. My son is almost 4. My husband and I were married for 10 years before we had him. It was by choice because we wanted to be ready. We found out shortly after he was born that he had a heart condition. I was so scared of losing him then. We found out last year that he is allergic to peanuts. In July we found out that he is severely allergic, anaphylactic. The heart condition has taken a back seat and now I am terrified of losing him to this. It seems that I have been worrying about losing him since he was born. He is such a bright, beautiful boy. He is very athletic, and seemingly very healthy. He is beautiful on the outside, but he is so much more beautiful on the inside.

I am not going to say too much more now. I am very emotional, but I believe I will have something to contribute in the future. I have been studying everything I can get my hands on for the last year and am anxiously keeping abreast of the current research being done. Thank God for the internet. At least we can all be much more informed than those that came before us.

I have not listed any personal information for you to access. I do work in the school system and am very interested in some of the things I have read. I will contribute more at a later date. I am already starting to prepare for the day when my son will enter school. I live on the East Coast and he will not start for a couple of years. Right now keeping him safe at daycare is my concern. We are totally peanut-free at home. We do not eat out in restaurants anymore. We used to go out for breakfast every weekend.

I really don't care about that stuff. The school issue is another matter. Anyway, it is really late. Good night for now.

Shelly

Welcome Shelly,
It is wonderful to have a place where you can read about other's experiences, isn't it? It sounds like you are taking very good care of your son. I have a lot of worries about my daughter starting school but we have done almost all we can and we are still working to think of what more we can do but we don't dwell on it too much. I just do as much as I can and then I trust God to protect her. After she has been in school a while I will post something to let everyone know how it's going.
Linguist

Hi Shelly,

Welcome and hang in there. Many of us are walking around as adults who live with anaphylaxis. Your son will be, too, one day, as his mom will no doubt make sure he knows all the right precautions to take.

Look forward to hearing more from you on the boards - when you're up to it.

Linguist, wondered if your daughter has ever been tested for soy? As it would or could have been in many of the food products you mentioned.

/Gwen

Gwen
My daughter has never been tested for soy as she drinks soy beverages all the time with no problem. Cow's milk, and fish are the only things she is highly allergic to, but she also test positive to almonds and other tree nuts even though she has had no known exposure or reaction to them. The hamburger that she reacted to contained only beef, water, canola oil and milk ingredients. The Milupa baby cereal contains rice or barley or oatmeal but it has cows milk formula pre mixed into it so that you just add water. She had already tried all the Heintz cereals with no problem and the Milupa caused her first reaction at 4 months; it has been clear it was milk right from the beginning. Are you sure you're not confusing me with someone else?
Linguist

Linguist,

No, wasn't confusing you. Just thought I'd ask about soy given your reference to "mystery reactions" and mention of hamburger, bird seed and soy cheese - things that often contain soy products. But obviously if your daughter is one of the many milk allergic who have soy drinks with no prob., that's not the case. (Great to have an alternative to milk.)

Have found through my own experience, and from interviewing many people with allergic kids, that sometimes we overlook other potential allergens, when looking at mystery reactions. So I'd just wondered. /g

Hi Gwen, our daugter also eats soy yogurt and soy "icecream" so it's definetly not a problem. Thank you for the suggestion anyway. Sometimes I feel that people don't understand about a milk allery. First there are all the people who confuse lactose intolerance with milk allergy. Then there is the fact that over 70% of children with a milk allergy will outgrow it by the time they reach school age. (My daughter is in the other 30%) Her allergy is very severe, sometimes I explain it to people by saying "It's like a peanut allergy only to milk" I still have some hope that she will out grow this but with RAST tests in the rediculous range (level 6 which means over 100 whatever the units are) it is getting less and less likely. She is 5 now but I know that by age ten the distribution of different food allergies is identical to the adult population so there will be virtually no hope after that.

Hi my name is susieQ

I have adult onset anaphylaxis - penicillin, shellfish and crustacean. Five yrs for the penicillin and 3 yrs for the seafood. It is amazing how many unlikely products have seafood or their derivatives as in ingredient. For a couple of years I was extremely careful, checking everything and making sure my epi-pen was with me at all times. But now....I am told I must be totally paranoid - at all times. My life as an anaphyalctic was stressful enough until last year but now it is unbelievable. I now have coronary artery disease and on blood pressure pills (beta blockers). Here is the new problem -

Due to my medication - beta blockers - my epi-pen will probably be useless as the beta blockers - block- the effects of the epinephren. This was confimed by my alergist, pharmacy and doctor. Now I live in fear of anaphyactic shock because of my beta blockers, which I am not allowed to discontinue. So, I am anaphylactic- with a twist. My only grand-child is 10 months and I have not ever kissed her. . Cannot take the chance. But there is a bright side. I am still here, can still hold my grand-daughter and as long as I am paranoid without becoming a total nutcase, I will live a long and happy life.

I am sorry if the beta-blocker info has scared anyone who is taking them, but I would hate to see any of you, who are not aware of this fact, not be told.

On a very cheerful note, it is great to read all of your interesting comments. It feels like we are members of one large family. Bye for now, susieQ

I didn't know about the problem with beta-blockers. Thanks for the warning! I'm not of an age that I need to worry about having to take them (as I believe they are for blood pressure, right?), but it is good to know.

Hi Lisa, yes the beta-blockers are blood pressure pills. Here is the round about way in which I found out about beta-blockers blocking the epinephrine. I called my allergist to make my appt for environmental testing and was told to not take any antihistamines. Told her what medication I was on and she said I could not take my blood pressure pills for at least 4 days prior to the testing. There was no way I could have not taken those pills due to having 3 stents put in my right coronary artery 2 months prior to the call. She told me that they could not risk doing the tests because I would probably react as I already am anaphylactic to penicillin, shellfish/crustaean and the epi-pen would be practically useless. Shocked I got her to repeat what she said and why. Scared the daylights out me.

I immediately called my pharmasists and stumped them. Just so happens they had the big whigs in that day giving them an update program and they all started looking into it. Needless to say I received a call back stating that the info I gave them was indeed correct. They had only checked for drug interaction for only the blood pressure medication, not drug interaction with epinephrine. They were equally shocked and stated this could cause quite a problem for the thousands of people on both medications. They thanked me for giving them a heads up on something they were not aware of. Surprise eh? Then they said to go see my family doctor and allergist to discuss it.

When I saw my family doctor, he got out his CPS book and agreed with the allergist and the pharmacy. At that point I found out that my life regarding my anaphylaxis had once again changed. Hoping against all hope I thought maybe he might be over reacting so I went to my allergist. My hopes were crushed when I asked her where does this leaves me now. She responded - From now on you must be totally paranoid. Take no chances of a reaction because the epi-pen probably will not take effect. If I react, of course still try the epi-pen. I became very very upset and she said as long as I was on my blood pressure pills this is the life I must live. I must go by the rule - not epi-pen, no eating, period.

I did take 1 1/2 weeks to travel by car to Brampton ON and back for our sons wedding. It was an experience I'll tell you. Everything but the kitchen sink went with us. I am not able to go to any coffee shop, bakery, restaurant, etc. Every meal and snack was prepared in hotel rooms. I wore gloves to the wedding and ate nothing. It was a beautiful wedding and so thankful I was able to be there to see my son wed, stress and all.

I am having a difficult time coping with this type of stress. Fear is always with me.
Anyone in the same boat? Need helpful suggestions.

Bye for now, susieQ

Hi Everyone,

My name is Rose. I am allergic to Fish, Seafood, pencilillin and raw potatoes. I have two daughers. My older one is 9 1/2. She is allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, sesame seeds and possibly pumpkin seeds. She had an anaphalactic reaction to a pumpkin seed last year, the allergist wants to test her in his office this year.

We discovered my daughter's allergies when we were visiting family in Montreal. May daugher was 4 1/2 then. My daugher ate a piece of cake and started complaining that her throat hurt very badly. We had her tested and found out about her other allergies as well.

When she was around two, I gave her a sesame snap as a treat. She took one bite and spit it out, to this day I am glad nothing serious happened...

I find each new stage always a challenge when raising an anaphalactic child. We are fortuneate that my daughter's school is somewhat aware, although a few mistakes have happened along the way. We are lucky my daughter takes her allergies seriously and still takes our advice first. Peer pressure is starting to become an issue for her "come on, I don't see any nuts on my treat you can have it, nothing will happen"
This year I am going to ask to talk to her class myself and explain what will happen, but at her age I'm not usre the other kids truly understand.

To the parents of the children who are going to pre-school, make sure your child and the teacher are very aware that they cannot share snacks. I also told my daughter and her teachers, that if she is ever uncomfortable because someone is eating something she cannot near her, that she has the right to move. I hope this helps.

Rose