Epinephrine misuse and misinformation

[SilverLining]

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/838198

It is epinephrine underuse that has consistently been shown to be the issue in anaphylactic emergencies,[2] and overdose is actually quite rare. The standard adult dose of self-injecting epinephrine (0.3 mg of 1:1000 epinephrine) raises the level of epinephrine in the body from an average of 0.035 ng/mL to about 10 times that amount.[7] It would require more about 20 such injections to reach a toxic level.

Link also includes a patient handout with info about epi-pen.

[spacecanada]

Good article, with some details that put the whole thing in perspective.  I really like the patient handout and wish more doctors and pharmacists would give something like this to their patients.

I once had a nurse thank me for using my EpiPen, telling me it made their job much easier at the hospital when it came to my treatment -- because I was already recovering vs. crashing.  That made my confidence in knowing when and how to use my autoinjector soar.  But then I've also had a doctor tell me I shouldn't have used it, despite multiple symptoms that resolved before he saw me.  Doctors need the education too, so they can better educate and create confidence in their patients. 

I will never forget my conversation with that nurse; his positive comments really stuck with me.  (His wife had an egg allergy.)

[hezzier]

Good information