Dd passed her final PN challenge after desensitization

[aggiedog]

For those that have been a here a while, you might remember dd went thru PN desensitization 8 years ago.  She's been on a daily 2 tsp of PB maintenance dose for a good while now.  Part of that is because life gets busy with 3 teenagers and we hadn't been back to the allergist for almost 4 years.  My bad.  LOL  Dd was doing fine.  I thought we should figure out what to do next given she'll be in college in a year.

We got back with allergist.  Her labs showed no detectable PN antibodies.  She stopped her PB maintenance dose for a month and went up yesterday for a challenge.  She passed no problem, after escalating doses culminating in 5 tsps of PB, then waiting an hour after that for any reaction.  They now want her to do her PB twice a week.  I'm pretty sure that's because they don't want to just say 'No worries, do what you want" but I honestly can't see dd doing just twice a week PB.  I feel she'll probably forget more than she'll remember.

She's still allergic to pecans and walnuts, but the allergist feels that more a contact sensitivity, like pollen.  Her words "no one dies from the pollen allergy."

So, from my 1yo who went into anaphylaxis from touching PB to my 16yo today, that's quite the journey.  Thanks to all here who helped us out here along the way.

[GoingNuts]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

[rebekahc]

Oh, wow!  Such awesome news!  Congrats!!! 

[hezzier]

Very exciting!

[hedgehog]

 

[spacecanada]

That's amazing; great news!! 

[MaryM]

Amazing!!!  Such great news.

[SilverLining]

So happy for her. 

[PurpleCat]

Wow wow wow!!!  Awesome news!  Congratulations!

[aggiedog]

Bah, just epi penned dd.  She ate a cashew at school, got immediate itchy tongue and stomach ache, which is what has happened in the past with trace pecans/walnuts that have snuck into her food.  The allergist felt those were topical reactions only.  However, then her face swelled and her nose started running.  She took a benadryl at school and after watching her here at home for 20 minutes, as her stuffy nose waxed and waned and her cheeks got red, then not, then red again, and her tongue started to swell, just decided to give her an epi.  That's the first time we've ever had to in 16 years of dealing with this.

What possessed her to eat an entire cashew I have no idea (well, teenager invincibility I guess.)  She has not eaten a whole nut, well, ever, outside of  her PN challenges.

Dh just took her to the ER, mostly just to monitor her.  I think she'll be fine.

I'm kind of glad it happened.  She goes to college next year and I need her to take her allergies seriously.  This is the first big reaction she's had in her memory.

Bah.

[hezzier]

That stinks, but glad it happen while still living at home.

[aggiedog]

I'm also glad she got to see the epi wasn't that horrible.  She was freaking out a bit when I told her I was going to do it.  Once done, she was like "that was all??"  That will make it easier for her to do it herself if needed one day.

[rebekahc]

So sorry she had a reaction, but glad she's fine now and has had the experience before leaving home!

[becca]

That stinks.  I hope she's fine, and will be more careful. 

Dining out with my almost 20yo a couple of times this weekend, and recently, in general.  I've nudged her to mention her allergies.  So, I'm pretty sure she doesn't if I'm not there.  These are places where we've dined repeatedly, but, I reminded her that menus, recipes, and staff change, so always mention it. 

[aggiedog]

Thanks guys.  I talked to the nurse at her allergist's office as well, to know what to do short term and long term.  I know heat can increase the risk of reaction, and she's drum major in the 110 degree heat after school.  For sure no band today but I wasn't sure about the rest of the week. The ER doctor wants to give her a steroid dose pack and Zyrtec for a week.  But also dissed her desensitization as "worthless" so I'm not entirely trusting his judgement, given that PN's and cashews are completely different foods.