DD - Anaphylaxis Yesterday

[paparenttoo]

So glad she is ok, Purplecat! 

[Janelle205]

Glad to hear that she is doing well and hoping that she is not having too much post reaction yuckiness.  With my last anaphylaxis it was all benadryl all the time for a few days afterward - anytime it started to wear off, hives would start to pop up.

My doctor generally recommends an H2 blocker after anaphylaxis - I'm already taking double dosages of one, so I can't say if it made a difference for me.

[PurpleCat]

DD went to school today.  The school nurse checked on her in the morning around 9:30, then DD saw her at 11 for her inhaler, and then she check with DD again after lunch - emailed me each time to let me know she was doing fine!

DD will see the allergist tomorrow morning.  The allergist does not want to change anything without seeing her especially since so far all has been quiet.

Her skin has cleared up!  There is hardly a mark!  I'm assuming that is the prednisone working away.  It makes her face look sunburned.

What makes me most happy right now is DD did not hesitate to start eating again.  We did decide she should bring a lunch to school all this week just to be extra sure while her body is healing....she can go back to buying next week.

She is going to watch her dance classes this week but not dance - no physical activity this week.

I am amazed how she is handling this.  She is not hesitating to get back to normal.  She does not seem scared by it.  She really is growing up!

The boys are also doing ok.  The youngest is just 9 and he told me this morning that it was a very scary weekend and how glad he is his sister is ok!

Now....to get my own stress in check!  I can't seem to settle yet so my evenings after the kids go to bed are filled with anxiety that includes chest symptoms that logically I know are not dangerous...but.....

MandCmama, that is huge for me.  Yes, she can talk to me and really explain what is going on.  It was so much harder when she was younger and I was guessing.  Even with her asthma.  It makes a big difference.

[Ra3chel]

So glad to hear she's doing better.

Take care of yourself, too! 

[Jessica]

How scary. One of my worst nightmares. 

[lakeswimr]

I'm sorry that happened.  Good job giving the epi! 

I was going to say the same things CM said.  Many ERs do not give the epi when they should and instead give steroids (which have not been proven 100% to do anything for an allergic reaction last I read--they are only THOUGHT very likely to help.)  I would talk about this with your allergist and consider writing a letter to the ER about it.  They should have given the epi with the return of the symptoms you described.  It is not unusual to need 2 or even more epis.  Also, as CM said, they did not keep you there long enough.  4+hours is standard after symptoms resolve.  I have had ERs want us to leave much sooner.  Once we moved DS to a gurney in a hallway just to stay there that long.  I felt silly because he seemed fine but I know that biphasic reactions can and do happen.

I'm so glad she is OK.  You did great to give the epi over her objections!  Very good!

[CMdeux]

Glad to hear that she's bouncing right back without a lot of PTSD symptoms or anything.

Now Mom just needs to do something nice for herself to let go of some of that jittery, horrible after-reaction stress. 

[GoingNuts]

 Oh my, I'm in tears reading your post.  So glad she's OK!  And you did great. 

My only criticism is the same as others mentioned; the hospital should have kept her longer and given another epi.  Butt you guys were fabulous.

Now for  nice, pampering mother-daughter activity!

[PurpleCat]

Took DD to see the allergist today.  All is going extremely well.  She blew a 450 on the peak meter!

I knew from past experience to ask about DD's skin on Friday when she is off the prednisone and the doctor agreed - her skin is going to be a big issue.  If you are prone to eczema and you take prednisone, coming off it makes horrible eczema that is hard to get in control.

The doctor has started the paperwork for approval for Elidel.  I hope the insurance co approves and we can fill by Friday so we are ready.  I don't like DD using Elidel but she has not since 2008 and I know her skin will need it.

She showed us the new injector - so cool!

[SilverLining]

PC, can you explain a bit about the exzema?  My husband is on prednisone right now (weaning off actually).  His psoriasis is clearing up, which is great.  But, will it come back worse when he's off?

[PurpleCat]

According to the allergist it is well know by allergists that while on prednsione a nice side effect is that eczema is eliminated but when you stop taking it the eczema returns with a vengeance.  She said it is a steroid to avoid if you have a choice and the patient has eczema.

I do not know about psoriasis. 

(On the other hand she joked, at prom or wedding time it would be a way to have beautiful skin.....perhaps not completely a joke)

What I do know from experience is when DD was young, before her food allergy diagnosis, we'd be in the ER in the middle of the night with horrible asthma and flared eczema (really a food reaction I think now) and one of the drugs they would give her is prednisone.  Then we'd come home with a 5 day regiment.  After she'd stop taking it, we'd have weeks of horrible skin that I could not control.  Poor thing was still a baby and toddler and I was always at my wits end....not knowing at the time what the prednisone was doing.

That is why I knew to ask about what would happen to her skin on Friday.

Might be worth a call to your DH's doc, or at least you will know a possible culprit if it flares.

[SilverLining]

Thanks for the info.  It definitely is the prednisone clearing it up.  The doctor actually told him it would clear up.  But he didn't warn it might come back worse.

I'll have to check what his last day is, and how long before he's in to a doctor.

[yelloww]

Dh has to take Zantac every 12 hrs for chronic hives. It is the h2 histamine blocker. For him, the Zantac works great!

Glad to hear your dd is doing better. How scary! Glad you used the Epi!

[Mfamom]

Oh wow!  I'm so happy she is okay.  You did a great job.  It is funny you mentioned about the EPI hurting.  I looked something up about EPI pen yesterday and on the "insert" it talked about the shot not hurting.  it struck me that it mentioned that a few times, then today i read your story and your note that your dd said it didn't hurt. 
I think the account of how the reaction progressed etc. is so valuable because it helps us in our own management in case we are ever in the same situation. 
Give your dd a hug and you probably need one too!   

[Janelle205]

The last time I used the epi, it didn't hurt at all - in fact, I was worried that I didn't do it right, but held it in for the 10 seconds just in case.

Now, part of the reason it didn't hurt could be that I was distracted by the whole not breathing and thinking that I was going to die thing - in fact, I suspect that was a good part of it.