Living with Food Allergies, 2013 and on

[Janelle205]

One thought, GN - does the small town have an statcare facility?  There isn't one in the town near my camp in WI, so it is the same 35-45 minutes to the ER (after you wait for the volunteer ambulance service), but in the small town near the camp I worked at in OH, they have an immediate care facility, and they are way more equipped to deal with emergencies than the bigger city ones tend to be because it is pretty much the only medical facility nearby.  They still aren't open all the time, but that might make you feel a bit better.

[GoingNuts]

Good idea Janelle - I'll check. 

I feel slightly better - he said he and his GF are stopping at Wegman's to pick up some food "just in case", and the person in charge of catering switched deli's when she found out that the one she was planning to order from some mortadella with pistachios.  So care has been taken, but I'm still feeling uneasy.

[PurpleCat]

GN,    He'll take his precautions, and you will still feel like this until the weekend is over.  It can't be helped.  It is how we are all wired now.

Any chance he will text occasionally during the weekend to just say hi?  Or say, yum to the birthday cake?

I have visions of stressing about food at DD's wedding.  Even had a dream once that when she cut into her wedding cake, it was filled with nuts!

Now that dream is just plain NUTS!

[GoingNuts]

Hahaha PC, I've had nutty dreams like that too.

Yes, I've asked him to text me once or twice to let me know how things are going.  He rolled his eyes, but at least I didn't get the Death Stare. 

[MaryM]

I made chili - I used McCormick spices and I used all 3 types of beans (I know real chili doesn't have beans).  I ate some and I am fine.  Proud of myself for not letting my anxiety get the best of me.  I waited a bit until I was less stressed about some things in my life (mammogram) but I did it!  And its a super low point meal for Weigh Watchers and I really need that!

[PurpleCat]

Well all of my chili recipes that we like have a variety of beans in them so to me, chili always has beans!

Great you ate it without issues.

I even use cannelli beans in my smoothies!

[spacecanada]

Way to go, MaryM! 

[spacecanada]

My cooked potato food challenge is set for 15 March.  Could someone here please walk me through best practices for in-office food challenges?

[hezzier]

DS did a challenge for sesame using safe tahini.  We brought the jar.  First they touched it to his skin (maybe his hand), then touched it to his lip.  Next was maybe a toothpick dipped in and touched to his tongue.  Wait 15 minutes.  I can't remember how small they started but it was less than 1/8 of a tsp, then wait 15 min, next dose, wait 15, next dose, wait 15...until the largest dose determined by the allergist, had to wait 15 or more and it was determined to be a pass.

Is that what you are looking for?

[hezzier]

We did not mix with anything, but some offices do.

[spacecanada]

That helps, hezz, yes.  Are there any specific questions I should be asking, or just try to be as calm as humanly possible in such a situation and notify them if anything feels off or I feel a reaction as the tests progresses?  Should they go over all of that with me before they start?

[hezzier]

Are you bringing the potato?  Do they want it prepared a certain way?  Is there a specific type of potato you need?  Do you need anything to mix it with?  Some offices do a blind challenge with it mixed in something so you don't know if you have gotten the potato or not.

If you don't have an appt prior to the challenge, then I would call and ask one of the nurses to go over how they will run it. 

[MaryM]

The challenges my kids have done are similar to what hezz described.  They start by checking your lungs, nose, ears, skin, etc.  Start with a small does of the food, wait, check you over, have a larger dose and so on.  Once done, we had to wait and hour or 2 for the final word that it was a pass.  When DS reacted to the baked egg muffin, they had to wait an additional amount of time before they were allowed to leave. 

Definitely just try to be calm and if anything feels off, let them know ASAP.  If you have questions, call them ahead of time, I am sure they will walk you through everything.  I hope the waiting isn't too stressful and it all goes well! 

[spacecanada]

I am bringing a baked white potato, nothing else.  They don't want to mix it with anything because my reactions were all to potato mixed into something, and they want to isolate that one food.  The nurse and allergist pretty much said what you all said here, but I wanted a cross check since this allergist is still relatively new to me.  My husband is coming to keep me calm/distracted and act as an alarm system because he can tell when I am having a reaction before I ever say anything.  He says I will suddenly look very afraid and lost, which can tell him right away if it is just a tummy ache, or an allergic reaction. 

Two more months to wait.  I try not to think about it, and when I do I try to keep positive.  I am stressed about it, definitely, but trying not to let it get the best of me.  I could be a total wreck the week prior, especially when we go to bake the potato (washed and wrapped in foil) at a cousin's house the night before?

Thanks, everyone.

[PurpleCat]

Ask if it is OK to take your regular meds that morning and if you can eat or drink anything before.

DD's have always started with vitals and a peak flow reading and a visit from the allergist for her look over.  She checks mouth, throat, eczema anywhere on the body, etc...

Then it starts with 1/8 tsp and a timer is set for 15 minutes.  Vitals are repeated as is peak flow meter.  No change, moving on to 1/4 tsp.  Repeat, repeat and repeat.  Allergist is in and out.  Nurse is a constant.  Most of DD's challenges worked up to 2 tablespoons of the food (not in total but for one last dose, however, very concentrated foods like her recent sunflower seed challenge - the target was 2 teaspoon fulls.

Trips to the bathroom are questioned just to be sure there are no GI things going on.

Bring something to do!  It can get long and boring - which is great cause that means there are no issues.

Once done, we wait a half hour.  Then an office visit with the allergist.  And then we are free to go!