that sinking feeling on a family day out and you notice.....

[eragon]

that yr son doesnt look right.

on daughters birthday treat of a  day out in london shopping with her cousins.
we are a group of ten, with a selection of  8 teens age 13-18. lovely but very  hot day in london, we  stoll around covent garden, watching the entertainment etc, move on through london near and go to macdonalds.
after ordering the meals, too busy to sit inside, so we go out and sit on steps of theatre.

Which just happens to be the on that Daniel Radcliffe is doing that irish play. (and yes, would love to see it, but all money seems to be drained by kids these days)

Son, feels sick, throat tight, eyelids puffy and then lips. he forces down some antihistamine , and then 5 mins later throws up.

Now, before you all chant EPI! EPI!, he has just eaten 2 frys only. and he has this odd thing were he spontaneously puffs up iyswim.
So we are thinking, enviromental?, which is possible for him, or it could be food?. and so we play the waiting game.
I am thinking, well, he is talking, alert etc, and I am planning out the rest of the day with various senarios etc.

After a few mins, he is ok, he says its his usual enviro thingy, not food. we climb off steps and carry on, with water, more antihistamines and a polo mint to freshen breath. We walk slowly behind the rest, and  after a while his antihistamine kicks in.
But still not only is this the nearest I will get to any london theatre culture, its another day were allergies become part of the planning and stress of a a normal family day out.

[CMdeux]

I know that Macdonalds of which you speak...  we "dined" there several times while in London.

:sigh:  I'm sorry-- glad that you got to at least soak up some of the atmosphere even if you didn't get a glimpse of Daniel Radcliffe.

  Could have been worse, I suppose-- it could have been tomorrow during baby MANIA.   

[Macabre]

You're right. Based on the symptoms and the fact he was eating and given his history, I'd say "Epi!" 

Two fries or one bite of fries or 15--it doesn't matter. One bite can do it.

The differences in recommendations for Epi seem to vary between the US and the UK. I don't know why.

But I understand that you see this a lot with your kiddo, and you'd probably be sticking him with the Epi frequently if you went by what I go by--too frequently.

I'm sorry that FAs crept their way into an otherwise lovely outing. Stupid, stupid food allergies!!  I hate then.


Ps. Daniel Radcliffe is quite good on stage. He should've gotten a Tony nom for How to Succeed. I saw him.

[eragon]

I dont think I fancy going to that McDonalds again, have a terrible tummy problem today! (sorry TMI)

son has this odd idiopathic angioedema thingamagig going on, so does have this problem quite a lot in the last couple of years.

he woke up with it today.

and everyone go on tell me how you have seen daniel radcliffe and the other stars on the stage just to make me jealous.

I am trying to console myself with the fact I saw Kasabian with my sons instead. music gigs yes, theatre culture NO.   I cant have it all, apparently.

[GoingNuts]

 

[lakeswimr]

That sounds scary.  How often does your child have reactions like that? 

I am thinking the same things as Macabre.  "Only 2 fries".  People have anaphylaxis from touching things that are barely cross contaminated with allergens to their tongue, never mind from eating 2 whole fries that might be cross contaminated.  2 fries is plenty to cause a reaction if that was a food reaction.

I'm glad things resolved with Benadryl.  I'm surprised your plan doesn't call to epi in that situation, though.  If he hadn't eaten anything then that would be different.  And if it was a food reaction and he didn't get the epi it makes sense that he is still reacting the next day.  But as you said, your child has idiopathic reactions.  That really muddies the waters. 

[eragon]

yes, he has got that odd diagnosis, confirmed with a histamine blood and skin test combo.

if we epi him every time for symptoms like that we would in the last 2 years be in hosptial at least twice to three times a week.
recently slowed down and getting months or weeks between such reactions, but this has been a long slow progress in symptoms.

it makes the whole allergy reaction thing very difficult. its been very hard on our 17yr old.

[CMdeux]

 

[Macabre]

Yeah, it does really complicate things. Poor kiddo. That's a lot to handle. That's a lot for MOM to deal with, too. ((Hugs))

[candyguru]

Sorry to hear of the reaction. Does he have any legume allergies?  I checked McDonald's UK site and the french fries are cooked in oil that is also used for products containing legumes (ie chick peas, yellow split peas, etc)... so these would definitely be off limits to us as my daughter is allergic to legumes.

Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (Sunflower, Rapeseed), Dextrose (only added at beginning of season). Prepared in the restaurants using a non-hydrogenated vegetable oil. Salt is added after cooking. Please note our Fries can be cooked in the same oil as the Spicy Veggie Patty which contains: Chickpeas (30%), Batter (Rice Flour, Maize Flour, Maize Starch, Potato Starch, (Stabiliser (Xanthan Gum)), Breadcrumb (Rice Flour, Gram Flour, Maize Starch, Dextrose), Onion (10%), Yellow Split Peas (7%), Potatoes (7%), Vegetable Oil (Sunflower, Rapeseed), Water, Dehydrated Potato, Herbs & Spices (Cumin, Coriander, Garlic, Garlic Powder), Sugar

http://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/content/ukhome/meal_builder.html

[eragon]

thanks, am going to ask in person in next macdonalds. i havent seen a spicy veggie patty for years in macs, i thought they stopped them.

[CMdeux]

Oh, they're called something else, but they DEFINITELY still make them- I had one in a wrap up near King's Cross in April.

[eragon]

i will check as son has grown out of most of the legume/bean side of things (but not all iyswim) we sort of forget that one at times. We concentrate on the peanut and egg.

Still think that as the day was hot, pollen high and in london that the enviroment played a big part here. hubby was wheezing a  bit  and complained about his eyes ( dont we sound a healthy family!) and son was complaining about eyes from pollen before the whole face/throat and lip swelling.

BTW we have just got back from France, and food was ok apart from a pizza, which son took two bites and said it had egg on. We did the usual checks etc, but he said they must have brushed the edges with it or something. After some antihistamines he was ok, and he was pretty calm and matter of fact about it. It didnt ruin his hols.

I have posted some pics on my twitter if you wanna see, @sarahjchapman , feel free to have a look.

We went to Paris for 3 days, and I have to confess that I overheared two American gentlemen who made me really giggle and I had to move away quickly. In a macdonalds one fella was making sure that his burger had 'none of that brie on it, just real cheese, American cheese ONLY'
The other chap was in the open square of the loure and he asked a musee staff member (sitting the sun smoking on his breaktime, well, it might not of been his breaktime, but you know what I mean) anyway, there is a large arch at on one side of the square and the question was 'is that the arc du Triomphe'?  which was greeted by a very french eye roll and a firm NO.
I do hope that fella saw the real thing, I loved that as well.

We all walked up the Eiffel Tower as we walked up the steps I pretended to read the helpful facts at each flight, but soon gave up pretending and recognised that I was an unift middle aged woman who needs to get out more!  Loved the Tower and the views at the top. jaw dropping really.

I loved Paris, and I want to go back again, my eldest loves the musems and would go with me I am sure!

food wise was Paris was easier for son than for intol daughter who did get accidently milked iyswim.

[CMdeux]

Now I'm giggling at your guache Americans, too, Eragon!

It's great that your holiday was pleasant.

We found Paris quite easy re: nut and egg allergy, too.  DD lived on fruit, baguette, and cheeses for the week, which suited her just fine.