What you read here could save someoneâs life
By Rebecca Peterson, Humour Editor
âOh, just as a note for the kitchen, I have a severe peanut allergy. It shouldnât be a problem, but I wanted to give you a headâs up just in case.â
Itâs a line of patter that I have memorized, something Iâve said so many times to so many servers and cooks in hundreds of different restaurants that the words donât ever sound like words anymore. The reactions vary depending on the establishment. Usually itâs a quick head nod from the server and a little note jotted alongside my order. Other times, the manager will show up to my table to assure me that theyâre going to do everything they possibly can to make sure I donât die in their restaurant. It can be a bit of a hassle, but Iâve been dealing with this for so long I canât think of what life would be like without it. The idea of being able to walk into any restaurant, any grocery store, and eat anything I want without checking labels and double-checking my bag to make sure I have my EpiPen on me is utterly foreign to me.
Iâm one of about 2.5 million Canadians with a severe food allergy. I also have a bunch of less deadly allergies as well: Legumes, corn, sprouts, carrots, celery, egg yolks, kiwi, pumpkin, and strangely enough, chamomile. Iâm a little leery of trying new foods in case I discover a new allergen the hard way, but hey, at least Iâm not allergic to wheat anymore.
Last year, I experienced my first severe anaphylactic reaction in about 20 years. Thanks to the quick actions of some incredible friends, I came away completely fine. Since then, Iâve been trying to educate as many people as I can on allergies in general, but especially on how to help someone in crisis.
According to the Canadian Anaphylaxis Initiative, around 3,500 Canadians experience anaphylactic shock each year from food allergens, and of that number, about 12 will die as a result. Twelve a year may not sound like a huge number, but considering that allergies are becoming progressively more common and death from anaphylaxis can be avoided if the proper treatment is administered in time, itâs a number we should absolutely pay attention to.
What are the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis?
The symptoms of anaphylaxis are widely varied, and it may show differently in some people over others. With that in mind, the most common symptoms are:
Skin: Hives, swelling, itching, skin warmth, and redness.
Breathing: Coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest pain, congestion, and trouble swallowing.
Stomach: Nausea, cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Heart: Skin paleness/blueness, weak pulse, disorientation, shock, and unconsciousness.
Other: Anxiety, feeling of âimpending doom,â headache, and a metallic taste in mouth.
What to do in case of an anaphylactic reaction:
If you suspect someone is suffering from anaphylaxis, it is important that you work quickly and calmly. You might not have a lot of time to help them.
- Have someone call an ambulance. Make sure they stress that anaphylaxis is suspected; the patient will need to get to a hospital right away.
- Retrieve the victimâs EpiPen. If theyâre still conscious, they should be able to find it for you, but they will likely not be able to administer it themselves.
- Itâs a corny saying, but important to remember: BLUE to the sky, ORANGE to the thigh. You need to pull the blue safety cap off the end of the EpiPen to activate it. Then, stab the orange part into the patientâs thigh. (yes, stab. The EpiPen needs force and momentum for the spring-release to work. The official packaging says âswing and press,â but I think thatâs a little confusing quite honestly.) Hold the EpiPen in place for 10 seconds.
- GO TO THE HOSPITAL. The EpiPen does not âcureâ the anaphylaxis; it only buys time. In fact, if possible, have another EpiPen ready to go if the effects of the first dose wear off before help arrives (which can happen!). If liquid Benadryl is available, it doesnât hurt to give the patient some of that as well.
- Keep a close eye on the patient for the next 48 hours, even after they are released from the hospital. Itâs entirely possible for them to slip back into anaphylactic shock, and they will need someone there to help them if it happens.
A few notes on anaphylaxis from someone whoâs experienced it:
- After having the EpiPen administered, your leg is probably going to do its own little solo Irish jig. This is a normal response to having a whole bunch of adrenalin shot into your system. Donât worry about it.
- It will take longer than you expect to recover from anaphylactic shock. Take it easy for the first couple of days afterwards; having your body jump-started multiple times with shots of adrenalin makes you feel like youâve been hit by a truck for a little while afterwards. Get plenty of rest and keep wild partying to a minimum.
- Unfortunately, after an anaphylactic reaction, your tolerance to that allergen will lower significantly. The doctors warned me that my next attack is likely to be much more severe as a result of my exposure. It pays to be paranoid; if youâre not sure if something youâre about to eat has come in contact with something youâre allergic to or not, donât risk it.
Frequently asked questions:
In case of an emergency, can I use someone elseâs EpiPen to help another person who is suffering from anaphylaxis?
There is some confusion about the nature of prescribed EpiPens. With most medications, doses are measured out for an individualâs needs. This is not true of EpiPens, however, and if the victim does not have an EpiPen or needs another dose, using someone elseâs EpiPen could save their life.
Can I administer the EpiPen through someoneâs clothing?
Yes you can, and please do! You will lose time fussing around trying to get someoneâs pants off before using the EpiPen, and itâs entirely unnecessary. The EpiPen will work through cotton, denim, polyester, what have you. Short of wearing plate armour and chainmail, itâs unlikely that the victim will be wearing something sturdy enough to block the needle.
Does someone with a severe food allergy need to ingest the allergen to have a reaction?
Not necessarily. Some allergens can affect the victim by touch, or by airborne properties. Peanuts especially are notorious for causing airborne reactions; itâs rare that they will cause full-blown anaphylaxis, but it can cause milder symptoms such as wheezing, hives, and discomfort. As well, for those with anxieties tied to their allergies, the smell can cause anxiety and panic attacks.
If I cook the allergen, will it neutralize the proteins that cause the reaction?
I once had someone tell me that roasted peanuts should be safe for me because theyâre cooked. It seems like a stupid question, but there are some allergens that only cause reactions when theyâre raw (for example, I can eat celery and carrots if theyâre cooked, but not if theyâre raw). Ultimately, you should ask the person in question if youâre concerned, but the safest bet is to assume the allergen is dangerous to them either way, and to avoid using it if you know the allergic person is going to be present.
Can allergic people eat food items with a âmay containâ label?
This really depends on the person and the item in question. A âmay containâ label is often incredibly vague; itâs mostly there to protect the company in question from liability if equipment isnât cleaned correctly or a mix-up in products occur, and someone has an allergic reaction as a result. It could mean anything from âthe factory where this product is made does not have a peanut-free policyâ to âthere were peanut products directly on the equipment used to make this food item.â For some allergic people, even minute traces of an allergen can cause a severe reaction. Despite having a severe allergy, Iâve never had a problem with items that have a âmay containâ label. However, I tend to avoid products with other nuts in them, because the likelihood of a mix-up or cross-contamination is much higher than products where nuts are not involved at all.
Can you grow out of a food allergy?
Yes, you can! Allergies in general are more prevalent in children than they are in adults. I used to be allergic to wheat as a child, and I was far more allergic to egg yolks than I am now. Unfortunately, some allergies only get more severe the older the person gets, and it is possible to develop food allergies later on in life. A friend of mine didnât develop her severe shellfish allergy until her early thirties. It isnât clear why this happens, but itâs theorized that changes in hormone balances can cause allergies to crop up.
I donât believe allergies are real, and I think kids are just too gosh-darn sensitive these days.
Yes, Iâve heard this said. As someone who has spent eight hours on a steroid drip after taking two epinephrine shots to both legs, I can attest that theyâre very real, and they suck. If thatâs not enough, Iâm sure thereâs about a million doctors out there to back me up. If thatâs not enough, youâre an asshole, and I really canât help you.
FAST FACTS:
The top nine most common food allergies are:
- Peanuts
- Tree nuts
- Milk
- Eggs
- Wheat
- Soy
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Sesame
About 2 in every 100 children in Canada have peanut allergies.
Food allergies are becoming increasingly common. All the more reason to become informed!
Only 1 in 5 Canadians at risk of anaphylaxis carry epinephrine auto-injectors on them at all times, according to a 2014 survey by King Pharmaceuticals and Anaphylaxis Canada.
EpiPens can pose a risk for people with pre-existing heart conditions; however, in cases of emergency, it is still better to use one than to risk not using one.
Many people with allergies will wear a Medic Alert bracelet or necklace. If you come across someone who is in distress and unable to speak and you are unsure as to why, check if theyâre wearing one! It will tell you the nature of their condition and how best to help them.
