A scary time!!

[Janice]

I was wondering if anyone here had ever had an 'anaphylaxis' reaction to anything.

Well, I had one!! Talk about SCARY!! We ate at a steakhouse around 7:00 p.m. Thursday night. I did not eat anything that I have not eaten before. I had steak, steamed brocolli and a salad and maybe 5-6 fresh strawberries for dessert that came from the salad bar. That night around midnight, I thought I had an upset stomach and went into the bathroom. While in there ----- the inside of my hands and the bottoms of my feet began to itch tremendously. Before I could "do my paperwork" and get back to my bed, I could not swallow nor could I talk. Getting air in was very hard. I woke my husband up immediately and thank the Lord he works in the Clinic at the base and knew exactly what was happening. Thank the Lord also that we only live about 2.5 miles from a hospital. I've never seen him drive so fast but I barely remember it. I was scared to death. It's funny what you think about when you are in a crisis type situation. I was sitting in his truck with my head back hoping I could keep getting some air in and I'm saying to myself that 'it's going to be okay --- after all, we're close to the hospital and if I pass out from no oxygen, they can revive me'. My problem came in the fact that I was unsure if they could do this before I had brain damage. That was really weird.

When we got to the hospital they immediately took one look at me and started a port with several different kind of meds. My "male" nurse told me I looked like a "boiled lobster". I was red and swollen from heat to toe and itched severely all over my body. I could not lay still. That part was humorous but that's the only part that was. LOL

After about 2 hours I was back to "normal". I've heard of anaphylaxis reactions before but I did not think I was allergic to anything. I'm 54 years old and have eaten everything that I ate that night most of my life. It seemed odd that if it was something I ate at dinner at 7:00 p.m. why did it take 5 hours before the allergic reaction started??

I know this isn't diet related but thought I'd just ask if anyone else had ever had one of these severe allergic reactions before. I'm interested now that it's OVER. LOL I'm wondering if it could have been the strawberries or maybe something they cooked in the meat or "on" the meat, etc. that was different. I'm going to see my regular doctor soon and see what he says. The ER doctor did give me a prescription for one of those "epipens" to carry with me from now on in case it ever happened again.

So -- that's my drama. I'd still like to hear from anyone else that has experienced this or knows someone who has so we can compare notes. LOL

Janice

[texasfirewheel]

That must have been terribly frightening! Did the attending physician give you any ideas about what could have caused it? I've read that delayed allergic reactions are not uncommon. I love strawberries but, if I had a reaction like that, I'd stay away from them, as they're the most likely suspect.

Have you done a google search for something like
delayed allergic reaction strawberries

That might pull up some websites explaining why the reaction was delayed. Good luck!!

[texasfirewheel]

From one website (but it doesnt explain the delay in your reaction):

ANAPHYLACTIC, specific reaction of allergen and mast cells and IgE proteins. Results in severe disturbance to body.

Mast cells are "factories" for histamine, severe reaction produces large amounts of histamine discharged into blood. Result is explosive and dramatic anaphylactic shock. Within minutes rash develops over all skin as histamine irritates nerves in skin causes increased blood flow so skin reddens.

Skin swells are more fluids passes under skin; within 5 mins loose skin under eyes swollen/puffy enough to close the eyes, lips swell and throat feels blocked as histamine causes massive inflammation of all tissues. Massive movement liquid out of blood vessels into tissues, lowers blood volume, large drop blood pressure and patient may faint.

Allergic responses caused by both animal and plant products most common are milk and eggs, cereal grains, legumes and nuts. Of the cereal grains wheat is the most common allergic product. Strawberries often cause allergic reaction when eaten fresh.

[texasfirewheel]

I did a google search for delayed allergic and delayed anaphylactic shock and didnt find any websites that refer to delayed reactions like yours. But reading about the symptoms made me very frightened for you. Is there any chance you could have been bitten by an insect and werent aware of it?


Anaphylactic shock is life threatening
Anaphylaxis, or anaphylactic shock, is an allergic reaction that needs urgent medical attention. Eggs, milk, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, berries and soy are common anaphylactic allergens, so are some medications and insect bites. Within minutes of exposure to the allergen, the person's airways can swell to the point of suffocation. To prevent severe injury or death, the person often needs an injection of adrenalin, which can be intramuscular. Home kits of professionally prepared adrenalin needles are available from chemists.

The symptoms of anaphylactic shock include:
Itchy palms and soles, hives
Tingling and warmth
Asthma, wheezing and breathing difficulties
Swelling of the face
Choking
Fainting
Drop in blood pressure.

[Janice]

Thanks Cindy! I appreciate your information and the time you took in looking it up. I've done some research myself and I'm still reading all I can find. I just don't want it to happen again. LOL I love strawberries and have bought them (from different stores) on a regular basis. One thing I do is always wash them real good before I put them in my fridge. I just wonder if it was the strawberries at the restaurant whether they had some kind of preservative on them or something. I can't think of what else it would have been if not the strawberries.

I will hate not to be able to have them any more. They were my "dessert" on this WOE most of the time. The time delay still surprises me but evidently it CAN happen that way.

I just read your additional post about insect bites. I don't think it was an insect bite. If it was then I was totally unaware of it cause it would have happened while I was alseep. At this point I guess anything is possible.

I appreciate all the information you found. I knew I was in trouble when I could not swallow and could not talk after only a few minutes and realized I was fighting for air with each breath. Maybe I'll call the "bug man" to spray the house just in case. LOL LOL


Janice

[dreamof145]

Janice,
That must have been horrible for you!! The only thing thats ever happened to me that came close to what you experienced is an allergic reaction to shell fish. I was on antibiotics and ate a sampler plate with lobster, scallops, oysters and vegtables. I swelled up and broke out into hives that night. I had to go to the hospital. Even my eyes were swollen shut. It was horrible, but they gave me a shot and cream to rub on and I was better within a few days.


Thank goodness your husband was home and you live so close to the hospital.

[texasfirewheel]

I think the bugman might be a good idea too. I read a disgusting piece of trivia on the internet not too long ago -- something about how many people (even those in excellent living conditions) are bitten by spiders in their sleep. I cant recall the number but the article implied that almost all of us get bitten in our sleep more often than we realize. Better a spider dies of anaphylactic shock (from the bugman) than you!

[texasfirewheel]

P.S. An even more disgusting part of that internet article mentioned how many spiders we SWALLOW in our sleep. I dont even want to go there...

[Janice]

"dream" -- thanks for posting about your experience. Sounds like you were REAL close to having a severe reaction like I did. Who knows, next time you may react a little worse so be prepared.

A nurse told me that our bodies can build up "sensitivites" to certain things just like it builds up "immunities/defenses" to things. I could have possibly eaten strawberries before and had mild reactions that I did not notice. When I stopped and thought about it, I do remember on a couple of occasions having the itching hands and feet but didn't really relate it to an allergy reaction and I'm not sure it was strawberries that I had eaten on those occasions. I'd just like to know for sure what it was so I could be sure to avoid it. I wonder if my doctor will order allergy testing or not. He's out of town but I'm going to call when he gets back and tell him about my emergency trip to the ER. LOL

Cindy, I don't know if I want to hear about swallowing a spider. LOL YUCK!! I live in the south and we have plenty of spiders. I haven't noticed any in the house. My husband is deathly afraid of them no matter how big they are. Maybe if I tell him about what you said he'll go ahead and pay the bug man 'extra' to do an 'extra special' spray job. LOL

Whatever it was --- I don't want to go through it again. I have my epipen now and I won't hesitate to use it if the need arises. If I find out any more information or if the doctor does send me for allergy testing, I'll let everyone know what I find out.

:hug Janice

[Uglyoldpoorman]

You might want to do a search on flavor enhancers/ MSG. A reaction to these can be much like you mentioned

[Janice]

I'll do that. Thanks.

The thing I don't understand is why I developed this "sensitivity" (if that is what it is) at this stage of my life. I've eaten things like strawberries, peanuts, products with MSG, etc. all my life. Why all of a sudden am I showing allergic reactions now?

I can't help but wonder if there is an explanation for what happened but ---- this may be something the doctors or research people don't have a clue about themselves. (As she shrugs her shoulders)

It's a "puzzlement"!!! LOL (I love the King and I.)


Janice

[JordanII]

Do not eat any fruit until you have read the following:

Fortunately, I have never had anything happen as frightening as that what happened to you....however, it happened to my cousin.

They had homemade apple pie for dessert. In the middle of the night he woke up with the same symptoms you describe and had to be rushed to the hospital. And although they too are only about 15 minutes away (this is at 2 A.M. and not stopping for the red lights), by the time Judy got him there his throat had swollen almost closed and he was just barely sucking in enough air to keep him from passing out!

Since then he has learned that the only "safe" fruit he can eat are citrus. Here we live in the "banana belt" of Canada, where all of the tender fruit is grown....peaches, cherries, grapes, berries, etc. etc., and he can only eat stuff shipped in from Florida!

And yes, to his amazement and chagrin, the fruit he had enjoyed all his life, suddenly, in his 50's, have became life threatening to him.

I urge you to get the allergy testing done, even if your doctor hesitates to send you. You may be allergic to other fruit beside strawberries. And you certainly do not want to discover this fact in the middle of the night while you are chocking to death!

Sorry to be so dramatic....I just know how awful it was for Brian and his wife Judy. By the way....after the first "midnight ride" to the hospital he did that "guy thing" and put off doing anything.....and then it happened again! Same deal....middle of the night....wild ride to the E.R........This time Judy put her foot down and trundled him off to the allergist!

Now we all know that, when Brian comes to dinner, we have lemon merengue or chocolate bavarian cream pie for dessert!

[Janice]

Jordan, I will definitely be aware of eating fruit.

I hope my doctor sends me for allergy testing so I'll know for sure.

Thanks for your story. Makes me feel "not so different". LOL

I will warn people to be aware anytime they have "itching" -- especially in the palms of their hands and the bottoms of their feet. It's an allergy reaction for sure. You can't mistake the very intense itching in those two places for just a "simple" itch. Also, your hands would start swelling at the same time. So everyone -- just be aware. Once the itching starts, the other symptoms occur very fast. Don't wait around!!

[Granny53]

I had a reaction close to what you had, not quite as sever, but scary all the same. The maintenance man at the place I worked came into the office with a sprayer to spray for bugs. I told him I had problems with chemicals but the big boss told him to spray anyway. Within 15 minutes my chest & throat started tightening up. I went flying out the front door. Things eased up while I sat outside. After about half an hour my supervisor ask me to try coming back in. Ten feet inside the door it hit again, worse that time. So out the door I went. One of the other girls gathered my things and I left. I picked up my son, then 6 years old, at the babysitters and drove to my parents home. Mind you, I'm driving a little Datsun (with stick shift) on both highway & city streets. In the 45 minutes that it took me to leave work and arrive at my parents the breathing got harder & harder to catch. When I got to the folks house I couldn't even get out of the car! I had to send William in to have Mom call for an ambulance. The rescue squad had to take me out of my car, but not before they put me on oxygen! I don't remember much about any other symptoms other than the breathing! All I know is that the GOOD LORD was looking out for EVERYONE that day! I shutter to think what would have happened if I had passed out! All the innocent people I would have hurt! Now I exit quickly when anyone says anything about spraying for bugs!

I also have reactions to bees, wasp, spider AND, of all things, mosquitos. Luckily, and knock on wood, not quite as bad as the reaction to chemicals, or even some perfumes.

Rhonda

[Janice]

Whew Rhonda, that was scary. I can't believe you made it without passing out. Do you still work there and were you able to go back in the next day or two??

You definitely had an anaphylaxis reaction if you couldn't breathe.

I wonder if the itching and redness and swelling I had are more typical with food allergies?

Do you carry an epipen now in case of an emergency?

I'm glad you and your son are okay. You DID have an extra passenger who looked out for both of you.