Did Not Education Myself Well Enough

I can completely relate to your feelings. I was also undereducated until my son had a more serious reaction. It wasn't that I didn't take the time to educate myself but I thought I knew what I needed to know. I also did not know that the epipen jr. only lasts 15 minutes (I learned that from this site). No one ever told me. We put our trust in the health care professionals to tell us what we need to know. Don't beat yourself up. Many of us didn't administer the epi, as you did, and have that to beat ourselves up about!

Thank-you, Patty. Your response made me feel a lot better. I'm so glad this site exists because I really need to be in touch with people in this situation. It's so much different than going on-line and talking with other parents about discipline problems, etc., as a life is at stake here. The other thing, my doctor kept prescribing the epipen junior when my son was on the border of crossing over weight wise to the epipen. The pharmacist suggested that I get the epipen rather than the epipen junior. Thank-you again for your response. Now, I have to go as we found the "No Nuts For Me" animated book, through this site, but on another website and my son wants to go in and watch the story again (his third time) and play the puzzle again. He was really pleased by this site, especially because the child in the story is wearing a MedicAlert bracelet like him and carrying an epipen like him. Thanks again.

That is really unfair that these Doctor's feel they can just throw something at you and hope you figure it out. You should have no guilt , the Dr. should. When my son was first diagnosed the Dr. did inform me to go to a hospital, but did not inform me my son might become blue after injection. She told us inject him any time you even think there might be a reaction starting. So my daughter ate a candy bar and then kissed her brother. He got a rash around his eye, and we injected. Two minutes later while in tourte to the hospital I looked back and my son was blue and lathargic in his carseat. I hit the gas and made the five minute ride in two. The ER Doctor felt this happenned because he wasn't having a reaction. Our allergist wasn't sure, and the nurse said it was because the blood goes to the heart, and brain. To make a long story short he was fine and his color returned after a few mintues. I hope your son is doing fine. And don't feel guilty, because you did what you new was best.

I was also given an epipen and not told it would only last 15 minutes - I found that out from this site. My pediatrician performed a RAST test on my son and then said no need to see an allergist. I got on this site and ended up with a list of questions pages long. I called the pediatrician and insisted on seeing a pediatric allergist. I do feel much more educated thanks to this site, but I'm definitely still learning and think I'll alway be learning. You can't beat yourself up over something you didn't know about, it's not your fault by any means!

I feel really guilty because I did not realize the seriousness of the condition. I have educated myself about my children's asthma. But, Heather, as you say, you are continuing to learn. I'm finding that I'm still continuing to learn about their asthma (for example, I found out from the Asthma Association that my son really didn't need to be on three puffers but only two - this was something the doctor had never suggested. The consult at the Asthma Association was a lot clearer than my physician has ever been. But then, even if I go in with a long list of questions, I have a 4 year old and 2 year old running around, pulling drawers out, screeching, etc. so it's very hard to get answers to all of your questions - I won't blame the doctor entirely. At any rate, I do feel guilty that I did not ask questions when I first obtained the epipen. I know that I did okay because I obtained the epipen after his first, what would be considered mild, reaction. But then why didn't I continue further and find out that you have to go to emergency? At any rate, after him nearly dying on me, I now know. Thank-you for your support in responding to my message. I really love this site - it has been something I have wanted and needed for a long time.
Cindy Spowart Cook
e-mail at [email]ron.cook@sympatico.ca[/email]

I have read your stories. I on the other hand was somewhat educated about peanut allergies before my daughter had a reaction. I did what the peadiatrician advised. I waited until my daughter was 3 years old before introducting peanut butter or peanut products. I will never forget that day. She took 2 bites of toast with peanut butter and instantly, her lip started to swell. I immediately called my husband into the room and said she's having a reaction - I'm calling 911. He said no, let's bring her to the hospital ourselves since it's only 5 minutes away. We rushed into the car. In a matter of seconds, she started to cough and gasp for air. In that 5 minute car ride, her whole body had transformed. I could no longer see her eyes, her body was all hives. Her cheeks, her nose, her mouth were so swollen. I tried to stay calm, but I just kept thinking, she's going to die. Before my husband could pull into the parking lot, I ran out of the car to notify the emergency personnel that my daughter was having a reaction. They were very good. They immediately ran toward my husband who had my daughter in his arms and took her in and gave her a shot of epinephrine. I was in shock. I could not even go in to see her at this point. She was in really bad shape. Her heart rate had dropped. She had to have a heart monitor on for about 3 hours before we could take her home. The doctor was very good in treating her but knew nothing about managing the allergy. He just told me to make sure she didn't eat peanuts or peanut products. He made is sound so simple.

I tried to find answers, but doctors didn't seem to know what causes this allergy, especially in children. Anyway, I blamed myself for a while for giving her peanut butter and also eating peanut butter when I was pregnant and breastfeeding. At that time, no one told me not to. Then I heard that if I would not have eaten peanut butter when pregnant or breastfeeding, my daughter would not have had such a severe reaction. I don't know what to believe anymore. I am now convinced that the peanut has been genetically modified.

Now that I have totally educated myself on managing the allergy, it is not simple at all. The fact that in Canada, warning labels are not mandatory makes it extremely difficult to avoid this offending food. This is why I call every manufacturer of every product I use.

Anyway, I can go on and on. There are so many issues I would like to talk about, for e.g., how medical doctors, including allergists, peadiatricians, etc. know nothing about living with this allergy. I'll save this for another thread. I am a new member on this site and I am so glad I've found it. Does anyone know when it was started. I wish I would have found it 2 years ago when I desperately needed it.

Caterina, welcome to the board! You should definitely check out the Canadians thread under Main Discussion if you haven't done so already! Your post was wonderful!

I wouldn't blame yourself for your daughter's PA. While a lot of us may have eaten pb and peanut products during pregnancy and breast feeding I know that I definitely did not eat pb as I HATE it and the only peanut product I may have eaten would have been honey roasted peanuts and it's not like I ate them by the jar full when I was pregnant with my son. I really don't think, we, as mothers, are to blame. Or, if we're willing to examine that and possibly accept that, I also believe we should be examining whether there is peanut product content in our partners' sperm! Do you know I mean?

Best wishes! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]

------------------