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Peanut Allergy > Treatment
Treatment
Unfortunately there is no cure for peanut allergy. There are also no current, approved therapies or treatments which eradicate or even mitigate peanut allergy.
Traditionally the first line of defense has been strict and vigilant dietary management—being very careful about what foods to avoid and what one is exposed to. But the danger of somehow, inadvertently coming into contact with peanut proteins is always present, making for a difficult and sometimes inconvenient lifestyle.
Antihistamines
For some people with peanut allergy, antihistamines can be taken after exposure and allergic reaction to peanuts, to counter its full onset. Antihistamines are available over-the-counter without a prescription and can relieve some of the discomfort associated with the symptoms of peanut allergy.
Note: Unlike people who are intolerant to lactose and who can take a lactose aide, antihistamines should never be taken in this manner, i.e. prior to deliberately ingesting peanut protein.
Epinephrine
It may be necessary for people to carry auto-injectable epinephrine, the same medication administered at the emergency room as a response to anaphylaxis. Unlike antihistamines, if epinephrine is to be used as a treatment they must be prescribed to you by your physician.
TNX-901
In 2003 a paper appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine regarding TNX-901, a drug hailed as a potentially effective treatment for peanut allergy. Early trials of the drug, administered in the form of a monthly shot, seem to show promise for raising the tolerance level in people with peanut allergy. Consequently, the FDA ‘fast-tracked’ the drug but as of 2008, it has been saddled by a host of delays.
It should be noted that TNX-901 did not cure peanut allergy, nor has it ever purported to do so. Rather, it allowed some people in the clinical trials to consume a substantially higher amount of peanuts before having an allergic reaction. The potential benefits are obvious—a patient being treated with such a drug, provided it worked, would be at a much lower risk of accidentally consuming enough peanut proteins through cross-contact to induce an allergic reaction.
Treatment Resources
Treatment
Unfortunately there is no cure for peanut allergy. There are also no current, approved therapies or treatments which eradicate or even mitigate peanut allergy.
Traditionally the first line of defense has been strict and vigilant dietary management—being very careful about what foods to avoid and what one is exposed to. But the danger of somehow, inadvertently coming into contact with peanut proteins is always present, making for a difficult and sometimes inconvenient lifestyle.
Antihistamines
For some people with peanut allergy, antihistamines can be taken after exposure and allergic reaction to peanuts, to counter its full onset. Antihistamines are available over-the-counter without a prescription and can relieve some of the discomfort associated with the symptoms of peanut allergy.
Note: Unlike people who are intolerant to lactose and who can take a lactose aide, antihistamines should never be taken in this manner, i.e. prior to deliberately ingesting peanut protein.
Epinephrine
It may be necessary for people to carry auto-injectable epinephrine, the same medication administered at the emergency room as a response to anaphylaxis. Unlike antihistamines, if epinephrine is to be used as a treatment they must be prescribed to you by your physician.
TNX-901
In 2003 a paper appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine regarding TNX-901, a drug hailed as a potentially effective treatment for peanut allergy. Early trials of the drug, administered in the form of a monthly shot, seem to show promise for raising the tolerance level in people with peanut allergy. Consequently, the FDA ‘fast-tracked’ the drug but as of 2008, it has been saddled by a host of delays.
It should be noted that TNX-901 did not cure peanut allergy, nor has it ever purported to do so. Rather, it allowed some people in the clinical trials to consume a substantially higher amount of peanuts before having an allergic reaction. The potential benefits are obvious—a patient being treated with such a drug, provided it worked, would be at a much lower risk of accidentally consuming enough peanut proteins through cross-contact to induce an allergic reaction.
Treatment Resources
Treatment Resources
