After your advice telling me that we did need an epipen for our 3 year old PA son, I went back to see the doc. He again told me that his reaction was mild and that his next reactions are likely to follow suit.I asked him about all the people who have had mild reactions in the past and then went on to have more severe reactions and he said that they must have had repeated peanut exposure and it was incredibly rare. I said why not give me an epipen and he said they go out of date within 2 months and are very expensive for the national health service to provide and we wouldn@t need one anyway. I said would he be happy for his own children if they were in the same situation not to have one and he replied that he would. I dont think I can see an allergist as he won't refer me. What shall I do next? who is right I am so confused.
I\'m confused who is right?
Posted on: Wed, 10/18/2000 - 8:25am
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The problem with peanut allergy is that NO ONE can predict what the next reaction will be like. Your son's doctor seems to think that he can. He can't.
Just because your son had 1 mild reaction does not mean that the next one will be exactly the same. He did react to peanuts, therefore he has a peanut allergy and should be treated as such.
My son started with mild reactions. His pediatrician did not take his allergy very seriously either. We did not have an epi-pen. At 18 mos, my son had an anaphylactic reaction which should've required the epi. Instead, we had to rush him to the ER where they administered the shot. Luckily we were only a couple minutes away from a hospital.
When dealing with peanut allergy reactions, every minute counts. Your son could have mild reactions the rest of his life, or he could be like many others and have his reactions progressively get worse. Wouldn't it be better to be safe than sorry and have the epi readily available to you in case he does have a severe reaction?
I do not understand where your doctor is coming from. I have gotten prescriptions for epi's 2 different times and each time the pens did not expire for a year and a half. Does your doctor know anything about peanut allergies???
I don't mean to sound rude, but it scares me that he is not taking this very seriously. How did your son react? Has he had any testing done? If possible, I think you should be looking for another doctor. Take care. Deanna
PDaisy, I don't know about where you live,or what your insurance allows,but with our insurance if we call and tell them that we feel our Doctor is neglecting something with our children then the insurance will sometimes approve of us taking the children else where. We have been lucky ourselves as far as doctors,but I do know that sometimes money does become a factor to seeing different ones. I am wondering if your insurance company will allow you a different opinion. good luck claire
I would recommend that you TELL the doctor that you want to go to the allergist RIGHT NOW. Don't ask him. They are always trying to reduce the number of referrals they make to get off the hook with the insurance companies. If he won't listen to you, tell him that he will be responsible for anything bad that happens to your child. And find a new doctor. (Sorry if I sound harsh, but I am sick of being jerked around by incompetant GPs.)
Amy
I believe that if there is any chance that your son might need an epi pen then you should have one. No one, not even a doctor, has the ability to predict what a PA person's next reaction will be. It does not make a difference what the odds are of a severe reaction occurring, the fact that it is a possibility is enoough to fight to make sure you have an epi pen. Will your doctor guarantee in writing under oath that your son will never need an epi pen? Of course not. I would ask your doctor how much research he has done on this subject and what research he has consulted in order to come to the conclusion that he has come to. I would also take in articles and ask him to read them. I would also suggest that he visit this site. Andy
pdaisey lives in England and is under a national health service, not like our private insurance in the U.S.
pdaisey, I wonder whether you have the option of paying for the epipen out of your own pocket if the health service won't provide it. They are fairly expensive (about $45 u.s.) but worth the peace of mind. By having an epi-pen available at all times you can virtually eliminate the possibility of a fatal reaction. I am so sorry you're having such a hard time. I hope this will work out for you. Your doctor sounds dangerously misinformed. Good luck.
Pdaisey, I'm sorry, but I agree with everyone else on this thread. Your son had a reaction to peanuts. My son's first reaction was mild, by the time we got him to the hospital most of the symptoms had disappeared. However, his next two were anaphylactic and required the use of an Epi-pen. As many people have stated above, you can never predict the severity of the next reaction, you can always HOPE that there won't be another one. I have been very fortunate in that even when my son had his first mild reaction, I was immediately prescribed an Epi-pen Jr. and have never had his allergy questioned by any family doctor (2 new ones since the original prescribing one) since. You do need an Epi-pen JUST IN CASE. Also, mine tend to last 1-1/2 years before expiring so your doctor really doesn't know what he's talking about. I'd want either a referral to an allergist who could deal with it properly or a new family doctor or both. Best wishes!
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Hi PDaisey
Just to reiterate what everyone has said, I think you do need an ana-pen and a new GP. I'm not sure how rural/urban Norfolk is, but if you can change, then do. My ana-pen lasts me for a year and a half and costs me
My two cents...You hire the doctor..you can fire the doctor. They work for you and you help pay their salary.
I'll tell you something here. I am allergic to peanuts. Now, I have been stupid and eating them anyway, even knowing that anaphylaxis is in my family. (my kids) Now, I have done okay until recently. I ate a butterfinger bar (my favorite) the other night. I was sick for two days and that was my last taste of peanut. I used to just get hives, so I would take a benedryl so I could eat it..(I know, naughty me) But, now the allergy is worse. So who is to say the next time I come in contact with peanut, won't be a more serious one? Yes, I should not have even played with it, but, I can tell you first hand the reactions do get worse.
Hi pdaisy, if you are in the UK then you might consider contacting the Anaphylaxis Campaign for help with this issue. They are a lobbying, research and information institution based in the United Kingdom. [url="http://www.anaphylaxis.org.uk"]www.anaphylaxis.org.uk[/url]
Mkruby,
You mentioned that you got hives when you ate peanuts. Can I ask you a couple of questions? I guess I'm hoping my daughter's allergy would be like yours and not life-threatening. (Although, in my gut I feel that hers is dangerous.) Anyway, how old were you when you first discovered your allergy? What were the symptoms of your reactions? Did they ever begin immediately and did your face ever swell? Have you ever been tested? I'm hoping your answers will ease my fears a bit. Thank you so much for all the support you've given me on this site!
~Tina
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