Hello everyone,
I have a question for all you experienced PA parents/individuals. What is your impression on the "sense of doom" that PA individuals are reported to experience? Has anyone here experienced it and able to tell about it?
My dd who just turned 2 yesterday became very upset and would not calm down. I didn't know what to make of it and after quite a while (20 min or so) realized that while in the kitchen she had been taking nutri-grain bars out of the box and putting them back in etc. Her brother went over to the box she had been playing with and when he turned it over--out rolled a Peanut!!!
Before we knew she had PA there had been a bag of peanuts (in shell) on the shelf above the cereal bars and although they were disposed of one must have rolled into the box. I couldn't believe it!! She did not have any hives or airway problems but I gave her a dose of benadryl anyway and then watched her carefully and luckily she was fine.
Could her being so upset be due to the "sense of doom" feeling? What are your impressions regarding this?
Colleen
\"sense of doom\"
Posted on: Thu, 01/22/2004 - 3:53am
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Colleen,
I am a PA adult and have had one anaphylactic reaction in my life (mild PA as a child - full blown anaphylaxis in mid 20s). During the Ana reaction, I did indeed feel an impending sense of doom. I felt like the wall were closing in on me and thought I was going to die. I asked for a Priest. It was horribly frightening. Once I was given Epi and could breathe again the doom feeling lessened. I had many less severe reactions and never felt that feeling of doom.
I'm not PA, but anaphylaxed 3 times due to allergy shots [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/rolleyes.gif[/img] . It is just as Mary M. said, but for me it's also a feeling of claustrophobia, like if I just get out of wherever I am it will stop (which is not true, of course). This is typical of hypoxia from any cause. I also thought that I was going to die, and within seconds of getting the epi that feeling dissipated.
While it was happening to me, I just tried to imagine my then 4 y.o. son trying to explain this to a teacher.
Amy
I have had the "feeling of doom" when I went into anaphylactic shock. It's nothing abstract -- your body and mind knows, on a very instinctual level, you are about to die. Your body feels itself shutting down. I told my husband I was going to die and apologized for leaving him so soon. And I very nearly did.
My dd, when she was very young, (3 or 4?) had a reaction very much like you described. She vomited and then started having a tantrum (which she _never_ did) and it was so unusual it really caught my attention. Then she started sneezing uncontrollably and a river of mucous started running out of her nose, and she started wailing "What's happening to me? What's happening to me?" My hair started to stand on end and I was glad I hadn't just scolded her for the "tantrum." DH and I reacted immediately -- this all happened over about 5 minutes -- and it was one of those "EPIPEN NOW" kind of feelings. She was calm about 30 seconds after the injection. It was amazing. She still thanks us for that shot.
Kay
tripsplusone, welcome! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img] My son, last year, when he was just 7 had an anaphylactic reaction to residue. When we went to the E.R. he refused to lie down because I think he thought that if he laid down he would die.
I don't know if a child would be able to verbalize a sense of doom or not. I experience panic/anxiety attacks and although I have not had any for a good many years, I have started within the last three months to experience them on a too regular basis (it's okay, I've psychoanalyzed myself and know why they're happening).
But, when I have a panic attack there is a definite sense of doom and as Going Nuts mentioned, claustrophobia. It's a feeling like you can't breathe and you can't control what's happening to you. Even having experienced quite a few in the last few months and with my verbosity, I can't explain to you what the sense of doom feels like *properly*. But it's definitely there.
I would imagine that that's what people feel, and from what has been posted above, sounds like it to me.
Best wishes! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]
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Tripsplusone, my DD had her first anaphylatic reaction to nuts on December 28. When she did she first started coughing and gagging while swallowing the nut and then she started to cry uncontrolably. It took us about 5 minutes to calm her down. Even then she was very agitated. Her next reaction was mild, just hives. She came out of gymnastics and looked funny, I asked what was wrong she said, I don't know, then walked toward the bathroom, I asked if she had to go potty and she said "no, I just need to go in there." It was then that I noticed the hives on her back. I think this is simular to what "going nuts" talked about, just the need to get out of there. I think she reacts to that "sense of doom" as if it were a loss of control. That's just my interpretation. I am still really new at this and I could be totally wrong.
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Alicia, mom to:
Edward-20 years-non PA
Cody-8 years-non PA
Shaylyn-4 years-PA/TNA,Asthma