Where did you first get your information re PA? At the time Jesse was diagnosed in an emergency room, we were given a prescription for an Epi-pen Jr. (thank heaven) but no other information.
At the time, we didn't have the computer and weren't connected to the internet so I couldn't get information as readily as I do now.
However, I first got information from AAIA (Allergy Asthma Information Association) in Canada. Also, I believe it was Today's Parent magazine that published an article re PA and I had a friend who had a computer print off some articles that were recommended for me.
So, for me, I first got my information from AAIA, not our family doctor or anyone else dealing with PA personally.
Best wishes! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]
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![http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]](http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]){kind=link}
First was our allergist (we have since moved), then was our SIL who "knows someone with PA" so she thought she knew all about it (WRONG), then came FAN (only 1 A at that time!!), then this site.
PA.com has far surpassed all the others put together!!
Tammy
We got ours piecemeal... at the ER, we were told by an outstanding elderly family practice doctor that this allergy could easily kill and that we should read labels and rid our home of all pn products, including oil.... later, our pediatrician gave us the epi Rx based on the pediatric allergist's insistence that we have one even before SHE saw us... she told us about FAAN and gave us some the Sampson articles to peruse. Very scary stuff. Her assistant recommended Lisa Cipriano Collins' book (which was then brand new)... a godsend.
Our original allergist (the one who diagnosed him) gave us a pamphet, told us not to eat PB around him (but told us it was probably okay to keep in the house - NOT!) and sent us on our merry way!
I was then told by our family doctor about the AAIA and contacted them, where I got quite a bit of info.
By far the best place has been here, where any question you have will be answered and I have definitely learned much more then anywhere else!
My son Drew was tested for foods in the allergists office. He tested positive for peanut.
The doctor gave us a prescription for his epi-pen jr told us to get it immediately and also handed me a brouchure for FAAN and recommended to us to join it immediately. He had on the wall in the waiting room about m&m's having traces of peanuts. He told us to read the labels and to say away from Peanuts or anything with them. The one thing that I was upset was that he did not tell me that he could die nor explain much more about the allergy.
Never knowing about food allergies, I at first shrugged off the allergy to a point. NOw don't get me wrong, I started reading labels immediately for Drew's sake and have never stopped. It was this site that gave me so much more information than the doctor.
Thank you Chris [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]
Best wishes,
Renee [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]
I remeber reading when I was pregnant a question someone asked that if you eat too much PB while pregnant can it make the child PA. The answer was no, that is absolutly false! I now disagree!
When my daughter had her reaction we took her to her pcp and he very lightly told me to keep her away from peanuts and that was basically it. I was still nuring at the time and had to ask him if I should not eat peanuts either and he said, "yeah, I guess you shouldn't eat them either."
I had heard how serious PA can be a while back and as soon as we got home from the doctor I hit the internet! When I first came across this site I just browsed it and went by because I thought I had to be a member to look at it. I later realized I didn't and found these boards!
I had to beg my daughter's doctor for an epi-pen, he prescribed one, reluctantly, and told me only to give it only if she is blue and getting no air at all!
I then went to an allergist and had her tested and the allergist gave us more epi-pens and so on. But I must say, at least 80% of my knowledge, SO FAR, on PA I obatined from this site! Thank you Chris and thank you all!!! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/biggrin.gif[/img]
kcmom
This site is where I first got any reliable information. We were not on-line when we found out she was PA at 1 1/2 yrs old. Two different doctors blew it off. They told me not to take her to an allergist. There was no need. "Just keep her away from peanuts". We were not told about cross-contamination, touch reactions, or epi-pens.
At 3yrs she had her first severe reaction. Then we got an epi-pen. Still no info. from the doctor.
I found this site right before she turned 4. It changed everything. I am so grateful for all the information found here.
I have to say that despite the excellent information that I am able to get in print from AAIA and other places (i.e., FAAN, etc.), I find THIS to be the best place. I think it's because it's a bunch of PA parents interacting and discussing and questioning.
Also, there's the support, caring, concern, encouragement and everything else you get here that you don't get as readily elsewhere.
Best wishes! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]
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KCMOM: When my son's pediatrician told us we didn't have to do anything but watch him when I suspected PA (he threw up immediatly after having some peanut butter and then got hives), I dumped her and went to a new pediatrician who promptly sent me with Max to an allergist. There he was diagnosed and we were given an RX for an epipen. What are these doctor's thinking??!!!
pattmommy, welcome! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img] It's quite obvious that your first doctor wasn't thinking and at least you knew to switch. I feel really badly for people that trust their doctors implicitly and don't know that they can change or get a second opinion.
Last week I was dealing with someone re a school situation and the allergist who had told her that her child's test scores were "off the charts" re PA would only put down that he had a mild-to-moderate allergy to peanuts. It made no sense. Thankfully, in her case, she has another doctor that she can get the proper paperwork from.
We were very fortunate in that when Jesse had his first reaction at 18 months, they gave us a prescription for an Epi-pen Jr. right at the emergency room. However, through dealing with three different family physicians, an allergist, and an ER doctor, I was never given any *real* information re PA. My last family doctor, when I would try to discuss peanut oil in asthma inhalers (Jesse has asthma as well), would look at me as if I was an alien.
I guess to put it in perspective though, regular family doctors and perhaps even allergists may not have spent a lot of time learning about food allergies in medical school.
That's why I find this site so great. We can all kinda compare doctor's notes and figure things out for ourselves and I believe that's okay, as long as you have your Epi-pen prescription.
This isn't the only area either where doctors don't have all of the information we would like them to (migraines come to the forefront for me only because I suffer from them), so I really do think it's a matter of the patient educating themselves. For us, we almost lost our son because we hadn't educated ourselves well enough, but now at least we continue to do so.
Sorry to go on, but I wanted to really try to make the point clearly.
Best wishes! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]
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Here!! Before finding this site, I had heard from an online friend who had met a woman at a park whose son was PA that "PA is one of the worst to have" and that this woman carried a "shot-pen" because of that. Asked our dr about all that and he told me the "shot-pen" was not necessary and even if it was didn't come in small enough doses. Just said to not give him any more pb+j sandwhiches.
I knew enough to not give him obvious peanuts (Snickers bars, peanuts themselves, etc) but I knew nothing else.
Literally EVERYTHING I know about peanut allergies came from this site...even if in a roundabout way.
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