EpiPen Questions

light52

This isn't food related and is for me, not my child, but you guys have been so helpful in the past that I thought I would start here.  My parents gave me some peonies from their garden Sunday night.  Tuesday morning I noticed that my eyes itched every time I walked by them.  I decided to put them outside because obviously something was bothering me from those flowers.  I had my annual OB/GYN appointment that day and she mentioned I was wheezing.  I couldn't feel it at all so she said to take an antihistamine and I should be fine.  Wednesday I noticed off and on that my lungs felt like they were burning.  Today, Friday, I woke up with the burning lungs and like I couldn't get a deep breath, not in distress but not feeling great either.  I went to my PCP and she said it was all related to that reaction to the flowers.  I received a steriod shot and feel mostly better but not 100% yet.  She also prescribed an EpiPen for future reactions and that is literally all she told me.  My question is, when exactly am I supposed to use it for a reaction like this?  It seems like overkill to use it any time my eyes itch but I'm thinking it probably isn't a good thing for my body if I'm waiting over a day from the reaction because that is when I finally felt it in my lungs.

I have had reactions to flowers in the past but as soon as I realized the connection I removed them and was fine within a few hours.  This is the first time it has lingered.  Also, roses have always given me headaches.  I researched and peonies and roses are supposed to be some of the best flowers for allergy sufferers so I'm thinking this is more a fragrance reaction.  I've always had headaches when around high fragrances or any bath/body products that are floral scented.

Yes, I plan to talk this over with an allergist, but in the meantime I thought I would start digging for answers.

Justabean3

I would start with a plan. Take benedryl at the first onset and use your inhaler. If you do not notice relief and have any construction or tongue swelling call 911 and use it.

You know it doesn't mean you will have Ana but you could. If you feel something is wrong in your gut then use it.
Listen to your body.

light52

I don't have an inhaler but I have plenty of Benedryl around.  My son has several inhalers so if worse comes to worse I could always use his in a pinch. 

Sounds like a plan though.  My family is now freaked out that I have to carry an EpiPen but I feel like if I avoid fragrant flowers it shouldn't be that big of an issue. Pretty much the only time I've felt anything from them is if they are in my house so from now on, flowers remain in a garden.  I worry more about DS3 who is allergic to everything and every allergy flair gives him an asthma attack.

funchicken

I would see an allergist and get a blood test done to find out your IgE levels for different types of flowers. Then you'll have a better idea of when/if to use the epipen.

light52

I'm calling the allergist on Tuesday when they open.  I walked out my back door this morning and could smell something blooming.  Not sure what it was but my eyes immediately started itching and I started feeling dizzy.  Took some Benadryl and was back to normal fairly quickly.  I love to garden but only plant things with no to minimal fragrance.  Wondering what my neighbors have planted this year as I'm not sure what was blooming.

light52

That is definitely one advantage I have over my child.  I'm looking forward to when he can talk and tell me how he feels since his allergies and asthma are so bad.  Good to know it is very rare.  I don't feel it is a huge issue as it took almost a week to get bad enough for me to seek treatment but I also know things can progress and get worse with each exposure.  I keep developing strange allergies with each child and tend to stump the docs because they aren't the standard allergens.  My husband's allergist keeps joking that sometimes she sees complete families and I always bragged that I had very few allergies and it wasn't my fault the kids have allergies.  Looks like I'm eating my words.