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All about food allergies

What you read here could save someone’s life
By Rebecca Peterson, Humour Editor

it h, just as a note for the kitchen, | have a severe
peanut allergy. It shouldn’t be a problem, but |

wanted to give you a head’s up just in case.”

It’s a line of patter that | have memorized, something I’ve said so
many times to so many servers and cooks in hundreds of different
restaurants that the words don’t ever sound like words anymore. The
reactions vary depending on the establishment. Usually it’s a quick
head nod from the server and a little note jotted alongside my order.
Other times, the manager will show up to my table to assure me that
they’re going to do everything they possibly can to make sure | don’t
die in their restaurant. It can be a bit of a hassle, but I’ve been dealing
with this for so long! can’t think of what life would be like without it. The
idea of being able to walk into any restaurant, any grocery store, and
eat anything | want without checking labels and double-checking my
bag to make sure | have my EpiPen on me is utterly foreign to me.

l’'m one of about 2.5 million Canadians with a severe food allergy.
| also have a bunch of less deadly allergies as well: Legumes, corn,

What are the signs and
symptoms of anaphylaxis?

redness.
The symptoms of anaphylaxis

vary widely, and it may show
differently in some people
over others. With that in
mind, the most common
symptoms are:

What to do in case of an anaphylactic reaction:

If you suspect someone is suffering from anaphylaxis, it is important that you work quickly

and calmly. You might not have a lot of time to help them.

1. Have someone call an ambulance. Make sure they stress that anaphylaxis
is suspected; the patient will need to get to a hospital right away.

that as well.

5. Keep aclose eye on the patient for the next 48 hours, even after they are
released from the hospital. It’s entirely possible for them to slip back into
anaphylactic shock, and they will need someone there to help them if it

happens.

Skin: Hives, swelling,
itching, skin warmth, and

Breathing: Coughing,
wheezing, shortness

of breath, chest pain,
congestion, and trouble
swallowing.

Retrieve the victim’s EpiPen. If they’re still conscious, they should be able to
find it for you, but they will likely not be able to administer it themselves.

3. It’s a corny saying, but important to remember: BLUE to the sky, ORANGE
to the thigh. You need to pull the blue safety cap off the end of the EpiPen
mS to activate it. Then, stab the orange part into the patient’s thigh. (Yes, stab.
The EpiPen needs force and momentum for the spring-release to work.
The official packaging says “swing and press,” but | think that’s a little
confusing quite honestly.) Hold the EpiPen in place for 10 seconds.

GO TO THE HOSPITAL. The EpiPen does not “cure” the anaphylaxis; it

only buys time. In fact, if possible, have another EpiPen ready to go if the
effects of the first dose wear off before help arrives (which can happen}.
If liquid Benadryl is available, it doesn’t hurt to give the patient some of

sprouts, carrots, celery, egg yolks, kiwi, pumpkin, and strangely enough,
chamomile. I’m a little leery of trying new foods in case | discover a

new allergen the hard way, but hey, at least I’m not allergic to wheat
anymore.

Last year, | experienced my first severe anaphylactic reaction in
about 20 years. Thanks to the quick actions of some incredible friends,
| came away completely fine. Since then, I’ve been trying to educate as
many people as | can on allergies in general, but especially on how to
helo someone in crisis.

According to the Canadian Anaphylaxis Initiative, around 3,500
Canadians experience anaphylactic shock each year from food
allergens, and of that number, about 12 will die as a result. Twelve
a year may not sound like a huge number, but considering that
allergies are becoming progressively more common and death from
anaphylaxis can be avoided if the proper treatment is administered in
time, it’s a number we should absolutely pay attention to. Even if you
don't know anyone with a severe food allergy, knowing what to do in
such an instance could save somebody’s life.

Stomach: Nausea, cramps,
>) vomiting, and diarrhea.

Heart: Skin paleness/
blueness, weak pulse,
disorientation, shock, and
unconsciousness.

 

Head: Anxiety, feeling

of “impending doom,”
headache, and a metallic
taste in mouth.

A few notes on anaghylaxis from
someone who's experienced it:

After having the EpiPen administered, your
leg is probably going to do its own little solo
Irish jig. This is a normal response to having
a whole bunch of adrenalin shot into your
system. Don’t worry about it.

It will take longer than you expect to recover
from anaphylactic shock. Take it easy for the
first couple of days afterwards; having your
body jump-started multiple times with shots
of adrenalin makes you feel like you've been
hit by a truck for a little while afterwards.
Get plenty of rest and keep wild partying to a
minimum.

Unfortunately, after an anaphylactic reaction,
your tolerance to that allergen will lower
significantly. The doctors warned me that my
next attack is likely to be much more severe as
a result of my exposure. It pays to be paranoid;
if you're not sure if something you're about to
eat has come in contact with something you’re
allergic to or not, don't risk it.

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