For those of you have never heard of the word, or are not quite clear with what anaphylaxis really is, I will try to explain it as best as I can. When it comes to allergies, the worst type of allergic reaction is anaphylaxis. It can be potentially life-threatening, and isn't something to be taken lightly. It requires immediate treatment, and urgent medical attention. Anaphlaxis can affect your quality of life, and therefore, it requires awareness, education and training.
Most triggers of sever allergies are cause by food (milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, fish, shellfish, wheat, and soy), bites and stings (Bee, Wasp, Ants, Ticks), Medications, and even on some cases Latex and exercise. Food is the most common among these, and causes around 90% of allergic reactions.
Although I am only anaphylactic to one type of food in particular, I am allergic to many under the same category. What does this mean? Overall, I am allergic to tree nuts. These are nuts grown on trees, therefore, this does not include peanuts. Did you know that they are actually a bean because they grow in the ground? Insane right? Well I think so. Tree nuts include Almonds, Cashews, Hazelnuts, Macadamias, Pecans, Pine Nuts, Pistachios, and Walnuts. Out of all of these, I am severely allergic to Cashews. Most of the others, I can also suffer an allergic reaction from. In a way, this makes my life a little difficult I believe. Not only because most of my family, and in general society love most of these types of nuts, but because they can provide a fair few health benefits. So, you could say I'm missing out on something.
Sometimes it can grate me, having a food allergy. Most times I eat something new, or go to a restaurant we have to constantly check what is in the ingredients. Especially because most of the time we forget to take me EpiPen! I'm assuming most of you are thinking, 'what the hell is an EpiPen?'. Well, I'll explain that to you as well. I'm not entirely sure if EpiPen's are something you can get throughout the entire world, or just something in Australia, but they are one of the best inventions in my opinion. No, they aren't a super awesome pen that you write with. An Epipen is a needle that holds a dose of adrenalin inside. Only anaphylactic shock sufferers are prescribed them, and they can be quite expensive if not. They expire annually, therefore, it is extremely important to renew them, otherwise, you may just be in a bit of strife if you need one.
Once in anaphylactic shock, an EpiPen is your best-friend. No, the thought of getting stabbed doesn't seem like the most jolly idea, but it may be a matter of life or death. Most symptoms of anaphylaxis are swelling of the tongue, difficulty breathing, swelling or tightness in the throat, persistent cough, hoarse voice, dizziness, and even weakness. This can mean, if you are in need of an EpiPen, and don't have one, you could possibly suffocate. This is where the EpiPen comes in. You are to eject it into your thigh to release the adrenalin in your body. This counteracts the symptoms, and saves your life.
I am very fortunate I have never needed to use mine, but I try to have it on me most of the time. Most of the time that is, I've only had mine for a few years because we weren't aware of how severe my allergy was. Since then, my family are still trying to get used to taking it everywhere, we completely forget sometimes! Although, I have had a few runs in with other types of tree nuts, and they weren't the most pleasant. It makes me even more cautious living my life, especially because my allergies are getting worse as I get older. It really makes your respect life even more.
I will be writing a second blog on Anaphylaxis, describing how my allergies have progressed, and the whole process of allergy testing, also, my previous run-ins with tree nuts. I really hope this has helped those of you who weren't so familiar with allergic reactions, and may even help you if you suffer from allergies. This does play a huge role in my life, and it would be great to see if it could help any of you who do suffer from anaphlaxis, or know someone that does. It'd be great to hear from you, and to hear about your experiences, or even if you liked this post.
Thank you!
Bertie Botts
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