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Anaphylaxis recovery
Can anyone tell me how long it takes to recover?
I had a severe reaction just over a week ago and although - felt terrible all week but I'm feeling quite a bit better today for the first time since. I still have very swollen eyes, weird colouring and a very angry hives rash around my neck and jaw. I just want to feel normal again...how long does this go on?
I had a severe reaction just over a week ago and although - felt terrible all week but I'm feeling quite a bit better today for the first time since. I still have very swollen eyes, weird colouring and a very angry hives rash around my neck and jaw. I just want to feel normal again...how long does this go on?
Hi Neil,
Basically, I am okay. I am coughing a lot this morning. I hope I don't have a cold, but it feels like I may have caught one. Oh well, what are you going to do. You asked me what I am allergic to. Interestingly enough, you and are have some of the same allergies. I am also allergic to dust, so house dust, chalk dust, pollen, grass pollen ( especially June grass apparently ), cat dander to some extent and penicillin. As for my asthma , it is probably related to my allergies as there has to be an allergy trigger to cause the asthma. Due to my allergy to penicillin , I decided to register with Medical Alert and I have a medical alert bracelet which I try to remember to put on when I go on errands . I don't wear the bracelet in the house, only on errands outside somewhere, going shopping etc. I remember you saying in your recent message that over the last 6 months, you keep getting hives and utacaria. What is utacaria ? Hives, I know about.
I am glad to hear that you have been referred to an allergy clinic and that you are waiting for an appointment. You may have more things that you are allergic to that you don't even know you are since you had your last allergy test which I remember you saying was when you were a teenager.
I am very sorry to hear that your trip to Italy was spoiled by being bitten by mosquitos. That's terrible. It's good that you carry an Epipen with you and that you wear a medical bracelet to speak for you when you can't speak for yourself. That is how I think of the medical bracelet. I know you can get fancy bracelets from Medical Alert. My bracelet is fairly plain, but it does the job, so I don't care if it is not fancy. It's good enough for what I want it for . Well, I guess that is all for now. Hopefully, when you get your appointment with the allergy clinic, the allergist will be able to provide you with some answers. I myself used to have allergy shots at my doctor for awhile until I realized they really were not working and that the allergy shots were expensive. So, like you , I controlled my allergies through anti-histamines like Claritin which I took for years. Then, one year, the Claritin didn't seem to work anymore. So I tried Reaction because that is what my brother in law takes for his allergy relief. Now I just don't take any antihistamines at all. My allergies are not that bad. Lately I am sneezing a little bit in the morning , but that is it. I take a daily asthma medication. I don't know if I mentioned that I am a retired primary school teacher.
Since I retired, my allergies have gotten a lot better. I always suspected my allergies would be better once I wasn't exposed on a daily basis to chalk dust, dust ( lots of it in a classroom in air vents etc) , yard duty, that sort of thing. We have a male cat too, but his cat dander doesn't seem to bother me. I think by owning cats over the years, my body has somehow built up an immunity to cat dander. I think it would depend though on to what degree on is allergic to the cat dander. My allergy test indicated a very low degree of being allergic to cat dander. If 1 is the lowest and 4 is the highest degree of being allergic to a certain thing, I was 1 plus to cat dander and wait for it, 4 plus to June grass pollen. That's my worst one. I am guessing my allergy to penicillin what I did not have at the time of the allergy test, would be about a 3 or a 4 . I hope you get some answers, Neil, as the hives must be most uncomfortable. I have had hives myself as a reaction to an allergy. The dermatologist wasn't even sure what had caused the rash but she gave me a prescription for some cream, the pharmacist made it, I put it on twice a day and the rash disappeared. The rash was under my arms. Can you believe it ? She wasn't sure what caused it and it itched like the dickens and hurt. Oh well. Enough about that. I still have the cream so if it comes back, I can use the cream again. I wish you well and it was good talking to you. Take good care, Eve.
Basically, I am okay. I am coughing a lot this morning. I hope I don't have a cold, but it feels like I may have caught one. Oh well, what are you going to do. You asked me what I am allergic to. Interestingly enough, you and are have some of the same allergies. I am also allergic to dust, so house dust, chalk dust, pollen, grass pollen ( especially June grass apparently ), cat dander to some extent and penicillin. As for my asthma , it is probably related to my allergies as there has to be an allergy trigger to cause the asthma. Due to my allergy to penicillin , I decided to register with Medical Alert and I have a medical alert bracelet which I try to remember to put on when I go on errands . I don't wear the bracelet in the house, only on errands outside somewhere, going shopping etc. I remember you saying in your recent message that over the last 6 months, you keep getting hives and utacaria. What is utacaria ? Hives, I know about.
I am glad to hear that you have been referred to an allergy clinic and that you are waiting for an appointment. You may have more things that you are allergic to that you don't even know you are since you had your last allergy test which I remember you saying was when you were a teenager.
I am very sorry to hear that your trip to Italy was spoiled by being bitten by mosquitos. That's terrible. It's good that you carry an Epipen with you and that you wear a medical bracelet to speak for you when you can't speak for yourself. That is how I think of the medical bracelet. I know you can get fancy bracelets from Medical Alert. My bracelet is fairly plain, but it does the job, so I don't care if it is not fancy. It's good enough for what I want it for . Well, I guess that is all for now. Hopefully, when you get your appointment with the allergy clinic, the allergist will be able to provide you with some answers. I myself used to have allergy shots at my doctor for awhile until I realized they really were not working and that the allergy shots were expensive. So, like you , I controlled my allergies through anti-histamines like Claritin which I took for years. Then, one year, the Claritin didn't seem to work anymore. So I tried Reaction because that is what my brother in law takes for his allergy relief. Now I just don't take any antihistamines at all. My allergies are not that bad. Lately I am sneezing a little bit in the morning , but that is it. I take a daily asthma medication. I don't know if I mentioned that I am a retired primary school teacher.
Since I retired, my allergies have gotten a lot better. I always suspected my allergies would be better once I wasn't exposed on a daily basis to chalk dust, dust ( lots of it in a classroom in air vents etc) , yard duty, that sort of thing. We have a male cat too, but his cat dander doesn't seem to bother me. I think by owning cats over the years, my body has somehow built up an immunity to cat dander. I think it would depend though on to what degree on is allergic to the cat dander. My allergy test indicated a very low degree of being allergic to cat dander. If 1 is the lowest and 4 is the highest degree of being allergic to a certain thing, I was 1 plus to cat dander and wait for it, 4 plus to June grass pollen. That's my worst one. I am guessing my allergy to penicillin what I did not have at the time of the allergy test, would be about a 3 or a 4 . I hope you get some answers, Neil, as the hives must be most uncomfortable. I have had hives myself as a reaction to an allergy. The dermatologist wasn't even sure what had caused the rash but she gave me a prescription for some cream, the pharmacist made it, I put it on twice a day and the rash disappeared. The rash was under my arms. Can you believe it ? She wasn't sure what caused it and it itched like the dickens and hurt. Oh well. Enough about that. I still have the cream so if it comes back, I can use the cream again. I wish you well and it was good talking to you. Take good care, Eve.
Hi Eve,
Thanks for your message, sorry to hear about your allergies and it must be awful to have asthma. I had severe hay fever as a child and had an allergy test as a teenager - the result was allergies to pollen, grass, dust, mould and cats. I managed all that with anti-histamines and just tried to avoid triggers as much as possible - never thought too much about it. However years later I was shocked to have my first anaphylactic experience, this was 8 years ago, I had a really awful chest infection at the time and reacted against penicillin - I didn't really know what was going on as I was already feeling really ill, I couldn't breathe and managed to dial 999, they were brilliant, it seemed like they arrived in seconds and before I knew it - I was in hospital, I don't remember much but they treated me and gave me alternative antibiotics and I continued to react to 4 of them, the fifth one was okay. It took a long time to feel right but I know I was recovering from the infection as well so I couldn't tell which was which! I was then referred to an allergy clinic for controlled drug allergy testing, I am allergic to all antibiotics except one, which is a horrible drug and makes you feel awful for ages, also allergic to Aspirin, Ibuprofen and all their related drugs - I was given 3 pages of drugs I can't have. So after that I always avoid drugs as much as I can now matter how ill I feel, I stick to paracetamol and anti-histamines only. Five years later, I had to have surgery on a broken nose with a perforated septum - they knew about my allergies and put loads of red bracelets on me etc. But they gave me another antibiotic, apparently the one they usually use for patients with drug allergies and I reacted again. It also took some time to recover, but this time I was also recovering from the surgery so again I didn't know which was which in terms of how I felt. Over the last 6 months, I keep getting hives and utacaria and being treated with anti-histamines and hydrocortisone creams etc. but I keep breaking out in hives, I've been backwards and forwards to doctors and a dermatologist but no answers have beens offered. Last week, I was on holiday in Italy, everything was great for the first 5 days, nice and warm and sunny and my skin felt good in the seawater, I felt great, then on the 6th day, the weather changed, there was a massive storm and the following day was cold and damp and there was suddenly loads of mosquitos, I got a lot of bites during the night, the next day on the way home, at the airport I broke out in hives, started burning and flushing, feeling sick and then my eye lids swelled up and my jaw and neck, it was awful. This is the first attack I have had where I haven't been ill or had surgery, I was feeling good and no drugs were involved. I have now been referred back to the allergy clinic and I'm waiting for an appointment. I don't know if the hives are connected and I don't know what's causing them, I'm pretty sure that the mosquito bites tipped me over the edge. I still have hives and a slight swelling on one eyelid, I don't know if some allergen is still present and causing this or if it's an after effect of what's happened - I am feeling okay now but worried about everything, from doing housework and being exposed to dust, to what I'm eating in case there is something I shouldn't eat and going anywhere near animals... I guess I need to be patient and hope the appointment for the allergy clinic comes soon and that it will provide some answers.
Thanks again for answering me Eve, you didn't say what you are allergic to? Is your asthma related to your allergies? I hope you are okay. Have a good day.
Nell xx
Thanks for your message, sorry to hear about your allergies and it must be awful to have asthma. I had severe hay fever as a child and had an allergy test as a teenager - the result was allergies to pollen, grass, dust, mould and cats. I managed all that with anti-histamines and just tried to avoid triggers as much as possible - never thought too much about it. However years later I was shocked to have my first anaphylactic experience, this was 8 years ago, I had a really awful chest infection at the time and reacted against penicillin - I didn't really know what was going on as I was already feeling really ill, I couldn't breathe and managed to dial 999, they were brilliant, it seemed like they arrived in seconds and before I knew it - I was in hospital, I don't remember much but they treated me and gave me alternative antibiotics and I continued to react to 4 of them, the fifth one was okay. It took a long time to feel right but I know I was recovering from the infection as well so I couldn't tell which was which! I was then referred to an allergy clinic for controlled drug allergy testing, I am allergic to all antibiotics except one, which is a horrible drug and makes you feel awful for ages, also allergic to Aspirin, Ibuprofen and all their related drugs - I was given 3 pages of drugs I can't have. So after that I always avoid drugs as much as I can now matter how ill I feel, I stick to paracetamol and anti-histamines only. Five years later, I had to have surgery on a broken nose with a perforated septum - they knew about my allergies and put loads of red bracelets on me etc. But they gave me another antibiotic, apparently the one they usually use for patients with drug allergies and I reacted again. It also took some time to recover, but this time I was also recovering from the surgery so again I didn't know which was which in terms of how I felt. Over the last 6 months, I keep getting hives and utacaria and being treated with anti-histamines and hydrocortisone creams etc. but I keep breaking out in hives, I've been backwards and forwards to doctors and a dermatologist but no answers have beens offered. Last week, I was on holiday in Italy, everything was great for the first 5 days, nice and warm and sunny and my skin felt good in the seawater, I felt great, then on the 6th day, the weather changed, there was a massive storm and the following day was cold and damp and there was suddenly loads of mosquitos, I got a lot of bites during the night, the next day on the way home, at the airport I broke out in hives, started burning and flushing, feeling sick and then my eye lids swelled up and my jaw and neck, it was awful. This is the first attack I have had where I haven't been ill or had surgery, I was feeling good and no drugs were involved. I have now been referred back to the allergy clinic and I'm waiting for an appointment. I don't know if the hives are connected and I don't know what's causing them, I'm pretty sure that the mosquito bites tipped me over the edge. I still have hives and a slight swelling on one eyelid, I don't know if some allergen is still present and causing this or if it's an after effect of what's happened - I am feeling okay now but worried about everything, from doing housework and being exposed to dust, to what I'm eating in case there is something I shouldn't eat and going anywhere near animals... I guess I need to be patient and hope the appointment for the allergy clinic comes soon and that it will provide some answers.
Thanks again for answering me Eve, you didn't say what you are allergic to? Is your asthma related to your allergies? I hope you are okay. Have a good day.
Nell xx
Hello Nellieyedworc,
Welcome to the allergy forum. I see you joined Med about two months
ago. What are you allergic to ? I see on your status you say you have
a new epipen and medical bracelet. I have a medical bracelet too.
I am sorry to hear that you had an anaphylactic reaction. That must
have been so scary. I have allergies too and I have asthma. I wish
I could tell you when you feel better and feel normal again. You said you
had the severe reaction over a week ago. Glad to hear that you are feeling quite a bit better. My best guess would be that it will be a gradual process
of feeling better. I am glad you are now carrying a new epipen and a medical bracelet. I wish you well. Eve
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