help for angioedema

[jiffiner]

My 8 year old daughter was diagnosed with angioedema about 2 months ago.  It started with lip swelling (like someone punched her), and whelps.  My pediatrician told me that everytime her lips swelled that she was eating something that she was allergic to.  She is such a picky eater that I knew when she ate the same things over and over that this couldn't be it.  We took her to an allergy doctor and he did an allergy test. It basically came back normal.  He told us this was angioedema and really didn't tell me much about it.  He did give me a prescription for an epi pen in case we ever needed it.  There have been a couple of times when she has had something to eat that she was allergic to and it caused her to be covered in whelps, vomit, and have chest pains.  But when she breaks out in her normal whelps and lip swelling it doesn't really cause any more problems.  He told me that we could try Zyrtec over the counter but said it probably wouldn't help.  He also said she would probably grow out of it.  I left the office feeling good but recently it has gotten worse.  She breaks out in hives everyday and her lips have been swelling at least once a week sometimes 3 times a week.  Should we try the Zyrtec?  I am scared that this is only going to get worse and I feel so sorry for her.  Whenever her lip swells people talk about her.  I had been giving her Benadryl when the lips swell but is that really helping her since it is not truly an allergy?   I have a friend that says she has the same thing and she takes Zyrtec and Pepcid at night, she says it is the combination of the 2 drugs, and then when her lip swells she has to take Prednisone.  Is there anything I can give my 8 year old for the swelling?

[jiffiner]

You talk like it is not angioedema.  We had an allergy test and it was basically normal.  I know when she has an allergic reaction to food because her whelps completely cover her body, she vomits, and then she says her chest hurts.  The everyday whelps and even the lip swelling don't progress to this. Even when her lip is swelling she is running around and playing like normal.

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi.

This sounds like an allergic reaction to an unknown trigger. The trigger has to be identified. At this point, I would advice that you discuss this with your child's physician. This is to be managed as an allergic reaction until it is proven otherwise. Keep the epi pen . Ask your physician about the prednisone as drug doses differ in the pediatric age group. If there is a way that you can get a second opinion with a clinical immunologist or allergologist to help shed light on this. If this occurs more frequently, then further evaluation is  needed.