Today has been very stressful and its not over yet but as I'm not even close to my daughters location (almost 2 hrs away) I am sitting here waiting by the phone.

She has been rushed to A&E with a serious food allergic reaction Anaphalatic shock after eating some veg at a resturant today!  We knew she'd got a milk intolerance since early childhood so have used soya and dairy free products for most of her life, today she her boyfriend and his family went for a cavery at a new pub they wanted to try out.  She asked all the usual questions re sauces, butters on veg etc was assured by both the chef and head waiter that they didn't use butters on their veg so she was safe, they didn't swap their utensils either etc.

She only took 1 mouthful of her carrots and felt extremely unwell, made it to the toilets, ended up vomiting, her mouth and throat started to swell and close up on her so she went outside for fresh air and her inhaler.   The staff saw her going back and forward, bf's mother finally asks if she's ok to be told NO, so they took her home only when I got a bad feeling here about her and rang her sister to ask if everything was ok did they think to let her elder sister or myself know about her reactions!  I won't bore you with my rantings that went on to all of them and threats to both my girls if she didn't get to the hospital asap - eldest sister has taken her with hosptial staff taking her thru to rescus on arrival given her noradrealine, anti histamines ----- which she's reacted to again so the whole process has escalated!

Boyfriend is at home in bed after his shower, his parents aren't interested and I've got 2 daughters now in A&E with breathing problems 1 with her allergic reaction the other with her asthma now after the stress of all this, needless to say when she left the house to collect her younger sister she forgot her inhalers!  Meanwhile I'm on the phone to the pub trying to find out what they used on the veg - they're denying anyone was even sick there and yes of course they use butter on their food who wouldn't - we wouldn't and my daughter wouldn't have eaten there if they'd have told her the truth!

I don't know who I'm more angry with the bf and his family or the pub staff or my youngest for being stubborn about it all, the hospital have told her she'll have to have an eppi pen from now on and go for allergy testing to give her a fighting chance of being safe.  Keep your fingers crossed for them both that they get sorted and out of hospital by tomorrow morning and their mothers hearing stays long enough to hear the phone during the night with any updates.

Goodness how stressful for you, I do hope your daughters both make a swift recovery. It's very bad that the restaurant were not honest and the problem could have been avoided. My daughter has dairy intolerance too and I know how careful you have to be. Hoping they are fully recovered and back home tomorrow.

Schip, what a worrying situation. Thank goodness your daughters are where they need to be and getting the right treatments in order to stabilise them.

Now is not really the time but  just wondered if your daughter with the dairy intolerance has had a full set of allergy tests done under a consultant immunologist?
I ask only because it might be something else, like nuts, rather than the dairy, that she has suddenly developed a full-scale reaction to.

I have had to carry an epi pen and it will make your daughter feel a lot more secure. 

My thoughts are with you.

Oh boy, what a nightmare!!

Hope they are both ok!

Son has allergies and asthma and has scared us a few times but not as badly as your daughter thank goodness.   Personally I wouldn't dare eat at a carvery, I've tried asking them about food allergy stuff and they are hopeless!  We have to be very careful where we eat :(

Can't believe the attitude of the BF's family - or him!  What are they thinking?   If my daughter's BF had a reaction like this in our presence he'd be taken straight to A+E and we'd not leave until we knew he was OK and his parents were there, if they couldn't get there, either self or OH would go get them.

Thanks guys, she's not had a full work up but she's suffered from Glue ear, amongst other things and has reacted to dairy for most of her life plus she's never had a reaction to nuts in the past, but then again she's never reacted this badly to dairy before, so the dr's wouldn't do a full work up, they damn well will now!

She was under Oswestry for 5 yrs with her back as she was constantly in pain - they said it was muscular so physio, we only found out what was wrong after she went for a medical for her job as a Postie, she'd got 1 leg 10cm shorter than the other!  Solicitors are on that one, she is under a new consultant at Oswestry again who sent her for physio and 2cm incriments in her shoes, advised her that as she'd been like this for all of her 22 yrs they couldn't guarantee they could cure it permanently.  Week before Xmas after her physio session - 3 times a wk at that time, she was in agony had to leave work went to dr's coz she could feel a lump in her back - Dr diagnosed as slipped disk probably as a result of the physio as it showed a weakness in her back.  She finally gets back to physio and traction for the disk last wk, was starting to feel better and getting about again to have it move out again on the other side tonight it seems after her violent sickness reaction grrr poor kids is just suffering so much at the moment its untrue.

I will certainly feel a lot better knowing she's got an eppi pen from now on, I lost her twin brother a few hrs after birth so am a bit of stress merchant with my girls.

Don't even get me started on bf and his family -we will be having words believe me, trouble is you can't stop who they date etc

Just get that consultant immunologist on to her asap and if you are not satisfied go for a second opinion. She could have suddenly developed a reaction to so many things that she really needs the fullest work up.

Sounds like you and your girls have had a lot to contend with. As you say though this reaction cannot be ignored so at least there is a positive way forward and at least this has happened where she could be rushed to hospital rather than some far flung place.

I hope you are getting support too.

Just had a call from the hospital, they're letting them both go now and yes the Dr's warned her no more messing 999 if anything like this hapepns again and he's sent an email to her Dr's to get her an emergency referral to immunologist, He's  supplied her with prescription only antihistamines as she's reacted to an over the counter one, he's pretty sure she's got other allergies ongoing possibly to the chemicals used in pills meds etc so that needs checking too.

He's also given eldest antibiotics as she's got tonsilitis starting and they've had her on the nebuliser for a while so she's feeling a lot better, he offered me some sleeping pills as he was sure I'd take hrs to switch off again due to the distance between us - not sure how he thought I was going to get them mind.

Why does it always get to crisis point with the NHS before they do something about problems eh?

Good news. So glad she'll be getting a thorough investigation now. Anaphylactic shock is a scary thing.

It could be that the whole carvery thing is a bit of a red herring, makeup like lipstick, a drink, perfume even dry cleaning chemicals, could all be the culprits. It may not be a foodstuff at all.

Anyhow, no use speculating, they're both safe now, that's the main thing, and she has her meds in the interim.

Let us know how things progress.

I have so much sympathy with you as I have twice had anaphalatic shock first time when I found out I was allergic to prawns, 4 months pregnant and about 10 days ill because I was pregnant and i could not have all the drugs I needed it would have harmed my baby.
Second time in an Italian resturant in  london I kept away from shellfish but there must have been some in there.
I dont have an epipen because its a rare thing shellfish so i can keep away from shellfish or fish unless I cook it myself. When my OH was a Scout leader at camp a few kids had them with them from wasp stings to nuts ect...

Asthma - my youngest has  it,and I have on one memorable occassion, had the baby in with asthma, went home to find Ben had a fall and cut his head (he was about 3) he had a butterfly plaster? when Mum went home I looked at Ben and he had rubbed it off and bled everywhere so i shoved him in the car back up to A&E, (1am ish) they prepped him for stitches which meant rolling him in a blanket and me lying on him whilst they injected his head. They then got a call for a heart  attack and left me with Ben. Cuddling him he went off to sleep 2 HOURS LATER they came back (3am) and had to start again. He got stitched home by about 5am. Into bed with me 8am back up the hospital to stay with Sam all day. I was exhausted.

So I know how diffecult it is to have to sit and wait, now at 23 &21 life is easier but a grumbling appendix (Ben) still means the odd visit and wait I wish they would take it out.

Suggest, visit to GP, epipen in handbag, and a letter to restuarant threatening something dire. B/friends lot, dont sound that good, decide she's too good for him, and hope she decides that soon as well.

Now a nice cup of tea, sweet biscuit and cuddle the dog, failing that plate smashing is fun, and really releases the tension I have a groove in the kitchen floor to prove that.

Just wanted to add - to carry Epipen ALWAYS , and to have close friends and family trained how to use it .
Also consider one of those Med alert bracelets incase she ever has a reaction when she is without friends/family ( i think you can get nice ones now ).

Ooh yes, something gorgeous in gold or platinum, beautifully engraved and paid for by the BF!

Well GP seems to think it wasn't a true allergic reaction -------- oh really so how come the consultant worked hard to scare the shite out of her and nagged her sister about NOT getting an ambulance sooner eh?

She's got bloods on Thursday so they can test to see if she's had an intolerance nothing serious or a true allergic reaction ------- won't tell you what I'd got to say when I rang the Surgery this afternoon when I knew what had gone on my temper is rising believe me especially when she said we don't want to waste the immunologists time now do we?  Oh no love I wouldn't want to waste my time giving birth to her 22 yrs ago and raising her this long when I could have just burried her with her dead twin back then eh?

What is it with these people A&E going spare whilst GP shrugs it off like its nothing, and A&E wonder why she didn't go sooner when she gets that sort of reaction from her GP why would anyone think they've got a problem let alone a life threatening one!

I'd be furious. I would get back to the consultant at the A&E and ask for his help. Allergies are frequently misunderstood and unless your daughter has a full investigation not even the GP is in a position to make a final diagnosis.

Keep calm and write to the GP detailing the chain of events and request from them a letter explaining why they do not believe it is a "true" allergic reaction, what their diagnosis is and how you should proceed. This leaves an audit trail and will signal to them that you mean business. I would also take it to your local PALS person and seek their advice on how to move things along and how to get the investigation required. You could ask for a second opinion. You don't want to fall out with the Doctor, you just want to have your mind put to rest by consultation with an expert. It is highly unlikely that the GP is an expert in this area, but you can politely enquire.

Whatever you do don't get lock horns with the GP, if they won't help move on, there are always other ways and it may need to be kicked up the NHS/local trust chain of command.

\Just caught up with this thread....You poor thing that's awful.
I would change GP. Is that an option for you?
Karen :(

No there is only 1 practise in the town with 11 dr's and they're all pretty much the same, she didn't go to the hosptial coz she didn't want to make a fuss and now I can see why in the last yr she's had a lot of health problems and each time they've said oh well its not killed you so it can't be anything serious ------- sorry did I miss something always thought they were supposed do no harm but help.

Thanks for the Pals link I've forwarded it to her tonight, am hoping the blood test shows this GP to be out of order, I am writing a letter of complaint to the Practise expressing my concerns for her safety as I live 2 hrs away so not exactly on hand to help if something does happen.

Make sure your daughter writes and signs the letter to the practice rather than you, otherwise they will simply refuse to engage with you, citing patient confidentiality, and then nothing will get done. 

Yes done that already in the same email thanks.