My friend got an epipen at 25
I have known Lindsey for 7 years. We trained at drama school together in NYC and became fast, die hard friends. After school we decided to live together. She was always so great with my allergies and made me feel safe. Before we lived together (on the night of our graduation) I had an anaphylactic reaction to shellfish (which I didn’t know I was allergic too) it was just the two of us. Lindsey he phoned the ambulance and kept me calm whilst I administered my epipen. She stayed with me in the hospital, telling me jokes, and gossiping. She has always been there for me when I felt anxious, told the waiter that my allergies were serious, if they were being flippant, and I trusted her to cook for me (her famous baked ziti). Allergies weren’t a foreign concept to her before she had her own allergy story but we both were surprised how serious allergies would play in her life.
One night, before we moved in she called me, panicked, wondering if she was have an allergic reaction. She was making dinner and wanted to put some pine nuts on top of the salad. She had one pine nut whilst making the dish and immediately felt a tingle.
For context, her dad had a sensitivity to pine nuts and some tree nuts but she had never had a problem before. She called me & her parents and we both said the same thing. She took an antihistamine and the sensations went down.
Following this she had her major attack at work (whilst she was a waitress), and it was too pine nuts again. The chef put pine nuts in her meal - she didn’t tell them that she was allergic (as she wasn’t diagnosed yet). This time she went to hospital. Since this reaction, she decided to get some tests, to figure out what she is allergic too and how serious it is!
The tests came back, and she now has an epipen. I wanted to ask her questions to help anyone who thinks they could be allergic to something, people who get diagnosed later in life and to ask her about how this has made an impact on her life! This is her allergy story, take a seat…
Tell me a little bit about who you are & when you had your first allergy attack?
Hi! I'm Lindsey and I'm 25 years old, I live in New York City. I was 19 when I had my first allergic reaction. I wanted to try out a recipe I found online that had pine nuts in it. As I was prepping for the recipe, I decided to try a pine nut as I didn't recall ever trying one before this experience and was curious to see what it tasted like. I remember having one pine nut and as soon as I ate it I started to feel really weird. My whole mouth began to tingle. This was the first indicator that something was wrong. Once my mouth started to tingle I called my parents and Lindi. They all told me to go to the drugstore around the corner to get some Benadryl. I won't lie I was definitely a bit freaked out in the moment but I did as my parents and Lindi suggested and took a Benadryl. The tingling eventually stopped but shortly after taking the Benadryl, I started to experience probably one of the worst stomach pains I've ever felt. I was hunched over the toilet for what seemed like forever in pain. It felt as if my body was doing everything it could to reject that one singular pine nut I ate. The rest of the night I suffered from pretty bad diarrhoea (lol TMI?) and vomiting.
What did you feel when you got diagnosed?
I didn't officially get diagnosed until last summer when I was 24. I actually felt a sense of relief. I had a bad experience during another time I had an allergic reaction to pine nuts where I was in an ambulance and the EMT that was with me did not believe I was having an allergic reaction at all, just because my face/ throat wasn't swelling up. She chalked it up to me having an anxiety attack, which I definitely was, but I also knew my body and that what I was experiencing was not just anxiety. I was self conscious about my allergies for a long time because they weren't "life threatening". Once I got officially diagnosed and was prescribed an epipen, I felt so relieved because there was no more doubt that this might have all just been in my head. I knew my body better than that EMT. I was proud of myself for finally getting tested and having an allergist confirm the suspicions I had been having for years.
What are you exact allergens?
I tested positive for pistachios, peanuts, sunflower seeds and soy. (I want to note that my allergist did not have pine nuts as part of their test)
How has your life changed since you got diagnosed?
It's definitely changed for the better! I feel more confident and better equipped to deal with my allergies should I have a reaction again. I no longer feel self conscious about making my allergies known when needed.
Are you scared? what of?
Of course! I've been terrified anytime I've had a reaction. I'm scared of having another one. Luckily, my reactions have not been life threatening, which I'm beyond grateful for, but knowing that they could potentially become life threatening some day is something I worry about. I'm scared of losing control if I'm faced with another reaction.
How have you changed your life since diagnosis?
I've become more cautious but I've also felt more in control about my allergies. I take all the precautions necessary without caring about what other think of my allergies.
How have people reacted since you got your epipen?
Most people are curious about it when I tell them I have an epipen. It usually leads to more questions about my allergies and reactions I've had, which I'm always happy to talk about. Whenever I get into a discussion about my allergies, I'm always surprised with how many other people out there also have allergies or an intolerance. When I can, I also try to teach those that are curious how to use an epipen on someone, should they ever need to.
What changes have you made to your diet?
Not too much, but I definitely check food labels more frequently. I was already avoiding nuts since before I was diagnosed. My soy allergy has always intrigued me. Soy is pretty difficult to avoid, but it's something that I watch out for more. My allergist suggested that I don't eat foods with soy in the first 3 ingredients, so this is something that I've had to be more cautious of since my diagnosis.
Do you tell restaurants or people cooking for you?
Yes, absolutely. I've had 2 reactions from eating at restaurants (without letting the staff know). If I show up to a friends house that has cooked, I always ask if anything they have may include any of my allergens.
What have you learned about allergies since living with me?
I learned sooooo much about allergies from living with Lindi. She's literally like an allergy encyclopaedia! I can't say I learned too much more since living with her, honestly. My allergist did teach me how to properly use an epipen though. :)
Do you take your epipen everywhere? If not, why?
Yes. I find comfort in being prepared. I'm less likely to get anxiety eating out at restaurants with my epipen with me.
What is one piece of advice you want to give to other allergy sufferers?
I would say, don’t be intimidated by your new found allergy. I definitely was in the beginning but I realized that the adjustments I had to make to my life weren’t that crazy. It’s all manageable and anyone diagnosed with a new allergy can find a way to still live a happy healthy life and still be an adventurous eater