About 15 years ago I had my first experience with anaphylaxis. I had a kidney infection and was prescribed a medication that I later found out I was allergic to. I took one pill and with a few minutes of the pill being swallowed, I broke out in hives. The pill didn't even have time to get into my system. It had only been 10 minutes since I swallowed the pill. I told my husband that I was itching all over, and I picked up the phone to dial 911. I got the operator on the phone and started to tell her what was happening when I started to slur my words. My husband had to take the phone from me. My airway was beginning to close. They immediately sent an ambulance. When the paramedics arrived they started an IV and gave me some fluids and epinephrine. At that point I passed out. The next thing I remember anything I was in the hospital emergency room and they were working on me with the crash cart next to the bed. The blood pressure reading at that point was 60/40. I have no idea what it was when I was passed out or what happened while I was out. I just know that the first thing the doctor said to me when I woke up was: "Ma’am if you ever come in contact with this medicine or any other quinolone again you will die. You are lucky to make it back this time." Published: November 16 ::

Maria!! Please go and get a scratch test at least to start, and I would hope you are seeing an allergist....this is very serious..it only takes minutes to die from anaphlaxis....and once your airway closes...well....please all of you it is better to be safe..if you have had this reaction in your medical history go straight to the ER if you are itchy, short of breath etc. if you have just eaten something, drank something, taken a medication, gotten stung by an insect, been exposed to latex or have just exercised and experience any of those same symptoms again please go to the ER immediatly!!!!! Published: October 19 ::

I'm 52 and I just had my first Anaphylactic Reaction. My husband and I went out to IHOP for breakfast and the food was great! Afterwards we went to run some errands and by the time we got to our second stop and in the store I asked my husband for the keys to the car, I thought I was going to pass out. He wanted to take me to urgent care but I thought I needed to lie down and rest for a bit. By the time we got home I was having trouble breathing and I broke out with a rash all over my body and itched terrible. My chest was so tight that it hurt and my words would not come out right for me. They were all mixed up and out of order. That's when he called 911 and my vitals were very low by the time they got me to the hospital. I now have to carry an Epi Pen with me at all times in case it happens again. The scary part is that I have no idea what food I am allergic to. This just happened on October 10, 2009. Published: October 16 ::

I'm 59 yrs. old and two years ago I started having reactions when I would eat red peppers or jalapeno peppers. My tounge will swell up to an alarming size, so I could hardly breath. I would wake up in the middle of the night and would have to go directly to the emergency room. They would put an IV in me and wait for the swelling to go down. Then I'd go home and try not to eat whatever it was I ate again. I'm really scared that I won't make it one of these times. Published: September 21 ::

I am 49 and just recently had a anaphylactic reaction. I suffer from hay fever, so at first I didn't give it much thought. My eyes swelled up to the point it looked like someone beat me up. Then I started coughing followed by the most unbearable itchy hives. That's when I knew it was bad. I did not have trouble breathing (just mild wheezing) nor did I feel faint, so I just started taking Benadryl, which controls the hives. I have no earthly idea what caused it, which makes me very anxious. I'm just going to tell my M.D. what happened, and get an Epi-pen from him. It's just so baffling because It happened at home, just out of the blue! Published: November 04 ::

I was at my aunt's bedside as she was dying. It was 1:30 AM and I took an Aleve because my back hurt after sitting in the bedside chair. I had taken Aleve one time previous but had such a stomach upset from it I decided to never take it again. However, it was the only medicine I had in my purse so I took two. Within 10 minutes my lips, toungue, palms of my hands and soles of my feet began to tingle and prick. I then had stomach cramps and I had a large loose stool. I could not hear and I thought I was going to pass out. I made it to the nurse's station and told them I needed help. My blood pressure was 40/30. My skin turned bright pink and I was drenched with sweat. I was in the ER for over 12 hours. It took until 9 AM to get my blood pressure up to 80/40. I have an epinephrine pen now and am on prednisone for the rest of the week. I am an RN and did not know that stomach "dumping" was a symptom until it happened to me. Published: October 28 ::