skye
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Post by skye on Oct 27, 2021 4:12:52 GMT -6
PDQ
I need unbiased opinions so I thought you nice ladies could help with that.
On Friday afternoon I took my family to get flu shots. We received them at about noon. Later that afternoon, my youngest son (he's 2 1/2) was whiny and acted as though his leg hurt. He's speech delayed so I don't understand much of anything he says. Since injection site pain after a shot is normal, I gave him Tylenol and didn't think about it. That night he wouldn't eat dinner and fell asleep by 7. Saturday morning he woke up with hives. I called the nurse hotline to see if I should bring him in. They said that hives are normal, it could be from anything and not necessarily from the shot, to give him Benadryl and email my doctor through the portal. As the day progressed, the hives got a lot worse. His feet got so swollen he couldn't/wouldn't walk and his hands were so swollen he couldn't drink for himself because he couldn't hold a cup. He just laid on the couch and slept most of the day. One time I thought he was going to throw up because he was kind of dry heaving but he didn't actually throw up. By Saturday night, the hives and swelling moved to around his mouth and his top lip was really swollen. We called the nurse hotline again, but since he wasn't having difficulty breathing, that we should wait until he had been on Benadryl for 24 hours with no improvement to bring him in. I was so scared that night that I slept in his bed because I was scared he would stop breathing. I have a lot of anxiety so I never know what's me being over the top for no reason vs. what's a normal reaction. Sunday morning he woke up a little worse so we took him in. He was diagnosed with an allergic reaction and he was given a steroid, told to keep taking the Benadryl, add Zyrtec and make a pediatrician appointment for Monday morning.
Monday morning his pediatrician called to let us know they didn't have any openings so if we want to get seen that day we have to travel to the location 20 mins away with a doctor we've never had before. We agree since we really wanted to get to the bottom of this. The doctor we see is totally dismissive. He says it couldn't possibly from the flu shot since it didn't occur within 4 hours. I tried to explain that I don't really know when the hives started because he went to bed so early that night but the dr didn't care. He said we would never get to the bottom of why this happened so just keep giving him Benadryl and that was it. My husband tried to let the doctor know that he thought DS might have had a swollen tongue because he was kinda biting at it, but again that was dismissed. This doctor saw DS over 24 after he received the steroid from urgent care so most of the swelling has gone away, but he still had a lot of hives.
I'm just terrified for the next time this happens. If his entire body swelled this much this time, what's to stop his throat from swelling if it does happen again? We live an hour away from the closest hospital so I'm terrified if there is a next time, he won't survive. Pretty much since he didn't stop breathing this time, they aren't worried. H and I don't know what to do. My usually non alarmist ILs are saying we should get a 2nd opinion. I'm not sure if I'm overacting and my anxiety is getting the best of me or if there is truly something there. The doctor at urgent care seem to think this was related to the flu shot, but the pediatrician said there was no way it was from that. So if you were in my shoes, what would you do? Try to get a 2nd opinion (it will most likely have to be at the same hospital system since that is the only hospital in our area that our insurance covers) or just wait it out and hope this doesn't happen again? I don't want to put DS through unnecessary tests but I'm kinda scared that there is some allergen out there that caused this but we don't know what it is.
*I do feel the need to say that I am not anti-vax or anti-flu shot. My other kids and I will all still be getting the flu shot next year.
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joy
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Post by joy on Oct 27, 2021 5:11:11 GMT -6
Are your worries specifically about getting the flu shot next year? If so, you have a year. I’d use this year to see if he has a reaction like this again and face the question twelve months from now.
If you are worried he’s allergic to something that will cause this again (like an unknown allergen that he will likely see again outside of the flu shot) and you’d like an epi-pen due to distance from hospital, then I’d schedule with an allergist stat.
I’m sorry this happened!
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trueblue
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Post by trueblue on Oct 27, 2021 5:23:00 GMT -6
I would schedule an appointment with an allergist, they will be able to pinpoint what caused his reaction.
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cmb
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Post by cmb on Oct 27, 2021 5:52:27 GMT -6
I would do an allergist appointment if you can. Is this the first time he had a flu shot or has he had them in the past?
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leahcar
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Post by leahcar on Oct 27, 2021 6:00:56 GMT -6
I'd get an appointment with an allergist. An allergy doctor will be able to get to the bottom of what caused the reaction. They can also give you an epi-pen.
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Post by microworm on Oct 27, 2021 6:18:37 GMT -6
Definitely scary and I don't think you are over reacting. I would be very scared too. I think following up with an allergist is great idea.
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Pizzaslut
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Post by Pizzaslut on Oct 27, 2021 6:22:05 GMT -6
That does sound scary. I would follow up with an allergist because it may not have been the flu shot and I would want to know if there was a chance of it happening again.
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skye
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Post by skye on Oct 27, 2021 6:34:27 GMT -6
I guess I don't even know what I'm looking for. The doctor made us seem like we were terrible parents for even considering getting him tested for allergies because we would be putting him through testing and he kept repeating that it won't give us any answers and it will always be a mystery. He wouldn't refer us to an allergist. I guess I'm just wondering if people get allergy testing even though he's only had 1 reaction in his life? Would the allergist say the same thing that since it's only happened once we just need to wait and see? cmb, this is his 4th flu shot. He's had 2 as a baby and then 1 last year so this one was his 4th. Sorry if this sounds rambling. It probably seems like an obvious answer but I'm not in a good headspace. Last week they found calcification on my nieces kidneys and yesterday we got the news that she has a high platelet count so the cancer word has been thrown around. Between this and my niece I'm spiraling so thanks for helping.
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Post by thechickencoop on Oct 27, 2021 6:44:34 GMT -6
skye how scary. I don't think you're over reacting, I get them asking you to just sit tight with th initial hives, but once the swelling started I would think my pediatrician would be a little more concerned. I'm glad you got him in and comfortable and I agree with others that you should try to schedule with an allergist to see if you can pinpoint what caused it and so you can avoid it happening again. I'd also get the flu shot records from your pediatrician, maybe they gave a different kind this year? I'm pretty annoyed that they wouldn't give you an allergist referral to. Does your insurance require referrals for specialists? I hope things turn out OK for your neice too, how scary.
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Post by sweptaway on Oct 27, 2021 6:50:44 GMT -6
I agree about seeing an allergist. Whether it was shot related or not, something he came into contact with caused the reaction and I'd want to know what. It's actually more concerning to me that it could have been a food or another allergen that he could routinely be around. I'd want to know asap either way.
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Post by sweptaway on Oct 27, 2021 6:51:35 GMT -6
And you didn't see your regular pediatrician right? I'd schedule a follow up with them and discuss your concerns about your child and the other doctor.
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Cher
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Post by Cher on Oct 27, 2021 6:52:18 GMT -6
I don’t think you’re overreacting and an allergist seems like the next logical step to me. I’d much rather find out the issue in a controlled situation with a doctor than rolling the dice and just trying the flu shot again next year without any precautions.
It sounded really scary for you. I’m sorry that happened and I’m sorry you were dismissed.
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joy
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Post by joy on Oct 27, 2021 6:57:36 GMT -6
I would take my kid to allergist if they had a situation like you described.
My husband went to an allergist because he sneezes a lot. His symptoms were nothing like your child had. They scratch tested him and identified his allergens.
In my head, I’d want to discuss the reaction with someone who specializes in that field. At the very least, the allergist could explain to you why it may have happened and why should be worried or not worried it would happen again.
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Post by summerbabe on Oct 27, 2021 6:57:50 GMT -6
Hey skye, I just want to say that it sucks that you're dealing with this, and I wouldn't choose to go to this doctor again if you have the option. It's not weird or pointless to want to go to an allergist so don't let them get in your head.
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pnop
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Post by pnop on Oct 27, 2021 7:01:03 GMT -6
I would absolutely see an allergist- that is really frustrating that the pediatrician wouldn’t refer you. My daughter had a similar allergic reaction to something unknown and we took her to an allergist. If you haven’t already, I would make a list of everything that your son ate in the 24 hours before the reaction. My allergist used this is a starting point for testing. I’m also not sure what the pediatrician meant by “putting your son through testing.” In our experience, testing was very easy- a series of pricks on her back. My daughter was 4 at the time and it didn’t phase her at all. For what it’s worth, everything that was tested came back negative so we still don’t know for sure what caused it, but based on the list I had and the tests run, we were able to narrow it down to likely a preservative or something in the lunch she had at daycare that day. Honestly, just talking to the allergist about what to do if it happens again gave me peace of mind.
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joy
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Post by joy on Oct 27, 2021 7:03:35 GMT -6
I mean , the CDC lists three of symptoms your child had as being signs of allergic reaction. www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/general.htmYes, symptoms usually show up within a few hours. However, this website also says people can have biphasic reactions (reoccurence of symptoms 12 hrs later). It’s possible something else cause his allergic reaction. But, I’d want to know what if at all possible. The allergy is usually to the egg proteins in the vaccine. I’d want to know specifically if that is an issue, as well.
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piratecat
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Post by piratecat on Oct 27, 2021 7:09:54 GMT -6
I’m sorry that doctor was so unhelpful and dismissive. It sounds like a pretty severe reaction and I’m frustrated for you at how the doctor treated it. I think would follow up with your regular pediatrician. Are pediatricians not able to prescribe epi pens? I know that it can sometimes take a while to get in to see a specialist and it may ease your mind to have it in the meantime.
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snowyowl
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Post by snowyowl on Oct 27, 2021 7:23:09 GMT -6
That pediatrician’s behavior sounds frankly weird to me. I’d see your regular pedi and an allergist.
A few of my friends who have kids with severe allergies had similar experiences where their child had a “mild” reaction to an allergen at first, then it was much worse the second or third time. I don’t say that to scare you, but to validate that getting it checked out is a good idea just in case.
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Post by babybean on Oct 27, 2021 7:25:55 GMT -6
I’d get epi pens asap, follow up with my regular doctor and get an allergist referral.
You’re not over reacting. I wish doctors weren’t so dismissive and am sorry you went through this.
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Minerva
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Post by Minerva on Oct 27, 2021 7:52:17 GMT -6
You aren’t overreacting. I would be trying to follow up with an allergist. That’s a concerning enough reaction that it would warrant it. It is very possible that they won’t find anything, but I wouldn’t want to risk future anaphylaxis if there is indeed an allergy.
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skye
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Post by skye on Oct 27, 2021 7:53:36 GMT -6
Thank you all so much! We did ask this doctor about an epi-pen and we were told that since his breathing wasn't affect he wouldn't need one. I was honestly second guessing if maybe I was overreacting so it's good to know I wasn't. Its true that even if they can't pinpoint what caused it, eliminating somethings will make me feel better. Thank you all for your advice. You truly do not know how much you have helped me. I'm no longer feeling so scared and overwhelmed, so thank you.
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klong11
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Post by klong11 on Oct 27, 2021 8:07:07 GMT -6
Allergy tests are nothing. I took my daughter and she said it just tickled her back, nothing painful. I had it done at the same time and agreed. I know they ask about an egg allergy when getting the flu shot. Since my daughter has a mild egg allergy she always gets her flu shot at the pedi's office. Has he ever had a reaction to eggs or anything else?
Also, some allergies don't show up right away. My daughter took cefdinir and azithromicin at varying times for ear infections and didn't get the hives until probably the 2nd or 3rd time she was prescribed them.
All anecdotal, but I think you're right to be concerned.
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Post by lucilleaustero on Oct 27, 2021 8:07:39 GMT -6
I guess I don't even know what I'm looking for. The doctor made us seem like we were terrible parents for even considering getting him tested for allergies because we would be putting him through testing and he kept repeating that it won't give us any answers and it will always be a mystery. He wouldn't refer us to an allergist. I guess I'm just wondering if people get allergy testing even though he's only had 1 reaction in his life? Would the allergist say the same thing that since it's only happened once we just need to wait and see? cmb , this is his 4th flu shot. He's had 2 as a baby and then 1 last year so this one was his 4th. Sorry if this sounds rambling. It probably seems like an obvious answer but I'm not in a good headspace. Last week they found calcification on my nieces kidneys and yesterday we got the news that she has a high platelet count so the cancer word has been thrown around. Between this and my niece I'm spiraling so thanks for helping. Make the appt with the allergist. I had a full body allergic reaction to something. I went to the ER and they said it was important to follow up with an allergist. It will be piece of mind for you and good information. And I am sorry about your niece. I hope that it turns out to not be anything serious.
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jewels
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Post by jewels on Oct 27, 2021 8:25:44 GMT -6
I guess I don't even know what I'm looking for. The doctor made us seem like we were terrible parents for even considering getting him tested for allergies because we would be putting him through testing and he kept repeating that it won't give us any answers and it will always be a mystery. He wouldn't refer us to an allergist. I guess I'm just wondering if people get allergy testing even though he's only had 1 reaction in his life? Would the allergist say the same thing that since it's only happened once we just need to wait and see? cmb , this is his 4th flu shot. He's had 2 as a baby and then 1 last year so this one was his 4th. Sorry if this sounds rambling. It probably seems like an obvious answer but I'm not in a good headspace. Last week they found calcification on my nieces kidneys and yesterday we got the news that she has a high platelet count so the cancer word has been thrown around. Between this and my niece I'm spiraling so thanks for helping. That doctor sounds like an asshole, honestly. My kid has been through allergy testing multiple times. He is fine. My son had one, not so bad reaction (peanuts), that brought him to the allergist. They ran a full panel, multiple times over the next 3 years, to rule out other allergens. If you don't need a referral through your insurance, just find a good local pediatric allergist and make an appointment. If nothing else, for peace of mind.
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Post by peachtree on Oct 27, 2021 8:28:01 GMT -6
And you didn't see your regular pediatrician right? I'd schedule a follow up with them and discuss your concerns about your child and the other doctor. This is what I would do too, especially if you believe they will take your concerns more seriously.
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Post by charlotte on Oct 27, 2021 8:36:19 GMT -6
Some doctors (like any other person) are assholes. Don’t give a second thought to his opinion of you as a parent.
I agree with everyone else, call your regular pedi and ask for a referral to an allergist. I wouldn’t even mention that the other doctor didn’t want to refer you.
For now, try not to dwell on whether the reaction was to the vaccine or not. Just tell the allergist the full story when you meet with them.
That sounds scary.. you’re doing a great job!
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Post by oceanblue on Oct 27, 2021 8:44:32 GMT -6
I’ll echo the others that recommend seeing an allergist. If the allergist recommends allergy testing it’s really not that big of a deal. My four year old watched a show on the ipad during the scratch test part and wasn’t phased. One thing I’d suggest if you do testing is having an idea before the appointment of some things you’d like checked. I was a little overwhelmed by the big list of allergens they can test for and in hindsight there’s a couple things I wish we’d included that I didn’t think about at the time. Honestly the biggest hurdle with my four year old was that her back was small so we narrowed down the list since there was only so much room to do the scratch test.
Even if you don’t test, I would still get an appointment with an allergist to see about getting an epipen and having a plan in place for if a reaction occurs in the future. I’m not trying to stress you out more but it’s not uncommon for the intensity of allergic reactions to increase with subsequent exposures. Your description sounds like an obvious reaction to something and you are not overreacting at all. If nothing else, having an epipen on hand can give you some peace of mind.
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Post by lifesaverz on Oct 27, 2021 8:52:25 GMT -6
I would 100% get an appointment with an allergist, & get some testing done. For example, the regular flu shot is not safe for those with egg allergies (I know because my son has a severe egg allergy & we see an allergist), so they might recommend a different type, like the nasal spray instead. I would ask for an epi pen as well. We do not do the flu shot for my DS, & in your shoes I wouldn't either. If he has that strong if a reaction I could never risk that, especially because like you said, next time it could be worse. If you do get it anyway, I would do it in an allergy clinic where they can monitor him.
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Post by lifesaverz on Oct 27, 2021 8:54:09 GMT -6
Also fuck that doctor. Sorry, but as an allergy mom that pisses me off. You were absolutely doing the right thing for your kid. Allergies aren't something to "wait & see" about.
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Post by oceanblue on Oct 27, 2021 8:55:06 GMT -6
The doctors comment about his reaction not being from the flu shot since it didn’t occur within 4 hours sounds off to me. When my DD had an allergic reaction to amoxicillin she had no reaction the first day she took it but with the second dose she got hives almost immediately. The doctor at urgent care and her regular pediatrician both told us to keep giving her Benadryl for a certain amount of time even after the hives were gone because as long the medicine was still in her system she could have a reaction.
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