Every case is different. But in short, if your doctor prescribes you an EpiPen, it’s a great idea to have it on you.
EpiPen is an auto-injector, that is used when you have a severe allergic reaction, called anaphylaxis. It’s an adrenaline shot that will save your life one day.
Having food allergies is life-threatening. You should always be prepared and know exactly what to do when anaphylaxis happens and have EpiPen at the ready.
However, it’s not just important for people with food allergies.
Many people who have severe seasonal allergies, also have or might develop something called Oral Allergy Syndrome.
You might not be allergic to any food in particular, yet, and that’s really something to be grateful for.
However, you should be aware that some raw fruits and vegetables might still trigger an allergic reaction.
The proteins found in them are very similar to the ones of pollen.
For me personally, celery, bananas, green apples, melons, and some others might trigger a severe allergic reaction, called anaphylaxis.
The crazy thing is that you might not be allergic to apples, and yet have an allergic reaction to them.
That should probably be the sign for you not to eat them anymore unless you wanna deal with the consequences. Or the consequence, to be precise. Because it’s just one really —you have anaphylaxis and probably die.
Now, imagine dying from eating something like a stupid apple. That’s a silly way to go out, isn’t it?
If you know that you have food allergies, having an EpiPen on you is of the utmost importance. At all times.
It will save your life one day.
When you have allergies and you go out to a restaurant or order a takeout you are taking a risk.
And almost anyone at some point in their life is gonna eat a food that they didn’t make themselves or at least, are not sure of EVERY ingredient it’s made of.
Few quick examples:
#1 Some people know they are allergic to sesame seeds, but don’t know that a simple snack like hummus might kill them. If you read what hummus is made of, it will say nothing about sesame seeds and yet it has it. Tahini is one of the ingredients. Tahini is made of sesame seeds. Just for a minute imagine having a waiter in the restaurant who doesn’t know that and doesn’t warn you, bam… you are dead.
#2 Another example is orzo. People who have celiac disease or gluten intolerance should pay extra attention to this one. Orzo looks like rice, but it’s not. Even if you are to translate the name from Italian it goes something like “Rice shaped”. However, It’s made with a durum wheat flour, semolina. That’s a no-go for you.
Having an EpiPen on you is important.
If you have food allergies, and you tell your waiter about them, chances are, you are good. But what if he appears to be confident and knowledgeable, but his EGO wouldn’t let him admit that he is not.
There are so many people who go out, lie to their waiters about having allergies just so that they can take the side dish that they want instead of getting what it comes with.
Many restaurants, won’t let you do any substitutions unless you have an allergy. So people invent them only to later on order something else that has that same allergen, but in this case, they’ll say: “it’s okay. it’s not much, I’ll still take that”. That’s way more common than you know.
They don’t have evil intentions when they do that, however, that makes the restaurant stuff pretty skeptical.
Which means they might find your “allergy” stupid and non-realistic, and you are in for trouble.
They certainly can and do make mistakes, just like anybody else. The only problem there for you is that their mistake might cost you your life nonetheless.
Another important point is Cross-Contamination.
What if the restaurant, the place you go to, or your friend’s house have a cross-contamination problem.
That happens when something that naturally doesn’t have let’s say peanuts or any other thing you are allergic to, but at one point of time it was in contact with them.
For instance, it might happen when people use a cutting board and forget to wash it, and then use it for something else.
That’s one of the ways how different products and foods get in contact with one another. Most of the time it’s not intentional, at least I’d like to believe that.
But, as for you, isn’t that an oopsie!
And yeah, you can go NUTS, curse them out or try to even sue them. I don’t think you’ll find time for that though because you’ll probably be busy.
Busy dying. 
Usually, it takes from SECONDS to about 15 minutes to experience anaphylaxis, life-threatening condition.
That’s minutes from sunshine and rainbows to the transition to another world. If you believe in one.
Don’t forget, that most of the time, in addition to anaphylaxis you will have a panic attack that will cloud your judgment, your focus, and your ability to make solid decisions when it matters the most. When your life is at stake.
Be smart, keep one EpiPen at work, one in the school’s locker, one at home, one in the car, one at your BFF place. One at your mistress’s place. One at the church you go to.
Okay, maybe you don’t have to go that far, but the idea is very important.
Keep an EpiPen on You at all times.
One day, it will save your life.
If you wanna know the story where it nearly cost my life. I had anaphylaxis I wasn’t prepared for and decided to walk to the hospital(not even calling 911), and I barely made it to the lobby where I passed out.
If it wasn’t for the two people at the front desk, I wouldn’t be writing this right now.
Don’t play games with this.
Your life is on the line.
Do you have anaphylaxis? Inject EpiPen, and dial 911 immediately.
Even if the EpiPen will relieve all of your symptoms. It doesn’t eliminate what caused the anaphylaxis in the first place. Its effect will wear off.
Which means there is a big chance it will happen again. That’s the reason when you buy an EpiPen, they come in 2-packs. Just in case when anaphylaxis happens again, you can use the second one while trying to get to the hospital.
Teach yourself, your relatives and your friends how to use an EpiPen. Just in case when the day comes and you have to, or if you pass out as I did.
The EpiPen normally comes with a tester, so you can learn how to use it when it’s needed. Read the instructions on the box. See the pictures. It’s very simple to use.
At one point in your life, you might need somebody to rescue you.
Let’s say it will never happen to you. AWESOME. Lucky you.
What if it does, and you are caught off guard. What if you are in the middle of a picnic or a hike, miles away from hospitals?
What if a waiter messes up? Or your friend?
I know a lot of people who have severe food allergies and they cook everything themselves to ensure their safety.
But even then, there is Thanksgiving, there are weddings, there are family and friends gatherings that you gotta attend.
What if the chance of you accidentally eating something you are allergic to is 5%. Which is definitely way higher than that. Because you can’t control everyone and everything at all times.
But for the sake of the argument, let’s assume it’s 5%.
I think it’s safe to say that within your entire life you will eat something that you didn’t make yourself at least 100 times. Let’s say it’s 100 restaurant visits or your dinner at your friend’s house.
5% out of 100, is 5. That’s 5 of such events.
Now imagine, on five of those restaurant visits you are gonna have your last and hopefully for your sake, delicious meal. So you can die a happy man.
Crazy thing is, the next time you go to celebrate something can be one of those 5 times.
Funny right, but I mean, is it though?
More often than not, chances of you eating something you are allergic to, are gonna be way higher than 5 %.
Carrying an EpiPen, you might find it stupid and unnecessary. Because personally, your allergies are not that bad, and there is just that “one” thing you are severely allergic to.
So were mine allergies by the way. I’ve been eating that thing that almost killed me my entire life and then one day, out of the blue, it caused anaphylaxis.
How do you discover the new things you are allergic to?
Easy.
You eat it. Then you see if that kills you or not.
Sometimes you expose yourself to something, you didn’t even know you were allergic to. But now you do. Scratch it off the list of what you can eat.
It might take as little as seconds from feeling great to your throat closing up completely.
That’s seconds from not even understanding what is happening to your final breath. Literally.
That being said, I don’t think you need to have an EpiPen on you if your allergies are very mild. Be grateful, you are not there yet. Consult with your allergy doctor, to make sure though.
If you have FOOD allergies, you gotta have an EpiPen on you at all times. That’s shouldn’t even be negotiable, that’s common sense.
You are an idiot if you don’t have one yet.
And you even a bigger idiot if you have one, but for some stupid reason, you do not carry it on you.
If you have severe seasonal allergies it’s a bit more complicated.
It depends on what kind of symptoms do those severe allergies trigger in you. In my case, some of the symptoms are difficulty breathing, hives, wheezing. That means you definitely need to have an EpiPen at the ready.
If you have severe allergies but the symptoms are not immediately life-threatening, you don’t think you need to carry an EpiPen on you at all times.
However, I’d still have one at your place, just to be safe.
When allergies are severe, the reactions are severe as well. I think there is a massive chance of you developing other allergies besides the ones you already have.
Also important to note, experiencing anaphylaxis once, increases the chance of having it again. So if you have ever had anaphylaxis before, you are at risk of having another one. You gotta get yourself an EpiPen.
Just to note:
5 years ago I had no allergies to food.
5 years ago I developed a severe allergy to bleach.
5 years ago I developed a severe allergy to the powder in latex gloves.
4 years ago I develop a peanut allergy.
2 years ago I developed an allergy to melon(cantaloupe).
2 years ago I developed a severe allergy to pomegranate juice.
A few weeks ago I developed an allergy to dust.
See the thing with allergies… One day you are okay, having margaritas on the beach and another day you suffer horribly.
That is not fun at all!
Conclusion:
If you are in the risk group, is having an EpiPen on you at all times important?
It is!
More so, it’s necessary.
Make every effort possible to ensure that you have one as if your life depends on it. Because it does.
Once you’re having anaphylaxis, time is of the essence, use an EpiPen, and dial 911.
Important point is that an EpiPen only helps you to open up your throat so you don’t die from suffocation.
But the effect it has on you is only temporary. It will wear off.
That’s why it’s so important to get to the hospital immediately.
