Doctor in the house redux

[Vince]

I know we have a few medical minded people here on the board, and I would never take any suggestions given here as diagnosis or treatment...but I need some advice.

My girlfriend has an allergic reaction to casien, a protein found in milk and most dairy products. It's not a severe allergy, but it is definitely there. She also loves dairy products. It makes for a bad combination. In any case...

...she's had a bit too much dairy recently, and is having some problems. She has nasal congestion, severe throat pain (notably when swallowing, and it looks and feels like her tonsils are swollen), and what seems to be a fever (she adamantly refuses to have her temp taken) - as she goes through periods of chills, then overheating; her skin is hot to the touch, and a little red. She also complains of tender skin and soreness in her legs and back.

What I'm wondering is what the best method of treatment is? It doesn't seem life threatening or anything like that (though to be on the safe side, where can I get some Epinephrine just in case?), but she is definitely supremely uncomfortable, and I'd like to help in any way that I can. I've been putting a cool, damp washcloth on her forehead and neck, and keeping her drinking fluids even though it hurts to swallow. None of this, however, does any more than temporarily make her less miserable. Any other suggestions?

EDIT: These symptoms are ongoing, and have worsened slightly since their onset a few days ago. Today is I think the third day of the symptoms, though day one did not have severe symptoms. The onset was due to her eating milk chocolate.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by Vince

What I'm wondering is what the best method of treatment is?

Taking her to see a doctor.

[saldana]

i have a)some medical background, and b) rather severe allergies, so take my comments as someone coming from both directions.

1. carry a bottle of childrens benadryl around with you. since it is a liquid, it will be easier to swallow and also work faster than capsules. i used to do this before a couple incidents where my reaction was too severe for it to handle, but those are rare occasions.

2. you have to get a prescription for an Epi-Pen. i get mine from either my allergist or my dermatologist (who i only see because of my allergies). if she does get an script, make sure she calls her insurance carrier before she goes to the pharmacy to find out if she needs a Letter of Medical Necessity for an Injectable medication. many health ins. companies will not cover an injectable without a separate letter from the doctor explaining why you need it. its a standard form letter she should have no trouble getting from whoever gives her the prescription.

3. i dont think she is having an allergic reaction. anaphylaxis has a very rapid onset, and it will continue to get worse until something stops the reaction. once the reaction is stopped, it is over unless you reintroduce the antagonist. typically, once the reaction is stopped, the life threatening symptoms resolve immediately (difficulty breathing), while the residual symptoms (swelling of the face and lips, splotchy redness on the face and neck) persist for about 24 hours and then are gone. fever and temperature regulation are not symptoms of anaphlactic reactions. the difficulty swallowing absolutely is, but like i said, if it were caused by a reaction, it would have continued to get worse, and then resolved over the next day.

I think she should see a doctor, as my initial thought is she has something else wrong with her.

wiki link to Anaphlaxis attached for your reference.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anaphylaxis

[Suburban Rhythm]

I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on FOFC.

But first thing she should have done was check out that Quarter Pounder to see there was no cheese on it.

Seriously, I imagine she has an allergist she sees regularly?? They are absolutely the best source for answers.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

Taking her to see a doctor.

Yes. As soon as possible.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

Yes. As soon as possible.

+3 Those don't sound like good symptoms to just "work through."

[rkmsuf]

beam her right to sickbay

[Vince]

There is a lack of health insurance, and also some past family history that inhibit doctor visits in this case (potential malpractice case resulting in a relative with autism, if I have the story straight...which I most likely don't because she's never been up front about it). Taking her to the doctor was the first thing I wanted to do, insurance or not, but she is stubborn as hell, and insists that this happens whenever she has too much casien.

In any case, this morning she has no fever, though her throat is still swollen. She is in much better spirits this morning. The fever is what had me worried, because like saldana mentioned, it's not a symptom of an allergic reaction. Every site I checked last night failed to mention fever as a potential allergic reaction.

I'm going to continue to lobby for getting her to a doctor, or at least an allergist to check this out, because I'm really uncomfortable A) that this even happened, and B) that she'd rather be with me through it than with her family (who she lives with).