FoodallergyHub Blog

Living with food allergies

Category: food allergy

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Epipen and Auvi-Q carriers and cases| LegBuddy, WaistPal, and WaistBuddy stylish, discreet comfortable. available at amazon.com and http://www.omaxcare.com

Colleges implementing the recommended celiac and food allergies safety policies

I called three Colleges today and confirmed that they are labeling foods and helping celiac and food allergic students find safe foods to eat in their campus and dorms cafeterias. It’s finally really happening :)

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Regardless of how safe restaurants and cafeterias try to be for all students, anaphylaxis can happen anywhere anytime. Always self carry epinephrine ON you.
Www.omaxcare.com

Sanofi Announces Auvi-Q™, the First and Only Voice-Guided Epinephrine Auto-Injector, is Now Available in the U.S.

Sanofi  announced today that Auvi-Q™ (epinephrine injection, USP) is now available in U.S. retail pharmacies nationwide with a prescription from a healthcare provider.

Auvi-Q is the first-and-only epinephrine auto-injector with audio and visual cues for the emergency treatment of life-threatening allergic reactions in people who are at risk for or have a history of anaphylaxis. The size and shape of a credit card and the thickness of a smart phone, Auvi-Q is a breakthrough in epinephrine auto-injector device design that talks patients and caregivers step-by-step through the injection process.

“Patient feedback was a critical component to the development process for Auvi-Q,” said Anne Whitaker, President, North America Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi. “The availability of Auvi-Q represents an important step forward in our continued innovation to meet the needs of people at risk for anaphylaxis and their caregivers.”

Up to six million Americans may be at risk for anaphylaxis, although the precise incidence is unknown and likely under-reported. While guidelines emphasize the importance of the life-saving role of epinephrine, two large surveys SANOFI AUVI-Q(TM) show that two-thirds of patients and caregivers do not carry their epinephrine auto-injectors as recommended, and nearly half worry that others will not know how to use their or their child’s epinephrine auto-injector correctly during an emergency. Multiple studies have found an association between delay in epinephrine administration and death from anaphylaxis.

Life-threatening allergic reactions may occur as a result of exposure to allergens including foods such as peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, dairy, eggs, soy and wheat; insect stings; latex and medication, among other allergens and causes.

About Auvi-Q

Auvi-Q provides users with audible and visual cues, including a five-second injection countdown and an alert light to signal when the injection is complete. Auvi-Q also features an automatic retractable needle mechanism to help prevent accidental needle sticks.

Available in two different dosages, Auvi-Q 0.3mg delivers 0.3mg epinephrine injection and is intended for patients who weigh 66 pounds or more. Auvi-Q 0.15mg delivers 0.15mg epinephrine injection and is intended for patients who weigh 33 – 66 pounds. Auvi-Q has not been studied in patients weighing less than 33 pounds. Each Auvi-Q pack contains two devices – containing one dose of epinephrine each – and a non-active training device. Auvi-Q received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval in August 2012.

Sanofi US licensed the North America commercialization rights to Auvi-Q from Intelliject, Inc., which has retained commercialization rights for the rest of the world. Eric and Evan Edwards, twin brothers who suffer from life-threatening allergies, and co-founders of Intelliject, Inc., developed Auvi-Q with a team of world class engineers and scientists. The development process incorporated real-world experiences and feedback from patients and caregivers.

Auvi-Q has been named an International CES Innovations 2013 Design and Engineering Awards Honoree. The prestigious Innovations Design and Engineering Awards are sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®, the producer of the International CES and the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow CES-Innovations-Awards

Indication

Auvi-Q (epinephrine injection, USP) is used to treat life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) in people who are at risk for or have a history of these reactions.

Important Safety Information

Auvi-Q is for immediate self (or caregiver) administration and does not take the place of emergency medical care. Seek immediate medical treatment after use. Each Auvi-Q contains a single dose of epinephrine. Auvi-Q should only be injected into your outer thigh. DO NOT INJECT INTO BUTTOCK OR INTRAVENOUSLY. If you accidentally inject Auvi-Q into any other part of your body, seek immediate medical treatment. Epinephrine should be used with caution if you have heart disease or are taking certain medicines that can cause heart-related (cardiac) symptoms.

If you take certain medicines, you may develop serious life-threatening side effects from epinephrine. Be sure to tell your doctor all the medicines you take, especially medicines for asthma. Side effects may be increased in patients with certain medical conditions, or who take certain medicines. These include asthma, allergies, depression, thyroid disease, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

The most common side effects may include increase in heart rate, stronger or irregular heartbeat, sweating, nausea and vomiting, difficulty breathing, paleness, dizziness, weakness or shakiness, headache, apprehension, nervousness, or anxiety. These side effects go away quickly, especially if you rest.

Talk to your healthcare professional to see if Auvi-Q is right for you.

About Anaphylaxis

The signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis can vary from person to person and from one episode to the next. Some people may have hives/itching, facial or tongue swelling, which makes it difficult to breathe or swallow, while others may experience nausea and vomiting. These symptoms may begin within seconds, minutes or hours after exposure to the allergen. The best prevention method for anaphylaxis is avoidance of the specific allergen(s).

When a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction occurs, epinephrine should be administered immediately and patients and caregivers should seek immediate medical attention. Patients and caregivers should always carry and know how to use an epinephrine auto-injector to treat emergency allergic reactions. Without treatment, anaphylaxis can result in death within a matter of minutes.

About Sanofi

Sanofi, a global and diversified healthcare leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients’ needs. Sanofi has core strengths in the field of healthcare with seven growth platforms: diabetes solutions, human vaccines, innovative drugs, rare diseases, consumer healthcare, emerging markets and animal health. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).

Sanofi is the holding company of a consolidated group of subsidiaries and operates in the United States as Sanofi US, also referred to as Sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC. For more information on Sanofi US, please visit Sanofi or call 1-800-981-2491.

Food allergies may constitute a disability under the ADA and help many individuals especially students.

The new law will benefit a great number of food allergic students and their
families. It will be easier to find places where the student can eat and
significantly reduce food related expenses. This could represent savings of
over $10,000 dollars for those attending colleges where paying for food
meal plans is mandatory. Until now, many students had to pay for meal
plans even when they knew they couldn’t any of the foods served in
the college cafeterias.

With the new law students will not be required to pay for meal plans
unless provisions are made to accommodate the individual’s
allergy, such as serving peanut free, egg free, or gluten-free food choices.

How severe does the food or edible ingredient allergy have to
be before the person is considered to have a disability that qualifies
under the Americans with Disabilities Act?
Severe, not mild food allergies can be considered a disability under the law.
The new law that now classifies severe food allergy as a disability applies to
those severely allergic to gluten, peanuts, shell fish, corn, wheat, and other
food allergens. What it translates to is of interest to universities, colleges, and
other institutions to offer food allergy free foods and display the ingredients used
during food preparation including putting signs on buffet bars.
This new law will give individuals who suffer from such allergies the opportunity
to find foods that they could eat in venues where before the risk of exposure made it impossible.

Does the decision leave meal-plan type and public eateries more exposed to customer legal challenges?
The decision leaves schools, restaurants and other places that serve food more exposed to legal challenges. The most vulnerable to law suits will be public
schools, colleges, and universities places serving food on campus. Private and public company’s employee cafeterias and all public restaurant’s could also
could be liable for a lawsuit if the food service provider ignores a persons request for certain foods.

Background:
The law suit started when at least one student had complained to the federal government after the school would not exempt that student from a meal plan
even though the student couldn’t eat the food. The issue of the original complaint was that the university in question didn’t allow the student to eat off
campus, and the student had to follow the school’s meal plan, even though the student was allergic to the food served to the other students.

The settlement was won by the student. The point of the new law is that students at any college need to be allowed to bring their own food to campus to eat
in a place they’re allowed to sit in comfort where it’s warm and clean and shouldn’t be compelled to pay for only the food the school provides.In the student’s
case, the student had to pay for the meal plan for food served on campus whether the student ate the food or not. The settlement resulted in the student not
having to pay for the food the student couldn’t eat for health reasons. For more information visit Americans with Disabilities Act – United States Department of Labor.

Even if the new ADA law makes it easier for food allergic students
to eat outside of their home, the risk of a food allergic reaction will
continue to exist. Therefore, it is extremely important to self carry
the epinephrine auto injectors at all times.

HELP STOP ANAPHYLAXIS Get your epinephrine carrier today.

by: Marlena Delgado Coen

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Food allergies gifts

There are lot’s of nice to have gifts but when it comes to food allergies a “must have” are Epipen carriers.

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Safe travel with food allergies. “Must Have”

Most essential safety net when traveling with food allergies is to carry allergy free snacks and because, unfortunately accidents do happen, be prepared—carry the epinephrine injectors on you. “Must do” when traveling with food allergies: Self carry epipen inside accessories that are attached to your body. Allergic kids, teens and adults must carry their life saving epipens on them at all times. “Must have” is an epi pen carrier that will make it easy for food allergic kids, teens and adults to have immediate access to the epinephrine injectors in case of a severe allergic reaction. There are Epipen leg holsters and/or undergarment Epipen waist bands that are comfortable and discreetly to wear. LegBuddy and WaistPal are not epipen bags or purses that could be misplaced or lost in the baggage compartments. They are discreetly worn on the leg or waist just like law enforcement officers concealed and carry a gun or knife inside a leg holster or an undergarment waist belt. The difference is, you will be self carrying the epi pens which could help save your life in case of an accidental food allergic reaction. Please, make sure to self carry the epipens on you at all times. For athletic concealed epipen carriers visit http://www.omaxcare.com.

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Male teens and adult men more likely to have fatal food allergy reaction.

Hope that new epinephrine smaller injector devise can help boys/males/men with life threatening food allergies.

The USA FDA recently approved a super cool device. See video in link below. This past weekend I went with my son to a US Teen Summit for kids 11 to 25 years of age with anaphylaxis food allergies. There was a lot of talk about the new devise. Here is a summary of the teens comments after just watching the you tube video once: 1. Everyone was happy to hear/see that finally someone noticed that the current Epipen tubes are quite bulky to carry. The large size of the tubes was blamed as the main reason why teens ( especially males) are having more fatal reactions. Boys/men are simply less likely to carry their Epipens. “it’s not because we are stupid” …a 17 year old said. Is that they don’t fit in your pants pockets, and if they do, it creates a “bulge” that makes you look like a weirdo. 2. The new talking devise seems to be for administering one dose shot of the recommended Epinephrine dosage. :( 3. Still needs work: The new devise will still be bulky to carry if you are the allergic person because even if its just a little thicker than an I phone, in order to be safe you should always carry two devices. “If you carry your Epipens you know that to be safe you need to have two” they said. This is mainly due to the fact that more than often the epinephrine injection is not properly administered because injectors are activated and not injected by mistake and also the effect of one injection wears out after 20 minutes. 4. The active athletic teens weren’t
sure that the new small square talking epinephrine device would be able to withstand the “banging” “hitting” and the overall daily “bitting” exposure their current large Epipen tubes have proven to sustain. Regarding when the new device will be released; a guest speaker in the event, who was also a Dr., mentioned that the new “talking” smaller epinephrine devise is expected to become available in the United States sometime during the next 2 to 3 months. Regardless of the size of the injectors, don’t let food allergies stop you, carry the epinephrine auto injectors ON your waist or leg at ALL times. God Bless, Marlena http://www.omaxcare.com “Making it easier for food allergic individuals and their loved one to carry the Epipen ON them at ALL times” Link to new device you tube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rkyJzl9vNw&sns=em

I’m alive today thanks to the fact that I was cautious enough to carry an Epipen and a lot of luck!

For knowledge sharing purposes, copy of a letter sent to http://www.OmaxCare.com

—————

Hi Marlena,
The leg buddy fits perfectly.

I enjoyed my conversation with you the other day very much. it’s nice to se someone so devoted to
such an important cause. I’m pretty that many saved lives can be attributed to
your efforts.

I will share my story, in hope that others can benefit from it. I’m alive
today thanks to the fact that I was cautious enough to carry an Epipen and a lot of luck!

It’s it the luck part that concerns me, and the one that I would like to remove
from the equation for future incidents, if any.

It all started when my favorite bike shop hosted a bike demo at a local national park. I had limited time and by the time I was given the bike, I did not have enough time to go on the intended remote trail I wanted.
So I took a shorter more transited trail. On my downhill descent, I took a Hornet with me. By the time I managed to stop, a few seconds later, I had a burning feeling on my knee. Since I had been stung by a yellow jacket a couple of months earlier without any consequence, I continue riding.

Few minutes later, I reached a well travelled trail and passed several cars on my way back. Soon after (less than 5 minutes after the sting), I felt my helmet strap get tighter. Being cautious, I decided to dismount and walk slow, waiting for the hikers to catch up to me, just in case. Soon later, I heard my wife’s voice, just around the corner, so I walked up to her. She was intrigued to see me walking.

At this point, I’m feeling a little dizzy. So I explained to her what happened while I remove the backpack to take the Epipen out, just in case. By the time I knew I needed it, I had one chance to apply it, it I had forgotten to remove the safety cap from it. All I had time for was to hand it over to my wife before blacking out.

I learned to have the Epipen ready to fire, even if I don’t think I will need it. It’s important to carry one in an easily accessible place so that you or others can easily identify it.

Best Regards,
Philip

LegBuddy
How to use Epipen
Bee Sting

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How to live alone with food allergies?

Looking for tips to help our son get ready to live alone with the challenges of life threatening food allergies.

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