If you are experiencing an allergic reaction, use your epinephrine as instructed. Then, if you are alone – call 911 (you want someone else to make sure that you are ok). If you have a family member or roommate available to watch you, then you can lay down with your feet elevated in a room near the front door of your house or apartment. Have your family member talk to you, keep you comfortable, and check on you. You can take an antihistamine now (preferably once that won’t make you sleepy), and if you have asthma, you can take your inhaler if you are feeling wheezy (NOTE: use your epinephrine FIRST, then use your other medications if you feel you need them). You should start to feel better within 5-10 minutes of using the epinephrine.  If you do not start to feel better, use your second injector and call 911. If you are feeling better after the first injection, continue close monitoring for 4-6 hours. If at any time, you feel that your symptoms are returning or worsening, use your second epinephrine injector and call 911. 

Some patients should always call 911 immediately after using the first dose of epinephrine. These include patients who:

• Have had an allergic reaction in the past that required more than one dose of epinephrine
• Have a history of very severe allergic reactions (For example, someone who needed to spend the night in the hospital after a reaction in the past)
• Have poorly controlled asthma
• Are too nervous to feel comfortable staying home after using epinephrine

To safely implement this, make sure that your epinephrine injectors are always available and are not expired. Make sure that you always carry two (2) epinephrine injectors together. If you have a reaction and only have one injector with you, call 911 immediately after use.

If you are unsure if this is the right plan for you, or your epinephrine injectors are expired, please call the office to discuss with the physicians. We are still seeing patients via “televisits” during the pandemic.