self-administered allergy shots

LasVegasRN · Dec 19, 2002

There's no harm in asking. But I haven't heard of parents giving allergy shots, they are usually done in the office.

EmeraldNYL, BSN, RN · Dec 19, 2002

I give my fiance his allergy shots at home, but he is a med student and I am a nursing student so we both know how to give them. The doc requires us to keep an epi pen at home, just in case, because he had a reaction before and had to be rushed to the ER.

P_RN, ADN, RN · Dec 19, 2002

I've been a nurse for 28 years and *I* won't give my hubby his allergy shots. I think asking the doctor to show you how to give the emergency epinephrine (epi-pen) shot if she gets bitten would be a great idea. Leave the actual allergy shot for the doctor's office.

parker in arkie · Dec 19, 2002

thanks for the input. i'm working towards the nursing program...and have an epi pen.

RN2B2005 · Dec 20, 2002

I've tried allergy shots twice, once as a very young child and once in my teens. In both cases, after a year or so of uneventful allergen injections, I had an anaphylactic episode. Even though I have an Epi-Pen, know how to use it, know how to monitor myself, etc., I wouldn't give myself or anyone I love an allergy shot. Ever. In both of my anaphylactic episodes, the reaction was so swift and severe that I literally was sitting and reading one second, and waking up with an ET tube in place in the ER the next. In the second anaphylactic episode, I was 17 and actually had an Epi-Pen in my purse...but my airway closed off so quickly (while the IM epinephrine had yet to take effect--I gave it to myself through my jeans) that had I not been intubated, I would likely have died.

Epinephrine is invaluable, but I wouldn't trust that alone to bring around ANYONE in an anaphylactic episode, especially a child. And if something did go wrong, and your child died, you would NEVER forgive yourself for having compromised her safety for the sake of convenience or to save a little money.

That's my $0.02

TracyB,RN, RN · Dec 24, 2002

NO WAY!! I worked for an allergist for several years. Have seen way too many reactions to ever want to chance giving a shot at home. Especially to a little kid. Thank God our office was a block form the hospital. We sent patients over several times even after giving epi in the office. I will never forget the 12 year old kid, had his shot, his dad had to get to work or something, left without waiting the 30 minutes after the shot, we were leaving for the day, here comes dad, carrying his son who is cyanotic, in respiratory distress, we grabbed the wheelchair, epi, & O2, while someone else called for ambulance. The kid ended up being inubated. It was pretty intense.

I will add that my older daughter received shots for several years & has made a major improvement. I think that usually the shots are safe, BUT you are injecting an allergen into a sensitive person. That risk should be explained to you before you start injections. You can go for years without having a even a mild local reaction, and whammo!! Here comes the big anaphylactic shock without any warning.

Why take the chance if you don't have to?

parker in arkie · Dec 24, 2002

good point, thanks Tracy...... i assumed this was a safe thing....