Anaphylactic Emergency!
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Sat May 06, 2006 8:50 pm

I've been allergic to peanuts/peanut butter for my entire life. It's a very serious allergy to have, and even a minute trace of peanut protein can send me into an anaphyllactic reaction. Anaphylaxis results in: constriction of the airways, swollen tongue, mouth, & throat. Excess production of mucus, coughing, wheezing, a severe drop in blood pressure, and even heart failure. It can be fatal, immediately.

Ironically, I just replaced my (expired) Epi-Pen on May 1st. Auto injectors, be they Epi-Pen or the new, double-doseage TwinJect, are not cheap. I paid nearly $98 for the TwinJect device that I bought this week. They expire within a year, and for their expense, it seems like a waste of money if I don't use it. However, it's better to have one, "waste" the money, and replace it annually.

My new device came-in handy today, because your's-truly had an unfortunate experience this afternoon.

I'm a little more than annoyed with a bakery that I frequent, near work. I get my lunch there quite often, as do other staff. Great place, and we're regulars.

Last week, one of the staff told me that they've now eliminated all baked-goods & food for which peanuts/peanut butter were an ingredient. "We have several regular customers, who are allergic to peanuts." said the girl behind the counter. "Other people are coming-in, and wanting their peanut butter cookies or whatnot, disappointed, but it's more important that we eliminate this from the premises, for the safety of others. We don't even have those little containers of peanut butter for peoples' toast anymore!" I thought that this was great, and really responsible of them for doing this for customers like me.

I don't usually work on weekends, but a colleague needed some help. I grabbed a coffee, a scone, and a (blonde) brownie with chocolate chips. My bad for wanting something sweet & fattening, I guess! I asked both people behind the counter, "Are you sure that this doesn't have peanuts or peanut butter? Positive?" Again, I was told that they had banned these ingredients from the premisis. I was buying a chocolate-chip bar/brownie-thingie made there.

Instead biting-into it later, I broke off a piece, and popped it into my mouth. I didn't even have a chance to chew it, and I knew, immediately, that it had peanut butter in it!

It's a weird, "metallic", "itchy" sensation that occurs, as soon as it hits my tongue. I spat it out, of course, rinsed my mouth with water, and ... five minutes later, my lower lip started swelling! (who needs collagen injections? I could just rub a peanut across my lips for puffiness, hey!?)

Showing the offending treat to a colleague, I asked her to take a bite, and confirm that it, indeed, contained peanut butter. Yup, and it smelled like it too.

Stupid me: since I had no itchiness in my throat, I decided to wait for a bit, grab some Benedryl from the drugstore across the street, and use the epi if I really needed it.

Wandering to the drug-store, I started to cough. Got to the door, and the store was closed! By the time I got back to work, I was barking like a dog, my throat was itching, and I threw-up. Scary that this can happen that quickly!

I was trying to figure-out how to use the new, double-dose pen, but I couldn't get the spring to bring the needle down. Not good. My colleague, called 911, and I finally got the pen figured-out, slamming it into my thigh. Puked again, coughed my head off, and then the fire dept. arrived, followed by the ambulance.

How embarassing! Embarassed

I feel fine now, just kinda weird from the epi n' stuff. Taking it easy tonight. I guess that one of the estheticians at work, walked down the street to the bakery while I was gone, very upset, told-off the people at the counter & showed them the brownie, "This could have killed her! You should know what is in your food, and you told her that there was no peanut butter in this bakery!"

I feel stupid & embarassed for upsetting & scaring people, even though I know that this wasn't my fault. I've already fired-off a fax to the owner, and hope that they will not only compensate me for the nearly $100 TwinJect that I bought this week, but also pay for my ambulance bill, should I be sent one by the provincial healthcare system.

If they'd told me the truth, and completely eliminated p.b. from their joint, I'd have never had to have used that device, and was guaranteed that nothing in there would harm me.

I am really lucky that I did buy that new thing, because it could easily have gone from a bad situation, to a fatal one!

Do you think that I am out-of-line for requesting that they pay for a new device, and handle the cost for the ambulance (if this follows)? I don't.

free skin care · Sat May 06, 2006 9:14 pm

What they did was so wrong. I don't think you're out of line. They should be lucky that you're not taking them to court.

free skin care · Sat May 06, 2006 11:02 pm

You are absolutely NOT out of line for seeking compensation. They were careless and you suffered for it.

Please take it easy and get some rest.

So glad you are well and had the presence of mind to handle the situation.

My goodness!

free skin care · Sat May 06, 2006 11:35 pm

Absolutely. The are and can be held liable for your injuries in a court of law. Especially since they announced to their customers that their products do not contain peanuts.

Good luck.

free skin care · Sun May 07, 2006 1:36 am

I think you're completely right to expect this - the whole thing started because of what the assistant told you, so they are absolutely in the wrong!

free skin care · Sun May 07, 2006 2:38 am

Unfortunately, I take a rather different stance as I believe the world has gone mad with everyone wanting to sue everyone else and always wanting to blame someone.
I am not going to offer any advice to you but I will say that if this had happened to me, I would be upset that I had taken just the word of a shop assistant before I put something in my mouth that could have potentially killed me. I tend to think I would be a lot more careful. From what you have said, it would seem that it was the opinion of shop assistants that the ingredients had been banned but, at what point had that occurred as it sounded like a very recent change and there may have still been products and containers contaminated with peanuts. With such a serious allergy I would only be eating products with a written guarantee that they were free of peanuts.
One thing that I forgot to add is that you would be doing other potential sufferers a big favour by informing the owners of the bakery of the very misleading information given to you by staff.

free skin care · Sun May 07, 2006 8:14 am

They absolutely should absorb any expenses related to the incident. Hell, they should feed you free for the rest of your life! It was just incredibly irresponsible on their part.

Even though I'm an attorney, I'm not a big advocate of liability suits (I'm not that kinda lawyer Wink

), but in a case like this, if you were in the U.S., you'd certainly have grounds for it.

Glad you're okay. What an awful episode...

free skin care · Sun May 07, 2006 9:12 am

Caspers Mum, I agree with you. The person at the counter either didn't know what was really in the food, or lied to you. Either way, you got wrong information. They really should be apologizing to you...things could have really turned out worse than what actually happened. They should be held responsible for their actions...I'm not saying sue, but I think they need to replace your pen, pay any expenses you incur from this AND educate their employees!!
Lastly, I'm glad you are okay!!! Smile

free skin care · Sun May 07, 2006 9:21 am

I agree that you should be reimbursed for these expenses--- keep us updated here on what's going on, ok?

Really, I think that ANYONE working in any kind of food industry should be required to be 100% knowledgeable about what they are selling. There are so many people with allergies, intolerances, religious restrictions, etc, that knowing all the ingredients are a must. I don't have any allergies, but I'm a strict vegetarian and I won't eat soups, etc if they've even been made with beef stock or whatever, but so many times when I ask if something is OK for me to eat, the people selling it have no idea.... (Sometimes people say something is OK, and then it comes and it actually has chunks of meat it!)

free skin care · Sun May 07, 2006 9:46 am

Just another note, Caspers Mom...

It sounds like the assistant was led to believe or did honestly belive that the food product did not contain peanuts.

I mean...at the end of the day, it was an honest mistake, and the change over of the store to eliminate peanut butter products from their premises was still fairly new.

It is really unfortunate that you were the "victim" in this circumstance. I do think that they should at least pay for the ambulance. As for your Twinject - I mean, they could or could not pay for it. The reason you bought is for circumstances like this! (No offense!)

Anyway, in B.C and Canada, we are not very litigious (thannk God), but in my line of work, it certainly appears to be in on the rise.

I hope the store owners/management are sympathetic to your accident and take the proper actions to correct their mistake and to ensure that the safety of their product and to their customers remains true - apart from this accident of course.

free skin care · Mon May 08, 2006 2:16 pm

Caspers Mum, my mother was as allergic to bees as you are to peanuts (same reactions and she carried and Epi Pen as well), so I know how scary something like this can be! I definitely think they should reimburse you for any expenses, because you were assured by restaurant staff that all peanut products were banned from the premises. If you hadn't been told that, okay, they might not be on the hook for any $$. But the fact that they gave you wrong info that could have killed you, that to me makes them responsible for covering the costs of your care.

Hope you feel better soon! Keep us posted as to what happens...

Mary Smile

free skin care · Mon May 08, 2006 2:48 pm

i dont think you are out of line for asking for compensation. They should compensate your expenses because they led you to believe that their products are pb free. Also, the girl behind the counter said that there is no pb. This is serious thing, and in some cases, a matter of life and death.
Hope you feel better.

free skin care · Mon May 08, 2006 2:59 pm

What an awful experience!You must have an angel watching over you.I hope they pay for all the expenses that you had.And,it would be very nice if they would add extra.
Thankfully you are fine now.
Take care,
Linda

Mon May 08, 2006 5:27 pm

I am okay, everyone. Seriously. The co-owner of the bakery called me today, and was very apologetic, and graciously refunded my expense for the epi-devic. Should an bill arrive for the ambulance, they will foot this too. Smile

Their staff has been spoken to, and the co-owner said that she was very grateful for my "excellent, cool attitude" over the accident. Like I said before: I'm glad that it happened to myself, and not some little kid.

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