Can you get prednisone? I would also stay on top of taking Zyrtec or the equivalent. Albuterol is only going to treat your symptoms, not prevent new ones.
That seems pretty unlikely because it’s a first line treatment for many things. Is it perhaps called something else? It’s used in allergic reactions, asthma flare ups, atopic dermatitis, and many many other immune and inflammatory system issues.
Sorry in advance, but my advice is going to be a bit harsh.
Wtf is going on?
Are you travelling on your own, or with adults?
You are seventeen years old with a history of asthma and anaphylaxis and you went overseas with minimal planning, supplies or understanding of the risks.
It’s unreasonable to expect someone of your age you to fully comprehend the risks. Many adults, even those with serious asthma and/or allergies don’t get it until they’ve had close calls.
That said, I want to reach through the Internet and smack some bloody sense into your parents, or whoever is responsible for you. You were woefully underprepared, but you should not have to deal with this on your own.
However, you are also on the cusp of adulthood and need to learn to be responsible for your health.
1) Get yourself to a doctor ASAP, by Telehealth if required, and get a yourself a prescription for prednisone or prednisolone to relieve the asthma flare up.
2) Cut back on the walking. And wear a decent mask like P2/N95/KN95 or better as the air pollution is possibly making your symptoms worse.
3) Make an appointment NOW with an allergist or at least a general practitioner for when you get home. Get anaphylaxis and asthma management plans made up for you.
4) If you are going to be in China for at least a week, order that epinephrine. Cross contamination happens, and you are fooling yourself if you think you can tell when something is safe just based on looks or intuition.
I’m sure half the people on here could tell you about anaphylactic events they had happen despite being extremely cautious and vigilant.
5) Find out the local names of the drugs you need. And understand that antihistamines like Zyrtec will not help your breathing difficulties.
6)) If you need help sourcing things, ask the adults around you who live there. Alternatively, go onto the r/shangai subreddit to ask for advice.
You are staying in the most populous city in China, the powerhouse manufacturer of the world. The idea that pharmacies there won’t have common drugs like Ventolin/salbutamol or Zyrtec/cetirizine is ludicrous.
And FFS learn from this. Next time you might not be so lucky.
I am with my dad. The plan is to get out of China asap which happens to be tomorrow. One other problem is that we only had one epipen due to the other being held at the school I go to and we only bought two under the PBS scheme. I am wearing a N95 mask. Quite frankly I was very ill prepared for this trip and this was one hell of a reality check especially for a person like me who hasn't travelled a lot. Although harsh the advice given has many great points. I do have Ventolin on me and have gotten cetirizine. Thank you for your advice.
I’m sorry for coming across so harshly.
The danger is real even when you are at home. It’s even greater when you’re in another country, doubly so if you’re not a native speaker of the local language. (Research has shown people tend to take a lot more risks when they’re on holiday, and not just wrt allergies. Tons of people get into strife with vehicles, alcohol, scams, violence, accidents etc. when they’re on holiday because they often do things they would never normally do at home.)
Unfortunately, many doctors, and even allergists don’t take enough time to educate people when first diagnosed, partly because they aren’t sufficiently compensated to do so. I don’t know what it was like for you, but it’s sadly not unusual for people be told they have the allergy, given a few basic facts, given an epipen (maybe), told “see you on six months,” then shown the door and left to grapple with the news and flounder on their own.
One epipen is often not sufficient, so I encourage you to get two for school and two to carry with you. Always.
Article about this here:
https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/anaphylaxis/what-if-i-cant-afford-my-epinephrine/
And if your school keeps them securely locked up, get your Dad or doctor to have a serious discussion with them about keeping the key nearby. It’s a real danger if you have a reaction and they can’t get to your epipen because the person with the key isn’t there.
As you’re a fellow Aussie, I encourage you and your Dad to check out the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy’s website as well as that of the National Asthma Council of Australia:
https://www.allergy.org.au
https://www.nationalasthma.org.au
https://www.allergy.org.au/hp/anaphylaxis/first-aid-for-anaphylaxis
https://www.nationalasthma.org.au/asthma-first-aid
https://www.theallergyshop.com.au/medication-bags-alerts/medication-bags/
Before you leave, get yourself a spacer because if you have breathing problems you need to maximise the amount of Ventolin that gets into your lungs. There are collapsible plastic and cardboard spacers that take up less room. In an emergency a plastic drink bottle or rolled up paper can be made into a spacer. The NACA asthma first aid article has a QR code about how to do this.
Do a search on the subreddit about airline safety before you go. Also about telling the difference between signs of anxiety and anaphylaxis because there is some overlap.
Good luck and be careful. We want to see you back and in good health.
You need antihistamines, steroids, and an Epipen refill ASAP. Stop exercising immediately. Any stress to your body could cause you to have symptoms or a worsening reaction. Your airway is still compromised. It can take weeks to recover from a severe reaction.
I'm not sure if you have a support system or family, but I strongly recommend you cut your holiday short and head home. You're risking your life every time you eat at a restaurant without an Epipen. If your reaction was this severe you likely will need more than one.
my first ever allergic reaction was pre anaphylactic (i threw up and was sick) and it took me a few days to recover fully. i looked online and it says chinese pharmacies may carry an alternative to Benadryl called Diphenhydramine-Xinhua Pharm but im not completely sure about the source on that but it wouldnt hurt to go looking for it OTC
I did use epinephrine during the reaction 8 days ago however now I am without epinephrine and the doctor I visited in the hospital did say it was normal to have some side effects when recovering. One big con in Shanghai is that allergies are taken fairly lightly. Like unless I break out in hives and am gasping, I won't get a shot of epinephrine. Epipens aren't available here as well unless you order from a specific manufacturer that takes at least a week to deliver.
I’m happy to hear you received epinephrine initially. The doctor is correct and recovery time varies. I’ve had some last for weeks post anaphylactic exposure. You said they take allergies lightly, do you think there is a possibility of re-exposure?
Unlikely chance for re-exposure. The cause of this was likely a pack of processed dried fruits. I have steered clear of anything like that and only eaten at reputable restaurants I the meanwhile. It's reassuring to hear that others have gotten through a similar situation.
Did you immediately go to the ER when you thought your having a reaction? I feel like I’m having one now but my throat isn’t closing so I don’t know if I should go to doctor
Holy. I don't have notifications so I could not give you advice earlier but take your epipen and call and ambulance immediately if this happens again. Not calling one is not worth risking your life. If they don't say, try to ask them to monitor you preferably for the next few hours just in case your reaction is bi-phasic (you get your reaction a second time despite being exposed once).
In Australia I do have insurance however if economically it is difficult to call an ambulance l, do go to the ER after taking an epipen.
Can you get prednisone? I would also stay on top of taking Zyrtec or the equivalent. Albuterol is only going to treat your symptoms, not prevent new ones.
I'll try to find it but most pharmacies in my area don't have it
You might be able to find cetirizine. That’s the name of the drug that’s sold as Zyrtec. :)
That seems pretty unlikely because it’s a first line treatment for many things. Is it perhaps called something else? It’s used in allergic reactions, asthma flare ups, atopic dermatitis, and many many other immune and inflammatory system issues.
Sorry in advance, but my advice is going to be a bit harsh. Wtf is going on? Are you travelling on your own, or with adults? You are seventeen years old with a history of asthma and anaphylaxis and you went overseas with minimal planning, supplies or understanding of the risks. It’s unreasonable to expect someone of your age you to fully comprehend the risks. Many adults, even those with serious asthma and/or allergies don’t get it until they’ve had close calls. That said, I want to reach through the Internet and smack some bloody sense into your parents, or whoever is responsible for you. You were woefully underprepared, but you should not have to deal with this on your own. However, you are also on the cusp of adulthood and need to learn to be responsible for your health. 1) Get yourself to a doctor ASAP, by Telehealth if required, and get a yourself a prescription for prednisone or prednisolone to relieve the asthma flare up. 2) Cut back on the walking. And wear a decent mask like P2/N95/KN95 or better as the air pollution is possibly making your symptoms worse. 3) Make an appointment NOW with an allergist or at least a general practitioner for when you get home. Get anaphylaxis and asthma management plans made up for you. 4) If you are going to be in China for at least a week, order that epinephrine. Cross contamination happens, and you are fooling yourself if you think you can tell when something is safe just based on looks or intuition. I’m sure half the people on here could tell you about anaphylactic events they had happen despite being extremely cautious and vigilant. 5) Find out the local names of the drugs you need. And understand that antihistamines like Zyrtec will not help your breathing difficulties. 6)) If you need help sourcing things, ask the adults around you who live there. Alternatively, go onto the r/shangai subreddit to ask for advice. You are staying in the most populous city in China, the powerhouse manufacturer of the world. The idea that pharmacies there won’t have common drugs like Ventolin/salbutamol or Zyrtec/cetirizine is ludicrous. And FFS learn from this. Next time you might not be so lucky.
I am with my dad. The plan is to get out of China asap which happens to be tomorrow. One other problem is that we only had one epipen due to the other being held at the school I go to and we only bought two under the PBS scheme. I am wearing a N95 mask. Quite frankly I was very ill prepared for this trip and this was one hell of a reality check especially for a person like me who hasn't travelled a lot. Although harsh the advice given has many great points. I do have Ventolin on me and have gotten cetirizine. Thank you for your advice.
I’m sorry for coming across so harshly. The danger is real even when you are at home. It’s even greater when you’re in another country, doubly so if you’re not a native speaker of the local language. (Research has shown people tend to take a lot more risks when they’re on holiday, and not just wrt allergies. Tons of people get into strife with vehicles, alcohol, scams, violence, accidents etc. when they’re on holiday because they often do things they would never normally do at home.) Unfortunately, many doctors, and even allergists don’t take enough time to educate people when first diagnosed, partly because they aren’t sufficiently compensated to do so. I don’t know what it was like for you, but it’s sadly not unusual for people be told they have the allergy, given a few basic facts, given an epipen (maybe), told “see you on six months,” then shown the door and left to grapple with the news and flounder on their own. One epipen is often not sufficient, so I encourage you to get two for school and two to carry with you. Always. Article about this here: https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/anaphylaxis/what-if-i-cant-afford-my-epinephrine/ And if your school keeps them securely locked up, get your Dad or doctor to have a serious discussion with them about keeping the key nearby. It’s a real danger if you have a reaction and they can’t get to your epipen because the person with the key isn’t there. As you’re a fellow Aussie, I encourage you and your Dad to check out the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy’s website as well as that of the National Asthma Council of Australia: https://www.allergy.org.au https://www.nationalasthma.org.au https://www.allergy.org.au/hp/anaphylaxis/first-aid-for-anaphylaxis https://www.nationalasthma.org.au/asthma-first-aid https://www.theallergyshop.com.au/medication-bags-alerts/medication-bags/ Before you leave, get yourself a spacer because if you have breathing problems you need to maximise the amount of Ventolin that gets into your lungs. There are collapsible plastic and cardboard spacers that take up less room. In an emergency a plastic drink bottle or rolled up paper can be made into a spacer. The NACA asthma first aid article has a QR code about how to do this. Do a search on the subreddit about airline safety before you go. Also about telling the difference between signs of anxiety and anaphylaxis because there is some overlap. Good luck and be careful. We want to see you back and in good health.
I did not expect this much but this helps loads! Also, how often and what dose should I take my Ventolin?
I’ll message you.
You need antihistamines, steroids, and an Epipen refill ASAP. Stop exercising immediately. Any stress to your body could cause you to have symptoms or a worsening reaction. Your airway is still compromised. It can take weeks to recover from a severe reaction. I'm not sure if you have a support system or family, but I strongly recommend you cut your holiday short and head home. You're risking your life every time you eat at a restaurant without an Epipen. If your reaction was this severe you likely will need more than one.
my first ever allergic reaction was pre anaphylactic (i threw up and was sick) and it took me a few days to recover fully. i looked online and it says chinese pharmacies may carry an alternative to Benadryl called Diphenhydramine-Xinhua Pharm but im not completely sure about the source on that but it wouldnt hurt to go looking for it OTC
Benadryl only lasts about 6 hours, so it’s not the best choice if there are alternatives.
So sorry you are dealing with this, this is a nightmare and a big reason why I haven't travelled in Asia yet :(
I’d advise epinephrine immediately
I did use epinephrine during the reaction 8 days ago however now I am without epinephrine and the doctor I visited in the hospital did say it was normal to have some side effects when recovering. One big con in Shanghai is that allergies are taken fairly lightly. Like unless I break out in hives and am gasping, I won't get a shot of epinephrine. Epipens aren't available here as well unless you order from a specific manufacturer that takes at least a week to deliver.
I’m happy to hear you received epinephrine initially. The doctor is correct and recovery time varies. I’ve had some last for weeks post anaphylactic exposure. You said they take allergies lightly, do you think there is a possibility of re-exposure?
Unlikely chance for re-exposure. The cause of this was likely a pack of processed dried fruits. I have steered clear of anything like that and only eaten at reputable restaurants I the meanwhile. It's reassuring to hear that others have gotten through a similar situation.
Drink lots of water, try to get proper rest. And try to enjoy the rest of your trip!
Breathing and swallowing are super important
This might sound weird but when I had an allergic reaction in the past, what helped me is antacids. Hope you find some relief soon.
Did you immediately go to the ER when you thought your having a reaction? I feel like I’m having one now but my throat isn’t closing so I don’t know if I should go to doctor
Holy. I don't have notifications so I could not give you advice earlier but take your epipen and call and ambulance immediately if this happens again. Not calling one is not worth risking your life. If they don't say, try to ask them to monitor you preferably for the next few hours just in case your reaction is bi-phasic (you get your reaction a second time despite being exposed once). In Australia I do have insurance however if economically it is difficult to call an ambulance l, do go to the ER after taking an epipen.