After reading the latest news about the scientific discoveries into homeopathics I feel practically obligated to share my experience for the benefit of those here. I've gone back and forth a few times on whether or not I actually want to, and finally compromised on doing so anonymously, at least for now.If you think you may know who I am please PM me instead of discussing it with others, out of respect for my privacy. Thank you.
Disclaimer: This post is not to be considered medical advice in any way, shape, or form. Please discuss all medications, supplements, and alternative treatments with your doctor before taking them. If you believe you are having a severe allergic reaction, take an epi-pen without hesitation and call 911. Delaying emergency treatment can be and often is fatal. Neither the author nor the venue displaying this story is responsible for any actions committed by those who read it. Proceed at your own risk.
According to my experience, it appears that a homeopathic medication both stopped and reversed a serious anaphylactic allergic reaction. In all honesty I didn't really expect it to, but with nothing to lose I took it, and relief began within seconds. Let me back up and tell the whole story along with a little history and I'll allow you, reader, to be the judge of what you think happened.
I've had serious allergies all my life, so I grew up no stranger to the medications, avoidance, and calmly taking care of things when a reaction is happening. A common reaction for me is my esophagus swelling shut, which even as a kid I was pretty nonchalant about, more annoyed than anything else. The closest I ever came to severe allergic reactions was hives and a croup-type reaction that endangered my breathing.
I also have several years of experience with my throat spasming or swelling closed due to severe chemical sensitivities, which sometimes either restricts or cuts off my breathing for a short time. Ask anyone who's seen me through one of these and they'll testify that I'm calm throughout - I learned early on that panic is useless in those situations. Whether or not these happenings are allergic reactions or reactions to toxicity or whatever, I do not consider them to be anaphylaxis.
I use homeopathics to control my MCS reactions. I sometimes wonder if they’re actually doing something or if it's a placebo effect, but whichever the case I have not been able to manage the reactions otherwise.
On the day in question I had a sudden onset of my airway spasming closed in a more severe way than had happened in recent times. It caused me to wheeze upon each inhalation to get enough air, even though my lungs were fine and it was all in my throat (I've been clinically proven to not have asthma). Thinking it was an allergy to a pet I had received a week earlier, I made the decision to take Benadryl so I could safely hold it one last time to say goodbye.
Here more medical history is needed. When my CFS was the worst and I had allergies to so many foods that at times I couldn't eat at all, my doctor recommended I take Benadryl with every meal as a method of resolving the issue. I did so for a while, until it seemed to be making me worse. I switched to dye-free, and it was still a problem. Unfortunately I do not recall specifics about the reaction. Certain it was my chemical sensitivities to the preservatives and other such inactive ingredients, pure diphenhydramine was ordered from a compounding pharmacy, which is the sole active ingredient in Benadryl. I was excited to have my answer at last.
But soon after I received the medication, I tried some and to my dismay my throat burned terribly and my entire mouth went numb along with my lips as well. I asked around to see if this was normal but didn't get anything conclusive. I assumed it was a side effect and soldiered on. I don't recall how I came around to the idea of testing it on myself, but at some point I decided to try a homemade allergy "scratch test" using Benadryl to see what would happen. I had done so previously with various substances and had inconclusive results. Upon applying the Benadryl and a scratch, the immediate result was itching, which I ignored while I distracted myself with something else. When I looked back ten minutes later, the swelling was approximately an inch in diameter. I was shocked. "Is it even possible to be allergic to Benadryl?" I asked. I showed the swollen scratch to someone else and they concurred that the reaction was definitely positive.
Disturbed by the discovery but doubting the results, I decided to cease use of the Benadryl but still keep it on hand as a potential option to deal with a severe allergic reaction as a "one step below epi-pen" treatment, since it's important for me to avoid the ER whenever possible. That was a stupid move on my part; I should have either trusted my own findings or been officially tested to confirm them. Hindsight is 20/20.
So jumping back to the main story (which happens some time later), I'm having this breathing restriction in my throat that's happened countless times over the years. I'm not too concerned about it; I'm just distraught that I'll have to give up my pet now. I prepare myself for a long goodbye and, for safety, take a sip of the compounded Benadryl.
Immediately my throat was on fire with the worst itching, burning, tingling, painful feeling I have ever experienced in my life. My first instinct was to dive for a nearby glass of water, but the small measure of relief lasted only for the split second the water was in my throat area before the awful pain sensation returned with a vengeance. A few swallows later with no change and it dawned on me that something was very wrong. I licked my lips - there was no feeling in them. It was later reported to me that they were blue around the edges.
I grabbed my epi-pen and took it out of its case, not quite sure I was bad off enough to need it but ready to use it in a second if required. It had been expired for a year now, another mistake. Next I called the one who serves as my caretaker, we'll call her N. N was away from the house at the time; I told her I'm having a severe reaction and need her here right away. I then sat there with my phone open and 911 partially dialed, epi-pen in hand and ready to use the moment I was convinced I needed it. At this point the burning sensation in my throat had mostly transformed into a severe dull ache of swelling, and my voice was hoarse.
Sitting there waiting for N to arrive, I recognized panic creeping in on me, which as I have stated previously is not typical. I knew remaining calm was imperative. Since my computer is located on my bed where I was sitting I got on IM and to the first person I saw online typed, "I need you to talk to me right now and help me to remain calm." (As it turned out later, I was confused at the time and thought it was a totally different person.)
Right then N arrived, and by this time I was shaking all over. Coughing or attempting to speak resulted in fits of dry heaving (not typical), so I mainly used the computer to type out what I needed to say. Seeing that I could still breathe, she grabbed an allergy homeopathic and recommended I try it. With some hesitancy I did, thinking it probably wouldn't help but knowing it couldn't hurt. To my amazement seconds later I was beginning to breathe easier and reported so verbally.
When N saw the reaction was diminishing she called my doctor, who specializes in MCS and allergy treatment. She explained what had happened and that it appeared to be under control with the homeopathic. After he made sure we had an epi-pen on hand, he recommended charcoal and sublingual heparin for helping to reduce the swelling in my throat and to get the Benadryl out of my system. He did not urge an ER trip, I suspect because having been my doctor for years he knew how bad it could be for me - I cannot even go to his office anymore due to severe MCS. I took both of what he recommended as we had them on hand, so willing that I simply poured out some carbon powder directly into my mouth and washed it down with a swallow of water before getting another mouthful of charcoal dust.
I do not recall in what order my symptoms abated, I only remember that soon after taking the homeopathic I became overwhelmingly drowsy and when it seemed safe to do so I laid down to rest. The next several hours were non-stop delusion-like dreaming as I slept off the Benadryl side effect.
The entire reaction and onset of symptoms happened very rapidly, so I'm not sure how much time went by from beginning to end. It was only after I had the chance to do a little research that I realized it had been anaphylaxis – it must have been. And soon after concluding that I thought, "great, now who's going to believe a woman saying she had an anaphylactic reaction, to Benadryl of all things, cured it with a homeopathic and didn't even go to the ER." Who, indeed. But that's my story, nevertheless.
I hope to soon get official allergy tests for Benadryl and other antihistamines to confirm the allergy to any skeptics as well as find out if there's a different antihistamine I can take. I kept the pet for another week without experiencing an allergic reaction to it, despite repeated exposures.
The exact homeopathic I took is from the Heel brand and is called "Allergy". Unfortunately they discontinued it in the oral vials, which is what I use(d) and are ideal because they do not contain lactose, but the company still makes it in sublingual tablet form.
Right after the incident I got my hands on a fresh epi-pen. I keep it with me at all times.
