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Author Topic: 1st year of college---too paranoid?  (Read 5144 times)

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Offline wackattack69

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1st year of college---too paranoid?
« on: March 04, 2015, 11:44:27 PM »
 Hi all, have not been on in a while...which is a good thing!
DD started community college and I drive her each day-they have dorms, but I think it's ridiculous for a 2 year college and we live within 20 minutes anyway.
 Here is my dilemma: The accommodations lady is FANTASTIC and she has not had any problems with her teachers..it's been great.
  However, the cafeteria is horrendous.  EVERY DAY, they have burgers and Nutter Butter Cookies at the hot grill and the salad bar has trail mix with peanuts....open containers, as well as peanut butter sandwiches. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. So, she just refuses to go in the cafeteria, which I agree with. The sheer chance of touching something, anything seems pretty high. So, she eats her lunch in one of the buildings where they have open areas, etc.  Now, the bookstore is attached to the cafeteria. DD is terrified to go into the bookstore, which she only occasionally has to do, because it is so near the cafeteria. She went into shock at 18 months from a peanut butter/cheese cracker, had a huge attack at 2 years as we wheeled her past an open vat of peanuts at the grocery store. The smell of it, obviously affects her. She also has asthma and vocal cord dysfunction. I cannot convince her to go to the bookstore...should I try? I need some guidance here:(
 Also, I just found out that she holds her breath at the grocery store when she sees cans of peanuts or jars of peanut butter that she has to go by (she tries to be aware and NOT go by them, but it does happen). I have tried to tell her to NOT hold her breath, but she has been doing it for years! It's not good for her asthma OR vocal cord dysfunction! Her shrink (DD has finished seeing her over 2 years ago) said she should do whatever makes her feel comfortable and safe. I guess I just feel helpless to some extent--how will she ever survive at a job? We are moving when she is done with school, and I will need to go back to work. Not sure how I can if she is needing to text me for situational advice. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Offline lakeswimr

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Re: 1st year of college---too paranoid?
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2015, 07:25:19 AM »
I can understand her not wanting to accidentally come into contact with peanut residue and have a reaction. 

I highly recommend you have her do a smell challenge with the allergist to see if these restrictions are really necessary.  The odds are they are not.  Most people with peanut allergy would be able to go into that bookstore and would be fine and most would also be fine eating at clean table in that cafeteria, although, maybe not eating the food unless they cafeteria specially makes it for your daughter (which is something they should do if your daughter requests it.) 

When my son was starting kindergarten we did the smell test with peanut butter at the allergist and he had no reaction at all.  It made me feel a lot better about him going off to school.  I think this is a quality of life issue.

I have asthma, too, and I would not think that occasionally holding one's breathing would be bad for my asthma.  I would, though, worry about her anxiety level.  there is no chance that peanut products that are packaged are going to cause her to have an allergic reaction from walking by them and the fact that she feels they might means she is too anxious about her food allergies.  it is good she had counseling.


Lindsay

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Re: 1st year of college---too paranoid?
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2015, 12:09:33 PM »
Hi!


Just wanted to say that there is a great new site made for college students with allergies to form friendships or relationships! Your daughter should consider checking it out! It is AllergicAttraction.com :)

Offline PurpleCat

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Re: 1st year of college---too paranoid?
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2015, 12:57:32 PM »
My DD tells me when she smells peanut butter she has a really bad feeling and a tightening in her chest.  She tells me it is scary when it starts and then she knows it is not the same as a reaction and not the same as asthma (unfortunately she has had enough reactions to know the difference). 

But it is a sensation not to be ignored.  It's real.  Her body is trying to tell her something.  We call it her danger warning.

Perhaps your DD holds her breath to prevent feeling something similar.....

A smell test sounds like a great idea.  If she passes then she will have more confidence. 

Offline starlight

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Re: 1st year of college---too paranoid?
« Reply #4 on: March 05, 2015, 05:34:51 PM »
You know how it feels to breathe in an area where there's something toxic lingering in the air, like fertilizer or bathroom cleaners? Walking through the PB aisle and by nuts feels/smells like that to me, and probably does to her. I'm sure she doesn't just hang around holding her breath, she gets out of there fast, so it shouldn't have any bearing on her asthma. I know nothing about vocal cord dysfunctions though.


Offline Macabre

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Re: 1st year of college---too paranoid?
« Reply #5 on: March 09, 2015, 10:15:37 PM »
wackattack I just wanted to say it's great to see you!!  :bye:
Me: Sesame, shellfish, chamomile, sage
DS: Peanuts

Offline wackattack69

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Re: 1st year of college---too paranoid?
« Reply #6 on: March 14, 2015, 01:38:22 AM »
Thank you for all of the responses! I failed to mention the bookstore has containers of trail mix from (you guessed it) the cafeteria in multiple places,, especially the checkout. Hubby sides with DD and says he would not feel comfortable going in there, either.
 As for the smell test---I had never heard of it, until I asked this question. Shows how long it's been since I've been here:) DD wants NO part of it, EVER. She doesn't want to have a reaction (even at the DR's office) and if it's negative, she says she wouldn't trust it. She wants to just keep on keeping on, until there is a cure. Sigh.
 I can't really make the school get rid of the peanuts in the cafeteria because she does not live on campus, so she doesn't HAVE to use the meal plan.
 Thank you all for listening and giving me your opinions and advice. It's appreciated more than you know.
 ps anyone else's kiddos have this vocal cord dysfunction???

Offline Janelle205

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Re: 1st year of college---too paranoid?
« Reply #7 on: March 15, 2015, 02:26:41 AM »
I have severe asthma and occasionally have bouts of vocal chord dysfunction.  One thing that my doc suggested that helps is slowly counting backwards when I think the issue is VCD and not asthma. Sometimes Atrovent helps the VCD because it treats upper airway constriction. I think that at one point there was a peanut issue with atrovent inhalers - I think that has changed but not sure.  I only use it via nebulizer and am not allergic to peanuts of tree nuts.

Offline wackattack69

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Re: 1st year of college---too paranoid?
« Reply #8 on: March 15, 2015, 03:47:27 PM »
HI Janelle205
 DD has had asthma since 2 years old. This VCD is a new and terrifying thing for her. First time it happened, her inhaler didn't do a thing,  she couldn't breathe and she was home alone. Her peak flow was fine, so the DR said it was def. a VCD spasm. BUT, she then had a panic attack...due to not being able to breathe.
 She deals with PA (can't even smell them), Asthma and VCD and now PANIC ATTACKS. She is only 19 and I feel so badly for her. She did do some speech therapy for the VCD but insurance won't pay for it now, and it's $200 every 2 weeks.
 She does TALK to me about it all, which I take as a blessing. I truly think she would benefit from an as needed anxiety med, but she doesn't want to go that route.
 

ninjaroll

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Re: 1st year of college---too paranoid?
« Reply #9 on: March 15, 2015, 06:20:40 PM »
This is probably the first time I've ever recommended it but what about a service dog to assist with independence?  It's an immense undertaking but if it assists her with panic attacks, detection it might be worth starting the journey to look into it.  There's some nice case law and Justice settlements and statements of interest covering qualified service dogs.

Offline lakeswimr

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Re: 1st year of college---too paranoid?
« Reply #10 on: March 17, 2015, 06:00:49 PM »
I would push for her to do the smell challenge in the allergist's office.  I think she is living a much, much more restricted life than is medically necessary and I worry this will limit her options of what she will do in her life for her career and more. 

I can understand not wanting to have a reaction.  I think this is beyond what is medically necessary. What does her allergist recommend?

Offline lakeswimr

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Re: 1st year of college---too paranoid?
« Reply #11 on: March 17, 2015, 06:04:03 PM »
I think this is a good link.

http://www.foodallergyawareness.org/foodallergy/food_allergens-11/peanut-25/

'Caregivers and patients often express concern about reacting to peanut through the smell of peanut butter, breathing in peanut dust, or the risk from touching surfaces that may have come in contact with peanut. Inhalation has often been reported as a route through which someone’s reaction has occurred. However, evidence has shown there is a very low to absent risk accidental exposure through casual environmental contact is exceptionally low, and no evidence that shows peanut butter or peanut dust can cause a reaction. Studies have shown that following:
Inhaling the scent of peanut butter (within a foot of an open jar) did not cause any reactions.
No peanut allergen could be measured at the level of the neck after volunteers stomping on whole peanuts in a small room with no ventilation
When actively shelling peanuts, peanut allergen could only be detected 2 cm above the table. However, allergen was not detectable 1m away, and undetectable at either 2cm or 1m immediately upon stopping shelling.'

Offline Macabre

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Re: 1st year of college---too paranoid?
« Reply #12 on: March 18, 2015, 10:15:27 AM »
Quote
or the risk from touching surfaces that may have come in contact with peanut


Except this is how Burks accounted for two of DS' anaphylactic reactions. It wasn't simoly touching but accidental ingestion after touching.
Me: Sesame, shellfish, chamomile, sage
DS: Peanuts

Offline wackattack69

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Re: 1st year of college---too paranoid?
« Reply #13 on: March 19, 2015, 01:51:02 PM »
Lakeswimr, I have read that before. I don't believe it. DD went into shock (2nd time) at 24 months as we wheeled her next to a big vat of  peanuts in the produce department. She was in the cart and touched nothing.
  Her allergist (one of the best here), doesn't do (nor has any faith in) the smell test.

Offline momma2boys

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Re: 1st year of college---too paranoid?
« Reply #14 on: March 19, 2015, 04:22:37 PM »
Uh yeah, my ds has had multiple reactions from touching tabletop in bowling alley and a shopping cart. His anaphylactic reaction resulting in ambulance ride was most likely from touching something and ingesting.
peanut, treenut, sesame
Northeast, US