Living with Food Allergies: Trying Neffy, Auvi-Q, and Hoping for More

As a teenager with serious food allergies, I need to always self carry epinephrine. I have had all forms of the medication over the past fifteen years of managing my allergies. My parents would always carry the epinephrine pens on them. Luckily, by the time I was more independent the smaller, self-talking Auvi-Q epinephrine pen was available. I love how this medicine is easy to use, compact and portable. It fits nicely into a pocket or even a small keychain wallet. I am increasingly optimistic about the new developments and forms of medication for food allergies. 

In the last six months, I have had two anaphylactic reactions requiring quick immediate relief from epinephrine. My parents were around during both reactions and were available to give me the Auvi-Q injection for the first one. While I am not particularly afraid of needles and have had the EpiPen jabbed in me numerous times, there is a little more hesitation in someone (or myself) needing to jab a needle into the leg. My parents both are medical professionals, and I even see them hesitate for a moment too long with the pens (and we all know those moments need quick reactions). My most recent allergic reaction occurred a couple weeks ago at my home. After a couple bites of a plain salad with a basic Greek vinaigrette dressing from MOD Pizza, I immediately felt my throat burn, had difficulty swallowing and began to feel really sick. There is always a small moment of doubt, questioning how lettuce could be a culprit but with enough previous allergic reactions, I felt confident this was indeed an allergic one. I had the new Neffy epinephrine nasal spray readily available in my kitchen. After popping Benadryl, the symptoms intensified, and I knew I needed to act quickly. I squirted the nasal spray in my nose—painless, efficient and easy to self-use with no hesitation. We waited for my symptoms to dissipate and googled the dressing ingredients. We discovered that it in fact contained Tahini (a sesame paste). I am highly allergic to sesame (as well as peanuts and tree nuts). I felt validated at least in knowing the source and knowing that this was indeed an immediate allergic reaction. I know that every allergic reaction can be different, but I did not feel immediate relief from the nasal spray the same way I had previously from the injections. It is difficult to know if this was a more intense reaction or I just did not respond as quickly to this new medication. I have since learned that sometimes two Neffy doses may be needed to reduce the allergy symptoms. I also found that my nasal passages were extremely congested for the next couple of days, which I did read later is a normal side effect to the medication. 

My purpose in writing this piece is to share my own experience with the various medications. I am also extremely optimistic that new medication research will focus on developing the most efficient, cost effective and portable treatments for people suffering from food allergies. One of the biggest obstacles for teens and young adults is carrying (and remembering to carry) the EpiPen or Neffy. Neffy is small and compact which is great. It has a three-year shelf life and is not as sensitive to heat. All these reasons make it a great option for teenagers and especially college-aged adults who may need to give themselves their own medicine. 

In the sixteen years of having to battle food allergies, I have seen the increase in research and medication development. I feel strongly about advocating for research, availability, and accessibility for all people struggling with food allergies. We did not ask for this disease and I know we would all do whatever we could to not be susceptible to life threatening allergens every time we eat. I believe strongly in epinephrine being legally required and readily available in all schools, restaurants and for those who need them. As I look forward to starting my college years, I know how scary these environments are for teens facing food allergies. I hope to continue advocating for awareness, accessibility and research for teens living with food allergies.