Choosing an Epinephrine Auto-Injector for Your Food Allergies

by Kelley Lindberg

If you have the potential to experience an anaphylactic reaction to an allergen (whether it’s to food, medication, insect venom, or something else), you need to carry at least one (preferably two) epinephrine auto-injectors. So let’s talk about epinephrine choices on the market today.

Epinephrine is a form of adrenaline that is injected into the outer thigh during a severe reaction. The sooner you administer it, the more likely it is that the allergic reaction will be controlled and the patient will survive. The later you administer it, the longer the reaction has to take hold, and the harder it may be to control. It’s practically a miracle drug – it can stop an allergic reaction in its tracks, or at the very least slow it down. It’s been around for decades, and it used to be the only medicine available for asthma attacks.

Physicians are now saying that epinephrine should be considered the first line of defense, rather than an antihistamine like Benadryl, if the reaction appears to be severe. There are no situations where doctors say you should NOT give epinephrine if the patient is experiencing a severe allergic reaction.

A dose of epinephrine may only last about 20 minutes, and a reaction can last much longer, so that’s why you should have two injectors, and why you should always call 911 when you’ve administered one. And the allergic person should be monitored for at least 24 hours after injections, in case a secondary reaction occurs.

There are now four choices of epinephrine auto-injectors, since a generic version has come onto the market:

• EpiPen: For years, the EpiPen has been the gold standard of epinephrine auto-injectors for treating anaphylactic allergic reactions. See www.epipen.com for more information and for a video on how to use one correctly. Your doctor or pharmacist can show you how to use one, using a trainer (which has no needle or medicine in it).
• Auvi-Q: The new Auvi-Q auto-injector is making a big splash lately, because of its new size and shape (rectangular and flat – smaller than a cell phone, so that it fits in a pocket) as well as its audio instructions. Yes, it talks you through the injection process using a small computer chip in the case. See www.auvi-q.com for info and a training video.
• Adrenaclick: Similar to an EpiPen, the Adrenaclick doesn’t require you to jab your thigh – you put it against your thigh and then press firmly. See www.adrenaclick.com for more information and for a training video.
• Generic: A generic version of the Adrenaclick auto-injector is now available. Because it is a generic, some pharmacies and health insurance companies may automatically substitute it for the auto-injector you thought you were getting, so be sure you know exactly which auto-injector you’re getting, and be sure you’re trained to use whatever you get. Apparently this generic is causing some confusion when patients are trained on the EpiPen and then receive a generic auto-injector at the pharmacy, for example. Here is the website for more info: www.epinephrineautoinject.com.

 

Epinephrine Auto-Injector Carriers

by Kelley Lindberg


When our food-allergic children are young, carrying their epinephrine auto-injectors is easy. We throw them in our diaper bag or purse, and off we go. Our kids are always with us, so it’s easy to keep their medications within reach – our reach.

As they get older, however, there comes a time when we have to transition to having them carry their own EpiPens or Auvi-Q injectors. Whether they’re headed off to soccer games or dance practice, or going to school, birthday parties, or the mall, they need to have their epinephrine with them at all times. For girls, carrying their pens is still pretty simple: girls can carry purses, of which there are about a million cute varieties.

For boys, however, it becomes more problematic. Boys don’t carry purses, or anything remotely resembling a purse. So the question of how to get boys to carry (and keep up with) their meds is a perennial question. Over the years, my own son has changed how he carries his, depending on his age and his current definition of “cool.” He is now 14, which means I expect the next few years to become more challenging as his concept of cool begins to change at light-speed.

Anyway, here are some ideas for carrying EpiPens and Auvi-Q injectors that I’ve found so far. If you have ideas, please share!

Clear plastic case: I keep my son’s EpiPens, Benadryl, and written information about what to do in an emergency in a clear zippered case. That way anyone looking for it can see instantly what’s inside and what to do with it. The cases I use are small makeup bags from Walmart, but a pencil case from office supply stores would work the same way. The case slips easily into things like a backpack, soccer gear bag, or my purse, and it’s just big enough for 2 EpiPens, a small bottle of Benadryl, and his inhaler.

Allergy Apparel EpiBelt: The Allergy Apparel website has a good-looking belt option for carrying EpiPens or Auvi-Q injectors. I think this would be ideal for young kids.

Allergy Apparel Pouches: The Allergy Apparel website also offers several carrying cases for your EpiPens or Auvi-Q injectors, but I especially like the autoinjector pouches that have a clip so you can clip it to a backpack, cooler, belt loop, or lunch box. It comes in a variety of designs, from camo to superheroes. The pouches for the Auvi-Q injector include these with sport designs on them: Sport It Ject Pouch Combo

AllerMates EpiPen Pouch: This pouch from AllerMates has Velcro straps that can loop around a belt or backpack, and it has a strap to hold an inhaler if needed.

RescueShot Epi Case: This case from RescueShot is rugged, made from padded alistic nylon, and can clip to a belt or use your own carabineer clip to secure it to a backpack.

WaistPal and LegBuddy: These unique EpiPen carriers from OmaxCare may be just the solution for your fashion-conscious teen. The WaistPal is a narrow neoprene belt that fits around your waist with one pen in back and one in front, and it is easily hidden under a shirt. The LegBuddy fits around your calf like a holster, hidden under your pant leg.

KozyEpi has a variety of neoprene carriers in different sizes, designs, and shapes for EpiPens and Auvi-Qs.

Fanny pack: My son carried his meds case in a regular fanny pack when he was much smaller, but now that he’s a teenager, he wouldn’t be caught with one. But it was a good option for a while.

String bag: These lightweight bags are handy, and right now they’re the carrying option of choice for my son. Easy to sling over a shoulder, not bulky, and you can toss in a water bottle, snack, or other essentials.

Epi-Essentials Handbags: I’ve focused on boys, since they’re harder to please, but I haven’t forgotten teen girls and women! These Epi-Essentials clutches keep all your medications handy, while doubling as a stylish purse. They’re a little on the expensive side, but might be just what you’re looking for.

Those are just some ideas I’ve found. If you have a favorite option, be sure to share it with us!

UPDATE 4/8/13: Readers have added some great tips:

Alert Wear lets you design your own EpiPen case: Find Alert Wear on Etsy or Alert Wear on Facebook.

Neoprene camera or glasses cases work well too for about 1/3 the cost! You can find many different designs, also.

One reader recommended MediPouch, but their website doesn't appear to be working for me, so let me know if you can find them. www.medipouch.com

 

 

Auvi-Q Epinephrine Injector

by Kelley Lindberg


There’s a new sheriff in Allergy Town.  He’s packing epinephrine, and he’s not afraid to talk about it.

And that’s what makes him cool.

Auvi-Q is a new epinephrine auto-injector from Sanofi. It’s about the size and shape of a smartphone (so it can slide easily into a pocket), but what really sets it apart is that fact that it has a voice. It will literally talk you through the process of administering the epinephrine. When you take it out of its plastic case, the voice guide automatically begins to tell you what to do (remove the red plastic guard, place against outer thigh, press and hold for 5 seconds).

The Auvi-Q also has visual cues, like lights that point you in the right direction and let you know when the injection is finished. And the instructions are also printed on the case, for people who are hearing impaired or if you’re somewhere too noisy to hear the audio instructions, like a night club or concert.

The FDA approved the Auvi-Q in August 2012, and it’s now available in U.S. retail pharmacies across the country. You need a valid prescription from your healthcare provider to obtain one. They are sold 2 to a package, and each pair comes with a non-active demo unit that you can use to practice with or train other caregivers with. The Auvi-Q also comes in 2 dosages: 0.15mg for patients who weigh 33 – 66 pounds, and the adult version of 0.3mg for people who weigh 66 pounds or more. It hasn’t been studied in children smaller than 33 pounds.

Check out the Avui-Q website for more information about Auvi-Q, and be sure to watch the Auvi-Q demo video. While you’re there, you can also sign up for their Let’s Talk Auvi-Q Support Program, which includes savings offers that they say will make it so that “most patients will pay no more than $25 for an Auvi-Q prescription.”

Here is a link to the Sanofi press release describing Auvi-Q.

I haven’t seen one in person yet, so leave a comment if you have one and what you think about it.

And I welcome this new sheriff to town. We can never have too many good guys on our side in the battle against food allergies.