Just because Dr. Oz says you should be taking something, doesn’t mean you should be taking something. Don’t get me wrong. We love Dr. Oz at our house. He has a lot of great, practical health advice. However, last week I watched a show which suggested you take the supplement Spirulina if you’re on a hormonal birth control. I did some research. The World Health Organization declared it a super food! It’s a blue-green algae that is 60-70% protein. Great for the heart, muscles, mind, etc. Sounded great! On my quest to eat healthier, I thought this would be a great addition to my new healthier lifestyle. I went to a local, very reputable store, and bought a nice made-in-the-USA product and started taking the recommended dose on Tuesday. Wednesday evening I was really dragging, beyond the norm. Off to bed I went.
Thursday morning I got up as usual and peered in the mirror to see two swollen eyes looking back at me. As if I’d gone to bed crying, which I hadn’t. I chalked it up to odd. I even had the thought, “It’s almost like I’m having an allergic reaction, good thing I don’t have hives…” as I lifted my shirt to unveil a stomach and back full of bumps. Uh-oh. I rushed downstairs and roused Loran from his shower to tell him what was happening. We decided to head to the doctor’s office when they opened. Unfortunately, when they opened at 8, they didn’t have a doctor in house until 9, so they suggested I take a Benadryl (which we didn’t have) and head to an Urgent Care if we didn’t want to wait. Off we went. We drove towards the hospital knowing there were several clinics in that area, and of course, the hospital. We found a clinic with an Urgent Care and I walked in. I’d never been there before, but thanks to technology, they were able to find me in their system. They actually processed me quite quickly and I was seen by a nurse right away. I was throwing off their system since I was in so quickly, no chart, no vitals…just me and some bumps with my blood pressure written on a Post-It. The doctor saw me and gave me a prescription for an antihistamine. The doctor wasn’t sure it was the supplement since allergies can really come on at any time and my supplement wasn’t very out of the ordinary. My hives cleared up as the day went on and my eyes remained ever slightly swollen. Problem solved.
Nope. Friday morning, I woke up around 3:30 am feeling weird. I switched on the light and my hands were so swollen as if I had giant gloves on and I was covered in hives on my arms, core and legs. We called the nurse line and they suggested I go into the ER. We placed a call across the street and my aunt and uncle were over to stay with the sleeping girls while we went to the ER. The ER at 4 am isn’t very active, luckily. I was seen quickly by an amazing staff. They decided to give me an IV and pumped it full of Zantac and Benadryl and Prednisone orally. The Benadryl hit me like a ton of bricks and I was out. After some observation, I was released with a whole new batch of prescriptions. Loran stayed home with me and the girls because I was dead to the world from the meds. As the day went on, I was feeling better, swelling was subsiding and the hives were gone. Good to go!
Nope. Saturday morning, we were up to get ready to take Ella to her beloved gymnastics. However, I woke up with only a few hives (progress!) but my lower lip was swollen. I put ice on it which helped the swelling go down, but we called the nurse line. Because it involved my lips, back to the ER they sent me. Saturday morning was a bit busier. When I was seen, they gave me another dose of Prednisone but no IV so I could tell they weren’t too worried this time. After I was released, we were back at Target picking up an Epi-Pen. Then over to my aunt and uncle’s to see the girls. I ended up staying there a few hours so Loran could get some odds and ends done while I was being babysat. Lily slept and Ella and I had a fun time playing together while the three of us were being babysat.
Since Saturday, I have had no symptoms. Not a hive. Nothing. Granted, I was on quite the regimen of medications. It was quite apparent that I was still brimming with histamines because taking two Benadryl every six hours didn’t make me drowsy. Finally, on Monday I took my dose and it knocked me out. Clearly, the Benadryl had run out of histamine to soak up. As of Wednesday, I was medication free. I’m quite happy for that. While I’m grateful for the array of pharmaceuticals that saved me, I am happy to not be dealing with their side effects. While not horrible, the constant numbness and tingling in my face, hands and feet was getting annoying. I was actually pondering a face piercing or bar fight since I knew I wouldn’t be able to feel it. Now I’m back, firing on all cylinders without added drowsiness, fogginess, tingling, numbness, swelling, hives and just general slowness.
My arsenal of medications
I can’t be sure it was the Spirulina that caused this, however, it was the only difference in my routine. I am hoping it was that because I’d rather be allergic to something within my control than something outside of it, like dust. It’s been a teary week. That was the first (and second) time I’d ever been to the ER. The only time(s) I’d ever been admitted in the hospital when there wasn’t a baby involved. To be super conscious as to whether my breathing was okay or not. To not know the exact cause of the allergic reaction. The IV. The other people who were coming into the ER with bad problems (I prayed a lot for them on Saturday while I sat in the waiting room). And of course, the reminders of the reality of the ER – those few brown spots on the curtain that couldn’t be bleached away, the rape kit in the corner, the machines, alarms and scared eyes. My imagination certainly wasn’t helped by having watched every episode of ER and numerous other hospital dramas.
Thankfully, I have an amazing husband who was by my side through every single step. I felt so safe knowing he was there. It was so reassuring to have family across the street to rely on plus the friends and family who lent their support. I’ve been overwhelmed with the guilt of knowing these medical bills are going to roll in, all because of my good intentions at health. Thankfully, we have our emergency fund to support these little forays into good health. And, as if this wasn’t all enough, poor Loran was transferring the girls’ car seats after our first clinic visit when the seat buckle flew up and hit him in the mouth, chipping his tooth. He got it all fixed up yesterday and looks fabulous. But, it’s another bill on top of the ER visits, the clinic visit, the prescriptions, the over the counter meds and of course…the supplement that started it all. Blarg!
Now to just get past checking in the mirror obsessively for swelling and waking up in the middle of the night to check for hives…wondering if it will happen again?
If you’re worried about Ella missing gymnastics, we were able to take her to a make-up session on Monday night, so she was still able to enjoy her beloved gymnastics!
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