stuzzer
26th Feb 2020, 19:59
Hey all,
Looking to get my EASA class one medical before undertaking training to become a pilot. I am a little concerned though as I had Idiopathic anaphylaxis in 2004 when I was 12 years old. Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic response that involves swelling, hives, lowered blood pressure etc, the Idiopathic part means the cause was unknown. I undertook testing at a later date, but still no allergen was discovered. I've never had any type of reaction since, nor do I even carry an epipen anymore (I probably stopped around the age of 16).
I can see plenty of information regarding people with known allergies, but my concern is that this was unknown. Has any one had any experience with anything like this? Know how this might go down with regards to my medical assessment and future flying career?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Loose rivets
29th Feb 2020, 16:58
Not much help, but shows where this thing can go. I can sit at a family dinner feeling fine, and just give way to adding a sauce that I know I shouldn't, and the next two hours can be a burning battle as though acid is running through my veins.
Yep, I could fill pages but suffice it to say, I was, thank God, old and finished flying when the first one hit - but only just. I still had a Class I medical in force.
I'd been to hospital to have my back stretched. I washed my hands in a tipping bottle containing I suppose, strong soap. Time-line 5 mins hands itch. 10 mins driving with knees while scratching hands. 12 mins too ill to continue, just about able to dial 999. Ashen face, purple lips and an elephant sitting on my chest. I said I was having a heart attack.
Four GP's said it was anaphylaxis. For several reasons I didn't get to Addenbrookes for some years. A young lady consultant said it couldn't have been or I'd have been dead. She said I'd panicked over my hands and thrown myself into a tizzy. She was an insanely young consultant and I wanted to spank her, but for other reasons I wrote off the 5 hours of driving and forgot about it. Well, not really.
Years later I was using Mr Muscle clearer on my bath and had the same all-over feeling. I called 999 and had fantastic response. I was hooked up to his machine in my front room within 7 mins of the call. BP 80 over 40 and dropping. Rate 40, and temp dropping. He said it wasn't quite anaphylaxis. Severe allergic reaction. Now at least his readings would be with my GP who'd chosen to believe the little girl, erm, consultant.
Years go by with being made ill with unknown ills. Fine one minute, do a cloths wash, or some such, and I'm ill. Gluten and Wheat are out.
Such is the slew of things that even Professor Durham, one of the UK's leading allergy experts, who was kind enough to give some considerable thought to the issue, could not narrow down specific things. My professor son in the US found some research on sensitivity to a broad spectrum of chemicals. That ticked a lot of boxes. There were only three researchers listed. Professor Durham had talked to the child in Addenbrookes, and you'll gather she really pi$$ed me off, and together they possibly concluded it was psychosomatic. Fine, but not much help.
I told the professor why I was so annoyed. My office could be bucking about being struck by lightning with hail threatening the wind-shields, and the odd warning light coming on for good measure. I'm not exactly given to panic. In fact, I just don't. Not ever, over anything. This prissy little thing took no account of my work whatsoever. She had little understanding of the real world. I hope in the intervening years she's grown up a bit.
I now wash up dishes with shampoo, and do not allow ordinary washing liquid into the house. My real trouble is doing clothes washes.
It doesn't get better. You can't force it back by exposure. You can convince yourself you're just fine and it's unlikely to come back, but if the program's in there to react, react it will.
How did it start? My guess is the blatant abuse I gave my body with chemicals. Mostly in my workshop. I must have breathed in a tonne of thinners and washed my hands in stuff that would peel a rhinoceros. One day my body said, that's enough!