These comments are just meant to be informational, they are not meant to be
any kind of criticism--I am just passing what I have found out to everyone
here on this list:

1. Asthma that is not under good control increases the risk for serious
allergic reactions.  Everyone who has food allergies and asthma should be
working carefully with there doctors if their asthma requires a lot of rescue
meds like albuterol.  If the steroid inhalers aren't helping then that should
be reported to your doctor, too.

2.  Benadryl and other antihistamines, if taken prior to a meal, may prevent
the first warning sign of a food allergic reaction--hives.  Instead, the
allergy may progress to a more serious level before anyone figures out what
is going on.  One of the docs at the FAN conference in 1998 recommended that
one never take Benadryl or any antihistamine before eating at a restaurant
"just to be safe" because it will keep those hives from showing.

3.  Allergic reactions can be biphasic--the first reaction can occur, subside
and then another reaction can occur a few hours later.  Most biphasic
reactions occur within four hours of the first one, and for this reason, the
FAN doctors at the last two conferences recommend that patients remain in the
ER for four hours--and if the ER docs want to discharge before four hours has
elapsed--to just wait in the ER waiting room just to be safe.

Lynda