>Thank you all for the information about the Epi-Pen recall.  I took both
>our autoinjectors back to the pharmacy yesterday, along with the list that
>someone sent of all the numbers being recalled.  Every EpiPen the
>pharmacist had was recalled.  So we are left with inadequate meds, along
>with the rest of you!  Tonight at dinner, I thought my daughter might be
>having a reaction.  She had gotten NOTHING with any milk in it all.  So
>far, so good.  She is 14, has been through this before, and is having no
>difficulty right now.  But she usually begins her anaphylactic reactions
>with a "shiver."  Of course, that could be caused by many other things . .
>. but when she is eating and shivers, we all take notice.
>
>I was a little more concerned because of the Epi-Pen situation.  We will
>pray that it goes o.k. tonight.
>

I called our pharmacy (Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates) to find that
they're not replacing the Epipens with non-recalled Epipens; they're
sending us back to the doctor for a new scrip for AnaKits. Perhaps there
was a judgement that the EpiPen recall indicated unacceptible quality
control, or perhaps there just weren't enough non-recalled Epipens in
stock. I do hope that the replacements are not the same old AnaKit that we
used to have 10+ years ago - the ones with the standard preloaded syringe.
I can't imagine either Josh or  one of his teachers administering Epi using
a syringe. We'll find out tomorrow when we pick up the replacement. I hope
that it's an improved device, or that the replacement is only temporary
until they get sufficient replacements. I'll let you know.

In the meantime, if your pharmacy does not have replacements, you'd be
better off keeping around a couple of Epipens with less-than-adequate doses
than turning in the recalled ones and having no backup.

When we went out to the restaurant for Mother's day, we took three with
us(!). And after Josh took two bites of his salad, the waitress ran out of
the kitchen and grabbed his salad plate, saying that the chef thought there
might be egg in the dressing. Either there wasn't, or he didn't get enough
dressing in those bites to trigger a reaction. Either way, we were glad
that we had all of those Epipens with us, just in case.

Mark
Mark Feblowitz                  GTE Laboratories Incorporated
[log in to unmask]              40 Sylvan Road, Waltham, MA 02154-1120