My anaphylactic shock nightmare

Anaphylaxis is a severe and potentially life-threatening reaction to a trigger such as an allergy. Triggers can often be foods, medicine, contrast agents such as dyes and latex. In the last year we have received over 8,000 calls relating to allergic reactions - for Stephen Lodge his trigger was a wasp sting.

In September 2021 Stephen was working on his garden renovation with a groundsman who was levelling the ground with a digger when he hit an underground wasp nest. The wasps immediately swarmed out from underground and started to attack the pair.

Stephen said:

“I saw my groundsman dart out of the digger and run for the hills, I followed him as did the wasps. It was like something out of a horror movie.”

“I got about five stings on the back of my head and on my arms and within seconds I started to feel funny. My skin started to itch, and I felt immediate tightness in my jaw. I told my wife that I was having some sort of reaction and within two minutes I had gone grey. I fell to the floor and was being sick, my skin was bubbling, and masses of fluid started to come out of the blisters on my skin.”

Stephen’s wife immediately called 999 for an ambulance and in this time whilst on the phone to the emergency call handler, Stephen said his throat started to close. He continued: “I remember feeling like all the blood was draining out of my body and that my limbs were shrinking. I saw the ambulance crew turn up and the last thing I remember saying to my wife was ‘I really don’t want to die like this’, and I heard the male paramedic say; ‘His blood pressure is low’.”

Ambulance crew mates, Paramedic John and Emergency Medical Technician Apprentice Kimberley, arrived on scene to Stephen and immediately administered shots of adrenaline which helped to bring him round.

John and Kimberley took Stephen to Countess of Chester Hospital where he was monitored for several hours, and discharged with antihistamines and an epi pen to help him manage his allergy to wasps.

John said:

”Stephen was obviously having an anaphylactic reaction and quite ill when we arrived. Thankfully he responded well to the treatment Kim and I gave him. It is great to hear he is doing well.”

Stephen talks about how this experience has changed his life: “I can’t go anywhere without taking my epi pen now, it must be with me permanently as wasps can crop up in all sorts of places.

“I used to love being outdoors but now I have a sense of nervousness and anxiety about my exposure. I used to wear shorts and a t-shirt and now in hot weather I still make sure I wear trousers and long sleeves to minimise surface area of my skin on display. My wife and I have not been abroad due to my fear of being outdoors. I have to have my windows shut in the house and in the car, it really has changed me, and I was never a nervous person.”

Stephen is now receiving immunotherapy treatment at hospital which involves injections of wasp venom extract under the guidance of a consultant which should help him to become resilient to wasp stings.

WHAT IS ANAPHYLACTIC SHOCK?

Consultant Paramedic Steve Bell talks about what happens to the body in an anaphylactic shock and what should be done to help it.

“Most people are probably aware of the painful nature of a wasp sting, the vast majority of which are limited to mild symptoms around the sting site which subside naturally over hours or days. More severe reactions can cause more extensive swelling and may affect the entire limb and be associated with hives (a red, itchy, raised rash) on areas of the body away from the sting site requiring medication from a pharmacist or indeed input from the GP. However, the most severe type of reaction is an anaphylactic reaction, also termed a severe systemic reaction, which is what Stephen suffered.

“Anaphylaxis in this case is caused as the sting produces the release of mediators throughout the entire body but which particularly affect the respiratory and circulatory systems. Mediators are released after the activation of the body’s mast cells and include a range of complex chemicals including histamine, neutral proteases and proteoglycans. The effects of these chemicals result in swelling of the throat and mouth (and resultant difficulty in speaking or swallowing), together with difficulties in breathing, widespread flushing or rash and a sudden drop in blood pressure leading to collapse and unconsciousness; all symptoms which Stephen experienced.

“Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening condition requiring emergency treatment. 999 should be contacted and an ambulance requested making sure the ambulance service is told that there is a suspicion of anaphylaxis or a person having an anaphylactic reaction. Immediate first aid should include the administration of the patient’s autoinjector of adrenaline (commonly known as Epi-pens) should they have one as well as keeping the patient laid down where possible.

If additional auto-injectors are available, they can be given after five minutes if the patient has not recovered. I would recommend that the patient should always go to hospital for a period of observation even if they appear to make a recover from either the auto-injectors or after treatment by the ambulance service as there is a chance of delayed or additional reactions occurring after the effects of treatment have worn off.

“It’s great to hear that Stephen made a full recovery and has now been given autoinjectors should the worst happen again.”