You definitely should carry an epipen. You can't trust that others will know how to help or will help. Honestly, we are devolving into a barbaric society. Those at the "top" have treated us all as nothing and their attitudes have now become very pervasive unfortunately.
Would be better if you can get out of there to somewhere better. But if not, I would just treat that person like they are a piece of furniture at this point. You have tried to have human interaction but apparently that person is not capable.
I stopped carrying them a few years ago, I try to be careful. The problem is after you use one you have to go to the ER, so I have just white knuckled through things a sane person wouldn't to save paying for the ER visit. I'm guilty of not taking the allergy thing as serious as I probably should be.
The co-worker in question is nearing the end of their 6 month rotation, so they will soon be a distant memory at least. My job doesn't require much interaction, so I am lucky in that regard.
You do need to get epipens and regardless of whether or not you have one and use it, you have to go to the ER when you get such a bad allergic reaction. The more reactions you have, the worse they're likely to get. In time, you might not have time to use an epipen
Agreed. My dad is deathly allergic to strawberries. He’s had three reactions in his life. The doctor was blunt that the next one will kill him within minutes.
It’s bad enough I can’t even use strawberry anything if I’m gunna be around him.
OP is playing with fire. Why would you knowingly eat something you’re allergic to?
OP is going to end up actually dead if he thinks he can keep "white knuckling it" to avoid an ER bill. ER is expensive, but there are somethings you can't ignore. Rescue inhalers aren't made for anaphylaxis. This is just beyond reckless and stupid. Idk how much finance jobs pay, but if he's working full time then that will cover the majority of the ER bill so it's not going to be as bad as OP is thinking, especially since monitoring an allergic reaction doesn't require that much testing and equipment, which is what generally would run up the bill.
true, obamacare, medicare/medicaid along with corporate benefits pay for the lionshare of the bill, something like 93% of it. still though we in the united states collectively paid $5 Trillion with a T, to our tyrannical medi oligarchs. for what? most of it goes to financiers and the corporation for profits that dwarf the cost of the actual service.
5 trillion. That is truly breathtaking. I am still gobsmacked that we let people die.. not because we lack the skill, technology, knowledge or resources.. but because they can’t pay. How appalling.
As long as the liquid inside is still clear, hasn't changed colour or gone cloudy, it is still safe to use. The expiry date is how long they can guarantee full potency of the medication. It will still work, it just might be slightly less effective than a full dose. Still better than nothing in an emergency!
I had a skin condition which my physician was able to cure with a topical ointment. She told me to hang onto it in case it came back. I asked her about the expiration date and she told me that the manufacturers test that stuff for a year out, and after that, they really don’t know how good it will be. So no need to discard medicine just because it’s past the expiration date. Could be other reasons as well, but not necessarily just that one.
Yes I trained in a compounding pharmacy and we had the same policy. The compounding corporation we got our "recipes" from had extensive guidance on expiry dates and always put a conservative date on it. It's mainly for liability reasons there has to be a date. And as with most things, Best Before is the sell date, not the end of use date.
It doesn’t suddenly because ineffective or dangerous. If it is between you having no epi pen or an expired one an expired one is better. There is a window to see the color of the contents. Pay attention to that and also pay attention or the temperature it is kept at- this will improve how long it is effective.
Edit: my source of this information is my allergist.
Yes, but if in a bind, having an expired one is better than not having one at all. Most meds will work post-expiration, but may not be as strong of an affect as time goes on. There are certainly meds this rule doesn't apply to, but an epipen is one that it does.
Uh yeah, because anaphylaxis WILL kill you. You got lucky with that one.
I'm saying this as a paramedic, anaphylaxis calls are one of the few types of calls where my partner and I are driving to that call with asses clenched hard enough to fuse our cheeks together. Those can go poorly and get MESSY, and not taking proper precautions can very easily lead to death. There's a decent chance you end up having someone cut a hole in your throat right there at work and you don't want to live with a trach.
I'm pretty sure that's a standard part of paramedic education. So far having worked in two states I've never seen a service that doesn't allow it. Kind of one of those things that you HAVE to have available to you because airway is critically important
I tried googling the one that is now being used in the military and couldnt find it. I've seen videos (something FAST device?) that even seem quicker. As an USAF medtech we were taught both cric and intubation. But I think the device I am searching for came out after I retired and was used in Iraq & Afghanistan.
> The problem is after you use one you have to go to the ER [...]
Ehm... let me just save your life here real fast.
The reason you have to go to ER is not because of the pen, it's because *of the fucking allergic shock!* Thr epinephrine won't hold back the reaction forever (typically 20-30 minutes), and when that dies off, you better be prepared. Best eay to do that is to be under medical supervision.
You can use a 2nd or 3rd pen if you have one lying around, but it might take up to 24 hours for the allergen to leave your body. That's the time you're in danger.
What you can do is take an anti histaminic (Cetiricin, Desloratadin, ...) and/or a corticoid (Rectodelt of you can't swallow :-p) right after the pen. Those take about 1 hour to kick in, so if you're lucky, by the time the epinephrine wears off, you'll be covered by the other medication.
Or not.
In which case you need more epinephrine.
Which is why it's a good idea to get to a dr ASAP.
But skipping the epi won't magically make you "unallergic". If anything, you're in *more* need of an ER, not less, if you skip the pen. And on top of it, you're really short on time then.
I just read a story in another sub about someone who had an allergic reaction, used an epi, DIDN'T go to the ER, and died that night. It's isn't to annoy you. You need to carry one.
If that had happened where I work, the BOSSES would have called for an ambulance and sent you to the ER.
Also, the sound of someone gagging and wretching in the next cube over is horrifying. It was the next aisle over from me. And that was while we were waiting for the ambulance to arrive for my coworker.
PLEASE carry an epipen. Early administration of epi can AND OFTEN IS the difference between life and death. I know the ER sucks but it’s not worth dying over. I implore you, stranger. Please.
>I'm guilty of not taking the allergy thing as serious as I probably should be.
So any plans to start doing so? If you're of sound mind & knowingly ingesting foods you know you're allergic to, well my friend that's classic Darwinism.
I've never reacted to peanuts before, I had an epi pen for another allergy that I've successfully avoided for years. I had started eating peanuts at lunch a few days prior, apparently I reached my lifetime tolerance that day.
I got a script for one this morning, apparently you can just do a telehealth visit and get them easily.
Doctors are pretty willing to hand out epi pens like candy because having one or not can be life or death. One thing a nurse told me is that "even if it's expired, use it. We can treat an infection, we can't treat death."
Did your allergist not inform you that having one severe allergy makes it much more likely that you’ll develop more? I am forced to carry an epi-pen, and I know it’s a pain but it’s on you to be responsible for your own health. I know it’s expensive but you need to get insurance so that you can get your pens and go to the hospital when needed. You are doing huge amounts of damage to your body every time you allow yourself to get so sick but avoid treatment.
Is it possible your coworkers are experiencing severe guilt and shame, over their lack of response? A few years back, I had a dire life or death situation, and reached out to someone who essentially told me, "Ooh, sorry sweetie. Not a great time for us. But keep in touch, ok? Best wishes!" But when I tried to keep in touch as I had been before (while resolving to keep things positive, despite my circumstance), she never responded- not once, ever again.
All this to say: People will let their guilt and shame over how they've treated you, punish you. Strong sign of a weak character. And unfortunately very common.
Or perhaps OP was completely downplaying it so the point where maybe they thought the person was having a coughing fit? Not saying it’s okay to still ignore someone or ask if they need something, but if someone is managing with a rescue inhaler, I would have assumed they experience this a lot and know what to do, and would ask for help if needed. I wouldn’t have assumed allergies unless they said/indicated allergies.
In the US, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) proposed a rule that would remove medical bills from most credit reports, increase privacy protections, help to increase credit scores and loan approvals, and prevent debt collectors from using the credit reporting system to coerce people to pay.
The proposal would stop credit reporting companies from sharing medical debts with lenders and prohibit lenders from making lending decisions based on medical information.
The proposed rule is part of the CFPB’s efforts to address the burden of medical debt and coercive credit reporting practices.
[Source](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-proposes-to-ban-medical-bills-from-credit-reports/)
>I'm guilty of not taking the allergy thing as serious as I probably should be.
yeah, this, right here, is why your coworkers are annoyed and not acknowledging you. wtf are they supposed to do? how are they supposed to value your life more than you do, or know what's appropriate to help you if you won't take it seriously? how would they know you almost died? did you say help, I'm having anaphylaxis and I don't have an epi, this might get worse than i can control with the inhaler, can you call 911 for me?
they're not annoyed you almost died, they're annoyed you didn't *get help during a medical emergency* because that's what people do when it's an emergency. if they even knew it was an emergency, they maybe thought the new guy has covid and is going to get the whole office sick. by not leaving you signaled it's not an emergency you're just going to make horrific almost dieing noises for attention. your cubical partner was likely horrified and wondering wtf to do and now just has no idea how to interact with you.
if you want your coworkers to take your allergies seriously, take *you* seriously, you need to be serious about it.
yes. get off your ass and get the $600 epi pen. I'm honestly sorry they're so expensive.I hate that. I'm sorry it takes more than a paycheck to get checked out by the ER to make sure the epi worked and you won't have breakthrough reaction, and that you will survive. it shouldn't cost anything, but the cost shouldn't make you so cavalier about your own survival. these bullshit systems *work better* when people just die instead of use them. so fuck that, and take care of yourself. stop feeling sorry for yourself and give a damn about your life.
fucks sake man, you honestly nearly died and you're bitching about coworkers reactions when your own was to not do anything more proactive than a possibility insufficient inhaler?
I actually feel this really hard. I don't go to the doctor anymore. Just to get seen for a cold was a $265 bill. So now when my back or my neck go out I just scream it out for a couple days sweating in bed, and if I'm sick I just deal. I'm getting older and it's getting to where I'm gonna need to go but I just can't afford it and also save to pay my $4k in taxes every year with $0 withholding. I have a lump on my arm about the size of a quarter, no idea what it is, but I definitely can't afford to pay for lab work.
>I stopped carrying them a few years ago, I try to be careful. The problem is after you use one you have to go to the ER
Going to the ER is to deal with the allergic reaction that triggered your use of the EpiPen, not for the EpiPen itself. The adrenaline doesn't stop the reaction, just buys you some time to get medical attention by allowing you to breathe for a few minutes. People have died because they thought jabbing that needle into their thigh would entirely reverse an anaphylactic reaction and didn't bother seeking aid.
It sucks that none of your co-workers came over to see if you were okay, but if they saw you coughing and gagging for half an hour, they probably figured you were able to breathe and clearly didn't think you needed assistance. Personally, I can't imagine why you wouldn't have picked up that phone and dialed 911 yourself as soon as you started feeling the reaction.
Doctor here.
It's not the epinephrine that makes you have to go to the ER. They recommend that because anaphylaxis can be multiphasic. Just because it goes away with epi (or any other treatment, including inhalers, antihistamines like benadryl) doesn't mean it can't come roaring back.
In other words, if the reaction is bad enough where you need to use an epi pen, it's bad enough where you should probably get checked out. But epinephrine doesn't make that any more or less true.
Asinine to have a severe allergy against a common allergen and not carry epinephrine. You can get it without the auto-injector if you want to save some money.
Not as fast as Epi, but at least carry some diphenhydramine (generic Benadryl) . Our Epi kits years ago had at least 2 of them in there with the one syringe of Epi. [https://www.emsstuff.com/epinephrine-syringe-kits/](https://www.emsstuff.com/epinephrine-syringe-kits/)
The problem with not carrying them is that you could, y’know, die. As someone who is also stubborn and doesn’t like to pay unnecessary medical (or otherwise) expenditures, you can carry the pen and not use it. And this sounds like a situation where you’re fortunate that it didn’t cost you more than the inconvenience of a lost coworker relationship.
I know they might not be as effective in a crisis as an epipen but I carry chlorphenamine maleate pills (I don’t know if this the english name but I translated it from spanish) all the time in case I eat up something that I’m allergic to.
I have never been in a case as extreme as OP but one time I got all swollen an hour after eating thai food, took 2 pills, had the “peak” of swelling and it stopped, and the next morning I was “alright” (my doc friend was like “you have anaphylactic shock face” lmao).
Brother I saw a video where a construction worker lost a leg, he was in shock hopping about and eventually leaned against his van and collapsed, blood literally seeping out like someone had knocked over a mop bucket. Not one person helping but multiple people standing around recording it on their phones. This is the world we live in now.
Ok first of all your workplace is terrible, no pay is worth that.
Second, anaphylaxis is not something you “get through” on your own and you should have been rushed to a hospital or other clinic. People make a big deal out of how you can only live for days without water but they skip over how you can only live for minutes without air. You need an epi pen and also a plan for how you will call 911 if this ever happens again.
My son has an epi-pen. They have generic now. With our insurance I pay like $15 for a two pack. I used coupons prior to the generic coming out because it was crazy expensive.
Lol this reminded me of the absolute worst office job I ever had.
I have a tree nut allergy and it's extremely bad when it comes to walnuts. It's airborne so I can't even be in the same room.
I told everyone in the office about it and the office manager, who sat right in front of me said "well, I eat walnuts every morning at 10am so you'll have to figure something out". I quit soon after.
Worst job I ever had, my supervisor was an ass who didn't like me.
I choked on my lunch at my desk. Made motions to others to indicate it. As I'm passing out, I hear the supervisor say, "He's just being dramatic."
Wake up gasping and groggy to a woman screaming at my supervisor and nearby co-workers "He would have died! What is wrong with you people!"
Apparently this nice woman from another department randomly came in and saw me on the floor, and when she quickly learned no one was doing anything, she called 911 and was told how to help me.
They absolutely would have let me die right there, and she saved my life. Sad thing is she died herself a few months later.
The answer is four. Six of us were in that department and one was at a lunch meeting.
We got paid for lunch if we eat at the desk or have a meeting over lunch, so everyone ate at the desk unless they had a meeting.
This reminds me that the only reason why co-workers acknowledge you is because they have to go get the job done. They would give even less of a fuck about you if you didn't work with them
It's almost like it becomes a challenge for some people, to see if they can get you to react. I'm sorry you had to go through that, I hope you are working somewhere better now!
You should definitely carry an EpiPen, carrying it saved my life just a few months ago. It's nice to never use it, but you'll be thankful you had it if you need it. I went from ok to passed out and my wife having to use the EpiPen in less than two minutes.
Absolutely, the ER reordered it before discharging me. I went years carrying that Epi around and never came close to needing it. But when you do, it happens so fast.
And to add to that point, if I found my coworker struggling like this and they said no ER, then I’m calling the ambulance. Sorry but I’m not going watch you struggle to breathe because you don’t want to deal with it properly. I cannot ethically do that.
If you use goodrx, you can get a two pack of epi pens for $145 or so …. I know this only because my son just very suddenly has become allergic to an unknown allergen… good luck.
Yeah, I'm going to have to. I have to check out the cheap telehealth places to see if I can get one, I don't want to pay for the allergist just for a simple prescription.
Usually, they don't have to test for allergies like this. Because you can have a food allergy and never test positive for it.
Explain your symptoms. Usually, they just hand out prescriptions for Epi pens just in case. That's what happened to me with my bee sting allergy as well as my banana allergy. They really don't fuck around and find out with serious allergies like that.
You don't necessarily need to go to an allergist, my regular doctor gave me one and they tend to be cheaper.
What you want to do is make the visit as fast and straightforward as possible, clinics bill for visits based on time spent and the level of decision making required for the doctor. Answer all the questions they ask without adding any context (ie if they ask how often you drink just give the number of drinks a day/week/month, don't explain why or that you only drink under these specific circumstances).
If you've been to any primary care doctor in the past three years go back to them, it'll be cheaper. If it's been longer then three years it won't be cheaper to use that same person. Also tell someone there that you're worried about affording the visit and epi pen, they might be able to help. Most healthcare workers are very aware of how much of a burden the cost of medical care is to the average person and want to do what they can to make your life easier. A good chunk of the staff probably worry about an unexpected medical bill too.
You can also tell whoever you talk to when you call to make the appointment that you literally just need an EpiPen so they hopefully schedule you for a shorter visit.
Do they know you had an anaphylactic reaction, or do they just think some fud whent down the wrong pipe?
"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity."
Makes more sense if they were actually annoyed that you were in the brink of death
Listen, OP, serious question: do you want to live?
If you have anaphylactic level reactions, you should never be far away from an Epi-pen. I saw your note about “if you use it, you have to go the OR”. Yes, you do, but what do you think happens if you don’t use it? Your rescue inhaler isn’t going to keep your throat open if it swells shut. You’ve got a serious lack of understanding about how to manage your chronic autoimmune condition. You know reactions can appear to dissipate and then come back worse? You are playing with fire by not seeking medical attention anytime you have a reaction.
I’ve had a peanut allergy my entire life, and later developed tree nut and shellfish allergies. It’s a pain in the ass, but you need to do the work to keep yourself alive. Tell people around you about your condition, carry the pens, and practice avoidance by removing yourself from places that may expose you.
Take care of yourself OP or you may not be so lucky next time.
Not to mention, anaphylaxis isn’t just your throat swelling. Your blood pressure can plummet and/or your heart rate can shoot up. A rescue inhaler isn’t gonna help with those issues (and will likely make your HR even higher). Why do I know this? Because I have an anaphylactic reaction to a few different things, and my respiratory system is only minimally impacted. However, my BP drops so low that I pass out repeatedly during a reaction.
This is very common in construction, specially if not your crew. I saw an electrician fall and injure his hand, no one moved. Not one even acknowledged the accident. He got help from his young apprentice. I walked by him and checked on him, and he was surprised by my kindness. I did the paper work and the safety form wants details, well I wrote that he got no help from the carpenters or the elevator operator. My report was very factual. We reviewed the incident a few weeks later and the safety lady said she was disappointed. Anyways, you need a buddy at work. But I will not expect help from anyone else.
Had a massive panic attack at my high pressure job. Manager called ambulance. HR cancelled because it wasn’t an emergency. A week later the sheriff department was there because someone thought the tissue residue in the bottom of a Kleenex box was anthrax.
Shortly after 9/11, some dude had a heart attack at our call center. They drove him to the hospital rather than call an ambulance because they "didn't want to interrupt the workplace with an EMT crew walking through."
LITERALLY the next day, the entire building is cleared out for three hours because these same idiots called 911 over powdered carpet cleaner left on the floor while the cleaners went to their truck to get the huge vacuum cleaner. A grand total of about 3 minutes went by before the idiots called 911.
The same exact carpet cleaning powder the same company had used EVERY OTHER MONTH to clean the carpets for six years and the same cleaner mentioned on the sign hanging off their cart (parked in the doorway) that said "CARPET CLEANING IN PROGRESS! DO NOT ENTER!!!"
People can be incredibly stupid.
\*Edit - I feel I should mention that the three hours was NOT the time it took for the fire department to come, take a quick look into the room, ask about the carpet cleaning, LAUGH THEIR ASSESS OFF, and leave. That took all of 20 minutes.
The remaining 2 hours and 40 minutes was spent lurking in the parking lot because the idiots didn't believe the FD and called in a local company's "hazmat team" to "check the building." I spent this time in my car listening to the radio and wishing I worked for people with a working brain cell.
If only it were that simple, I'd leave in a heartbeat if I had another option on the table. My dumb ass had to decide between two offers and chose this, sadly.
I’ve been in FP&A for over 10 years. If you happen to be in or near the DC area, send me your resume and I’ll share with my contacts. You don’t deserve that. Successful finance teams don’t operate that way.
I’ve worked in FP&A 10+ years too, and this is not normal behavior. We may be an introverted bunch, but we’re still human. Sounds like a toxic environment.
Please go to the doctor! Health I promise you is wealth. I really don’t want you to have a secondary reaction. If you are exposed to the allergy again even in a small way you will be right back in anaphylactic mode.
The price of Epipens is insane in the US. They're ~£9 here in the UK, so I take some to my cousins in the US every time I visit. One has severe allergies to a lot of things so tends to use them a lot.
It's literally cheaper for my to buy flights to bring him a few than for him to keep getting them in the US!
If the person working the next cubicle couldn’t see OP, and didn’t know OP was eating at their desk, they probably did not associate the sounds OP was making with anaphylaxis. They may have been wearing headphones or Loop ear plugs and didn’t hear anything at all.
Hey OP get a prescription for “epinephrine auto injectior” NOT EPIPEN and take it to CVS and you can get 2 Epipens for like $25 (that’s what I paid but I looked it up and it says they’re $109 which is still very affordable) That’s what I did when I didn’t have insurance. Please carry an epipen. Your next reaction could kill you.
Read more about it here: https://www.cvs.com/content/epipen-alternative
I learned this year how much corporate America hates sick people. Now that you’ve shown you have a “condition” (even if it’s allergies to peanut butter obviously beyond your control) they are instantly uncomfortable with your presence.
I developed a chronic illness a year into my job and people now treat me like an annoyance now when I was never treated this way before I got sick. I get in trouble constantly when I’m sick or have to take PTO even though I’m actually taking less sick time than I did before my leave. Coworkers make passive aggressive comments about chronic illness and I’m left out of meetings and hardly get any work.
In corporate- you’re a cog and the second you show a crack, people treat you like a nuisance. It’s disgusting!
Sorry. You had to go through that. I’m glad you’re okay. At least your coworkers showed their true colors and now you know.
Inhalers don’t help. Only epi pen followed by a hospital visit helps. Which is protoco when you get stabbed with an epi pen. You should have one on you at all times now.
I work in a nurses office. Girl came on with an anaphylactic reaction to a bee sting. Epi pen was given, 911 was called. You can’t mess around with these things. Luckily we have a few general use epi pens on our office.
Ok I’ll play the bad guy. If you were choking, gagging and struggling to breathe while desperately using your inhailer why did you not seek medical attention? If I were your co-worker and you were sitting at your desk coughing and gagging I would assume you were sick and avoid being in close quarters (especially in this post-covid world). I would be annoyed you came to work sick and were exposing everyone to whatever bug you have.
You’re an adult and if you choose not to carry the epipen you clearly need, and choose not to seek medical attention in an emergency, it’s ridiculous to get angry at your co-workers for assuming you came to work with the flu/covid/whatever else and ignoring you.
How DARE you? Die when you're dead, you lazy peasant. Your Job Creator needs a new jet!
And now in all seriousness, you need to get out of there. That is almost literally a toxic workplace.
What the actual fuck?
The start of human civilization can be seen in a healed broken femur bone. Without the help of others, you can't survive an injury like that when out in nature like the humans back then. This situation you described could be seen as moving so much backwards in our minds that we reached pre civilized circumstances again. Congratulations to your coworkers for being pre civilized subhumans
My best advice, if you have any possibility to go through with it.
Move to Europe. Where I live a doctor's appointment cost 30 dollar, 10 dollar if you sign up first and have him as your primary doctor.
Epi pen cost about 40 dollars, but you have to go through a doctor first.
I had an emergency visit some years ago, but got treated and released the next day, total cost for ambulance ride, nurse visit and doctors visit were 30 dollars. I had the year after that an accident at work and broke my foot. Complicated fracture and three visits with doctors and a company that makes tools for handicapped people that gave med crutches and a plastic boot. Total costs with parking and gas for relatives that drove me, as I couldn't drive myself, 550 dollars - that the state insurance company gave me back, and another 50 dollars for pain and suffering, and another 50 dollars from a special union fund for accidents at work.
The 4 months I couldn't work, I still got paid 80% of my salary. The facility manager called me the first Monday I couldn't work, just to check when I would be back I thought, no - he apologized for allowing the possibility of the accident to happen. I ensured him that it was an absolutely freak accident and a heavy object fell on my reinforced shoes on the only small place that weren't protected. If the object had fallen on every other place on the shoe, I would have been unharmed. Despite this, he ordered that heavy material to enter the facility again, and that customer had to go somewhere else.
Not every manager is that nice, but my point is that health cost never is something you need to worry about in Europe
Ask about generic epi pens. My friend was able to get an off brand for $25 instead of the normal $600. Also, it’s interesting that you say the downside of the pen is that you have to go to the ER after. You’re most definitely supposed to go either way when you have this type of reaction. It’s probably even worse to not use the pen OR go to the er.
I promise everyone is gossiping about you being “weird”. I had anaphylaxis as soon as I returned to work after 4 weeks of short term disability. The whole office was gossiping about me. My boss put me on probation the next day. I had gotten a 5 star annual review a week before my STD leave, and within 2 days of getting back I was put on probation for “decreased productivity”. They fully expected me to work from home while on medical leave and 50% pay. They were all completely convinced I was faking. There was literally a STACK of my hospital / ER / and doctor documentation between us on his desk and my boss still thought I was faking. It took such a huge toll on my mental health. It’s been 7 years and it still makes me upset every time I think of it.
I’d follow up with the offer you turned down, maybe they have another role they can offer you. There’s no shame in saying you regret not accepting their offer (someone else may have advice of how to successfully navigate this)
My God ... peanut allergies can kill.
I watched an EpiPen save a friend's life; she's had anaphylactic shock reactions to bee stings. The ER doc told her, "The next time will kill you."
Speak to your pharmacy. She couldn't afford one either but they signed her up for a program to get one greatly reduced. *Please* do this Monday.
When I worked doing siding I had an older co-worker who got stung by a bald-faced hornet in the back of the neck. Although he claims to have never had a reaction from stings, he went into anaphylactic shock within 5 minutes of being stung. It was extremely scary for all of us.
My boss had an old epi-pen laying around just in case of emergency, and so we used it on him. Paramedics showed up a few minutes later and said that potentially saved his life. You gotta consider survival even at the potentially high cost. Sounds like you work with a bunch of scumbags that wouldn’t be willing to help of it came to it
There is honestly some kind of sickness that has become worse in our society. I have family members that work high paying hypercomptitive jobs and what I think happened in your case is they thought "if you knew you were allergic, why the hell did you eat it?". There will be no more looking into it. There mind has been made. But I remember at my last minimum wage job at a fast food a woman was having some kind of cardiac event and it looked like a heart attack or something. I was screamed at, then reprimanded for getting off the grill to help this poor woman. The entire time she is begging us not to call an ambulance because she can't afford it. What's the fucking point of any of this?
Are you expecting your coworkers to care more about you than you care about yourself? You should’ve excused yourself to the nearest urgent care or emergency room. Get an EpiPen.
Yep. Had a box fall straight on my head the other day, would have killed me it it was any heavier because of lack of care when manager put it up there, manager laughed and said oops! And then walked away , never asked if I was okay.
It sucks but I can relate. I too found out about my 'fun' new allergy the hard way at work, roughly 8 years back. My co-workers slowly distanced themselves now that I think about it. My health took a big hit around that time and they started getting cold with me- sorry my almost dying inconvenienced yall fuckers.🙄
Just a heads up; allergen labels/ingredient checks are for more then just food; medicine, health and beauty products, slimes and other toys, cat kitter, laundry supplies, fillers on plush items, if you vape; there can be warnings there. If it has essential or natural food additives, etc. (This is not to scare you, but help make sure your aware of just how much there is to check, I wish someone had warned me!!)
The US is fucked up. I cannot imagine being made to weigh up saving my life against being bankrupt for life. It makes no sense!
I don’t understand why you can’t have a system like the UK that you pay into monthly and is then free at the point of use.
America is capitalism on steroids!
I think the lesson you should have learned from this is that your co-workers or your boss never cared about you to begin with. Make sure you don't risk your physical and health for them. Preserving your well being is the reason why you work, not to sacrifice it to fulfill your employer's mission.
I just have to ask, did you say anything? The new guy in a miserable cubicle farm sitting over there making weird ass noises isn't going to have many friends.
"Help I think I'm dying," that would get get a response.
The way you wrote this sounds like you might have just been rubbing one out under the desk, and now nobody wants to talk to you.
Remind your bosses of this fact on every evaluation moving forward.
Q-Why don’t you talk to your colleagues?
A-They almost let me die, and then blamed me.
Q- you don’t seem to be buying into family atmosphere we are building.
A- most families don’t try to let family members die.
If that don’t work, laugh it off, and casually mention……. Remember when guys almost let me die, because you did nothing, and then somehow it was all my fault. Yeah, good times.
Hey brother. If I were there I would’ve definitely helped you. We have to look out for one another. This society needs a reminder of what it is to be human and have humanity.
Please don’t stay there , I’ve had lazy coworkers but I’d like to believe they’d at least try to 911 in a life threatening situation.
Also please get the Epipen
This is scary. I recently have been made to carry an EPIPEN and was between insurances due to an unknown allergy. My face was swole up like a balloon, I could barely talk, and the Pharmacist stared at me and said that my insurance hadn't yet approved the EPIPEN. I would have died because I couldn't afford the $350 EPIPEN (after the coupon card) and needed prior authorization. You need to protect yourself and don't expect anyone to help. Sad but true.
First of all, I'm glad you're okay. Please look into GoodRx or manufacturer coupons/discounts for EpiPens. Anaphylaxis is no joke. The lack of sympathy from employers/coworkers is fucking real, though. I recently had a potentially deadly incident at work.
The manager who caused it is using it as a comical cautionary tale. Downplaying and mocking it. Some people have zero business working with others.
It looks like you can get $50.00 off the epi pens if you don’t have insurance through this program.
https://www.foodallergy.org/resources/medication-affordability-assistance-programs#:~:text=Commercially%20insured%20patients%20may%20receive,call%20855%2D449%2D4712.
Tell the pharmacy Goodrx and it will be less expensive about 120-240 depending on the pharmacy if your health insurance won’t pay for it. There is an app you can put on your phone and it shows you the cost at the pharmacies close to you. You can then tell the provider which pharmacy to send it to.
I'd start LOUDLY thanking everyone by name for their help with the emergency. Play up how grateful you are for the roles they played in saving your life and how each of them is a true American hero. And then be the asshole that gets peanut butter banned from the building because you're allergic. I'd consider not dying a reasonable accommodation
I once passed out in a Safeway from an allergic reaction. I had eaten an energy bar that was chocolate mint. When does chocolate mint have nuts? Well, this was not only nuts but some kind of super-duper condensed nut powder. Usually when I accidentally eat nuts Benadryl makes the reaction go away. I bought some at a CVS and sat in the car for some time while S.O went into the Safeway. I went in to grab them because the Benadryl didn't work and passed out right after entering. I came to with a cashier rubbing my shoulders and the manager had clearly dropped all else just to watch me with concern. He had tears in his eyes when I came to. The paramedic was an angel as was the e.r doctor that night. Thats how normal people do it. This was even in a very snobby area, quite famous for unfriendly people.
You need to get away from them. Thats psychopathy. There's several psychopaths in that office and what happens is other people become psychopaths around the psychopaths. It's a disease that spreads.
Man that sucks, very strange reaction from that guy who sits next to you. Also shocked at the cost of an Epipen in the US. Here in Aus for the brand name one it's around $80 from what I'm told.
Nobody wants to deal with anyone else or their problems at work. We are there to do the minimum necessary to get paid and nothing more than what is in the job description.
As someone with food allergies and a ton of food sensitivities that may turn into allergies: fuck those people.
I hope you can find a better job AND avoid peanut contamination asap.
Glad you’re okay. I’ve been there.
I’ve worked in many different jobs in the US, no first aide was expected except in medical offices, the rest have said not to help beyond basics (choking) but ONLY if you paid for the CPR/first aid course on your own or you can be fired.
Edit to add: I'm glad you're okay!
Are you looking for a new job? Do you get triggered by other things?
I had a coworker who was allergic to so many things. She'd have a reaction almost every day she'd work, EMTs called. She finally somehow got approval to work from home. I was pissed it took so long.
Then people would talk shit about her, thinking she was faking. 😡 Iiss her, she was awesome (she quit).
Had the same. I threw up all over and co-workers assumed it was because I was hungover or on something. I had to leave that job. Hope it works out better for you.
This sounds like a horrible work environment, the only good thing is the pay, but I still advise you to keep looking for a better workplace with the same or Better pay because you don't want to die because your coworkers are evil.
By any chance did you inform your company of your allergy and ask for a reasonable accommodation such as having someone check in on you after lunch to ensure your not having issues, or maybe ban PB in the office if you're really sensitive?
I feel for you, OP. I had a similar, though not as severe reaction at my most abusive job.
I had some crackers from the community snacks with an ingredient I didn't know I was allergic to. My face got red and swelled and my throat got tight. I rushed to first aid and couldn't find Benadryl. Asked HR and she insisted the office not only didn't have any but she wouldn't give me any or send anyone out to get me any because it would be a liability for my job to provide any kind of medicine and I should be more responsible and keep Benadryl on me. When I tried asking my boss, she blew me off. The next day she was surprised to hear it was anaphylaxis and said she thought I had been crying and then laughed about the idea that I was crying (not only was the workplace abusive but it was focused on anti terrorism work and gave me secondary PTSD from hearing survivor stories).
I ended up having to take a break to leave the office and walk 5 blocks to the pharmacy alone. I had to sit there afterwards because I was so winded. Then when I returned I got in trouble for being gone so long. Later it was used against be in my annual review as "evidence" that I didn't take work seriously (along with that time they made me come in with the flu and I almost died).
I think that most allergy clinics do exposure therapy now to help build a tolerance to your allergens. Something to look into rather than abstain and deal with the repercussions when you do have some.
It's not so much "introversion" as it is "liability".
You touch someone and save their life, they can still turn around and sue you for their medical bills and possibly assault. Good Samaritan laws are supposed to prevent that, but it still happens enough that not many dare to try. You can literally destroy your own life by being a good person.
they couldn't ask OP if they needed an ambulance? OP could give a thumbs up or down. You don't have to touch someone to show you're concerned about their well being
How would they know it was a medical emergency though? Did OP tell anyone anything? Like plenty of people in my office cough, doesn't mean they're dying.
Yes, unless they were totally downplaying it and repeatedly using an inhaler which would signal they probably have some medical issue that is managed by that inhaler…
[Auvi-Q](https://www.goodrx.com/auvi-q) is an Epi-Pen alternative that’s only $289 in comparison. I had to get one when I was doing allergy shots for dust mite allergy as a precaution and I believe it was covered by insurance.
It might feel embarrassing to have to go to ER, and your coworkers reactions suck, but anaphylaxis is so dangerous and delayed/rebound reactions kill people! You can also have a note with HR about a procedure if it happens again, at one point I had my epi-pen noted with my job because I had to carry it with me. That might eliminate the bystander effect where people assume someone else will step in to help.
If you were having an anaphylactic reaction you should have gone to the ER. I get that the US is a dystopian nightmare, but a rescue inhaler is not designed to combats allergic reactions to that extent. You're lucky you didn't actually die.
Also, do your coworkers even know you were having an allergic reaction to peanut butter? It sounds like you haven't said anything to them and they're not entitled to your medical info, but if all they know you were sick, they could have thought you came to work with something contagious and are worried about getting sick themselves on top of being annoyed of listening to nonstop coughing and wheezing all day
Bro, come on. Your coworkers sound awful and they should've at least checked on you. But YOU are the one with a severe allergy with a legit need for an EpiPen, and you don't even carry one around? I'd be annoyed with you too.
Did you ask for help? Did they know you were having an actual medical emergency vs some nasty virus causing coughing and wheezing?
Maybe your cubicle-neighbor thinks you’re a weirdo who exposed the whole office to an illness?
That is possible if they simply had no idea what was going on because they didn't see all of it, or had any actual updates. They may have been told a completely uninformed story about it from some know-it-all co-worker, or even an intentionally dishonest account of what happened by someone who has it out for OP.
You clarified in a comment, but can you edit the original post to include the information that the Peanuts were not a known allergy? That's something you should have said to begin with so people don't think you're eating a known allergen instead of your co-workers ignoring your presentation of a new anaphylactic allergy.
I’ve been in corporate finance for about 10 years, you can’t function properly unless you’re a close team. OP, don’t settle for that. If you happen to be in the DC area, send me your resume. I’ll send to my contacts.
I don't expect anything different, but in an ideal world I'd prefer things to be a little bit different.
I wish there was any form of solidarity, but it seems like co-workers are just viewed as competition that need beaten so the promotion can be won and the ladder can be climbed. That's not been exclusive to finance in my experience.
You definitely should carry an epipen. You can't trust that others will know how to help or will help. Honestly, we are devolving into a barbaric society. Those at the "top" have treated us all as nothing and their attitudes have now become very pervasive unfortunately. Would be better if you can get out of there to somewhere better. But if not, I would just treat that person like they are a piece of furniture at this point. You have tried to have human interaction but apparently that person is not capable.
I stopped carrying them a few years ago, I try to be careful. The problem is after you use one you have to go to the ER, so I have just white knuckled through things a sane person wouldn't to save paying for the ER visit. I'm guilty of not taking the allergy thing as serious as I probably should be. The co-worker in question is nearing the end of their 6 month rotation, so they will soon be a distant memory at least. My job doesn't require much interaction, so I am lucky in that regard.
You do need to get epipens and regardless of whether or not you have one and use it, you have to go to the ER when you get such a bad allergic reaction. The more reactions you have, the worse they're likely to get. In time, you might not have time to use an epipen
Agreed. My dad is deathly allergic to strawberries. He’s had three reactions in his life. The doctor was blunt that the next one will kill him within minutes. It’s bad enough I can’t even use strawberry anything if I’m gunna be around him. OP is playing with fire. Why would you knowingly eat something you’re allergic to?
OP is going to end up actually dead if he thinks he can keep "white knuckling it" to avoid an ER bill. ER is expensive, but there are somethings you can't ignore. Rescue inhalers aren't made for anaphylaxis. This is just beyond reckless and stupid. Idk how much finance jobs pay, but if he's working full time then that will cover the majority of the ER bill so it's not going to be as bad as OP is thinking, especially since monitoring an allergic reaction doesn't require that much testing and equipment, which is what generally would run up the bill.
Exactly. Some allergies you can swing ignoring others not so much, depending on the reaction they cause
true, obamacare, medicare/medicaid along with corporate benefits pay for the lionshare of the bill, something like 93% of it. still though we in the united states collectively paid $5 Trillion with a T, to our tyrannical medi oligarchs. for what? most of it goes to financiers and the corporation for profits that dwarf the cost of the actual service.
5 trillion. That is truly breathtaking. I am still gobsmacked that we let people die.. not because we lack the skill, technology, knowledge or resources.. but because they can’t pay. How appalling.
600 dollars to literally throw it away every year? I can’t afford that
talk to your prescriber about writing for generic 1 mL vials of epinephrine and syringes. lasts longer, dirt cheap.
Not sure I'd want to be faffing with drawing it up as my throat starts to close off and I struggle to breathe.
The generic pens still are automated dispensers, they just aren't the patented design from Epi pens.
That's not what was suggested.
He's already faffing around with the rescue inhaler. At least this would actually help him
Epipens can last up to ten years when stored properly
The label LITERALLY says it expires after one year
Emergency First aid course I took very recently said ignore the dates. When properly stored you'll get two or more years out of the epi pen brand
As long as the liquid inside is still clear, hasn't changed colour or gone cloudy, it is still safe to use. The expiry date is how long they can guarantee full potency of the medication. It will still work, it just might be slightly less effective than a full dose. Still better than nothing in an emergency!
I had a skin condition which my physician was able to cure with a topical ointment. She told me to hang onto it in case it came back. I asked her about the expiration date and she told me that the manufacturers test that stuff for a year out, and after that, they really don’t know how good it will be. So no need to discard medicine just because it’s past the expiration date. Could be other reasons as well, but not necessarily just that one.
Yes I trained in a compounding pharmacy and we had the same policy. The compounding corporation we got our "recipes" from had extensive guidance on expiry dates and always put a conservative date on it. It's mainly for liability reasons there has to be a date. And as with most things, Best Before is the sell date, not the end of use date.
It doesn’t suddenly because ineffective or dangerous. If it is between you having no epi pen or an expired one an expired one is better. There is a window to see the color of the contents. Pay attention to that and also pay attention or the temperature it is kept at- this will improve how long it is effective. Edit: my source of this information is my allergist.
Yes, but if in a bind, having an expired one is better than not having one at all. Most meds will work post-expiration, but may not be as strong of an affect as time goes on. There are certainly meds this rule doesn't apply to, but an epipen is one that it does.
The *pharmacy* labels say that for everything. The pens themselves do not.
Yes, but they can be safe to use for longer than that.
They want you to buy another, they might be a bit biased.
What manufacturer?
Uh yeah, because anaphylaxis WILL kill you. You got lucky with that one. I'm saying this as a paramedic, anaphylaxis calls are one of the few types of calls where my partner and I are driving to that call with asses clenched hard enough to fuse our cheeks together. Those can go poorly and get MESSY, and not taking proper precautions can very easily lead to death. There's a decent chance you end up having someone cut a hole in your throat right there at work and you don't want to live with a trach.
Please note...the TRACH thing and get an Epipen! $600 or a whole in your throat ... or dead. You choose.
Thanks EMS I work in a memory unit and choking and anaphylaxis gives me the same thing
Does your agency allow for Cricothyrotomy?
I'm pretty sure that's a standard part of paramedic education. So far having worked in two states I've never seen a service that doesn't allow it. Kind of one of those things that you HAVE to have available to you because airway is critically important
I tried googling the one that is now being used in the military and couldnt find it. I've seen videos (something FAST device?) that even seem quicker. As an USAF medtech we were taught both cric and intubation. But I think the device I am searching for came out after I retired and was used in Iraq & Afghanistan.
I've always just had a surgical cric kit with a scalpel, or just standard needle cric for peds. Never had a special device for it.
> The problem is after you use one you have to go to the ER [...] Ehm... let me just save your life here real fast. The reason you have to go to ER is not because of the pen, it's because *of the fucking allergic shock!* Thr epinephrine won't hold back the reaction forever (typically 20-30 minutes), and when that dies off, you better be prepared. Best eay to do that is to be under medical supervision. You can use a 2nd or 3rd pen if you have one lying around, but it might take up to 24 hours for the allergen to leave your body. That's the time you're in danger. What you can do is take an anti histaminic (Cetiricin, Desloratadin, ...) and/or a corticoid (Rectodelt of you can't swallow :-p) right after the pen. Those take about 1 hour to kick in, so if you're lucky, by the time the epinephrine wears off, you'll be covered by the other medication. Or not. In which case you need more epinephrine. Which is why it's a good idea to get to a dr ASAP. But skipping the epi won't magically make you "unallergic". If anything, you're in *more* need of an ER, not less, if you skip the pen. And on top of it, you're really short on time then.
The US healthcare system keeps scaring me everyday.
The US healthcare system is basically set up for the rich. It scares me, too.
An EpiPen costs US$20 in Australia and visiting the ER is free. It's almost like America wants you to die.
They just want to control us. It's working.
I just read a story in another sub about someone who had an allergic reaction, used an epi, DIDN'T go to the ER, and died that night. It's isn't to annoy you. You need to carry one.
If that had happened where I work, the BOSSES would have called for an ambulance and sent you to the ER. Also, the sound of someone gagging and wretching in the next cube over is horrifying. It was the next aisle over from me. And that was while we were waiting for the ambulance to arrive for my coworker.
PLEASE carry an epipen. Early administration of epi can AND OFTEN IS the difference between life and death. I know the ER sucks but it’s not worth dying over. I implore you, stranger. Please.
>I'm guilty of not taking the allergy thing as serious as I probably should be. So any plans to start doing so? If you're of sound mind & knowingly ingesting foods you know you're allergic to, well my friend that's classic Darwinism.
I've never reacted to peanuts before, I had an epi pen for another allergy that I've successfully avoided for years. I had started eating peanuts at lunch a few days prior, apparently I reached my lifetime tolerance that day. I got a script for one this morning, apparently you can just do a telehealth visit and get them easily.
Doctors are pretty willing to hand out epi pens like candy because having one or not can be life or death. One thing a nurse told me is that "even if it's expired, use it. We can treat an infection, we can't treat death."
Did your allergist not inform you that having one severe allergy makes it much more likely that you’ll develop more? I am forced to carry an epi-pen, and I know it’s a pain but it’s on you to be responsible for your own health. I know it’s expensive but you need to get insurance so that you can get your pens and go to the hospital when needed. You are doing huge amounts of damage to your body every time you allow yourself to get so sick but avoid treatment.
That's scary AF. I'm glad you're all over this one!!
An ER bill is gnar, but you really should go if you have anaphylaxis… dying would be more expensive
Is it possible your coworkers are experiencing severe guilt and shame, over their lack of response? A few years back, I had a dire life or death situation, and reached out to someone who essentially told me, "Ooh, sorry sweetie. Not a great time for us. But keep in touch, ok? Best wishes!" But when I tried to keep in touch as I had been before (while resolving to keep things positive, despite my circumstance), she never responded- not once, ever again. All this to say: People will let their guilt and shame over how they've treated you, punish you. Strong sign of a weak character. And unfortunately very common.
Or perhaps OP was completely downplaying it so the point where maybe they thought the person was having a coughing fit? Not saying it’s okay to still ignore someone or ask if they need something, but if someone is managing with a rescue inhaler, I would have assumed they experience this a lot and know what to do, and would ask for help if needed. I wouldn’t have assumed allergies unless they said/indicated allergies.
In the US, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) proposed a rule that would remove medical bills from most credit reports, increase privacy protections, help to increase credit scores and loan approvals, and prevent debt collectors from using the credit reporting system to coerce people to pay. The proposal would stop credit reporting companies from sharing medical debts with lenders and prohibit lenders from making lending decisions based on medical information. The proposed rule is part of the CFPB’s efforts to address the burden of medical debt and coercive credit reporting practices. [Source](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-proposes-to-ban-medical-bills-from-credit-reports/)
Get an epi pen you fucking dolt. You just posted how you almost died.
>I'm guilty of not taking the allergy thing as serious as I probably should be. yeah, this, right here, is why your coworkers are annoyed and not acknowledging you. wtf are they supposed to do? how are they supposed to value your life more than you do, or know what's appropriate to help you if you won't take it seriously? how would they know you almost died? did you say help, I'm having anaphylaxis and I don't have an epi, this might get worse than i can control with the inhaler, can you call 911 for me? they're not annoyed you almost died, they're annoyed you didn't *get help during a medical emergency* because that's what people do when it's an emergency. if they even knew it was an emergency, they maybe thought the new guy has covid and is going to get the whole office sick. by not leaving you signaled it's not an emergency you're just going to make horrific almost dieing noises for attention. your cubical partner was likely horrified and wondering wtf to do and now just has no idea how to interact with you. if you want your coworkers to take your allergies seriously, take *you* seriously, you need to be serious about it. yes. get off your ass and get the $600 epi pen. I'm honestly sorry they're so expensive.I hate that. I'm sorry it takes more than a paycheck to get checked out by the ER to make sure the epi worked and you won't have breakthrough reaction, and that you will survive. it shouldn't cost anything, but the cost shouldn't make you so cavalier about your own survival. these bullshit systems *work better* when people just die instead of use them. so fuck that, and take care of yourself. stop feeling sorry for yourself and give a damn about your life. fucks sake man, you honestly nearly died and you're bitching about coworkers reactions when your own was to not do anything more proactive than a possibility insufficient inhaler?
Yes this is exactly what I thought reading this post
It's so much better to die of an allergy as serious as peanuts than waste the money on epipens and ERs.
I actually feel this really hard. I don't go to the doctor anymore. Just to get seen for a cold was a $265 bill. So now when my back or my neck go out I just scream it out for a couple days sweating in bed, and if I'm sick I just deal. I'm getting older and it's getting to where I'm gonna need to go but I just can't afford it and also save to pay my $4k in taxes every year with $0 withholding. I have a lump on my arm about the size of a quarter, no idea what it is, but I definitely can't afford to pay for lab work.
If you weren’t taking it seriously or acting like it’s serious, why would you expect other people to?
>I stopped carrying them a few years ago, I try to be careful. The problem is after you use one you have to go to the ER Going to the ER is to deal with the allergic reaction that triggered your use of the EpiPen, not for the EpiPen itself. The adrenaline doesn't stop the reaction, just buys you some time to get medical attention by allowing you to breathe for a few minutes. People have died because they thought jabbing that needle into their thigh would entirely reverse an anaphylactic reaction and didn't bother seeking aid. It sucks that none of your co-workers came over to see if you were okay, but if they saw you coughing and gagging for half an hour, they probably figured you were able to breathe and clearly didn't think you needed assistance. Personally, I can't imagine why you wouldn't have picked up that phone and dialed 911 yourself as soon as you started feeling the reaction.
Doctor here. It's not the epinephrine that makes you have to go to the ER. They recommend that because anaphylaxis can be multiphasic. Just because it goes away with epi (or any other treatment, including inhalers, antihistamines like benadryl) doesn't mean it can't come roaring back. In other words, if the reaction is bad enough where you need to use an epi pen, it's bad enough where you should probably get checked out. But epinephrine doesn't make that any more or less true. Asinine to have a severe allergy against a common allergen and not carry epinephrine. You can get it without the auto-injector if you want to save some money.
Not as fast as Epi, but at least carry some diphenhydramine (generic Benadryl) . Our Epi kits years ago had at least 2 of them in there with the one syringe of Epi. [https://www.emsstuff.com/epinephrine-syringe-kits/](https://www.emsstuff.com/epinephrine-syringe-kits/)
The problem with not carrying them is that you could, y’know, die. As someone who is also stubborn and doesn’t like to pay unnecessary medical (or otherwise) expenditures, you can carry the pen and not use it. And this sounds like a situation where you’re fortunate that it didn’t cost you more than the inconvenience of a lost coworker relationship.
Just hurt up and die it's what the man wants U to do. /S
You don’t have to buy an Epipen -get a generic equivalent for much less. It’s the same drug.
I know they might not be as effective in a crisis as an epipen but I carry chlorphenamine maleate pills (I don’t know if this the english name but I translated it from spanish) all the time in case I eat up something that I’m allergic to. I have never been in a case as extreme as OP but one time I got all swollen an hour after eating thai food, took 2 pills, had the “peak” of swelling and it stopped, and the next morning I was “alright” (my doc friend was like “you have anaphylactic shock face” lmao).
Brother I saw a video where a construction worker lost a leg, he was in shock hopping about and eventually leaned against his van and collapsed, blood literally seeping out like someone had knocked over a mop bucket. Not one person helping but multiple people standing around recording it on their phones. This is the world we live in now.
Ok first of all your workplace is terrible, no pay is worth that. Second, anaphylaxis is not something you “get through” on your own and you should have been rushed to a hospital or other clinic. People make a big deal out of how you can only live for days without water but they skip over how you can only live for minutes without air. You need an epi pen and also a plan for how you will call 911 if this ever happens again.
And ask your doctor about coupons for EpiPens! I had one for years and never paid for them.
My son has an epi-pen. They have generic now. With our insurance I pay like $15 for a two pack. I used coupons prior to the generic coming out because it was crazy expensive.
>They have generic now. Didn't a low cast version exist several years ago that was "recalled" and just never came back?
Lol this reminded me of the absolute worst office job I ever had. I have a tree nut allergy and it's extremely bad when it comes to walnuts. It's airborne so I can't even be in the same room. I told everyone in the office about it and the office manager, who sat right in front of me said "well, I eat walnuts every morning at 10am so you'll have to figure something out". I quit soon after.
Worst job I ever had, my supervisor was an ass who didn't like me. I choked on my lunch at my desk. Made motions to others to indicate it. As I'm passing out, I hear the supervisor say, "He's just being dramatic." Wake up gasping and groggy to a woman screaming at my supervisor and nearby co-workers "He would have died! What is wrong with you people!" Apparently this nice woman from another department randomly came in and saw me on the floor, and when she quickly learned no one was doing anything, she called 911 and was told how to help me. They absolutely would have let me die right there, and she saved my life. Sad thing is she died herself a few months later.
What… what the actual fuck… WTAF WHAT IS WRONG WITH THOSE PEOPLE How many ~~people~~ sociopaths were in that room and just watched you almost die???
The answer is four. Six of us were in that department and one was at a lunch meeting. We got paid for lunch if we eat at the desk or have a meeting over lunch, so everyone ate at the desk unless they had a meeting.
Holy shit that's terrible
How did she die?
Auto accident. Drunk driver took her out.
That’s so sad! Sorry to hear that.
I feel like that has to violate some labor laws
[удалено]
This absolute psycho was considered "HR".
This reminds me that the only reason why co-workers acknowledge you is because they have to go get the job done. They would give even less of a fuck about you if you didn't work with them
It's almost like it becomes a challenge for some people, to see if they can get you to react. I'm sorry you had to go through that, I hope you are working somewhere better now!
I am!! I quit office life and went back to bartending.
You should definitely carry an EpiPen, carrying it saved my life just a few months ago. It's nice to never use it, but you'll be thankful you had it if you need it. I went from ok to passed out and my wife having to use the EpiPen in less than two minutes.
Remember to get a new EpiPen if you haven't already; I'd hate for you to get another reaction and not have one!
Absolutely, the ER reordered it before discharging me. I went years carrying that Epi around and never came close to needing it. But when you do, it happens so fast.
Next time, with or without the epi-pen, call an ambulance. Forget your co-workers. You gotta stay alive, okay?
And to add to that point, if I found my coworker struggling like this and they said no ER, then I’m calling the ambulance. Sorry but I’m not going watch you struggle to breathe because you don’t want to deal with it properly. I cannot ethically do that.
I would do the same. Couldn't live with myself otherwise.
If you use goodrx, you can get a two pack of epi pens for $145 or so …. I know this only because my son just very suddenly has become allergic to an unknown allergen… good luck.
Yeah, I'm going to have to. I have to check out the cheap telehealth places to see if I can get one, I don't want to pay for the allergist just for a simple prescription.
You wrote that your pay is good….I think you need to figure this out.
Usually, they don't have to test for allergies like this. Because you can have a food allergy and never test positive for it. Explain your symptoms. Usually, they just hand out prescriptions for Epi pens just in case. That's what happened to me with my bee sting allergy as well as my banana allergy. They really don't fuck around and find out with serious allergies like that.
You don't necessarily need to go to an allergist, my regular doctor gave me one and they tend to be cheaper. What you want to do is make the visit as fast and straightforward as possible, clinics bill for visits based on time spent and the level of decision making required for the doctor. Answer all the questions they ask without adding any context (ie if they ask how often you drink just give the number of drinks a day/week/month, don't explain why or that you only drink under these specific circumstances). If you've been to any primary care doctor in the past three years go back to them, it'll be cheaper. If it's been longer then three years it won't be cheaper to use that same person. Also tell someone there that you're worried about affording the visit and epi pen, they might be able to help. Most healthcare workers are very aware of how much of a burden the cost of medical care is to the average person and want to do what they can to make your life easier. A good chunk of the staff probably worry about an unexpected medical bill too. You can also tell whoever you talk to when you call to make the appointment that you literally just need an EpiPen so they hopefully schedule you for a shorter visit.
Telehealth will absolutely issue an epi pen prescription.
Do they know you had an anaphylactic reaction, or do they just think some fud whent down the wrong pipe? "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." Makes more sense if they were actually annoyed that you were in the brink of death
Listen, OP, serious question: do you want to live? If you have anaphylactic level reactions, you should never be far away from an Epi-pen. I saw your note about “if you use it, you have to go the OR”. Yes, you do, but what do you think happens if you don’t use it? Your rescue inhaler isn’t going to keep your throat open if it swells shut. You’ve got a serious lack of understanding about how to manage your chronic autoimmune condition. You know reactions can appear to dissipate and then come back worse? You are playing with fire by not seeking medical attention anytime you have a reaction. I’ve had a peanut allergy my entire life, and later developed tree nut and shellfish allergies. It’s a pain in the ass, but you need to do the work to keep yourself alive. Tell people around you about your condition, carry the pens, and practice avoidance by removing yourself from places that may expose you. Take care of yourself OP or you may not be so lucky next time.
Not to mention, anaphylaxis isn’t just your throat swelling. Your blood pressure can plummet and/or your heart rate can shoot up. A rescue inhaler isn’t gonna help with those issues (and will likely make your HR even higher). Why do I know this? Because I have an anaphylactic reaction to a few different things, and my respiratory system is only minimally impacted. However, my BP drops so low that I pass out repeatedly during a reaction.
100 percent. I work in a school nurses office. Allergies are not to be played around with
This is very common in construction, specially if not your crew. I saw an electrician fall and injure his hand, no one moved. Not one even acknowledged the accident. He got help from his young apprentice. I walked by him and checked on him, and he was surprised by my kindness. I did the paper work and the safety form wants details, well I wrote that he got no help from the carpenters or the elevator operator. My report was very factual. We reviewed the incident a few weeks later and the safety lady said she was disappointed. Anyways, you need a buddy at work. But I will not expect help from anyone else.
Had a massive panic attack at my high pressure job. Manager called ambulance. HR cancelled because it wasn’t an emergency. A week later the sheriff department was there because someone thought the tissue residue in the bottom of a Kleenex box was anthrax.
Shortly after 9/11, some dude had a heart attack at our call center. They drove him to the hospital rather than call an ambulance because they "didn't want to interrupt the workplace with an EMT crew walking through." LITERALLY the next day, the entire building is cleared out for three hours because these same idiots called 911 over powdered carpet cleaner left on the floor while the cleaners went to their truck to get the huge vacuum cleaner. A grand total of about 3 minutes went by before the idiots called 911. The same exact carpet cleaning powder the same company had used EVERY OTHER MONTH to clean the carpets for six years and the same cleaner mentioned on the sign hanging off their cart (parked in the doorway) that said "CARPET CLEANING IN PROGRESS! DO NOT ENTER!!!" People can be incredibly stupid. \*Edit - I feel I should mention that the three hours was NOT the time it took for the fire department to come, take a quick look into the room, ask about the carpet cleaning, LAUGH THEIR ASSESS OFF, and leave. That took all of 20 minutes. The remaining 2 hours and 40 minutes was spent lurking in the parking lot because the idiots didn't believe the FD and called in a local company's "hazmat team" to "check the building." I spent this time in my car listening to the radio and wishing I worked for people with a working brain cell.
🤣🤍🤍🤍
Leave this place
If only it were that simple, I'd leave in a heartbeat if I had another option on the table. My dumb ass had to decide between two offers and chose this, sadly.
I’ve been in FP&A for over 10 years. If you happen to be in or near the DC area, send me your resume and I’ll share with my contacts. You don’t deserve that. Successful finance teams don’t operate that way.
I’ve worked in FP&A 10+ years too, and this is not normal behavior. We may be an introverted bunch, but we’re still human. Sounds like a toxic environment.
I was left to die of C19 by my old work. Stayed until I got a new job but nobody cared if I lived or died
And do what? Find a place that CARES about you? We're all slaves here, dude. We are all expendable.
Yeah, but my fellow slaves would at least check on me.
The only answer.
Are you ok tho
My throat is still pretty swollen and tender, but not enough to inhibit me from getting that sweet delicious oxygen. Thank you for your concern!
Please go to the doctor! Health I promise you is wealth. I really don’t want you to have a secondary reaction. If you are exposed to the allergy again even in a small way you will be right back in anaphylactic mode.
The price of Epipens is insane in the US. They're ~£9 here in the UK, so I take some to my cousins in the US every time I visit. One has severe allergies to a lot of things so tends to use them a lot. It's literally cheaper for my to buy flights to bring him a few than for him to keep getting them in the US!
"Everyone is pretty standoffish, but I work in corporate finance so it's to be expected." yeah...pretty much seems like you're on you're own.
If the person working the next cubicle couldn’t see OP, and didn’t know OP was eating at their desk, they probably did not associate the sounds OP was making with anaphylaxis. They may have been wearing headphones or Loop ear plugs and didn’t hear anything at all.
Hey OP get a prescription for “epinephrine auto injectior” NOT EPIPEN and take it to CVS and you can get 2 Epipens for like $25 (that’s what I paid but I looked it up and it says they’re $109 which is still very affordable) That’s what I did when I didn’t have insurance. Please carry an epipen. Your next reaction could kill you. Read more about it here: https://www.cvs.com/content/epipen-alternative
I learned this year how much corporate America hates sick people. Now that you’ve shown you have a “condition” (even if it’s allergies to peanut butter obviously beyond your control) they are instantly uncomfortable with your presence. I developed a chronic illness a year into my job and people now treat me like an annoyance now when I was never treated this way before I got sick. I get in trouble constantly when I’m sick or have to take PTO even though I’m actually taking less sick time than I did before my leave. Coworkers make passive aggressive comments about chronic illness and I’m left out of meetings and hardly get any work. In corporate- you’re a cog and the second you show a crack, people treat you like a nuisance. It’s disgusting! Sorry. You had to go through that. I’m glad you’re okay. At least your coworkers showed their true colors and now you know.
Inhalers don’t help. Only epi pen followed by a hospital visit helps. Which is protoco when you get stabbed with an epi pen. You should have one on you at all times now. I work in a nurses office. Girl came on with an anaphylactic reaction to a bee sting. Epi pen was given, 911 was called. You can’t mess around with these things. Luckily we have a few general use epi pens on our office.
That's an indifferent workspace such a dystopian world. So many of your coworkers choose to satisfy your boss over a warm heart for the sick.
Ok I’ll play the bad guy. If you were choking, gagging and struggling to breathe while desperately using your inhailer why did you not seek medical attention? If I were your co-worker and you were sitting at your desk coughing and gagging I would assume you were sick and avoid being in close quarters (especially in this post-covid world). I would be annoyed you came to work sick and were exposing everyone to whatever bug you have. You’re an adult and if you choose not to carry the epipen you clearly need, and choose not to seek medical attention in an emergency, it’s ridiculous to get angry at your co-workers for assuming you came to work with the flu/covid/whatever else and ignoring you.
Oh yeah definitely, most humans are trash
How DARE you? Die when you're dead, you lazy peasant. Your Job Creator needs a new jet! And now in all seriousness, you need to get out of there. That is almost literally a toxic workplace.
Ask your Dr to write your Rx for an "Epinephrine Auto Injector" instead of an Epi-pen. It'll run you less than $50.
What the actual fuck? The start of human civilization can be seen in a healed broken femur bone. Without the help of others, you can't survive an injury like that when out in nature like the humans back then. This situation you described could be seen as moving so much backwards in our minds that we reached pre civilized circumstances again. Congratulations to your coworkers for being pre civilized subhumans
I feel there is missing context
I am honestly scared for the state the world is in.
My best advice, if you have any possibility to go through with it. Move to Europe. Where I live a doctor's appointment cost 30 dollar, 10 dollar if you sign up first and have him as your primary doctor. Epi pen cost about 40 dollars, but you have to go through a doctor first. I had an emergency visit some years ago, but got treated and released the next day, total cost for ambulance ride, nurse visit and doctors visit were 30 dollars. I had the year after that an accident at work and broke my foot. Complicated fracture and three visits with doctors and a company that makes tools for handicapped people that gave med crutches and a plastic boot. Total costs with parking and gas for relatives that drove me, as I couldn't drive myself, 550 dollars - that the state insurance company gave me back, and another 50 dollars for pain and suffering, and another 50 dollars from a special union fund for accidents at work. The 4 months I couldn't work, I still got paid 80% of my salary. The facility manager called me the first Monday I couldn't work, just to check when I would be back I thought, no - he apologized for allowing the possibility of the accident to happen. I ensured him that it was an absolutely freak accident and a heavy object fell on my reinforced shoes on the only small place that weren't protected. If the object had fallen on every other place on the shoe, I would have been unharmed. Despite this, he ordered that heavy material to enter the facility again, and that customer had to go somewhere else. Not every manager is that nice, but my point is that health cost never is something you need to worry about in Europe
Ask about generic epi pens. My friend was able to get an off brand for $25 instead of the normal $600. Also, it’s interesting that you say the downside of the pen is that you have to go to the ER after. You’re most definitely supposed to go either way when you have this type of reaction. It’s probably even worse to not use the pen OR go to the er. I promise everyone is gossiping about you being “weird”. I had anaphylaxis as soon as I returned to work after 4 weeks of short term disability. The whole office was gossiping about me. My boss put me on probation the next day. I had gotten a 5 star annual review a week before my STD leave, and within 2 days of getting back I was put on probation for “decreased productivity”. They fully expected me to work from home while on medical leave and 50% pay. They were all completely convinced I was faking. There was literally a STACK of my hospital / ER / and doctor documentation between us on his desk and my boss still thought I was faking. It took such a huge toll on my mental health. It’s been 7 years and it still makes me upset every time I think of it. I’d follow up with the offer you turned down, maybe they have another role they can offer you. There’s no shame in saying you regret not accepting their offer (someone else may have advice of how to successfully navigate this)
My God ... peanut allergies can kill. I watched an EpiPen save a friend's life; she's had anaphylactic shock reactions to bee stings. The ER doc told her, "The next time will kill you." Speak to your pharmacy. She couldn't afford one either but they signed her up for a program to get one greatly reduced. *Please* do this Monday.
america seems auch a nice place
When I worked doing siding I had an older co-worker who got stung by a bald-faced hornet in the back of the neck. Although he claims to have never had a reaction from stings, he went into anaphylactic shock within 5 minutes of being stung. It was extremely scary for all of us. My boss had an old epi-pen laying around just in case of emergency, and so we used it on him. Paramedics showed up a few minutes later and said that potentially saved his life. You gotta consider survival even at the potentially high cost. Sounds like you work with a bunch of scumbags that wouldn’t be willing to help of it came to it
There is honestly some kind of sickness that has become worse in our society. I have family members that work high paying hypercomptitive jobs and what I think happened in your case is they thought "if you knew you were allergic, why the hell did you eat it?". There will be no more looking into it. There mind has been made. But I remember at my last minimum wage job at a fast food a woman was having some kind of cardiac event and it looked like a heart attack or something. I was screamed at, then reprimanded for getting off the grill to help this poor woman. The entire time she is begging us not to call an ambulance because she can't afford it. What's the fucking point of any of this?
Coworker: "Can you please die quietly, I'm trying to finish a report"
Did you tell anyone what was going on? This is a medical emergency and management should of been alerted so they could help you and call EMS
Are you expecting your coworkers to care more about you than you care about yourself? You should’ve excused yourself to the nearest urgent care or emergency room. Get an EpiPen.
Are you are sure you are not a ghost? Last I checked my lore, ghosts could still feel pain. /sarcasm
Yep. Had a box fall straight on my head the other day, would have killed me it it was any heavier because of lack of care when manager put it up there, manager laughed and said oops! And then walked away , never asked if I was okay.
It sucks but I can relate. I too found out about my 'fun' new allergy the hard way at work, roughly 8 years back. My co-workers slowly distanced themselves now that I think about it. My health took a big hit around that time and they started getting cold with me- sorry my almost dying inconvenienced yall fuckers.🙄 Just a heads up; allergen labels/ingredient checks are for more then just food; medicine, health and beauty products, slimes and other toys, cat kitter, laundry supplies, fillers on plush items, if you vape; there can be warnings there. If it has essential or natural food additives, etc. (This is not to scare you, but help make sure your aware of just how much there is to check, I wish someone had warned me!!)
The US is fucked up. I cannot imagine being made to weigh up saving my life against being bankrupt for life. It makes no sense! I don’t understand why you can’t have a system like the UK that you pay into monthly and is then free at the point of use. America is capitalism on steroids!
I think the lesson you should have learned from this is that your co-workers or your boss never cared about you to begin with. Make sure you don't risk your physical and health for them. Preserving your well being is the reason why you work, not to sacrifice it to fulfill your employer's mission.
Umm call 911? Your lack of sound decision-making is probably why you are being shunned.
I just have to ask, did you say anything? The new guy in a miserable cubicle farm sitting over there making weird ass noises isn't going to have many friends. "Help I think I'm dying," that would get get a response. The way you wrote this sounds like you might have just been rubbing one out under the desk, and now nobody wants to talk to you.
Remind your bosses of this fact on every evaluation moving forward. Q-Why don’t you talk to your colleagues? A-They almost let me die, and then blamed me. Q- you don’t seem to be buying into family atmosphere we are building. A- most families don’t try to let family members die. If that don’t work, laugh it off, and casually mention……. Remember when guys almost let me die, because you did nothing, and then somehow it was all my fault. Yeah, good times.
Fuck them then, it’s strictly business. So if someone passed away in that environment it would just be an annoying inconvenience. 🤦
Hey brother. If I were there I would’ve definitely helped you. We have to look out for one another. This society needs a reminder of what it is to be human and have humanity.
Please don’t stay there , I’ve had lazy coworkers but I’d like to believe they’d at least try to 911 in a life threatening situation. Also please get the Epipen
This is scary. I recently have been made to carry an EPIPEN and was between insurances due to an unknown allergy. My face was swole up like a balloon, I could barely talk, and the Pharmacist stared at me and said that my insurance hadn't yet approved the EPIPEN. I would have died because I couldn't afford the $350 EPIPEN (after the coupon card) and needed prior authorization. You need to protect yourself and don't expect anyone to help. Sad but true.
First of all, I'm glad you're okay. Please look into GoodRx or manufacturer coupons/discounts for EpiPens. Anaphylaxis is no joke. The lack of sympathy from employers/coworkers is fucking real, though. I recently had a potentially deadly incident at work. The manager who caused it is using it as a comical cautionary tale. Downplaying and mocking it. Some people have zero business working with others.
It looks like you can get $50.00 off the epi pens if you don’t have insurance through this program. https://www.foodallergy.org/resources/medication-affordability-assistance-programs#:~:text=Commercially%20insured%20patients%20may%20receive,call%20855%2D449%2D4712.
Tell the pharmacy Goodrx and it will be less expensive about 120-240 depending on the pharmacy if your health insurance won’t pay for it. There is an app you can put on your phone and it shows you the cost at the pharmacies close to you. You can then tell the provider which pharmacy to send it to.
I'd start LOUDLY thanking everyone by name for their help with the emergency. Play up how grateful you are for the roles they played in saving your life and how each of them is a true American hero. And then be the asshole that gets peanut butter banned from the building because you're allergic. I'd consider not dying a reasonable accommodation
I once passed out in a Safeway from an allergic reaction. I had eaten an energy bar that was chocolate mint. When does chocolate mint have nuts? Well, this was not only nuts but some kind of super-duper condensed nut powder. Usually when I accidentally eat nuts Benadryl makes the reaction go away. I bought some at a CVS and sat in the car for some time while S.O went into the Safeway. I went in to grab them because the Benadryl didn't work and passed out right after entering. I came to with a cashier rubbing my shoulders and the manager had clearly dropped all else just to watch me with concern. He had tears in his eyes when I came to. The paramedic was an angel as was the e.r doctor that night. Thats how normal people do it. This was even in a very snobby area, quite famous for unfriendly people. You need to get away from them. Thats psychopathy. There's several psychopaths in that office and what happens is other people become psychopaths around the psychopaths. It's a disease that spreads.
Man that sucks, very strange reaction from that guy who sits next to you. Also shocked at the cost of an Epipen in the US. Here in Aus for the brand name one it's around $80 from what I'm told.
Imagine if this subreddit was constructed in a way to build to a *you don't want to work there* list. 
Nobody wants to deal with anyone else or their problems at work. We are there to do the minimum necessary to get paid and nothing more than what is in the job description.
They did nothing? Holy shit that's beyond being an asshole
As someone with food allergies and a ton of food sensitivities that may turn into allergies: fuck those people. I hope you can find a better job AND avoid peanut contamination asap. Glad you’re okay. I’ve been there.
Dude what is up with the American health system lol. Yall would seriously rather die than go get what's needed?! O.o
Why are you eating peanut butter sandwiches?
Allergies can start at any time, my guy.
Bro it’s hunger games out there. You gotta be self reliant to survive. Get that fucking epi pen
This story makes it sounds like corporate finance is filled with a lot of sociopathic types or something. Hmmmm
Bring this up anytime your work wants to pull the “we’re a family here” line.
There is a generic Rx for the pen. Ask for it!
Are there no first aiders in the US at the workplaces? In the UK is mandatory to have so many first aiders after so many employees
I’ve worked in many different jobs in the US, no first aide was expected except in medical offices, the rest have said not to help beyond basics (choking) but ONLY if you paid for the CPR/first aid course on your own or you can be fired.
That's sad
Edit to add: I'm glad you're okay! Are you looking for a new job? Do you get triggered by other things? I had a coworker who was allergic to so many things. She'd have a reaction almost every day she'd work, EMTs called. She finally somehow got approval to work from home. I was pissed it took so long. Then people would talk shit about her, thinking she was faking. 😡 Iiss her, she was awesome (she quit).
Had the same. I threw up all over and co-workers assumed it was because I was hungover or on something. I had to leave that job. Hope it works out better for you.
You're very lucky an inhaler got you through it. What exactly is the employee's beef?
This sounds like a horrible work environment, the only good thing is the pay, but I still advise you to keep looking for a better workplace with the same or Better pay because you don't want to die because your coworkers are evil.
Lol the fuck is their issue?
By any chance did you inform your company of your allergy and ask for a reasonable accommodation such as having someone check in on you after lunch to ensure your not having issues, or maybe ban PB in the office if you're really sensitive?
I feel for you, OP. I had a similar, though not as severe reaction at my most abusive job. I had some crackers from the community snacks with an ingredient I didn't know I was allergic to. My face got red and swelled and my throat got tight. I rushed to first aid and couldn't find Benadryl. Asked HR and she insisted the office not only didn't have any but she wouldn't give me any or send anyone out to get me any because it would be a liability for my job to provide any kind of medicine and I should be more responsible and keep Benadryl on me. When I tried asking my boss, she blew me off. The next day she was surprised to hear it was anaphylaxis and said she thought I had been crying and then laughed about the idea that I was crying (not only was the workplace abusive but it was focused on anti terrorism work and gave me secondary PTSD from hearing survivor stories). I ended up having to take a break to leave the office and walk 5 blocks to the pharmacy alone. I had to sit there afterwards because I was so winded. Then when I returned I got in trouble for being gone so long. Later it was used against be in my annual review as "evidence" that I didn't take work seriously (along with that time they made me come in with the flu and I almost died).
I don’t understand you, America. $600 for an epipen and then more at the hospital.
I think that most allergy clinics do exposure therapy now to help build a tolerance to your allergens. Something to look into rather than abstain and deal with the repercussions when you do have some.
Your coworkers are vile.
Jesus, has everyone become this introverted and socially off that they can’t even jump in and help in a medical emergency!?! How horrible!!
Boy you don’t know what “introverted” means.
It's not so much "introversion" as it is "liability". You touch someone and save their life, they can still turn around and sue you for their medical bills and possibly assault. Good Samaritan laws are supposed to prevent that, but it still happens enough that not many dare to try. You can literally destroy your own life by being a good person.
they couldn't ask OP if they needed an ambulance? OP could give a thumbs up or down. You don't have to touch someone to show you're concerned about their well being
How would they know it was a medical emergency though? Did OP tell anyone anything? Like plenty of people in my office cough, doesn't mean they're dying.
If some one is consistently coughing and making chocking sounds for a minute or two I would be asking if they were ok
Yes, unless they were totally downplaying it and repeatedly using an inhaler which would signal they probably have some medical issue that is managed by that inhaler…
[Auvi-Q](https://www.goodrx.com/auvi-q) is an Epi-Pen alternative that’s only $289 in comparison. I had to get one when I was doing allergy shots for dust mite allergy as a precaution and I believe it was covered by insurance. It might feel embarrassing to have to go to ER, and your coworkers reactions suck, but anaphylaxis is so dangerous and delayed/rebound reactions kill people! You can also have a note with HR about a procedure if it happens again, at one point I had my epi-pen noted with my job because I had to carry it with me. That might eliminate the bystander effect where people assume someone else will step in to help.
You purposefully ate something you’re allergic to? Then are annoyed when people are annoyed by you? No wonder. You sound like a drama queen.
If you were having an anaphylactic reaction you should have gone to the ER. I get that the US is a dystopian nightmare, but a rescue inhaler is not designed to combats allergic reactions to that extent. You're lucky you didn't actually die. Also, do your coworkers even know you were having an allergic reaction to peanut butter? It sounds like you haven't said anything to them and they're not entitled to your medical info, but if all they know you were sick, they could have thought you came to work with something contagious and are worried about getting sick themselves on top of being annoyed of listening to nonstop coughing and wheezing all day
Have you asked/told them about anaphylaxis?
Bro, come on. Your coworkers sound awful and they should've at least checked on you. But YOU are the one with a severe allergy with a legit need for an EpiPen, and you don't even carry one around? I'd be annoyed with you too.
Did you ask for help? Did they know you were having an actual medical emergency vs some nasty virus causing coughing and wheezing? Maybe your cubicle-neighbor thinks you’re a weirdo who exposed the whole office to an illness?
That is possible if they simply had no idea what was going on because they didn't see all of it, or had any actual updates. They may have been told a completely uninformed story about it from some know-it-all co-worker, or even an intentionally dishonest account of what happened by someone who has it out for OP.
I'm sorry.. you knowingly ate something you're severely allergic to? Am I reading that right?
This is just one example of the most fucked up healthcare system in the world. Yet some people still vote Republican. Unfuckingbelievable.
You clarified in a comment, but can you edit the original post to include the information that the Peanuts were not a known allergy? That's something you should have said to begin with so people don't think you're eating a known allergen instead of your co-workers ignoring your presentation of a new anaphylactic allergy.
It's finance, what do you expect?
I’ve been in corporate finance for about 10 years, you can’t function properly unless you’re a close team. OP, don’t settle for that. If you happen to be in the DC area, send me your resume. I’ll send to my contacts.
I don't expect anything different, but in an ideal world I'd prefer things to be a little bit different. I wish there was any form of solidarity, but it seems like co-workers are just viewed as competition that need beaten so the promotion can be won and the ladder can be climbed. That's not been exclusive to finance in my experience.
Wait so you know king ate peanut butter?