Power up number 1.

We just left Evan's first power up, dose increase, appointment. As of today Evan will be given one tenth of a peanut twice a day. He had no negative reactions at the doctors office.

We are giving Evan more protein at breakfast and it has eliminated the upset stomach problems we had the first week of treatment.

I am actually now able to purchase food that was processed in a facility with peanuts, but does not contain peanuts. This is a big step for us!

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Day 6

The Peanut Treatments seem to be going fine. We have had some problems with Evan and him feeling nauseous in the mornings. Also, he is feeling tired and listless at different times of the day.

Tuesday was a good day with little to no problems with nausea. Evan did leave school early today, with stomach problems.

After talking with the nurse we think Evan needs more protein at his morning meal. This should relieve the nausea. Unfortunately, we will have to wait until the 29th of September to up Evan's dose of peanut.



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Day 2

Friday the 16, after the first day of Peanut OI Treatment:

Last night after Evan's first treatment everything went great. We had an active evening.

The morning went fine, it is hard to get into a new routine. Evan took his dose of peanut medication at 7 and was fine on the way to school.

About 9:15 he started to feel nauseous and went to the nurse. No other signs of reaction present. I brought him home for the day and he was very lethargic and did not feel like doing anything. Around lunch time he started to perk up and did great the rest of the day.

After the evening dose of medication everything seems to be fine.

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Day one Peanut Treatment

When Evan's peanut allergy became known to us, we were very afraid for him. Peanuts are everywhere. Evan was five months old and was touched with a small amount of peanut butter. He went into anaphylaxis and was taken to the hospital. The only option we were given was trigger avoidance. We have been very diligent and have kept any peanut products and any products produced in a facility with peanuts away from Evan.

I read about the peanut immunotherapy when my son Evan was just a baby. Food Oral Immunotherapy Treatment is when a very small amount of the food allergen is introduced to the system daily and with small increased doses until a resistance is built up in the patient. However, the only place offering the treatment was Duke University and it was experimental.

Several months ago a friend told me of someone she knows who has cured her son of his peanut allergy. I was skeptical because I have heard some crazy stories. However, I got the doctors name and did some research.

As parents we absolutely want to do anything in our power to protect Evan from being at risk due to his allergy. I know this program will not be easy. I am very worried about how this will effect Evan's health. However, if a touch from a small amount of peanut butter makes his breathing stop, what will happen when he ingests a small dose internally. Will this treatment send him into anaphylaxis, will he need to be hospitalized, worse?

We decide it was worth exploring and we are currently a patient of Dr. Silvers at Dallas Allergy and Immunology.

Dr. Silvers told us the treatment is very safe and has been very successful. Despite the reassurance I was still very nervous. I lost sleep and was just plain apprehensive. Our first doctors appointment was on August 4th. After the first appointment and the decision to start the program the anxiety really began. Evan has been excited and scared, just like me. My older son Ethan is very excited with the possibility of being able to eat peanut butter sandwiches again.

On the day of our first treatment I hold my breath until Evan gets his first dose of peanut flour powder mixed in grape cool aide. He takes his first dose and I check his mouth, stare at his eyes, check his breathing and everything is normal. Finally I start to breath again. Evan's eyes light up and get big and round and he smiles at me and says, "I am good. I did not swell up!"

We repeat this process every fifteen minutes for about six hours and everything is fine. Evan gets really tired, lethargic and his stomach starts to get upset. I am worried and the nurse holds off on his next dose. I walk around with Evan, he is having stomach cramps, after a few minutes and a snack he feels better and takes the next dose. We continue for another two hours. His stomach gets upset often and I given him a snack which helps. The last dose for the day is given and we wait one hour.

The nurse sends us home for the day with Evan's twice a day treatment in a cooler. I will give him a dose at 7 in the morning and 7 in the evening for 7 days.

So far so good. It went better than I imagined.