Is there a way?

[Sailorsong]

This one kind of concerns my staying alive in a way, but also if I am ever to be able to take one of the injection type MS DMDs.

I am very allergic to bee and wasp stings to the point that I can die from a sting within about 1/2 hour or so. As a result I am suppose to carry an EpiPen with me at all times ( especially since there are a lot of wasps and bees around my home ). But despite this the couple of times I have been stung I have never been able to give myself the much needed shot. And to make matter worse I always have 2 reactions to each sting. The second reaction usually happens 6 to 8 hours after the initial sting.

The main reason I bring this up tonight is that today I probably came the closest ever to getting stung in a long time. I had just came from some shopping and was reaching for the door handle of my front door. I was only an inch or so from grabbing the handle when I noticed a wasp was sitting on the underside of the handle right were I would normally grab it. Being out in the country it can take 20 - 30 minutes for an ambulance to get to my home.

So does anyone know of how I can get over this? I'm not even sure who I would talk to about this ( mental health, PCP, etc. ).

Dennis

[jensequitur]

You sound like a perfect candidate for the new oral medication, Gilenya.  They're recommending it for people who are unable to stay on an injectible.

[Sailorsong]

Yes I can't even do an auto injector.

When I was married I couldn't even get my ex to give me the shot ( or use the EpiPen ) so I am always in really bad shape by the time I get medical help. So I always get a tongue lashing by the doctors for not giving myself the shot.

I am pretty sure it is a phobia because if I am given a shot by someone else and can't see the needle going in I will pass out. One of my old PCP didn't believe this when I told him so as a test gave me a shot on the rump of saline solution and I went out like a light. After about 5 minutes he finally got me back to being awake with the help of those ammonia vials and he never gave me another shot of any kind in the 5 years he was my doctor after that.

Now I live alone so I'm not sure how I would get any help in an emergency. My land-line phone goes out about every other month for weeks at a time, and even when it is working most of the time t is so noisy that it is hard to hear anyone. My cell phone is also not that reliable as I barely get any signal most of the time. I also don't have any neighbors near enough to be able to hear any kind of alarm as the nearest one is almost never home.

Dennis


  

[Quixotic1]

I think this is essentially a phobia and so you should look for someone experienced in dealing with such things.  DV has a good suggestion.

To seek a referral you might ask the local MS Clinic or other clinics like Diabetes clinics might also know of someone who can get someone over the fear of self injecting.  

The EpiPen is an automatic injector.  You can't even actuate that?

In the interim you need to have something like Medic Alert who could not only notify the paramedics, but could possibly notify someone around you who could come to your aid.  You should teach everyone in your family how to use the EpiPen and all your close (in proximity and other) friends.

There are also personal alarms that will sound shrilly if activated.  That could alert family and neighbors.

Quix

[doublevision1]

I suggest you look into cognitive therapists in your area; perhaps your GP could refer you to one.