500 mg!

500 mg is the equivalent to one whole peanut!!

We've been at this dose for a little over a week now and she's doing great. We got off our normal Friday increase schedule so she could attend Field Day (sometimes those things are more important). The 500 mg dose is still in the form of peanut flour. Our next increase will be an actual peanut!! I understand that some kids prefer to dose with peanut M&Ms (who wouldn't) so Calista is looking forward to that!

One small reaction (a few weeks ago) - she had a cut on her lip and got peanut flour on it. It caused her lip to swell. We ended up giving her Benadryl and everything was just fine.

Week 9

Week 9 and she is already at 250 mg of peanut flour. In 2 weeks, we are hoping to be at 1 whole peanut. Just saying that, thinking that....I'm amazed, thrilled, excited for the change in my girl's life!

Increase!

My husband made the trip today, so I don't have many details BUT I know that Calista has increased to approx. 1/2 of a peanut!!

If all goes according to plan, she will be at 1 whole peanut on May 25th. Wow!

Week 7 update

Calista moved up to 100 mg of peanut flour today.  That is double her previous dose!

I found a site online that said that half a peanut is 178 mg.  I will ask Dr. Wasserman at our next visit so I can relate the amount of peanut flour to a whole peanut.

Week 7!

Calista and Daddy made the trip this week, so I'm anxiously waiting to hear about the visit.  Today, her class was scheduled to attend a field trip (with other schools) that involved a peanut butter cracker snack.  Hate that!  She was so sad to miss, but it reinforces the reason we are visiting Dr. Wasserman each week.  This journey will be well worth any sacrifice.

I wanted to share a little information from the newsletter I get from Dallas Allergy.

As of March 21st
Peanut: 70 complete, 22 active
Milk: 37 complete, 9 active
Egg: 25 complete, 4 active
Wheat: 3 complete
Cashew: 1 complete

Pecan and Soy Treatments are now being offered.

WOW!  I'm happy that Cal is one of the 22 actively involved in peanut desensitization.

After she completes the desensitization, she will be on "maintenance".  She will have 8 peanuts twice a day for the first 3 months and then 8 peanuts once a day (for an undetermined amount of time).  8 peanuts is 14 Peanut M&Ms.  Wow...to have peanut M&Ms again   :)

During maintenance (and beyond), she will be able to eat anything over and above her 8 peanuts, she just has to continue the regular exposure to the allergen.

The Desensitization Journey - Week 6

If you are sick, you cannot increase.  Yeah, yeah...I read that part, but I really didn't think about it being a big deal.  Well, it is a big deal when your kiddo gets sick.

It really isn't a big deal, but my brain is focused on this being an 18 week journey and not a 20+ week journey. BUT, the point is that we are here and we are doing this.  And THIS is something I never imagined (in my wildest dreams) that we would actually be doing.

First setback with a semi-diagnosis of asthma, so we were sent home with several medications.  Then Calista got strep last week.  Everything seems to be improving, so I've got my fingers crossed that she can get back on track this Friday.

Another setback (or setback #1 continues)

Calista was wheezing last Friday at her increase appointment.  She has never been diagnosed with asthma, but has had wheezing before.  As a precaution, Dr. Wasserman prescribed allergy medications, puffers, a nebulizer...all sorts of stuff.  After six days in the "yellow zone" with only a little improvement, we added another prescription today.  We have to get this stuff under control before we can increase her dose.  Increasing while she has allergy/asthma issues is more likely to cause a reaction.  I am disappointed that we aren't increasing, but I know that Dr. Wasserman is trying to help Calista and rushing through this will not help anyone.  Keeping my fingers crossed that we can return next Friday.