1. Fist: Make a fist around the epi-pen, don’t place your thumb/fingers over either end
2. Flick the blue cap off
3. Fire. Press down into the outer thigh (the big muscle in there), hold for 10 seconds before removing (the orange cap will cover the needle). Bare skin is best but the epi-pen will go through clothing. Avoid pockets and seams.
- Ring an ambulance even if everything seems to be fine!
Oh my god.
So as someone who has to carry an epipen EVERYWHERE I am so happy to see that there’s an info post about them.
Like in the extreme case that I can’t inject myself, somebody else would have to do it, but nobody knows how to do it! Thank you, this may just save my life some day.very accurate
make sure you carry around more than one though, and also make sure they aren’t expired.
another important note is that (from my experience) it does not make the reaction stop. it only buys enough time for an ambulance to arrive, so calling one is super important!
also, about those new epinephrine injectors (auvi-Q i think), i’ve used them twice in the past two years, and they did not work either time. the only thing that stopped my reaction at all was an epi-pen. so fuck those
Additional tips: don’t store them in extreme temperatures.
Auvi-Q’s formula is not strong enough+doesn’t have a long/thick enough needle so it’s not good for anything but mild reactions.
symptoms of allergy attacks DONT ALWAYS HAVE EXTREMELY VISIBLE SIGNS. You must be vigilant. Symptoms include but are not limited to vomiting/gagging, shortness of breath, swelling of lips or eyes, nausea, itching, rash (either red patches, small bumps, or hives), lips turning blue, etc.
DONT WAIT. Anaphylactic shock can set in in seconds and kill in a minute. I’ve seen it happen. It’s scary but you must take charge of the victim is unable– and don’t be afraid to inject if you aren’t sure if it’s a reaction or not. IT IS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. Epi pens won’t hurt you if there’s no reaction, so use it even if you’re not sure.
Be careful allergy buddies. Reblogging will save a life.
(via templarsalad)