The first week after a serious reaction matters. Don't spend it waiting for an appointment.
After anaphylaxis, most people are sent home with a discharge sheet and told to "follow up with an allergist." The average wait for that appointment in the United States is measured in months. Answer a few questions and get a plan for the next seven days, then a call from a care coordinator within one business day.
Symptoms can come back. Know what to watch for.
A second wave of symptoms — called a biphasic reaction — can occur hours after the first reaction has settled, in most cases within 72 hours. It happens in a minority of people, but it is the reason your discharge paperwork says to keep epinephrine within reach.
If breathing trouble, throat tightness, widespread hives, repeated vomiting, or faintness return, use epinephrine and call 911. Do not wait to see whether it passes.
What's in your plan
- Emergency steps for the next 72 hours, and when to use epinephrine
- A "fill your epinephrine today" reminder if you left without a device
- Which foods to avoid until testing, including likely cross-reactive foods
- What testing comes next, and why blood tests can be done sooner than skin tests after a reaction
- What to have ready for your coordinator call: discharge papers, medication list, photos of the food or label
Know your device before you need it.
Epinephrine is the first-line treatment for anaphylaxis; antihistamines do not replace it. It now comes in several forms. Your clinician chooses which is right for you — your plan makes sure you know how to use whichever one you carry, and that it isn't expired.
Auto-injector pen
The most familiar form. Remove the safety cap, press the tip firmly against the outer thigh (through clothing is fine), hold for the count the device specifies, then call 911. Carry two.
Compact auto-injector
Smaller devices that fit a pocket; some talk you through the steps aloud. Same medicine, same rule: outer thigh, then 911.
Nasal spray
A needle-free option: one spray in one nostril. Approved for adults and children above a weight threshold your clinician will confirm. Not everyone is a candidate.
Illustrations are generic and do not depict any specific product. This page does not recommend any device; ask your clinician which form is right for you, and confirm the correct dose for your age and weight.
An allergist-led team in days, with your lab work already done.
The wait for an allergist is long because the visit is the first step. We reverse the order: the history and the lab work happen first, so the visit is where decisions get made.
Your plan
Emergency steps, foods to avoid, and a checklist for the call. On screen immediately and sent to your email.
Coordinator call
A bilingual care coordinator confirms you're safe, checks insurance and expected cost, completes your history, and orders specific-IgE blood work for the suspect foods.
Lab work
Blood draw at Quest, Labcorp, at home, or by mail-in kit. Blood tests are not affected by the antihistamines you were likely given in the ER — skin tests are.
Video visit
A clinician on an allergist-led team reviews your reaction and results, confirms or rules out the trigger, and signs your emergency action plan.
Your care team
Refills, school and workplace forms, follow-up testing, and in-person care at a partner allergy center near you when a treatment requires it.
After a reaction
I was given antihistamines and steroids in the ER. Do I still need epinephrine?
Yes. Antihistamines treat itch and hives; they do not treat airway swelling or low blood pressure. Steroids act slowly. Epinephrine is the only medication that reverses anaphylaxis, which is why discharge instructions say to carry it. Your plan will tell you exactly when to use it.
I don't know what caused the reaction. Can you still help?
That is the most common situation. Your plan asks what you ate in the two hours before the reaction and flags the likeliest culprits and their cross-reactive relatives to avoid until testing. Blood testing for the suspect foods is ordered before your visit so the clinician has answers, not guesses.
How soon after a reaction can I be tested?
Specific-IgE blood tests can be drawn within days of a reaction and are not affected by antihistamines. Skin-prick testing is usually deferred for several weeks and requires stopping antihistamines first. That is why blood work is ordered first here.
Is the plan written by a doctor?
No. The plan is generated from your answers using rules based on published anaphylaxis guidelines and is clearly labeled as not reviewed by a clinician. Its job is to get you safely through the next week and prepare you for a visit — not to replace one.
Who provides the medical care?
Curex Medical Services, PA — an independent medical practice with board-certified allergists and allergy-trained nurse practitioners licensed in all 50 states. A board-certified allergist is responsible for every diagnosis and treatment plan.
What does it cost?
The plan is free. If you choose to see a clinician, the visit is billed to your insurance like any specialist visit; your coordinator tells you the expected cost before you commit. Without coverage, a video visit is $99 and an allergy test is $199.
Is this available in Spanish?
Yes. The plan, the coordinator call, and your visit are available in Spanish, either with a Spanish-speaking clinician or a medical interpreter.
Five minutes now. An allergist-led team this week.
Free, in English or Spanish, for adults and children.