| >> How will latex allergy affect my daily life? | |
If you are diagnosed with latex allergy, you may experience feelings of panic, isolation and depression. You might not appreciate what it means to have latex allergy until you have received some information about it. If you have latex allergy you need to avoid NRL wherever you are, whether at home, work, school, when dining out, shopping or playing sports. You will need to be especially vigilant about avoiding NRL in the health-care setting if you are undergoing medical procedures (e.g. at the doctor’s, dentist’s or in hospital). It is not always easy to avoid so many sources of NRL in consumer and medical products but, with time and support, you will become better at it. You may experience distress and difficulties when visiting a hospital or dental surgery. This could be because sometimes healthcare staff and employers are not sure how to deal with latex allergy and it might be up to you to remind them that you need to be cared for in a latex-safe environment. The National Patient Safety Agency has issued a Patient Safety Information Notice to NHS organisations in England and Wales to help better protect patients with latex allergy click here. Similarly, the Health and Safety Executive has issued guidance to employers to help them understand their duties in reducing latex exposure. It may be helpful to share this information with healthcare staff and employers click here. If you are exposed to latex at work, you will need the help and support of your employer to provide a latex-safe environment for you. Occasionally people have had to change the nature of their work as a direct result of their allergy, although usually they are able to continue in the same occupation. A recent survey of patients with NRL allergy in Wales shows that latex allergy can have a big impact on quality of life (1). However, most people with latex allergy do continue to lead fulfilling lives with some adjustments. People achieve this by being careful to avoid NRL and modifying their home and working environments to make them latex-safe. Having supportive family, friends, employers and clinicians can be very helpful in achieving this. The degree of adjustment required will depend on the severity of each person’s symptoms, and each person’s experience of latex allergy is different. Many people only experience minor symptoms and need little or no adjustment to lifestyle, whilst others experience very severe symptoms which lead to major lifestyle changes. In general, it is better to focus on eliminating those everyday items that are causing you a problem rather than focusing on the ones that do not. If you are not sure whether something you suspect contains latex, the best way to find out is to contact the manufacturer directly for advice. If you have been prescribed adrenaline treatment for use in an emergency, or been advised to carry a latex-free pack of medical equipment around with you, it is important that you do this, even though it may sometimes feel like a burden. These items could just be life-saving. The Latex Allergy Support Group (LASG) is a national voluntary-run organisation which is able to offer support to people with latex allergy and also to employershealthcare providers. Contact details for LASG:
|
| (1) Natural rubber latex allergy: the impact on lifestyle and quality of life |
