Many of you with food allergies know what epinephrine is. If you have just developed food allergies you may not know. Epinephrine (available through Epi-Pen or Auvi-Q) is a medication used to treat severe, life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylaxis). Please refer to the diagram and description below. I know many people who have food allergies but refuse to bring their epinephrine because they don't think a severe reaction will happen to them. However, some food allergies, such as peanuts, can be fatal. Also, an individual may experience a mild reaction the first time they eat a peanut, and have a severe reaction to the second exposure. This occurred with my younger sister, Erica. Erica was recently diagnosed with a peanut allergy. Just two years ago, she was able to eat candies with peanuts, until last Halloween, when she ate a Snickers bar and experienced an itchy throat which was relieved with Benadryl. We took her to the allergist and she was diagnosed with a peanut allergy. Erica is 10 years old and is not accustomed to food allergies. She often forgets to carry her Epi-pen. I always advise her to carry her epinephrine because she can never predict how she will react if she should accidentally eat a peanut again. But many do not even know how to use an Epi-Pen or Auvi-Q! Here are instructions that you can hopefully pass on to others who have food allergies. Save a life!