What were you doing before TIP to stay safe?
Mainly avoidance! I tried Chinese herbs as a treatment for a couple months but that didn’t work. My mom and I had heard about OIT but it didn’t seem like the best option for me, especially since I was getting older and their success rate for older patients is so low. It was also too risky because my reactions have been so severe for peanuts.
How were you feeling before joining TIP? What was your state of mind?
The doctors would always tell me when I was growing up that we’d have a cure for food allergies in 5 years, then 5 years would pass by and they’d say it would happen in another 5 years and I felt like things just weren’t going anywhere.
How did you find out about TIP?
My mom was in a food allergy support group on Facebook where she was hearing about OIT and TIP. She posted asking if someone could explain the difference between the two and a girl who’s enrolled in the program now explained the difference and told her more about how TIP works.
What was your biggest concern or reservation about starting the program?
I think honestly just getting started! I joined the waitlist in June of 2019 and I was really excited but my mentality was that I shouldn’t get my hopes up in case it didn’t work—doctors kept saying they’d have a cure for food allergies soon and nothing happened with that—but once I started the program and started dosing tree nuts, I knew I could reach the finish line and see this through.
How did you navigate it?
Tree nuts were my first challenges. I was only a little sensitive to them, but not anaphylactic, and I feel like that helped me get on board with the program because when I challenged tree nuts I was almost 100% certain I wouldn’t react. When I saw I was fine, I knew I could trust that the doctors knew what they were doing. That really helped for dosing at home and every challenge since then has been a success, too.
What was the deciding factor for you to join TIP?
When my mom heard about the success and the end goal of the program, she was sold because it provided full food freedom instead of OIT, where you’re just safe from cross contamination.
Did you know anyone in the program or connect with anyone before starting?
Other than the girl in the Facebook group, no.
How have you kept yourself motivated in the program?
I went into it thinking that even if peanut was the worst food I’d ever eaten, I was going to force it down my throat. I heard about all these people reaching food freedom after 18-19 years of being restricted in what they could safely eat and I told myself I was going to do whatever it takes to get there. Even if eating peanuts made me gag every time, I was going to do it because I knew what was at stake. It’s a dream I’m aiming for.
What would you tell someone considering TIP?
I’d say think of how much easier your child’s life will be. I’ve gone through high school and middle school and part of college with an anaphylactic peanut allergy that took so much time out of my life and my family’s lives and affected so many things. I know it’s hard to believe this program is possible and that you can reach food freedom but there are so many stories about how much people’s lives have changed and it is real.
What’s been your favorite moment in the program?
The day I was cleared for peanut cross contact was the best day of my life. My friends came over and brought me donuts and Starbucks and all the things I haven’t been able to eat. I spent the whole day going out with my family and trying different restaurants. The weekend after that, 3 of my closest friends took me out for a big food crawl. We went to Panda Express, got boba, stopped at 2 or 3 different coffee shops, and got dessert at a bunch of places. Those days were the best!
How has TIP changed your life?
My life has been radically different. I can just get in line at school and eat the food now instead of having to drive off campus and get Chipotle. My freshman year of college I had Chipotle every day because nothing else was safe for me. In October, I took a trip to Denver for the day and my mom didn’t have to come with me and I didn’t have to wipe down the seat or use a seat cover on the plane—I could just go and enjoy it and it was so fun. Some people say Disneyland is the happiest place in the world but for me, food freedom is the happiest thing in the world. I used to have to be so conscious of what everyone around me is doing and eating but now I don’t have to worry about that. It gives me so much peace of mind and happiness to be able to eat wherever I want. It’s unreal, it’s a dream that’s come true, and I get to live like this for the rest of my life now.
How has TIP changed your family’s lives?
My parents, especially my mom, have been so much less worried about me. Knowing I’m safe from cross contamination has given my mom so much peace of mind. When she went grocery shopping for the first time after I was cleared for cross contamination, she could pick up anything at the store and say “This looks good, let’s get it,” without having to read the label or call the manufacturer. It’s given us so much freedom.
You can find Ellery on the Spokin app @wildnsun and follow her on Instagram @wildnsun, where she shares her TIP experience and advocates for the food allergy community.
