A Galway pharmacist saved the life of a young customer who presented at her shop with potentially fatal anaphylaxis.

Quick-thinking Jennifer Regan administered two adrenalin pens to a woman who was suffering an anaphylactic reaction at Home Pharmacy Galway on Forster Street, off Eyre Square in the city.

The woman – aged in her thirties – would have stopped breathing within minutes if Ms Regan did not administer the lifesaving EpiPen.

Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction. It can occur from reactions to milk or beestings and is most common in nuts, particularly peanuts.

The city resident whose life was saved at Home Pharmacy Galway last Thursday, had never had such a reaction previously.

“That’s what was scary about it. She never had any history of anaphylaxis or allergy. She’s in her thirties with no history of ever having anaphylactic reaction to anything,” said Ms Regan, from Salthill.

The woman arrived at the pharmacy complaining of feeling a bit off after eating something. Her lips were slightly swollen, it looked like a local reaction and an antihistamine was dispensed.

“But she came back within three minutes. Her tongue and lips had swollen up and she couldn’t breathe.

“I quickly assessed and realised this was life threatening. I administered two EpiPen auto injectors into the woman’s upper leg, while my colleague called for an ambulance.

“Within minutes of the injection, the woman began to recover and thankfully did not need any further doses of EpiPen. Those two injections saved her life.”

Caption: Jennifer Regan, Supervising Pharmacist at Frank McAnena’s Home Pharmacy, Forster Street, holding the Epipen Adrenaline auto-injector for anaphylaxis/serious allergic reaction.  Photo: Brian Harding.

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