People from Brabant who are allergic to wasp stings are currently calling pharmacies en masse to get epi-pens. However, they can’t deliver either and that causes unrest. “Hank almost died.”
Three weeks ago Henk, Mieke’s partner, was working on the farm when he poked a bale of hay with a pitchfork. It turned out to be a wasp nest. “He was attacked and couldn’t do anything anymore, he completely fell away,” says Mieke.
“I called 112, an air ambulance came and an ambulance. He was taken to the hospital, I drove after it. Without help he would have died. He also doesn’t remember anything about the visit to the hospital,” she says. .
“I have a repeat prescription, but I can call what I want, it’s nowhere to be found.”
Henk turned out to be allergic to wasps, something they didn’t know. When they left the hospital, the doctor told them to get an epi-pen right away the next day. “They no longer had them at our pharmacy in Erp, so I called Boekel and other pharmacies in the area.”
Eventually she was allowed to pick up one at the pharmacy of the Bernhoven Hospital in Uden. “But it is actually the intention that you have two at home. Sometimes one injection is not enough. I still have a repeat prescription, but I can call what I want, it is nowhere to be found,” said a concerned Mieke.
“Two children’s pens were still available at my pharmacy.”
Getting epi-pens is a drama right now, Jeffrey agrees. Ossenaar has been dependent on these pens for ten years because of his allergy to wasp stings. But like so many medicines, epi-pens are currently scarce in the Netherlands. While those are vital for people like Jeffrey and people who get an allergic reaction after eating nuts.
Because of the wasp season that started early this year, Jeffrey wanted to take precautions in time. “Normally you have a pen with you and a spare pen next to it. My pen was out of date, so I wanted to order a new one.” But that wasn’t easy, he noticed.
“At my pharmacy there were still two children’s pens available,” says de Ossenaar. So he quickly stocked it up, just in case. “This is all I have at the moment. The contents of these two children’s pens correspond to the contents of a normal pen for adults. But you have to administer them both. Then it is transferred to a possible ambulance service.”
“I had to wait more than five weeks for it.”
Joyce, like Jeffrey, was offered two pediatric doses. “I had to wait more than five weeks for it,” she says. Margreet is still waiting for an epi-pen. “My pharmacy has called the whole area, unfortunately no pen!” In the end, she was given a pen that is less past its expiration date than the one she had.
Wilma seems to be lucky. The epi-pen was also out of stock with her, but it has now been ordered from a pharmacist abroad. “It will be in in two days, I hope.” Annie says she once almost choked to death after a wasp sting. “So I’m not so fond of those critters.” Her pens need to be replaced, so she’s going to call quickly to get them.
Marianne has a tip. She always orders the pens in the spring. “Never wait for ‘wasp month’ to come,” she advises. “Then you can fish behind the net.”
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