Have you ever wondered what happens after an anaphylactic reaction?

How do you process everything that went down, from ingesting the allergen to using epinephrine? In this candid conversation, Kortney sits down with Tamara Hubbard, a licensed clinical professional counselor, to unpack the emotional aftermath of a severe allergic reaction.

Kortney shares her own recent experience of self-administering epinephrine for the first time after over 30 years of living with food allergies. Together, they explore how guilt, self-doubt, and family dynamics can shape recovery and how to move forward without letting fear or shame take over.

• The moment Kortney realized she needed to self-inject epinephrine and why it felt empowering.
• Why it’s common to second-guess yourself during an allergic reaction.
• The unique guilt and blame that can surface after a reaction, even when you did everything right.
• How to handle well-meaning but unhelpful comments from family and friends.
• Tips for processing the event without letting it define your future.

Tamara Hubbard, MA, LCPC is a licensed clinical professional counselor and the founder of the Food Allergy Counselor Directory & Website. She specializes in helping individuals and families navigate the emotional and mental health challenges that come with managing food allergies. Tamara is passionate about empowering people to build confidence and resilience while living safely with food allergies.

Learn more about Tamara’s work at FoodAllergyCounselor.com.

Do patients and their healthcare teams view the impact of indolent systemic mastocytosis on quality of life in the same way?

In this episode of The Itch Review, we unpack key findings from a May 4, 2025, descriptive study from The Journal of the Advanced Practitioner in Oncology, “Patient and Advanced Practitioner Perspectives on Symptom Burden and Symptom Management in Indolent Systemic Mastocytosis.”

Is there a disconnect between what patients feel and what providers think when it comes to indolent systemic mastocytosis (ISM)? A new study suggests yes, revealing a mismatch between how patients and advanced practitioners (APs) perceive disease control and what that means for care. This episode dives into whether research like this could help bridge the gap between patient experience and clinical perspective.

• Understanding ISM: What makes indolent systemic mastocytosis a unique multisystem condition?
• Symptom burden explained: Frequency, severity, duration, distress, and functional interference.
• Patient vs practitioner views: Understanding the most impactful symptoms differs from patient to AP.
• Practical tools: The Indolent Systemic Mastocytosis-Symptom Assessment Form (ISM-SAF) is a validated instrument that can be used to determine symptoms and severity.
• Barriers and solutions: Why tracking symptoms is hard and how clinics can improve coordination.
• AP-focused Toolkit: Resources to help nurse practitioners, PAs, and pharmacists provide patient-centered ISM care.

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The Itch Review, hosted by Dr. Gupta, Kortney, and Dr. Blaiss, explores the latest allergy and immunology studies, breaking down complex research in conversations accessible to clinicians, patients, and caregivers. Each episode provides key insights from journal articles and includes a one-page infographic in the show notes for easy reference.

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This podcast is made in partnership with The Allergy & Asthma Network.

Thanks to Blueprint Medicines for sponsoring today’s episode.

This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider for any medical concerns.

There have been countless advances in controller therapies for asthma, but our go-to rescue inhaler, a quick-relief bronchodilator, hasn’t changed in decades.

In this episode of The Itch Review, we spotlight “As-Needed Albuterol–Budesonide in Mild Asthma” published in The New England Journal of Medicine, May 19, 2025. This article looks at the BATURA trial, which tested whether adding budesonide to albuterol rescue inhalers cuts exacerbations in adults whose mild asthma remains uncontrolled on occasional albuterol/short-acting beta agonist (SABA) therapy.

Could this combo inhaler really cut severe asthma attacks in people with mild disease?

• Understanding asthma: In asthma, your airways both tighten up and get swollen. Treating both the tightness and the swelling right when you feel symptoms could stop a full-blown attack.
• All-online trial: BATURA used telehealth to enroll 2,516 people with mild asthma from across the U.S. and ran the study until it saw a preset number of 172 serious attacks.
• Big takeaways: The combo inhaler cut serious attacks by almost half, halved yearly flare-ups, and slashed steroid use by 63%. All without people needing to use their medication more often.
• Why it ended early: An independent safety board reviewed the data mid-trial and concluded that the combo inhaler was so clearly better that it would’ve been unfair to continue giving anyone the old treatment.
• What’s next: We still need studies on teens and children to ensure that these same benefits hold true for younger patients.

GET THE INFOGRAPHIC PDF HERE

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The Itch Review, hosted by Dr. Gupta, Kortney, and Dr. Blaiss, explores the latest allergy and immunology studies, breaking down complex research in conversations accessible to clinicians, patients, and caregivers. Each episode provides key insights from journal articles and includes a one-page infographic in the show notes for easy reference.

***

This podcast is made in partnership with The Allergy & Asthma Network.

Thanks to AstraZeneca for sponsoring today’s episode.

This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider for any medical concerns.