You said, "...I know if it's an allergy.. if my throat starts to swell shut...then uh oh...time to pray fervently!!" Do you carry an EpiPen or other epinephrine device?
We have generations of family with severe environmental and food allergies. EpiPens and Benadryl tablets are in the purse or backpack of every adult and most teens. Our immediate response to a severe reaction is to have the person chew (don't swallow) 2 Benadryl tablets and keep them under the tongue, where they act quickly. It has allowed us to skip "The Pen" many times and avoid the follow-up trip to the ER. If the reaction continues to get more severe, we never hesitate to use the epinephrine.
We learned about using Benadryl from an EMT, since their kits are not equipped with an Epinephrine kit.