Latex Allergy

Specialties Emergency

Published

I may be allergic to latex! I have tried non-latex powder free gloves and it's not working. I had a full blood work up at the allergist yesterday. I have also been put on solumedrol pack, allegra, zyrtec, zantac, and doxipin. I also got 8mg decadron injection at the office yesterday. Do any of you have a latex allergy and if so how do u deal with it.

Thank you,

Tia

ER-RN

Specializes in ER - trauma/cardiac/burns. IV start spec.

Hi.

Sorry to hear about that experience with the gloves. Just a quick heads up - you may also be allergic to the chemicals that are used in the production of a wide range of gloves. Many have not made the connection between latex and the various "accelerants" (:selfbonk:cannot rememberer spelling) which are chemicals.:scrying:

Sometimes also you might have a cornstarch allergy. I know you are thinking "but their powderless" well there is powderless and then there is no powder.:confused: Powderless means that the gloves have less that an preagreed upon percentage of powdered. If there was no powder no one could get the gloves on.

Your description of the reaction is exactly the same as mine to neoprene.:eek: How much benedryl do you take? You do need to go to a dermatoligst and let them know what happened, show him the area on your face that still looks really bad and let him get you on the right combination of drugs. When I have a reaction I take benedryl 100 mg. Pepcid 40mg and Solumedrol 5mg. I have these medications with me at all time. Benedryl only works on 1 of the 2 types of histamine in your body so that is why you take both benedryl and pepcid:idea:

I have not heard anything about vinyl :confused: reactions but as I said above there could have been other chemicals present. Keep a list of things that make you itch, gives you GI trouble, or gives you what we have been calling brain fog(like you are out of step and cannot process thoughts correctly). This may help identify what you are reacting to.

Hang in there, I hope you do not have the trouble some have. Keep in touch and let me know how you do.

P

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Specializes in ER - trauma/cardiac/burns. IV start spec.

I realize that your post was in 2005 but I still feel the need to respond. If you have a latex allergy at some point in your life you will tip over the line. I worked 9yrs, 3mos, and some odd days and I got slammed. I have had a host of severe reactions including anaphylaxis and cardiac arrhythmias. I have been at work when we had a resp. tech. drop dead from latex reaction and she had never been diagnosed with an allergy. I think that it is not a good idea to put your life on the line every time you go to work. I hope you have learned more about the allergy as an emergency room that uses latex and then goes "latex-free" is not really latex free and if you have serious problems the mucous membranes in your mouth, eyes and nose can be a source of allergen introduction to your body.

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thank you all for your replies...i started out with a wet napkin as a barrier for my glove-icepack... then in haste, i used the bare glove, thinking vinyl is hypoallergenic. now i know anything can be allergenic even if it doesn't inherently have proteins. manufacturers don't have to list EVERY ingredient it seems =( ...my primary doc gave me topical and p.o. steroids, an antiviral (since i had an HSV cold sore outbreak a few wks ago), and and antibacterial. i'll just watch out for SJS symptoms. i'm definitely going to keep track of irritants closely from now on.

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Specializes in ER - trauma/cardiac/burns. IV start spec.

Good Deal and good luck.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept, ICU.

I have become allergic to latex as well and use the Ansell Nitrile gloves. Nitrile is great.

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actually, i am not sensitive to latex. just the vinyl for some reason. there must be some ingredient or powder that does not agree with me. :( i agree, nitrile rocks, and i can feel through it

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This is really not a reply, but a plea for help. I am an OR nurse 2 days per week and also an RNFA. The past two years I have been srubbing more for the RNFA job. About six months ago, noticed some itching on my hands. It has progressively gotten worse. I went to a dermatologist and he prescribed a cortisone cream. Only can use it for a couple of weeks. I have tried every cream available to no avail. I have used nonlatex gloves, latex gloves, and I srub only with ultrades. My question then is, can this be a latex allergy, or allergy to chemical accelerators or related to what I am scrubbing with for the cases??? I am desperate to find a solution to this problem. Any ideas? It is making me crazy!!!

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Specializes in ER - trauma/cardiac/burns. IV start spec.

Often when someone become latex-sensitive they also start having chemical allergies. If you have changed to nitrile or other non-latex gloves then there is a strong possibility it is other chemicals. There are several chemicals you should suspect and one of the first is formaldhyde. It is used in a lot of manufactoring process. Try using a handcream with natural ing such as Aveeno active naturals. It might help after a day at work.

It possibly could be the cornstarch used in gloves - remember that powderless gloves still contain some powder just less than other. Cornstarch cen irritate skin causing severe itching.

Hope you find the culpret.

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