Thank You

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I just wanted to thank all the patients that list Tylenol, NSAIDS, Tramadol, etc. as allergies. It tells me volumes about about you.

I have considered telling pt's the red flags this silliness raises, but figured having those allergies listed will help other more fully understand them.

I suppose it is theoretically possible to to be allergic to multiple unrelated non-narcotic pain medications, and have the incredible misfortune to have a condition that often causes pain. But, the odds have got to be 1,000,000-1. And I just don't think you are the one.

So- thank you.

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Specializes in ICU.

Love this!!

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Often the space for listing allergies is not very big and room is not provided for patients to list medications they may experience sensitivity reactions to (as opposed to actual allergic reactions), so I can understand why some patients would write in the allergy space any medication (even non-narcotics) they have responses to that they consider unwanted, whether true allergy, i.e. anaphylactic reaction, or allergic reaction that has proved problematic in the past and could become an anaphylactic response with repeated exposure, or sensitivity reactions of various kinds which may be severe.

Do you ask the patients their reasons for listing the medications they specify under allergies? Another possibility I can think of is that patients are indicating that their doctor has told them certain medications, such as the ones you mentioned, are contraindicated for them, and writing their name in the allergy space is the best way they can think of to communicate this to their doctors and nurses. For example, I have a family member for whom Ibuprofen and Aspirin are contraindicated, and Tylenol to a lesser extent.

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Often the space for listing allergies is not very big and room is not provided for patients to list medications they may experience sensitivity reactions to (as opposed to actual allergic reactions), so I can understand why some patients would write in the allergy space any medication (even non-narcotics) they have responses to that they consider unwanted, whether true allergy, i.e. anaphylactic reaction, or allergic reaction that has proved problematic in the past and could become an anaphylactic response with repeated exposure, or sensitivity reactions of various kinds which may be severe.

Do you ask the patients their reasons for listing the medications they specify under allergies? Another possibility I can think of is that patients are indicating that their doctor has told them certain medications, such as the ones you mentioned, are contraindicated for them, and writing their name in the allergy space is the best way they can think of to communicate this to their doctors and nurses. For example, I have a family member for whom Ibuprofen and Aspirin are contraindicated, and Tylenol to a lesser extent.

Do you ask the patients their reasons for listing the medications they specify under allergies?

Turns out they are usually severe allergic reactions unless the Tylenol is buffered by oxycodone or hydrocodone which apparently work like benadryl for some people. I imagine it must have been impossible to control pediatric fevers for some of these folks. Maybe there is a link between untreated fevers and chronic pain.

For example, I have a family member for whom Ibuprofen and Aspirin are contraindicated, and Tylenol to a lesser extent

Well, if she

  • Has frequent/constant pain.
  • Has a history of periodically accepting vicodin prescriptions.
  • Has a PCP who won't prescribe narcotics for her problem.
  • Is also allergic to tramadol.
  • Eats a cheeseburger while c/o 12/10 pain.

Then her complaints may be met with some skeptcicsm.

Of course all of the above could be true- unbelievable stories are sometimes true. For example, the dog really did eat my homework once.

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I love the bazillion allergy list.. Everything but dilaudid. It will say morphine.. But a note 'dialadid OK'

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Specializes in Cardiac, ER.
Often the space for listing allergies is not very big and room is not provided for patients to list medications they may experience sensitivity reactions to (as opposed to actual allergic reactions), so I can understand why some patients would write in the allergy space any medication (even non-narcotics) they have responses to that they consider unwanted, whether true allergy, i.e. anaphylactic reaction, or allergic reaction that has proved problematic in the past and could become an anaphylactic response with repeated exposure, or sensitivity reactions of various kinds which may be severe.

Do you ask the patients their reasons for listing the medications they specify under allergies? Another possibility I can think of is that patients are indicating that their doctor has told them certain medications, such as the ones you mentioned, are contraindicated for them, and writing their name in the allergy space is the best way they can think of to communicate this to their doctors and nurses. For example, I have a family member for whom Ibuprofen and Aspirin are contraindicated, and Tylenol to a lesser extent.

You are missing the point obviously,....but yes I do ask all of those questions, everything is entered electronically, if I list tylenol as an allergy a box pops up asking for the reaction ie nausea, hives, vomiting, rash, SOB etc,..I even have an "other" option to type in responses like "it makes me crazy" or "I died and they had to bring me back"

To the OP,..another allergy that speaks volumes is allergy to Haldol :)

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You are missing the point obviously,....but yes I do ask all of those questions, everything is entered electronically, if I list tylenol as an allergy a box pops up asking for the reaction ie nausea, hives, vomiting, rash, SOB etc,..I even have an "other" option to type in responses like "it makes me crazy" or "I died and they had to bring me back"

To the OP,..another allergy that speaks volumes is allergy to Haldol :)

Rude, as all nurses are entitled to their point of view.

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Specializes in ED.
Rude, as all nurses are entitled to their point of view.

I don't think the OP's messages were rude, they were correct and to the point. The majority of pts I see with that list of allergies as well as Toradol usually have the suspicions confirmed when the MD checks their name in the DEA database to see how many hits the person has had for narcotics. Then comes the excuse of I dropped the bottle of 120 vicodin in the toilet on accident....yesterday. But no mention of the three other 30 day prescriptions from the other 3 docs.....just sayin.

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EDNurse74 in my post #6 I was replying to post #5, not the OP's message. Please re-read my post #6 where I quoted the person I was responding to.

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Specializes in ED.
EDNurse74 in my post #6 I was replying to post #5, not the OP's message. Please re-read my post #6 where I quoted the person I was responding to.

Reread your post, multiple times and post #5 was not rude either.

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Specializes in ER, Addictions, Geriatrics.

Reread your post, multiple times and post #5 was not rude either.

No.. post#5 is very sadly true a lot of the time

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I guess I can't count cuz I'm #5.

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