*Weird* Patient Allergies

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What are some of the weird allergies/reactions that patients have told you they have? I can't remember so many that made me go "hmmmmm.." but not long ago, I came across these two (on the same person!):

Caffeine: causes tachycardia (really?)

Cocaine: anaphylaxis (perhaps you took too much??)

Specializes in Retired OR nurse/Tissue bank technician.
I'm allergic to onions. No one at my hosp believed me till I got one on a pizza by accident and wound up in the ER

I have a friend who will tell restaurants that she's 'deathly allergic' to onions. When I asked her what this 'deadly' reaction was? She said it gave her some abd. upset and the runs. :uhoh3: Hardly fatal. Perhaps she should talk with you sometime.

My Gramps was so allergic to bananas that just the scent of one would send him into anaphylaxis.

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Specializes in Geriatric, Rehab, Med Surg, Telematry.

I keep a typed list of my allergies and adverse reactions. I am allergic to latex and because of this a lot of fruits one of which is bananas. I am allergic to an additive in prednisone (makes things more difficult because of multiple allergies). The computer system at MD and hospital does not differentiate between true allergy and adverse reactions and just list everything as allergy. I have to list ASA and all NSAID because GI told me after endo I could never take again because I had such severe gastritis and errosions from the meds. I feel I need to list everything even though it may not be a true allergy some of the side effects I get have landed me in the hospital.

As far as all the drug addicts being allergic to cocaine ~ that's one way to keep them from taking it! LOL

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Specializes in Infusion, Med/Surg/Tele, Outpatient.

A friend is allergic to brewing coffee, something gets in the air. Jeanette actually had to break out the epi-pen in my backseat at starbucks' drive thru. Next stop, ED.

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Specializes in Retired OR nurse/Tissue bank technician.
I had a pt experience serious (thankfully temporary) neurological changes due to Zofran. She was of normal mental status before, but after geting Zofran, she was A&O to maybe 1, didn't recognize family, and acted almost delusional (she thought we were trying to hurt her). That was very weird.

I also had a pt go into anaphylactic shock from Solu-Medrol IV.

I go into delirium/psychosis with the oral/IV steroids. Heck, I can tip into psychosis if they raise my inhaled steroid up to bid (the normal dose).

I also get horrible neuropsych reactions to Thimersol in vaccines-wild mood swings, rages, suicidal/homicidal, psychosis. At first it was just a week or two of irritability/moodiness, which we chalked up to SAD, exams, whatever. Over time, the reaction got worse until the last couple of years I was having the wild mood swings, psychosis and the rest for close to two months. This year, I got the shot in a special formulation that had no Thimersol and I've been perfectly fine.

Took us 17 years to figure it out, six of which were severe psych reactions, requiring ER visits and hospital stays.

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Specializes in Retired OR nurse/Tissue bank technician.
My son breaks out in hives if he touches caterpillars. Who'da thunk it?

I break out in hives if I touch those pretty yellow and black caterpillars.

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Specializes in Retired OR nurse/Tissue bank technician.
When I was in dietary I always got the wierdest stuff....tyramine

For people on MAOI antidepressants, tyramine in any size dose can be dangerous, if not fatal due to how the medication works on the body.

I've been on MAOIs for a few years and I admit I've stretched my food choices beyond what the 'safe list' says I should and so far, I've been lucky. A friend, on the other hand, ate a piece of cheese that had had that little bit of white stuff that sometimes grows on cheese and within no time at all was on the floor with a BP of 300/150. She spent several days in ICU and more time on a regular ward.

MAOIs can be very effective, particularly with atypical depressions, but because of the dietary issues, many patients don't want to take them.

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Specializes in Retired OR nurse/Tissue bank technician.
Bananas is the other weird one that I have heard. And more than once believe it or not!

I know of someone who was fatally allergic to bananas; even the smell of one could send him into anaphylaxis.

Banana allergies could also have a comorbid latex allergy. Same with kiwis.

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Specializes in Mental Health.

One of my neighbour's children is allergic to every thing from (insert the name of a major UK supermarket chain here).

So I'm thinking...

If I buy brand X chocolate from this supermarket he would be allergic to it but if I bought the same brand from another supermarket he wouldn't be?

:banghead:

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Nursing Education.

i had a patient allergic to "meat". yes, meat. he actually went to an allergist - and they had us put on his chart "allergic to meat".

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My favorite are the sicklers who are all "allergic" to anything but dilaudid. Yeah, Yeah, I know some do get so many meds that they could be...but then why do I get very detailed instructions from them on how they wanted the drug slammed?

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I had a patient who said he was allergic to adenosine states it gives him a cardiac arrest.

???? isn't that what it is supposed to do?:confused:

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A pt this week read codine = drowsiness and constipation :doh:

An other Pt has on her medical file Ants and Grass:barf01:

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