*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??)

Critical LPN, as a pharmacist I have been told many times by patients that certain generics did or didn't work better than others. One of the most consistent is the Mylan generic fentanyl patches - they don't stick on as well or last as long as the others.

Another I have heard more than once from people with Parkinson's is that the "yellow" amantadine doesn't work as well as the "red" amantadine.

Even in our hospital's small retail department, we have certain generics that we special order for some people who find they work better or are allergic to the dye in one of the other brands.

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Specializes in Cath Lab, OR, CPHN/SN, ER.

Oxygen. LOL

An EMS patient said this one time- it irritated his nose (when the doofus bringing you to the hospital is giving 8lpm via NC, of course it is going to irritate your nose!)

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one patient i saw on my clinicals was allergic to dried mangoes. weird!

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Specializes in ICU, CCU,Wound Care,LTC, Hospice, MDS.

My favorite is potassium.

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Specializes in Med surg, Critical Care, LTC.

One of my co-workers had what they determined to be an allergic reaction to the Flu vaccine.

His vaccine was given in the deltoid. He awoke the next day with "itchiness" to his right knee area. As the day went on, blisters formed, to encompass the knee, thigh and calf. He had blood drawn, no WBC count, they cultured the fluid in the blisters, negative. It wasn't viral or bacterial. They did an US, negative. No new meds, no changes in detergent, no lab work, no bites, wife had no bites. Process of elimination, the flu vaccine. The hives/blister eventually spread to neck and chest before they started to go away. They put him on a titrating dose of prednisone.

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Favorite allergies?

Pt was allegedly allergic to cookies (all types). I actually had to write that on the chart. Had a mental image of bringing in some chips ahoy into the room and seeing if hives emerged.

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Specializes in CTICU.

We've seen some severe allergies/anaphylactic reactions lately related to either IV albumin or hextend.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTC, Rehab, Hospice, Endocrine.

As much as I hate to admit it, I am one of those 'allergic' to Vicodin and Percocet. I have severe nausea and vomiting with both. Both times I have taken them (tried each one twice) I ended up having to take a nasuea medication to counteract it while at home...which of course puts me on the 'go to sleep for the rest of the day' list. I list each as an allergy because I would rather take something non narcotic and deal with the pain than have to deal with the constant nausea/vomiting.

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Specializes in Med surg, Critical Care, LTC.

KYLEA: What you describe isn't an allergy, but an intolerance. A true allergy would cause a rash, hives, difficulty breathing, itching, anaphylaxis>

What you're decsribing for narcotics is actually quite normal. Very common side effects. I f I even THINK about a Narcotic, I'll get queasy and start vomiting.

Blessings

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Specializes in MSN, FNP-BC.
I think it is interesting the more people are finding they are allergic to horse hair serum that is used in some vaccines.

And I have always wondered if people who are allergic to cat hair would react to one of the sphynx hairless cats?

Me- I am allergic to vacuuming, not the dust, just the using of the actual machine. I hate vacuming.

Yes to the cats question. It's not the actual hair that people like me with cat allergies react to, it's a protein in the saliva that causes all the grief.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTC, Rehab, Hospice, Endocrine.
KYLEA: What you describe isn't an allergy, but an intolerance. A true allergy would cause a rash, hives, difficulty breathing, itching, anaphylaxis>

What you're decsribing for narcotics is actually quite normal. Very common side effects. I f I even THINK about a Narcotic, I'll get queasy and start vomiting.

Blessings

There is a reason I put the word allergic in quotation marks. I KNOW it's not an allergy. I know the difference between intolerance and allergy. I list it as an allergy because I would rather take something non narcotic than deal with 24 hours of vomiting after taking two tabs of Vicodin. I don't consider that to be a normal s/e either....nausea and vomiting yes, vomiting for 24 hours...not so much.

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Brocolli, Spinach. This was from a patient who was on tube feeds.

And people when was the last time you saw a cat on the unit?

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