Weird Patient Allergies

kids · Jan 5, 2009

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

I have an allergy to prednisone that has grown to my having a low level reaction to medrol.

Given that I also have allergies that cause anaphylaxis I *really* hope EMS actually reads my alert bracelet before treating me if I can't speak for myself.

FYI for folks who have developed an latex allergy-

Curiously, certain fruits such as bananas, chestnuts, kiwi fruit, avocado and tomato13 show cross-reactivity, perhaps because of resemblance to a latex protein component. These foods have been responsible for anaphylactic reactions in latex-sensitive persons, while many other foods, including figs, apples, celery, melons, potatoes, papayas and pitted fruits, such as cherries and peaches, have caused progressive symptoms beginning with oral itching.14 Persons with a history of reactions to these foods are at increased risk of developing latex allergy, and those who are sensitive to latex should avoid foods to which they have had previous reactions. While food cross-reactions remain an evolving area of knowledge, it is clear that the elimination of all of these foods would cause significant dietary restriction and is therefore not recommended categorically for latex-allergic persons.

http://www.aafp.org/afp/980101ap/reddy.html

C_K_GrodeckLPN · Jan 5, 2009

I have perfume allergies too, but it usually just makes me sneeze or cough. But natural scents like Vanilla or even Rose are just fine... Weird Huh?

kpnurse16 · Jan 5, 2009

I had to laugh, the patient had a allergy to butter!!! Another said she had allergies to any meds that started with a P. God I love the funny ones.

talaxandra · Jan 5, 2009

I love an allergy to a letter of the alphabet!

animal1993 · Jan 5, 2009

I know someone who is allergic to tomato seeds. Not tomatoes...just the seeds.:roll

C_K_GrodeckLPN · Jan 8, 2009

Go figure this one...A Heroin Detox patient who is allergic to Morhpine. Also to Phenobarbital, which is used to treat withdrawal Sx.

Patient'sPerspective · Sep 13, 2009

then of course you have the people who are allergic to tylenol, toradol, NSAIDS, etc,...but they "do real with that "d" drug,..hhmm dil something,..dilad something",.......

It's this attitude that really scares me.

Multiple pain reliever allergies are not that rare--30% of asthmatics are allergic to NSAIDS/aspirin and 3% of those allergic to Tylenol. So about 1/90 asthmatics are truly allergic (ie, hives, angioedema, full blown anaphylaxis) to both NSAIDS/aspirin and Tylenol. Toradol is an NSAID. DHE is pregnancy category X. Triptans are category C and many OBs and neurologists don't feel comfortable with them being used in pregnancy.

So what do you give the pregnancy woman with a severe migraine who is truly allergic to NSAIDS/aspirin and Tylenol? Hint: It begins with a D and works better when combined with phenergan and caffeine. (Actually, there are two correct answers here).

:up: And I am thankful every day that my neurologist doesn't share your attitude. :up:

And yeah, people who claim to be allergic just because they don't like something or have side effects from it or just want to get high make me also want to :banghead:

cherrybreeze, ADN, RN · Sep 13, 2009

:spbox: This is one of my sore spots in medicine as sometimes we all forget in the Medical field that the layman aquaints allergies and sensativitys to medications as the same thing and we do not take time to explain them to the patients as well as common reactions to some meds.
This includes the ever so popular (not always limited to female):blushkiss yeast problems to antibiotics. The problem with binders, additives, and dyes of any and all meds can be an issue that I personally had the misfortune to have to require only a specific " Brand " ,as a generic made me get terribly ill several times as the doctor said it could not be the med as they are all the same or the Government would not pass them (Oh, how we believe everthing we hear if it is the Gov. or in print).
:igtsyt:The Doctors are very intolerant of these things at times and for all their education and resources (including sometimes right at the bedside or office visit as they are ordering, Medicine Palm Pilots in hand, ETC), poo-pooing or telling a patient that they are or must be mistaken as the patient's particular allergy and or sensitivity to the med they are ordering does not fall in the usual (nausea, vomiting, sleepiness) catagory.:barf01:
Edema seeems to be one of the worse side effects I have seen of NSAIDS as well as potential CHF and yet when a patient has a pain issue (even in one of the local Pain Clinics), they are told that it must be from something else even though edema is one of the most recorded side effects on the allergy list given to the patients at the local pharmacys. "You are just wanting something a little stronger are'nt you? as they give the grin we all know is of their disbelief in the patient's complaint that either the NSAIDS are making them sick or swollen.:wtosts:
I realize that there is a terrible drug crisis in this country, but we as nurses have had it shoved down our throats that undermedicating pain(esp. in the first few days post op) and pain as the V/S that we are also to record every single time we do V/S, now have to consume time (talking, soothing, warmth, cool, psych consults) etc. that the patient won't get outside of our care when they leave or even in our care as we are to overworked to provide all the wonderful diversionary care to pain we know how to do.:redpinkhe:saint: ( Because we have become experts at trying to chart that when all else failed, just what do we do when the doctor will not medicate or increase medicine and gives us that dreaded order to "just try to passify the patient with more diversionary care"). There are ways to start with less addictive meds and work up to Narcotics(Opiates) if needed without overdosing the patients. Would it not be better, while in the hospital postoperatively to assess tolearance and releif as to increaseed mobility, proper TCDB, and ambulation than to pre judge and send the patient out in pain that he/she is too scared to speak of due to being made fun of or ostersized as a "whimp" as unfortunately too many Medical staff are still shameful of even after all the extra teaching education we all receive.:selfbonk:
Many patients look up to us to be their help in a time when they are helpless or feeling so.:wshgrt: We let them down by making light of their possible actual allergy (just because we have not heard of it!). I have seen patients that had been thin as a sheet weeks before a doctor visit, that now are puffy, very edematous in the face or arms/legs and swear they got that way after a particular med, animal, or even the silliest smell (ie: cat urine) only to be made fun of by staff behind their back. And God forbid the patient that has "too" many allergies even if they have proof from recorded episodes of shock or swollen breathing passages (the cat urine person) . Will they be the next one to code on the unit and everyone wonder why?
Sorry to carry on, but after 30 years of seeing things like this happen, and only a very few being the so called "psych" type and even fewer than that being ever diagnosed as due to mental induced, I have had to question how many deaths were uncalled for if only we had listened and perhaps at least tried to rule out the allergy or took the time to explain the difference of allergy and sensitivity to a patient. Sometimes, depending on the situation (going for test or surgery where a particular med could make the difference), is there really much of a difference in the potential outcome of the life or care of the patient? Maybe trying something else t'aint so bad now, uhhh?
After all, was'nt that long ago, we found out from a study that women's heart attack symptoms were different most imes from men. The so called "oh she just has problems with her nerves or her hormones". Most common female heart attack symptom seen prior to EKG in many ERs if done, have been, anxiety. ("nerves") Many women do not know why they all of a sudden feel short of breath all the time any more("just nerves?), abdominal pains instead of over heart or down arms("cramps, nerves"). :chair:
So please just remember, we are all human and think everyone else is sometimes a "little off", but WE may be that one who is trying to explain the sometimes seemingly unexplainable allergy, pain, symptom to someine in the Medical field and it might just be our life depending on it. So if not taken seriously, how would you feel????? :crying2::madface::sofahider
Just food for thought. Did not want to take what was I think meant to be a lighthearted queary and make serious but, we do have to think of the new and growing Nurses and aides that may read this question.

Yes, it was meant to be a light-hearted query.

Coming here to have a little chuckle or a smile over some the of the things we see and hear does not mean that we are not educating our patients, or that we're making light of it to THEM. That's the whole point.

It just bugs me when you can't even come here, to people that DO understand, to blow off a little of the steam you need after a tough day, without getting judged or getting a lecture.

saintplatypus · Sep 13, 2009

Well I read this on a fellow nurses note just the other day. I guess you could call it an "allergy" of sorts.

In the Alzheimer's unit we have one LOL who also has schizophrenia. She refuses almost everything r/t nursing or medical care, ie. labs, medication, treatments, etc. And every week our facility requires a weekly assessment including VS, LS, BS, etc.. well apparently when this nurse attempted to obtain VS the pt told her, "No you can't take my vitals, those electrical machines damage my brain."

LOL allergy???

tferdaise · Sep 14, 2009

I'm sure some of you have heard this, I'm allergic to Morphine, Tramadol, Percocet and Fentyal.... So of course they want Demarol...

I had a patient tell me, he is allergic to Morphine (10 mg), but its the only pain medication that work, so he told me has to take Benadryl (50 mg) so it stop his hives he gets from the Morphine, but then he getnaseauted from the Benadryl so we have to give him phenagran (25 mg) to held with the nauseous get got... the kicker was of course it all had to be IV... I educated him on the fact this nurse wont be giving him any morphine if you have a allergic reaction to it, and i don't care what other medications help you with it. I spoke with the Dr and told him he is a drug seeker and since he told me and the RN that he is allergic to morphine, neither one of us will be giving it to him. He agreed to this and the pt signed out AMA...

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??)

Soyrizo · Sep 14, 2009

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.

I understand where you're coming from. I tell people I am "allergic" to compazine, because I will have a massive anxiety attack complete with palpitations and hysterical freaking out. And I don't have a pre-existing anxiety disorder. So really, if I tell you I am "allergic" I mean, please don't give it to me because the side effects are too much and I'd rather puke my brains out. And I would hope my caregivers would take the risk/benefit into account without chiding me for not using the proper terms either. Besides, they ask for allergies, not really bad side effects that will effect your quality of life.

Soyrizo · Sep 14, 2009

And I do get the light-hearted tone of this thread. I have my own.

My DH insists he is allergic to quite a few fruits and vegetables, including bananas. But he refuses to go to an allergist. Amazingly enough he can eat his fair share of banana bread, zucchini bread, etc. Maybe all the sugar makes the allergy go away?

*Weird* Patient Allergies

Weird Patient Allergies