*Weird* Patient Allergies

Nurses General Nursing

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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??)

Today I was taking care of a woman who called me into her room to show me a rash she had broken out in. My first thought was to look into what meds I gave. She told me it wasn't any of her meds. It was her dentures. She says that everytime she puts them in her mouth she breaks out in hives. I didn't know what to say after that. Definitely a first.

I find it quite believable; she's probably allergic to one of the chemicals used to make the dentures. I once read about a man who was allergic to a chemical used to make telephones, so he always had aluminum foil on hand to cover it if he needed to use one.

Many years ago, a man died from an allergic reaction to a preservative in Twinkies, and when news of this got out, some comedians thought it was funny. It wasn't; my mom knew the guy's brother. :(

Around that time, a man I knew who worked for the IRS died of flesh eating bacteria. Some wags joked about that too - "IRS agent dies of flesh eating bacteria! :chuckle " but he wasn't an IRS agent. Even if he was, he didn't deserve to die that way. He was an accountant who worked for the IRS, and was married with two young children.

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*Is still laughing about the yellow snow*

I had a patient tell me they were allergic to soap, any kind and it was obvious they thought so too! :omy:

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Specializes in Cardiology, Med-Surg.

She has worn them for several years and took them in to have them adjusted. Whatever they used is now causing her to break out. Now I guess the search is on to find out what is causing this. The dentist swears they didn't use anything that wasn't already used previously. I'm just glad it was only a rash and not an anaphylactic reaction.

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Had a labor pt who said she was allergic to the dyes used in pills and couldn't possibly take the synthroid I was trying to give her as it would cause her throat to swell. Mind you she told me all this while she was eating an enormous bag of M&Ms. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure the pills and the M&Ms use the same food dyes.

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I have an odd allergy for you! LOL... its a personal one.. then I can dive into odd ones I've seen from patients.

My allergy is Fenugreek. My OB/MW/Lactation consultant, friends many people I know said its safe for increaseing milk supply. I took it.. full blown anaphylaxis.. apparently its quite rare. Turns out had the allergy my whole life. I thought I had IBS forever... never worried about it just dealt with it. Well I now must avoid all foods that say "herbs" because fenugreek falls into that category.. turns out I didn' have IBS.. it was a food allergy they whole time. Who knew!

My favorite allergy patient was the other night. She was allergic to "narcotics" "Codeine" "benedryl" "narcan" and a few others.

Bendryl: Made her sleepy

Narcotics made her nauseous

Codeine made her itchy

Narcan caused her lots of pain.

All of this yet she wanted us to keep giving her the narcotics...she was a trip!

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A friend of mine was just prescribed an epi pen because he can start to go into anaphalaxys while exercising (presumably after he eats something he's allergic to, possibly bread/gluten).

Interesting...I wonder if he has a severe case of cholinergic urticaria.

I too had a pt "allergic " to normal saline, hmmm.(I guess if she cries her skin must slough off) She was also allergic to tap h2o.:bugeyes: She had brought bottled h20 in for her stay, but guess what, she needed tap h20 enemas til clear preop,she got them and SHE DID NOT DIE !!!

That kills me! I wonder if these people who are "allergic" to tap water read the labels, since most bottled water says "bottled from a municipal source" in tiny letters on the back of the label. What does that mean? At best, it's bottled tap water. It probably comes from a garden hose in someone's back yard! :chuckle

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Specializes in Emergency Midwifery.

Weird...

I had a patient that had an anaphylactic reaction to a microlax enema (so I guess it is true :lol2:).

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Specializes in LTC/Rehab, Med Surg, Home Care.

Actually, I suggested that my nephew put tylenol as an allergy because it's contraindicated with a medication he'll be on for life (cancer med). One nurse had given it to him in the hospital pre-blood transfusion "because it's the procedure" despite the fact that he was not to get any tylenol. He had already popped the pills when his mom spoke up and said "what did you give him?" She spoke to the MD who confirmed NO TYLENOL EVER!!! Too late...

He liked the idea of listing it as an allergy.

We did that for a pt. with end stage liver failure. Her liver just couldn't handle tylenol.

LOVE the acetaminophen/NSAID allergies...

I have so many times wanted to ask, do you know what being "allergic" to something actually MEANS?

I just thought the caffeine/tachycardia allergy was TOO funny...I know they don't understand it, but since we do, it can be good for a laugh...

"I don't have a problem with pain medication." First allergy listed? Methadone. Um, there's only one way to know you're allergic to something...

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Specializes in Staff nurse.
Had a lady that said she was allergic to Orange cats, only orange ones.

A person can have an allergic reaction to some cat dander but not all cat dander. Perhaps she has had reactions to orange cats that had a particular dander? Or she's just had reactions to orange cats. Great study, eh?

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Specializes in Staff nurse.

Actually, I had a reaction to my allergy shot. Headache and lips swelling about 8 minutes after the shot. Got to stay at the office for 2.5 hours in the shock position with 2 nurses, the doc most of the time, epi, VS q 10-15 minutes and they insisted my husband drive me home and worry about my car later (I had driven myself in). This after about 2-3 years of shots...and yes, the scratch tests.

They cut the dose down and started again. After about 2 months, I had another reaction. Now no more shots!

I have a latex sensitivity, that can be challenging.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.
Actually, I suggested that my nephew put tylenol as an allergy because it's contraindicated with a medication he'll be on for life (cancer med). One nurse had given it to him in the hospital pre-blood transfusion "because it's the procedure" despite the fact that he was not to get any tylenol. He had already popped the pills when his mom spoke up and said "what did you give him?" She spoke to the MD who confirmed NO TYLENOL EVER!!! Too late...

He liked the idea of listing it as an allergy.

We did that for a pt. with end stage liver failure. Her liver just couldn't handle tylenol.

I certainly wouldn't mean something like that...I'm talking about the ones that, uh, narrow down their pain med options (no aspirin, no toradol, no ibuprofen, no vidocin *BUT I CAN TAKE PERCOCET*)...that kind of thing.

I think we don't need to debate that people don't know what allergy truly means, which is why we ask for the type of reactions they have so that we know for sure. Caffeine causing tachycardia is of course a side effect, I just think it's amusing from our end to see those things, since we know the difference!

I'm trying to think of more.....the cocaine one killed me too, I bit my tongue from saying "well then I'd better have the doc take it off your med list! So glad you told us, we might've really screwed up!" Granted, some nasal packing are done with cocaine, but those are few and far between...

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Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.

I know I had a patient recently who was listed as allergic to:

"tin foil"

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