*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 ER, PACU, Med-Surg, Hospice, LTC.
To the PP about being allergic to almonds and not peanuts, different categories. Peanuts are legumes, almonds are tree nuts. :)

Ya...I know. :nuke: Just like soy milk and cows milk are different categories and I compared those.

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Specializes in NA, Stepdown, L&D, Trauma ICU, ER.

I've got nothing to spectatcular to add, but I just had to toss in my :twocents:\

Had a PTL pt who said she was allergic to mag, because she had it with her last baby and "it made him come out all bruised up" Pts mom informed us that it was more likely the prolonged forcep extraction

One of my coworkers hubbys is truly, horribly allergic to all NSAIDs. She says he started noticing it after having a few drinks and taking ASA to ward off the hangover, then he got sick after ibuprofen, and finally went into anaphylaxis after APAP. Thought it was just from tylenol, so he took aspirin again and got another jab from an epipen. Silly boy finally learned, now he just has to tough it out.

Um, had the usual gammet of phenergan causing drowsiness and whatnot too, but everyone hears those...

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Specializes in Telemetry, Case Management.

I'm allergic to Claritin. Makes my throat swell shut.

I'm allergic to hornets and trumpet vines, too, but seldom see those in a clinical setting!!!!

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Specializes in Day Surgery, Agency, Cath Lab, LTC/Psych.

I really think that some patients think that their nurses will get all excited and concerned if they list 5,000+ allergies. Like that somehow makes them at very high risk for everything. I had a patient with a huge laundry list of allergies once--4 allergy bracelets total. One of her allergies was mosquitoes--their bites make her itch.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.
I really think that some patients think that their nurses will get all excited and concerned if they list 5,000+ allergies. Like that somehow makes them at very high risk for everything. I had a patient with a huge laundry list of allergies once--4 allergy bracelets total. One of her allergies was mosquitoes--their bites make her itch.

LOL!!!

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Specializes in ltc and med surg.

We have a resident that is allergic to corn, it causes an increase in eosinophils. And another who is allergic to opium, yet he takes opioid analgesics regularly.

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Had a lady tell me not long ago that she is allergic to rubbing alcohol. This after 4 or 5 days of being in the hospital and having it used on her about a million times. I was about to start a new IV and she freaked out and wouldn't let me get near her. I tried to explain that we had used it "multiple times" since her admission and she had not had any problems, but no. She just remembered she is "deathly allergic" to it. :rolleyes:

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Specializes in Day Surgery, Agency, Cath Lab, LTC/Psych.
Had a lady tell me not long ago that she is allergic to rubbing alcohol. This after 4 or 5 days of being in the hospital and having it used on her about a million times. I was about to start a new IV and she freaked out and wouldn't let me get near her. I tried to explain that we had used it "multiple times" since her admission and she had not had any problems, but no. She just remembered she is "deathly allergic" to it. :rolleyes:

It probably dried out her skin. That's a fatal reaction, dontcha know?

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Specializes in Emergency.

Epinephrine = palpitations.

Morpine = "messed up".

Reglan = nausea.

Aspirin = "can't handle it".

Ambien = "very sleepy".

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Specializes in MS, ED.

My mother is allergic to juniper berries, (found this out when she had a serious reaction to drinking a gin and tonic at a wedding years back).

Instead of mentioning the allergy as 'juniper berries', she just says she's allergic to gin. It tickles me whenever I hear her mention a doctor's appointment - that she was 'sure to tell them' about her allergy. :lol2:

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Specializes in Day Surgery, Agency, Cath Lab, LTC/Psych.

Don't you love it when you ask people what their allergies are and they say "none." Then you get their old medical records or check the computer records and they have like 15.

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Specializes in ER, TRAUMA, MED-SURG.
When I was working as a paramedic we were packaging a woman from a car accident. When asked her allergies she replied, "Yellow snow". I couldn't even look at my partner after that! It was my partners turn to attend but he ran and jumped into the drivers seat and locked the door. So it was up to me to attend. I then had to patch to the hospital and when it came time for allergies, I had to to say it 3 times-without laughing- to the ER nurse as she thought she was misunderstanding me! :lol2:! But this turned out to be the least of this pt. pysch problems!!!

Awsmom - Please forgive the stupid question, but what in the world is "yellow snow"?? I live in NE Louisiana, but don't really think of myself as a "hick", but the only yellow snow is snow that some guy PEED IN!!

Am I wrong?

Anne, RNC :bow:

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