*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, TRAUMA, MED-SURG.

The ones I have heard is (more than once) is "I am allergic to Lortabs but I can take hydrocodone"

"I am allergic to Toradol cause it doesn't 'do anything'"

"Everything...they all make my throat close up. About 15 of them." When the good nurse asks, the patient says, Heck, I thought you people knew. Isn't that your job??!" Of course, this is a patient that lives out of state, and we have never laid eyes on them before!"

Anne, RNC :banghead:

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Specializes in ICU.

Alcohol swabs. lol

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I had a patient who said she was allergic to all odors--not just perfumes. She said her son was, too. When he came to visit, he arrived on the floor wearing a World War I gas mask! You know, the ones that make the wearer look like some kind of insect.:rolleyes:

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

I have an anaphylaxis reaction to coconuts. Is that weird?

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

Yep, that is the definition of Yellow Snow. :yeah:

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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.

Oh man, what a concept. :lol2:

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Private Duty Peds.

just got the results of my patch test and it was positive for

nickle and budesonide! my allergist says he has only seen one other person allergic to budesonide! so no asthma meds or pulmicort for me~~

also found out i am allergic to chili pepper, white pepper and red pepper, not black! this after my tongue tripled in size after eating chili. confirmed with blood test last week!

latex is another that i found out about , along with pcn, levaquin, gentamycin and sulfer!

once had a pt tell me her husband was allergic to ice water! made his head hurt!:lol2:

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Specializes in neuro/neurosurgery/epilepsy m/s too.

One patient said she was allergic to Sodium. Another allergic to chocolate. And the last one allergic to chicken anaphylactic reaction. The Sodium allergy was the funniest.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

My son breaks out in hives if he touches caterpillars. Who'da thunk it?

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Specializes in LTC, Home Health.
My son breaks out in hives if he touches caterpillars. Who'da thunk it?

My sister and I are allergic to Gypsy Moth caterpillars. When we were young we would let them crawl all over us even though we knew we would break out in hives and be miserable. I had never heard of it before or since.

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

My dh is allergic to mango's he breaks out in sores all over his mouth tongue and throat.

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Specializes in med-surg,ortho,oncology,teaching.

I had a patient that said she was allergice to Golytely. Yep you guessed it caused her to have diarrhea.

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