*Weird* Patient Allergies

[cherrybreeze]

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??)

[teeniebert, LPN]

It IS possible to be allergic to mosquito bites. If a mosquito bites me, I get a little red bump that itches, no big deal. If a mosquito bites my sister, she gets a huge fluid-filled welt and her entire arm or leg starts to swell. Benadryl helps the swelling go down, but if she waits too long to take it (like when she was 9 and her camp counselor said, 'you'll have to wait until lunch time, I'm not taking you to the nurse right now just for a mosquito bite') her temperature starts to go up. I've only met 2 other people with that problem--oddly enough, one of them is my sister's stepson!

My mother is allergic to echinacea. She has to read 'herbal tea' labels very carefully.

Recently I had a patient whose wife was sure that her husband was allergic to penicillin, vancomycin, and lovenox because 'last time he was in the hospital he had those, and he got thrombocytopenia times two.' She always emphasized the 'times two' like it meant the condition was more serious or something.

[psalm, RN]

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!!!!

Claritin-D made my lips swell! I was driving home from nursing school, went straight to my MD's office and he sent me to the ER. I was okay and now I don't take Claritin-D...

[psalm, RN]

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!

so glad you aren't allergic to dr pepper!! hugs!:redpinkhe

[psalm, RN]

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

Yep! My husband is allergic to the sap. He was helping a neighbor get mangoes from her tree and afterward must not have washed his hands thoroughly coz he got the most awful rash in his groin. This was when he was in the Navy...had just gotten back from a 3 month patrol. I took him to the dispensary and the doc asked him "Have you been a good boy while you were away from home?" He thought just glancing at it that dh had contracted some kind of STD!

[jenrn6282]

recently had a patient allergic to:

mayo

mustard

ketchup

pickles

fresh fruits

and a list of other meds

[Neveranurseagain, RN]

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

Yellow snow is a condition that occurs after a dog has done his business in the snow!

[AggieNurse99, BSN, RN]

When I was in dietary I always got the wierdest stuff....MSG, tyramine, soy, wheat, corn, tree nuts, peanuts, cow's milk, gluten, sulfites, nitrites, iodine, red food coloring, aspartame, etc... oh? and it needs to be kosher too? guess what's gonna be on your tray...

also, don't forget to pass on tartrazine/yellow # 5 and iodine allergies to dietary

cockroach allergy? no chocolate for you - a few roach parts per ounce is acceptable in the USDA definition of chocolate. rat allergy? no more tomato soup. Allergic to a commonly processed food item? see an allergist to determine the real allergy, then start on a good text on food science/processing.

Personally, I hope to never have another UTI - bactrim (hives), macrobid (the ED told me), levaquin (side effects)

[talaxandra]

I've got a patient who's allergic to water - she can drink it, but is she showers her skin dries up, welts and cracks. Apparently it's a side effect of a chemotherapy drug she's on and she's having weekly desensitisation (though I have no idea how that works). It's documented by the medical unit or I'd never have believed it!

I had a CCF patient allergic to frusemide because "it makes my kidneys feel funny - can't I just have a catheter?" Uh, no. Not the same.

[kythe, LPN]

When I was in dietary I always got the wierdest stuff....MSG, tyramine, soy, wheat, corn, tree nuts, peanuts, cow's milk, gluten, sulfites, nitrites, iodine, red food coloring, aspartame, etc... oh? and it needs to be kosher too? guess what's gonna be on your tray...

Some of those things on your list aren't "weird". Soy, wheat, milk, and peanuts are among the most common allergies. They are among the "8 foods that account for 90% of allergies":

http://www.foodallergy.org/allergens/index.html

My son is allergic to wheat, gluten, milk, and eggs. We learned this through blood testing ordered by a specialist, though I believe people who experiment with elimination diets. Over time I have learned more about allergies and take food issues much more seriously than I used to.

[AggieNurse99, BSN, RN]

Kythe is right, multiple food allergies can be quite difficult to live with. Unfortunately, USDA/FDA reg's do allow food manufacturers a reality leeway where trace amounts of non-foodstuffs and unlisted ingredients can be a part of a food. "modified food starch" and "modified dextrins" usually indicate corn or wheat. The food label does give manufacturer contact info, and the major manufacturers like frito-lay, kraft, sara lee, general mills, post, nestle, con agra, et al, do have a registered dietitian or food scientist on staff to answer questions related to allergy information.

Thinking about all this...I need to check with pharm re: D50 and D5W to check about corn/wheat origins...

[yadda_yadda_yadda, LPN, LVN]

My favorite (from a patient chart) is "Allergic to ALL Psychotropic Meds"

This particular patient has MAJOR issues & the family doesn't want any behaviors medicated.

[I love my cat!]

i'm actually allergic to poinsettias. that's the oddest one i know.

hi!

have you ever been tested for latex allergies? there are 2 types.

latex has a cross-reactivity with poinsettias. i'm just mentioning this since we are exposed to latex every day, esp. in healthcare.