Do You Have Any Allergies???

[Asiel]

Has your doctor suggested sending you to nuclear medicine to test for nuclear antibodies? Your allergies could depend on your immune system not working properly. I remember being told I was allergic to my own body and at the time I took it as a joke but down the line after many other tests the doctors discovered that I was indeed allergic to my own body, my immune system doesn't function and I can get flare ups to anything or everything depending on how run down I get or what triggers my immune system to react. And I do carry an Epi Pen for safety. I have RXs that I use if I notice the faintest red spot on my body because if I don't catch it in time I will break out and it could take weeks to control it.

[Alysser]

When I had my first surgery for my heart problem at 9 months old or so, they found out I was allergic to a certain anesthetic, I don't remember which one it was. For some reason, I think it was Penicillin but I am not sure.

I am also allergic to pollen, I get sick from it every spring. But I'm not sure what type of pollen, it could be flower or grass pollen. I never underwent allergy testing. I am just glad I am not allergic to animal dander

I hope you find the problem with your allergies soon. That reaction isn't something I'd want to go through! Good luck!

[Grace]

When I had my first surgery for my heart problem at 9 months old or so, they found out I was allergic to a certain anesthetic, I don't remember which one it was. For some reason, I think it was Penicillin but I am not sure.

Penicillin is an antibiotic, not an anesthetic. You should contact the hospital where you had that surgery, and get the name of the drug. It could save your life one day.

[pomtzu]

I never had any allergies until I hit my 30's, then it was just seasonal allergies as so many people have. Since then I have developed a few more. It does seem as you get older, then the more they hit you.

As a kid I was always getting stings, since I liked to go barefoot and was forever stepping on things like yellow jackets. Never had any reaction till a few years ago when I got stung on my leg by several, and my leg swelled like a balloon over night. Ended up going for a shot with that one.

I also developed a reaction to a potent antibiotic (name slips my mind right now but it was sulphur based) several years ago. I was on a 6 week i.v. treatment for a serious bacterial infection I received from a bone graft during surgery. I had a pic line in and administered the dose twice a day at home. For 4 weeks I had no problem, and then one day, I had a mild anaphylactic reaction on the first dose, but didn't think much of it - some pain and tightness in my chest and shortness of breath. The second dose of the day was even worse and accompanied with a blinding headache, so it was off to the doctor. He wanted to put me in the hospital to monitor me for the remaining 2 weeks of treatment - I said no - and that I wasn't going to continue with it - and I wanted the line pulled. He didn't want to, but when I said I'd pull it myself, he agreed to have it removed. The 4 weeks must have been enough to kill the infection tho, since I'm still kicking.

It does seem strange that these reactions can just pop up over night in some instances, but I'm proof that they can.

Liz - I hope that your doc finds out what's going on, and can get you feeling better soon. I can't imagine going thru what you are, and for so long.

[pomtzu]

Geeze - I'm sorry I read or posted here - I think I jinxed myself.

I fixed 2 crab and shrimp cakes for lunch today. Before I even got the 2nd one down, I started itching all over, but mostly my scalp, arms, chest and back. My ears are ringing and my hands are partially numb - tho can't figure those 2. I popped 3 Benadryl before it got totally out of control, and that seems to be helping.

So I guess I can add shelfish to my list. I LOVE all seafood - this is going to be torture if I can't eat shellfish now.

[cassiesmom]

When I worked in the hospital I was sensitive to the powder in latex gloves. I'm not allergic to latex, but the powder gave me red blotches on the backs of my hands and fingers. Unpowdered gloves helped but didn't solve the problem completely. It couldn't really be avoided which is partly why I left bedside nursing.

I get raised red welts when I get insect bites. A friend who's a dermatology nurse told me it's sort of a hypersensitivity reaction to the bite. I need a prescription topical steroid to get them to quiet down.

When I was little I had some sort of reaction to either Hi-C or Hawaiian Punch, but I can drink them both with no problem now.

My brother-in-law carries an Epi Pen because he's allergic to bee stings.

[pomtzu]

Glad you finally found out what the problem was, Liz. I never had PI so obviously I'm not allergic to it, however one of my brothers was severely allergic to it. All he had to do was walk near it, and he would be covered all over in huge, weepy blisters - even in his mouth! It would be so bad that he couldn't even go to school. Funny the way things run in families - some have horrible reactions, and others - nothing.

[lizbud]

Glad you finally found out what the problem was, Liz. I never had PI so obviously I'm not allergic to it, however one of my brothers was severely allergic to it. All he had to do was walk near it, and he would be covered all over in huge, weepy blisters - even in his mouth! It would be so bad that he couldn't even go to school. Funny the way things run in families - some have horrible reactions, and others - nothing.

Well I'm several years past retirement age & I used to think I wasn't
allergic too, but I guess not.

I didn't get the blisters at first, just large welt like swelling on my face
and neck. One eye was nearly swollen shut. It looked awful.

[Karen]

Liz, be aware that because you are allergic, you need to be even more wary than ever before, because from now on, every reaction will tend to be more and more severe. My brother-in-law ended up hospitalized a couple times because of poison ivy allergies. He was the reason I was so diligent about ripping to out - by the roots - whenever it appeared in our yard at the last house.

[lizbud]

I saw the Dr this morning and told him about all the ideas & suggestions
you all shared about the allergic reactions. He & I sorta agree that Tide
probably is not the culpret because the rash would be more wide spread.
He also felt the inhaler I have will help control the shortness of breath,etc
and doesn't think I need carry the epi pen.

The swelling is way down on my face & eye and just a little redness left
on the skin. So I am to continue the meds & especially the antibiotic, to
treat for any lingering infection in the lungs.( He thinks this might have been
helpful the first time around.)

If this happens again, he will send me to an Internist or Allergist to follow
up for testing for specific allergies. I told him if this all comes back again
for him to just shoot me & get it over with. Thanks for all your help
and suggestions.

[momcat]

My Mom was terribly allergic to tomatoes. She couldn't even slice them because getting the juice on her hands would cause a bad reaction. It was a problem because tomato is in so many different things and even a minute amount would cause serious problems. When I was small, Mom got a reaction so bad that she broke out in hives internally that blocked her airway. Any allergy is a serious situation and should be handled with the utmost care.

[lizbud]

I have had 2 more episodes in May and again in June & July. My
Dr sent me to a allergist for testing. I had that done in June & the
result was negative for all the common allergies tested for. The Allergist
gave me a Rx for Pred to clear the rash & the swelling did subside.

He gave me his cell number & advised me to call him right away should
the swelling,rash etc return. It did return on7/10/11 & I went in to see
him again. He diagnosos was Poison Ivy.

Evidently I am super allergic to PI. My body overreacts to it , bringing
the breathing problems, rash & swelling. Believe it or not, I still have the
rash eruptions on my hands & arms even after my last dose of Pred. It's
been 22 days now, shouldn't the rash be gone by now?

[Cataholic]

Liz- are you saying it was PI all along, your allergy? If so, wouldn't your family doctor have recognized that one pretty easily? I think I could dx that one, LOL.

My friend has a serious PI allergy....she breathes it in...

[dab_20]

I'm glad you found out what you were allergic too, just be very careful where your walking I guess! I hope it goes down and that solves it.

I've never really had a life threatening allergic reaction. However, I swear I'm allergic to just about everything. I'm allergic to Sulfa antibiotics, they give me the hives. I'm allergic to pretty much every animal with fur, ironic that I was born an animal lover eh? Sneezing, itchy eyes and nose, and Springen's slobber gives me the hives! Doesn't stop me from loving them though I'm much more allergic to cats than dogs. I'm allergic to grass, weeds, and pollen. I was so allergic to dust that when I was little my parents had to rip out the carpet in my room and put plastic covers over my pillows and take away my stuffed animals. I hate allergies.
I take zyrtec/claritin and flonase (nasal spray) every day. Benedryl when it gets really bad.

[lizbud]

Liz- are you saying it was PI all along, your allergy? If so, wouldn't your family doctor have recognized that one pretty easily? I think I could dx that one, LOL.

My friend has a serious PI allergy....she breathes it in...

My primary care DR. thought since it was so severe it must have been
something taken internally, like some meds I was on or a food I had eaten.
He treated me with a aggressive round of Pred (9 days) and it did go away.

He also eliminated one med after anouther to find what caused it but
never found it, so he sent me to an Allergist.

I too thought he should have suspected PI, but what do I know?