What to do if you are allergic to penicillin?

Okay, so you’ve been taking Penicillin for that nagging infection or inflammation, you start feeling good, and then Boom! You develop hives, itching or maybe even anaphylaxis. Oh no! It looks like your immune system has decided it’s time to make life difficult with a Penicillin allergy. Well, don’t panic! Here are some tips on how to manage that &%$##@ allergy without losing too much hair:

Stop the medication immediately!

This means right NOW!!!

If any sign of an allergic reaction occurs during treatment with penicillins (a class of antibiotics), such as rash, fever or other symptoms of hypersensitivity (I mean come on people, use your common sense), treatment should be discontinued immediately.

Be clear about your history!

It’s time to put those acting skills used in high school plays into use.

When you have a known drug allergy and are being prescribed medications by medical professionals (even over-the-counter drugs), be sure to tell them everything about your past experiences with allergies- what caused it? How severe was it? When was it treated last? Allergies can become fatal, especially when we refuse to disclose important information like this at the point-of-care.

Explore alternative medications

What happens when something doesn’t work out right?

Penicillins belong in the Beta-Lactam group of antibiotics; many other classes of antibiotics exist that do not contain beta-lactams eg., tetracyclines etc… Ask your treating doctor for other options(/medication) available which may be equally effective but NOT related chemically thus reducing chances(we hope)of cross- reactivity.(A sorry fate indeed)

Don’t forget patients who have experienced difficulty breathing/shock/ were hospitalized after exposure should avoid cephalosporins because of the risk of cross-reactivity.(Just in case you were thinking about it.)

Avoid penicillin-containing or related medicines

As Homer Simpson would say, “Doh!”.

If exposed to medication containing these agents, such as Amoxicillin(which is closely related chemically with Penicillins) previously and are now noted to have an allergy against this group, your immune system will recognize the drug as foreign causing signs/symptoms within minutes to hours after exposure may follow including life-threatening anaphylaxis.(Openning Up Pandora’s Box)

Communicate with others

Be clear and concise!

Make sure all healthcare providers treating you(Doctors,NPs,Pas etc…) know that you have a penicillin allergy especially when being treated for quite unrelated issues like stomach pain (unless it really was gastritis caused by unending spicy food). Just because they didn’t ask during camp doesn’t mean there isn’t news paper-worthy information on -hand which changes everything.

There’s also no harm in ‘politely’ reminding staff again once admitted for procedures(sound familiar?). Remember YOU matter most at present time so don’t hesitate(pity reminder).

Besides Doctors/Nurses/Other Medical professionals- alert your relatives (some…well-meaning ones out of concern may offer unnecessary self-medication “-ohhh Joanna had something like this;just use so-so]). So set them straight: “No one likes a back-seat driver if they’re not trained”(it rhymes he he)

Wear identification

Be unique and fashionable!

It might seem over-the-top but identifying jewelry(always good excuse for blenging!),wallet cards(boring),phone application(?iGuess!),etc can literally save lifes(Don’t press the panic button yet!). If anything worse happens uhhh maybe then emergency personnel communicating with another facility(seamless communication?) will be aware of your allergic status on admission(proactive insurance).

Be prepared for emergency

….When we see ourselves.

Life is unpredictable especially when you have a penicillin allergy. You might be doing fine one minute, and the next,you cant breathe?(WTH?). Anaphylaxis can develop rapidly;“always carry an Auto-Injector(like AeroPen/EpiPen)” pre-stocked with epinephrine as recommended by healthcare providers.Seriously…don’t leave it at home.

Follow-up Care

So good to get that tick-check outta the way.

Schedule follow-up appointments after experiencing signs/symptoms of Penicillin Allergy as diseases like Rheumatic fever may mimic allergenic symptoms even on tests.To monitor recurrence or improvement.Call ahead early enough not to look desperate(upset face!).

In conclusion

The bottom line? Having a Penicillin allergy isn’t fun. But informing yourself plus taking important steps will reduce any potential risks.The biggest take-home message is communication-not only with doctors but also close relatives/family members about this – medical issue(can’t stress this enough).Allergies cause more harm(sometimes sudden)than many other chronic illnesses so don’t wait till then. #Yolo

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