1. Get a Shot of Epinephrine
Hospitals deliver epinephrine injections for severe allergic reactions, which will stabilize your system and prevent the onset of anaphylactic shock. You can carry an epinephrine injector with you and either administer it yourself or have a friend or family member do it for you. You'll need to get a prescription from your doctor before a pharmacist will release the medication to you. When a reaction hits, you need to treat it as quickly as possible. You might also consider getting a medical alert bracelet to let doctors or paramedics know about your drug allergies. They can then give you an epinephrine shot without wasting time finding out what the problem is.
2. Take Antihistamines
Over-the-counter antihistamines can treat the symptoms of drug allergies very quickly. Allergic reactions produce an excess of histamines in the body as your system fights the drug the way it would a poison. The histamines create the allergic reaction: itching, hives, lesions, runny nose and stomach or respiratory problems. Antihistamines will blunt those effects and keep the worst of the symptoms in line. You can take them immediately upon the onset of symptoms.
3. Use Bronchodilators
Bronchodilators and other types of asthma medication will keep your air passages open and help you to breathe during an allergic reaction. They aren't needed for all types of allergies, and they treat only one specific symptom. You shouldn't take them for hives, itching or stomach problems--they won't help. But breathing problems are one of the biggest worries during an allergic reaction, and asthma medication is a fast and easy way to treat it on the spot. You can carry it in an inhaler or take it in liquid or pill form--all are easily carried in a purse or pocket. Bronchodilators are usually available only by prescription, so talk to your doctor if you think you need them.
4. Apply Cold Compresses to the Skin
Cold compresses can treat itchy skin and help keep the worst of your topical symptoms down. Soak a washcloth in cold water and wrap it around ice cubes. Then gently press it against the patch of skin affected by the allergy. Resoak the compress in cold water as it warms up and reapply it as necessary. The same nerve endings that register the itch also register the cold temperature, which effectively "ties them up" and keeps the itching at tolerable levels. Take a cold shower or soak in a cold bath if a large area of skin is affected by the drug allergy.
5. Get the Drug Out of Your System
Even if you feel better after taking medication, it's important to determine the exact cause of your allergic reaction. Make an appointment to see the doctor and ask him whether any medication you are on may be causing it. He can set up a regimen to narrow down the possibilities and get the drug out of your system in a way that doesn't cause further complications.
