Every medication has the potential for side effects, but not all side effects are an allergic reaction. The American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology reports that about 5 to 10 percent of adverse effects fall in the category of an allergic reaction. Reactions to medicine are unpredictable and can be mild or life threatening. Call your doctor at the first indication of an allergic reaction, even if you have taken the medication before with no problems.
Cause
An allergic reaction occurs when your body recognizes a medication as an invader. When you take the medicine, your immune system creates IgE antibodies, which are proteins that fight specific antigens. Your body becomes sensitized and when you take the medication again, large amounts of histamine and antibodies are released in an effort to expel the drug. This immune response takes place from within a few minutes to up to two weeks after taking the medicine.
Symptoms
Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, may be an irritation of the digestive system from the medicine. These symptoms, if severe or accompanied by other symptoms, such as tingling, burning or swelling in your mouth and throat, can indicate an allergic reaction. Itching, hives, rash or flushing are symptoms of an allergic reaction that can affect your skin. Some allergic reactions affect your respiratory system with wheezing, runny nose, nasal congestion and difficulty breathing. Anaphylaxis is the most serious reaction and requires immediate medical attention. In most cases, anaphylaxis occurs within minutes with symptoms that include chest tightness, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, trouble swallowing and breathing difficulties.
Sources
The most common sources of an allergic reaction to medications are penicillin and related antibiotics, as noted by the Cleveland Clinic. Offending medications that cause non-IgE reactions include anticonvulsants, sulfa drugs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, iodinated contrast dyes and barbiturates. Antibiotics are the most common cause of anaphylaxis; however, chemotherapy drugs have also been noted to cause an anaphylactic reaction.
Warning
If you have a reaction or suspected reaction to any medicine, your doctor may request a skin test for confirmation. In some cases, the skin test can be dangerous or it may not work on all drugs. Once you have had a reaction to a medication, you should never take that drug or similar drugs again. Other types of antibiotics should be used. Desensitization may be considered to train your immune system to accept the drug; however, this requires injection of the offending drug in increasingly higher doses until you can tolerate the drug. This requires the expertise and close monitoring by a doctor specializing in the diagnosing and treatment of allergies.
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