Teen with medication allergies

[pmsmom]

I'm hot sure where to post as my dd is 15 but we've been told by the doctor that she is considered an adult as she's stopped growing.

Anyway, my dd has a lot of sensitivities/allergies to medications and other drugs. This has been confirmed by allergy testing.

One of my biggest concerns if she has surgery is how well she will tolerate the anesthesia, pain meds, etc. that she'll be given. I'm concerned about allergic reactions to these.

Has anyone else on this board experienced this? How did your child do with all of the medications?

Thanks in advance!

[augemac]

PMSMOM,

Well my own mother has severe medication allergies. She is even allergic to Benadryl!! And supposely the allergist said no one was allergic to benadryl. She doesn't have Scoliosis but I do and I heard your concerns.

My mother recently had her galbladder removed. As long as the anestheslogist knows she will do fine. My mother takes plenty of vitamin c daily and that helps with her immune system and her allergies. As long as she takes that she has less severe reactions if any. But definitely talk to the dr's. Hope any of this helps

Augemac

[sccrm08]

PMSMOM,

I also have a daughter with severe drug allergies. I really can't give you any information, but I will pray for you and your daughter and hope everything goes well. My own daughter has never had to have a surgery and I am grateful for that. When she was younger they wanted to remove her tonsels, but I felt the risk of allergies was to high for that type of elective surgery.

Best Wishes,

[pmsmom]

Thanks for the info.

That's about where we're coming from now. We're trying to consider the risk of surgery vs. her drug allergies.

Surgery was recommended by the first doctor, and we're scheduled to see 2 more this coming week.

I'm hoping that at least one of these doctors will be more conservative in his approach and take a "wait and see" attitude.

We really don't want to have to do the surgery unless we have no other alternative.

[txmarinemom]

pmsmom,

Can they test her reactions to different meds - and try to narrow the choices down to drugs she can best tolerate - prior to surgery?

If so, it might be something you want to determine even if she doesn't need to have this particular surgery. In the event she ever needed (heaven forbid) an emergency surgery, at least you'd be armed with the info.

Regards,
Pam

[pmsmom]

Dear Pam,

Actually, dh and I were discussing that tonight.

We do plan to address this with the surgeons with whom we will be meeting this coming week. We figured that we could start the allergy testing now and have it on record should she need surgery at any point in time.

Great minds must think alike!

[sccrm08]

pmsmom,

Please let us know if that is possible, I asked 15+ years ago about drawing blood to check and see what all antibiotics my daughter was allergic to and I was told it could not be done. They did say they could run allergie tests on her...skin (I think) but said it was too risky at that time in her life but the medical comunity has come a very long way.

Best Wishes,

[pmsmom]

Dear Patty,

We had my dd tested at the allergist's office. Basically they can only test for one antibiotic at a time--so you might have to schedule 1 day for penicillin, 1 day for sulfa, etc.

What they did was to prescribe 1 tablet of the medication which I picked up from my pharmacy (if they didn't have it at the office). I then took it to their office and the people who did the test diluted it somehow to make different strengths of the medication. Then they'd do skin tests with each strength (1 at time) and check for a reaction on the skin. If she didn't react, they'd give her the next strength up. This would go on until she would actually have 1 full dose of the medication. If she didn't react, then it was assumed that it would be ok for her to take.

Keep in mind, however, that you or your child (or anyone) can develop an allergic reaction to a medication at any time. That happened with one of the antibiotics they said was ok for my dd to take. She was ok with it for a couple of years, then she had a skin reaction about 2-3 years out from the testing. So I had to take her back to get retested for another antibiotic.

Hope it goes well for you. I hope this info helps. If it does, I will be happy to know that I've been able to contribute to this board as its members have helped me out so much!

Marian

[txmarinemom]

We figured that we could start the allergy testing now and have it on record should she need surgery at any point in time.

pmsmom,

Yes, I think if they *can* do it, it could save sooooo much trouble down the road should an unexpected situation arise. I know, however, it's going to be not one bit of fun for your girlie ...

Hang in there.

And about developing a reaction at any time ... I KNOW I've taken Cipro with no problems in the past, but after breast augmentation in 2001, I proved to be EXTREMELY allergic to it. It blistered my hand where the IV Cipro went in, and 3 days of oral meds caused blisters on my skin that left scars. Luckily no anaphylaxis - but definitely an allergic reaction.

Regards,
Pam

[augemac]

Lots of Vitamin C

pmsmom,


My own mother has severe medication allergies as I stated before. And the only thing she does is take a daily vitamin C of 1000mg. That helps her immune system tremendously so that she doesn't have to worry about antibiotics.

It is preventive! As far as surgery the anesthesiologist really know what they are doing. Any surgery my mother had she didn't have problems. They knew her history and took care of things for her. With her pain control they knew to give her preventive medicine with pain medicine. She didn't have any problems on any of them.

I am sure you daughter wears a allergy bracelet. If she doesn't it would be a definite good idea. Because you never know what could happen. And prayer with Our Good Lord is our best security. Worry is no way to live; in fact it robs us of living! It's hard not too worry especially with our kids but daily prayer HELPS!

[txmarinemom]

And prayer with Our Good Lord is our best security. Worry is no way to live; in fact it robs us of living! It's hard not too worry especially with our kids but daily prayer HELPS!

Whatever gets you through is great. Science and facts are critical, as well.

[pmsmom]

Dear Patty,

I've run into the same thing with my dd's allergies. She's tested for 1, then they just prescribe that til she runs into problems with that one. Then they schedule her to be tested for another one.

I'd like to do more so there are several to choose from, but they haven't done that.

So we take it one day at a time.

And we do weigh the benefits of taking the antibiotic vs. illness. I know there was one antibiotic they said she could take (omnicef), but when I went to read about that on the internet, it looked like it caused more problems than the illness. So I called the allergist and asked if he could retest her for something else and keep the omnicef for a more serious illness
(pretty much a medical emergency). They agreed.

My dd also takes supplements like grapefruit seed extract, elderberry, and so on to try to build up her immune system. So far those things have worked for us. I will try to get more Vitamin C into her.

I can understand how your dd feels. I hold my breath whenever my dd gets sick. I don't take her to the doctor's unless it looks like she's not over the illness in about 2 weeks. Then if an antibiotic is prescribed, I wait and see if she's going to react. You're right, though--that's no way to live.

I think things will work out for your dd. If she takes the antibiotic and reacts, then she can ask the doctor to be tested for something else. In a way, it's good that she's not taking too many antibiotics because one can develop the resistance to them which can render them ineffective when really needed.

Give my best to your dd and tell her to hang in there!

Marian

[pmsmom]

Dear Pam,

I'm sorry to hear about your reaction. One always has to keep aware.

I think the one frustrating thing is trying to convince the doctors that you have an allergy.

I'm glad you are fine now.

[augemac]

Whatever gets you through is great. Science and facts are critical, as well.

Science can't prepare you for much of anything because if God allows something to happen science can't even come close to figuring it out!! Best to have faith because what seems impossible in the science world; God makes possible through HIM!

[txmarinemom]

Science can't prepare you for much of anything because if God allows something to happen science can't even come close to figuring it out!! Best to have faith because what seems impossible in the science world; God makes possible through HIM!

I am not even the least little bit inclined to debate religion over medicine. It certainly isn't the topic at hand.

My previous post clearly said "Whatever gets you through.", and if your faith does that, fantastic. If you feel science and fact pale in comparison to your faith, that's your choice. Everyone doesn't have the same view.

And I don't think there's much else to be said on the topic. I believe we were talking about allergic reactions ...

Best regards,
Pam