Antibiotic allergies - clearinghouse thread

[LinksEtc]

I saw this tweeted by several people today ...


"Are You Really Allergic to Antibiotics?"
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/03/opinion/are-you-really-allergic-to-antibiotics.html?smid=tw-share&_r=1

For penicillin, the most commonly reported allergy, many studies have estimated that up to 90 percent of claims of allergies are not legitimate.

The problem is that once an antibiotic is listed in your medical record as an allergy — even if you later admit it was never confirmed, or was really a minor side effect — nobody will want to give it to you.

In cases of superbug infections, this may leave you with no appropriate alternatives to cure your infection.

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Drug allergies

[Mezzo]

That's why doctors and pharmacists ask you what reaction you had to the antibiotic you say you say you're allergic to. People will say "allergic" when they just had diarrhea. This isn't new to medical professionals.

[Mookie86]

I've had the same experience as Mezzo.  As soon as I say hives that lasted a few days, they treat it as a real allergy.

[rebekahc]

And, unfortunately, when you say, "I don't know, I was a baby when I reacted," they don't believe you are actually allergic and cause anaphylaxis on the way in to surgery.