Drug allergies can cause a variety of symptoms, ranging from mild to severe symptoms. Therefore, you need to know how to deal with the right drug allergy so that the symptoms that appear can be resolved immediately and you avoid conditions that can be fatal, such as anaphylactic shock.
Every drug generally has side effects, one of which is triggering an allergic reaction. In people who have drug allergies, allergy symptoms can appear quickly within hours or slowly within a few days of taking the drug.
Allergy symptoms that appear can vary. In mild drug allergic reactions, symptoms may include rash and itching of the skin, swelling of the lips and face, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
However, allergic reactions to drugs that occur can sometimes be severe and cause severe symptoms such as shortness of breath, weakness, and loss of consciousness or fainting. This condition is called anaphylactic shock. In certain cases, an allergic reaction to drugs can also lead to a condition called Stevens-Johnson syndrome or toxic epidermal necrolysis.
Some Ways to Overcome Drug Allergies
There are several ways you can do to deal with an allergic drug reaction that appears, including:
1. Recognizing allergy-triggering drugs
This is an important step in dealing with any drug allergies you are experiencing and preventing you from having an allergic reaction that may reappear in the future.
Basically, almost all drugs are at risk of causing an allergic reaction. However, there are several types of drugs that tend to trigger allergic reactions more often, including:
- Antibiotics, such as penicillin and sulfa
- Anticonvulsant or anticonvulsant drugs
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin, ibuprofen, mefenamic acid, and metamizole
- Antimalarial drugs, such as chloroquine
- Chemotherapy drugs
- Anesthesia or anesthesia
- Allopurinol gout drug
2. Stop using allergy-triggering drugs
Once the drug that triggers the allergy is known, stop using the drug immediately and avoid using it again in the future.
If you're not sure what medication is triggering a drug allergy, try to remember and record all medications and supplements, including herbal remedies, that you've taken in the last 24-48 hours.
After that, you should consult a doctor and take the note with you so that the doctor can help identify which drug is triggering the allergic reaction in your body.
3. Doing home care
If the symptoms that appear are mild, you can do various ways to deal with drug allergies, including taking cold showers, giving cold compresses or applying lotion. calamine on the skin or areas of the body that feel itchy and a rash appears, and take antihistamine drugs.
4. Taking allergy relievers
Mild allergic reactions usually subside on their own within a few hours or days. This condition can also usually be treated with home remedies.
However, the symptoms of drug allergy that appear can sometimes be severe or never go away. If you experience such drug allergies, you need to immediately see a doctor for treatment.
To treat a severe allergic drug reaction, your doctor may prescribe the following medicines:
- Antihistamines
To overcome the allergic reaction, the doctor may prescribe antihistamine drugs. This drug is often used to treat mild to moderate allergies or allergies that cause severe itching and skin rashes.
- Corticosteroid drugs
To relieve inflammation that occurs due to drug allergies, doctors may prescribe corticosteroid medications. Corticosteroid drugs are available in the form of oral medications, topical medications, eye drops, to inhaled or inhaled drugs inhaler.
- Bronchodilator drugs
This medicine will help widen the airways so that breathing will become easier. Bronchodilators are available in liquid and powder forms for use in inhaler or nebulizer.
- Epinephrine injection
This condition needs to be treated immediately because of the risk of causing severe complications and even death.
5. Desensitization therapy
This therapy may also be carried out if you have allergies to certain drugs that need to be taken in the long term. This therapy aims to reduce the risk of allergic symptoms recur in the future.
Desensitization therapy is carried out by giving a drug or allergy-triggering substance into the body in small amounts, then the dose is gradually increased until the patient's body can recognize and tolerate the drug.
If you have a history of drug allergies, don't forget to record the type of drug that caused the allergic reaction. The goal is that you can tell your doctor or health care provider about your history of drug allergies before undergoing any medical treatment.
If you do not know what medicines can trigger an allergic reaction, you can consult a doctor for examination. To determine what triggers your allergies, your doctor may recommend that you undergo allergy testing.
When you have an allergic reaction to a drug, try not to panic and stop all medicines you are taking immediately. If the symptoms that appear do not improve, immediately see a doctor so that treatment can be carried out quickly and appropriately.
