Are You Allergic to a Medication? Find Out for Sure and Get the Treatment You Need

Are you taking a medication that you suspect you are allergic to? Did you stop taking a medication that was otherwise working for you because you had what you believe was an allergic reaction. You may very well be correct but until we confirm your medication allergy it cannot be properly treated. Keep reading to find out how we can test you for a medication allergy and then contact Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Medical Group at 805-658-9500 for more information.

Our Expert Allergists Have the Required Experience to Identify Allergies to Medications

When you look at the potential side effects of a medication, they are often actually the result of an allergic reaction to the medication. There are certain medications that are entirely safe for almost everyone – such as penicillin – but can be deadly for certain people. When you know what medications you are allergic to, you can stay safe and healthy.

We Will Begin with a Physical Exam and Case History

Just as you would do at any doctor’s appointment, you will begin with a physical exam and case history when you work with Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Medical Group. We will get the facts about the medications you are taking and have taken. We will talk about the symptoms you have experienced. Our allergists specialize in this type of assessment so you can trust that we will ask the right questions to get the answers we need. We know you may have been through this process with other doctors but we start from the beginning so we know everything has been done right.

Blood Tests Are Important for Some Patients

You may have heard that blood tests are not helpful for determining if a person has a medication allergy. This is generally true but they can help determine if you have an allergy to insulin, specific types of antibiotics, and muscle relaxants. If we believe there is a chance that your allergy is to one of these substances, then we may recommend a blood test for you. This is especially true if the reaction you had was severe enough that we may want to hold off on a skin prick test.

Skin Prick Tests Are Part of Most Allergy Testing

There is a reason that skin prick tests are generally considered to be the gold standard for medication allergy detection: They give us a lot of reason. That said, these skin tests can give false positives but they give reliable negative results. As a result, they can be used to rule out some allergies to narrow down our options.

If you believe you are allergic to a medication it is important that you get help right away. Do not turn to a general practitioner when you have a specific allergy issue. Contact Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Medical Group at 805-658-9500 and make an appointment with a specialist.