Could You Be Allergic to a Medication That’s Supposed to Be Helping You?

Is it possible that you’re allergic to a medication? You may be surprised to know just how many people are taking medications that are actually hurting their health. In fact, many of the side effects you see listed on medication bottles are actually allergic reactions. There are some medications, like penicillin, that are 100% safe for many people – and can save their lives – while they can be deadly allergic to others.

It’s important for you to know what medications you’re allergic to. Whether it’s something you’re taking right now, or finding out about an allergy before you have a deadly adverse reaction in the future, Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Medical Group can help you safely discover if you have an issue. If you’re worried that you may be allergic to a medication, call us at 805-658-9500. We can help you in a number of ways.

We’ll start with a physical exam and medical history

The first thing we’ll do is perform a physical. We’ll also go over your medical history, what medications you’re on today, what you’ve been on in the past, and what your symptoms are. When you work with our experienced allergists, you’re working with professionals who will learn a lot just by speaking with you about your history.

They know what questions to ask and they know what your answers mean. They can also answer any questions you may have. What they learn from your physical and from speaking with you will dictate the best way to move forward with your allergy testing.

We may perform a blood test

The reality is that blood tests are not typically that useful in testing for allergies to medications. That said, they can show allergic reactions to specific antibiotics, insulin, and muscle relaxants. If we suspect that you’re allergic to one of these medications, then we may recommend a blood test. We may also chose this option if you are having a severe allergic reaction and we believe that a skin prick test is not in your best interest.

We may perform a skin prick test

A skin prick test is the standard when it comes to allergy testing and there’s a reason for this. It’s true that it’s possible to get a false positive, but it’s also true that negative results are reliable. As a result, we can trust this test to rule out certain allergens. If the tests says you’re not allergic to something then this can be trusted.

We perform these allergy skin tests right in our office and we can analyze the results for you. If you’re ready to learn more about your potential allergies – and finally find a way to move forward – then we welcome you to reach out to Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Medical Group at 805-658-9500. We can review your case and offer our best advice about the right tests to take. Once we have the results back, we’ll be able to come up with a treatment plan that could help you live a happier and healthier life.