Allergy medications: take a picture of her skin

Take a picture of yourself is the first thing to do if skin reaction to a drug, a process that will help the allergist to be a good initial diagnosis and provide optimal care.

The drug allergy concern less than ten French, according to an estimate based primarily on the statements of individuals and not on the results of tests. Its reliability is questionable, said Prof. Pascal Demoly (CH Montpellier), for which she is probably over-estimated.

Indeed, non-allergic side effects can perfectly mimic an allergic reaction, causing patients to feel sensitive to the drug absorbed and leading them to adopt a predatory conduct. This is the case for example of cortisone, which can cause redness of the skin, or certain antibiotics that cause photosensitivity reactions that do not have an allergic nature, he cited as an example.

Therefore, it is essential to make allergy tests in specialized areas, to determine with certainty whether or not an allergy medication.

Very heterogeneous, allergic reactions to drugs primarily concern the skin and occur mostly in hives, but can sometimes take the form of edema of the eyelids, of angioedema or small buttons scattered throughout body.

Faced with a skin reaction, the Montpellier specialist recommends taking a photo of his skin, thereby avoiding subsequent to the allergist who take care of the patient to wander from a diagnostic standpoint. The interruption of the drug in question must be immediate. Emergency treatment based on corticosteroids and antihistamines, and in the case of immediate reactions, adrenaline.

The drugs most often by patients suspected of being responsible for a penicillin allergy (35% of applications) non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (22%) and anesthetics (6%). The concern about generics for the simple reason that they are a copy is, however, unfounded, unless be allergic to any of the excipients which differ from the original product, which is very rare, says Dr. Demoly.

For the latter, if known allergy, it is better to have a list of products that can be taken rather than a list of those to avoid them being brought to disappear or be replaced by new drugs.

It also recommends to make his allergy, especially in case of hospitalization, and check medications that are administered.