Drug Allergies (cont.)

The most common drug associated with allergies is penicillin. Other antibiotics similar to penicillin can also trigger allergic reactions.

Other drugs commonly found to cause reactions include sulfa drugs, barbiturates, anticonvulsants, insulin, and iodine (found in many X-ray contrast dyes).

A doctor diagnoses a drug allergy by carefully reviewing your medical history and symptoms. If your doctor suspects that you are allergic to an antibiotic such as penicillin, he or she may do a skin test to confirm it. However, skin testing does not work for all drugs, and in some cases it could be dangerous. If you have had a severe, life-threatening reaction to a particular drug, your doctor will simply rule out that drug as a treatment option for you. Conducting an allergy test to determine if the initial reaction was a "true" allergic response isn't worth the risk.

The primary goal when treating drug allergies is symptom relief. Symptoms such as rash, hives, and itching can often be controlled with antihistamines, and occasionally corticosteroids.

For coughing and lung congestion, drugs called bronchodilators may be prescribed to widen the airways. For more serious anaphylactic symptoms -- life-threatening reactions including difficulty breathing or loss of consciousness -- epinephrine may be given.

Occasionally, desensitization is used for penicillin allergy. This technique decreases your body's sensitivity to particular allergy-causing agents. Tiny amounts of penicillin are injected periodically in increasingly larger amounts until your immune system learns to tolerate the drug.

If you are severely allergic to certain antibiotics, there are alternative antibiotics your doctor can prescribe.

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