Written by Dr. Aisha Harris
Just so you know, there could be more things out there that you are allergic to. Some things you may have already been exposed to and shown you have an allergy. But there are probably many more things that you will never be exposed to and as a result will never know you have an allergy to it.
But this article is not for the maybe allergies.
Let’s talk about the definitely. I remember having a reaction to that food, that material, that medication, that plant, etc.
For most people having an allergic response to food or a material is easy to notice and causes them to try and avoid eating that food or touching that material in the future. But allergies are not always clear, and
allergic responses can show up in many different ways. Sensitivities to different substances vary from person not person and from substance to substance. This is where knowing your normal is important.
Every spring, millions of people start sneezing more often or get sinus congestion because of the pollen in the air. Every year, some just wait out the season and deal with the symptoms while others take medications to help relieve the symptoms. It all depends on the person and the severity of the symptoms.
But what happens when allergic reactions are not normalized and people do not understand or
are not aware of the allergy related symptoms? This is what often happens with medication allergies but can really happen in any allergy setting. But with medications because people are so often associating rashes and sinus issues with allergies they do not think about other symptoms that may present.
Did you know that side effects to a medication is considered an allergy? Yes, when you start taking a medication and something abnormal happens because of it that causes another problem then it is technically considered an allergy to that medication. Now, some responses to a medication can be temporary once your body gets used to it, but often times the side effect persists until you formally stop the medication and get it out of your system.
Medication allergies can present in a variety of ways. Sometimes its a classic rash or upset stomach, but other times it can be headache, increased heart rate, abnormal blood work, or a change in mood. Now most people do not have allergies to a certain medication but for the select fraction that do, it is important to consider stopping the medication causing the allergic reaction and find an appropriate alternative that will help treat the desired problem.
Is there a medication that consistently causes you to have a symptom in response to taking it? Is there a medication that you take that has some annoying side effect that you wish you did not have to deal with? Ask your doctor if the symptoms you are considering are side effects and in turn an allergy. Granted not all medications are worth stopping because of a side effect and this is when the benefits outweigh the risks.
But it is good to know how well your body is tolerating a medication and if that side effects could be considered an allergy or an expected response from the medication.
You do not have to “suffer” through medications because for many problems there are multiple alternatives to consider. Ask your doctor if you are concerned about a side effect to a medication you’ve been taking for a long time or a medication you just started. It is important to have you take well tolerated medications in order to better manage and control your medical problems.
Dr. Aisha Harris, MD is a Flint native and board certified family medicine doctor at Harris Family Health in Flint, Michigan. Harris Family Health is a membership based clinic that provides personalized and full primary care to adults and children. Learn more about Harris Family Health by visiting www.harrisfamilyhealth.com. Feel free to submit health questions to
Dr Harris via theflintcouriernews@gmail.com.
