The realization I am allergic to medications

[ChefJP]

Hello All!

I figured out on my own that I was allergic to glycols (and emulsifiers 3 years ago). However, tonight was a realization that I’m allergic to most medications as well because a majority of them contain Propylene Glycol or a derivative of Propylene Glycol.

I have eczema and have spend the past year changing my diet, doing fluid IVs and still nothing. Then, I was diagnose with hemochromatosis (iron overload). After my first therapeutic phlebotomy I felt insanely better and even notice my eczema start to clear up but still had eczema.

The surprise was I had a new form of eczema that I never had before. I revelry started using Clobetasol to help with the eczema on my hands. I saw scaling/peeling of my hands, weakening of my immune system, and fluid filled blisters started to pop up. For a week I used this and thought my eczema was getting better…nope.

I didn’t think anything of it, and continue to use the ointment. I went back to the dermatologist because of the fluid filled buttons and she prescribe and antibiotic ointment on top of the tacrolimus and antibiotic ointment. All of which didn’t seem to have propylene glycol when I researched the medications.

However, today I put the ointment on as soon as I got it from the pharmacy. The entire day I had a rash the side of my abdomen and back. I thought nothing of it other than an allergic reaction to some food I perhaps ate because of my blood condition.

Then after a shower I put on the ointment and the rash got worse, then I put on the other two and boy did my back sting!!! I was scratching, and next thing I know I was miserable and itching everywhere.

I jumped in the shower and washed off. I got out and put the antibiotic ointment on and then the itching started. Then I saw it propylene glycol was an ingredient!!!!!!! I jumped back on the shower and washed off, I felt immediately better.

I read the other prescriptions and notice one had PROPYLENE CARBONATE which is derived from Propylene glycol and the other had propylene glycol. The rash immediately went down and is going away.

Wow! I’m amazed that I expressed to my dermatologist that I was allergic to glycols and she prescribed medications that had exactly that!!! I will be calling them and letting them know what happened. I’m going the natural way with treating my issues for now on.

It a pain in my butt that so many products contain glycols and emulsifiers. I can’t even use Benadryl. I don’t always catch it and rashes happen.

[kerrykuzak]

Being allergic to the glycols is really a battle, but you'll be okay because you're aware. Write me at [e-mail] if you want a paper I wrote about living with these allergies (pg/peg).

[JAG67]

Buy the liquid children’s Benadryl. You may have to use mainly compounded meds. That’s what I’ve found. Unfortunately, most insurance companies won’t cover them but when they are your only option ……you do what you have to do.

[gothchiq]

Pharmacists and doctors should understand but do not. You can tell them 100 times and it's like banging your head on a brick wall. It's like not even speaking the same language.

Look everything up before leaving the pharmacy. Don't pay and don't leave until you know what is in it. That means googling the name of each ingredient and also googling the NDC number of each RX.

Compounding is usually not remotely affordable. It means living with diseases that others can get treated unless you are wealthy.

I'm right there with you and I'm really sorry. If there is a bottom line it is this: Trust no one.

[findtheanswernow]

I've had dermatologists, regular doctors, integrative and even naturopathic doctors all prescribe things that have PG, even when I have told them 1,000 times my son is highly allergic to it. They are clueless. I use this website to research all ingredients: dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailym...

Re: Benedryl, look for a product called sleep-i-nol. It's the equivalent of TWO benadryl's, but no PG.

Interesting about emulsifiers - what ingredients do I look for to identify that?