Allergic to medication advice needed

Hi everyone I wanted to ask about lupus and medication allergies. I am highly allergic to medication. Took one codeine tablet for my frozen shoulder and within an hour was sick. Pain killers, antibiotics, penicillin, etc all produce the same result. I am very unwell and can never get past one tablet. I am about to start the lupus medication for 6 months to see if it helps but am worried about how I will react. Strangely enough I am fine with steroids they help and I don’t have side effects but anything else will make me poorly. Am also allergic to alcohol. It only takes a few sips and I feel unwell or i will be sick. It’s getting ridiculous now as just don’t know what to do. I am highly allergic to most foods and my allergies and intolerance levels are increasing so am constantly unwell. I have permanent nausea and a high temperatures which comes and goes and my blood results are not good. Is there anything natural I can take to get well. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you. Elena

[bd79og]

Look carefully at the other things in any tablet you take, for me it was the sodium metabisulphite in the paracetamol which was the likely cause of my reaction not the paracetamol. Colouring in tablets can also be a huge issue for lots of people. The food intolerance network has lots of advice about food problems but their approach is not easy (elimination diet and challenge).

Also get your vitamin D tested and supplement if low or not ideal as this really important for reducing inflammation and strange responses to food and drugs. I also had low iron and zinc and low b12 and getting these better and also treatment (though less than ideal) for hypothyroid has helped a bit but I don't have lupus just weird reactions which have gone down following these steps (I was having two a day at one point (possibly ethanol in my asthma inhaler as like you I'm very intolerant of alcohol), now only a mild reaction every month or so and I usually know why!)

Good luck with it and hang in there.

[Hidden in reply to bd79og]

Thank you so much for your advice. Will now keep a diary and will put myself on a diet cutting out every thing I know makes me unwell. I will check all the ingredients on everything now as I didn’t realise it could be something hidden inside medication and food that’s doing it. Thanks again. Elena

[weathervane in reply to Hidden]

It could be the coating as alot of tablets/ capsules can contain shellfish or gelatine, this is a big problem for my sisters friend. Best wishes 🌸

[Hidden in reply to bd79og]

Thank you so much for your advice I didn’t realise it was connected to lupus. Am on day one of diet. Will have to research natural medication as I have used it in the past with no side effects at all. I have to avoid wheat, dairy, soya, sugar, vinegar and anything artificial to calm down the allergic reactions. Will start a diary. Thanks for your support. Have a great day. Elena

[overnighthearingloss]

autoimmunerevolution/event

This is a free to listen to/watch summit which hosts speakers from the fields of naturopathic and functional medicine that use different approaches to the standard conventional drug based model in treating auto immune illnesses.

It may provide you with some ideas that you can incorporate into your care model.

[overnighthearingloss in reply to overnighthearingloss]

autoimmunerevolution.org/event

Not https

[suzannah16]

anything related to opium makes me sick within half an hour,

[Hidden in reply to suzannah16]

Omg you too and lots of others after reading the replies and going online. My drs doesn’t understand about natural medications so they don’t listen. I will have to go completely natural and find a way to a cure or at least a partial cure to all my symptoms. Thanks for your advice. I can now see I need a radical overhaul of everything. Have a great day. Elena

[Hidden]

Wow it seems we can become allergic to anything and everything. If I find anything that helps I will post the details for everything. It’s day one of my experimental approach to lupus. Have a great day. Elena

[HilaryKnight]

Hi Jeromeicus888

I think I have an issue with Cytochrome P450 and this results in missing enzymes to metabolise meds and other things like alcohol, caffeine etc. I am a ‘poor metabolizer’ so I don’t metabolise the meds & they then build up in my system causing a reaction. It isn’t really an allergy but essentially an overdose. I have probs with opiates, alcohol, caffeine, some antibiotics and I couldn’t tolerate hydroxychlorine sadly. There is no real test for this & GP’s are either sceptical or starting to understand as this is something that is becoming more widely understood. I think the one I have trouble with is C2D6....

[MissusTee]

Perhaps ask if they have sublingual tablets (dissolve under the tongue) or if they have patches to go on the skin.

[Cal66]

Hi

I am allergic/intolerant to almost every antibiotic, 1 of which is Septrin, it affects my white blood count & apparently almost everyone with lupus is allergic to it. I have many food intolerances & saw an Immunologist last year. I was told that if I urgently need certain antibiotics which make me sick I am to be given them intravenous as it will bypass my stomach, so maybe that maybe something to bear in mind. If you are having many problems with food it will cause you to be low in vitamins, vitamin D & possibly Calcium, so ask your Gp to refer you to an Immunologist. The will go through what foods & medicines you are having problems with, he may carry out tests, possibly may not be able to do much for you, but may find out if it's any particular chemicals that affects you. Whatever you decide to do I hope that you get sorted out soon, sorry it's a bit long to read.

[Hidden in reply to Cal66]

Hi thank you so much for your reply and taking time out to advise. I am sad to hear how unwell you have been and what happens when you take the medication. I too am like that. It’s just so frustrating as my drs or specialists haven’t done enough testing to find out what’s wrong with me and now because of corona we are all being fobbed out and we are not getting adequate medical care. As a result I have now given up as it’s just too exhausting getting them to help me. I have heard every excuse going. The only way I cope is treating myself which is not ideal as I haven’t a clue how to get well. I didn’t know about the link with lupus and antibiotics which I read with interest. It would explain why I can’t tolerate anything. I hope and pray that one day I get answers for myself and others get their help and answers too. I hope you are ok and keeping well yourself. I tried to get a Referal to an immunologist Last year which was sent by my dr to st James hospital in leeds when they received it they write back to my drs and stated it can be dealt with by them so I was back to square one as I can’t even get an appointment with my drs let alone any care. Now it’s back no treatment no discussion no help from any medical profession. Finally I give up. have a lovely day and stay safe. J⭐️

[Cal66 in reply to Hidden]

So sorry to hear how much of a bad time yiu are having. , I know how you feel as Doctors allowed me to go down to 4st 12lb. I was being sick, in pain & couldn't eat fo a whole year, eventually got my appendix out & recovered for a year until got constant kidney infections. My Gp wanted me to see a psychologist rather than agreeing to send me to Nephrology. When I started having arthritis symptoms I was told that I was too young to have arthritis & wouldn't send me to Rhuematology, eventually we changed GP's & got a referral to see a Rheumatologist privately as there was a long waiting list. What I am trying to say is that if you find you get no where with your GP's change or if you think really need to see a consultant & if you can afford it pay private do so. Every Consultant that I saw privately barr 1 did all my tests on the NHS, it may be the only way to get sorted out, I now know that it was lupus that was imitating symptoms of an appendicitis and many of other illnesses I have had.

Sorry I have a bit of a habit of my replys been a bit too long.

Please don't give up on all of the medical profession, keep strong & safe.

[Hidden in reply to Cal66]

Oh dear you have had a horrible time getting the right treatment which is shocking and yes my drs also wanted me to seek help via a psychologist it’s their go to at the moment as they presume all our physical symptoms are caused by mental health issues which I find very insulting. I have heard all the psycho babble at the drs to last me a lifetime. If anyone needs to see a psychologist it’s most definitely everyone at the drs surgery as drs and even the reception staff consider themselves experts in their field of expertise 😂🤣😂 and they come out with the most goddam awful stuff. Many people are being let down and I didn’t realise how bad a problem it was until i came on this site. I have paid privately in the past for myself and my son with some degree of success but I can’t afford any more private healthcare. I do agree with you it’s the best care that we will get so it’s definitely a priority. I can’t believe you have to lose all that weight and be so unwell it’s so sad the medical profession has let us all down. My god fancy being told you were too young to have arthritis as babies can have it. You have to wonder how drs pass their medical exams as I have found that people on this site have better information on medical matters than any dr especially the ones I see. I am now resigned to put up or shut up until I have money to go private again or I stumble upon a new dr that actually has the common sense to see it’s a physical illness or in my case several and not one in my head. 🤣😂🤣. At least we can laugh at it and we keep going. I hope one day we are all well. I rang 111 for advice too but as I am not dying I wasn’t considered a priority. I have stopped putting in any effort to stay in touch with my drs and have no doubt I will still be I’ll for quite some time. I wish you all the best and am glad you at least got some answers. Have a great week and thanks again for all your advice. Cheers. J😇

[Cal66]

Hi

Your welcome, by the way what happened to me was 32 years ago & from the sound of it not much has changed. Night & keep safe