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Get to the Bottom of Your Drug Reactions!

Drug Allergy Testing & Treatment in Melbourne, FL

Dr. Pavana Beerelli is a board-certified allergist in Melbourne, FL that provides drug allergy testing & treatment. Schedule your visit for an ibuprofen allergy test, penicillin allergy test, or other drug allergy testing today!

“Everyone in the office is really friendly and Dr. Beerelli was super thorough and really listened during our visit. She was great with my daughter too which is the most important to me of all…We now have a plan for addressing my daughter’s allergy issues that makes me feel so much better! I highly recommend Dr. Beerelli!”

– Rachel R, August 2018

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Drug allergy testing and treatment specialist Dr. Pavana Beerelli of Melbourne Allergy & Asthma review badges and affiliations

Drug Allergy Overview

Drug Allergy Overview

Symptoms

Drug Allergy Testing

Management

When the immune system becomes hypersensitive to a harmless component of a drug, it triggers the release of certain chemicals that initiate inflammation and other reactions. Common drug allergies include:

Antibiotics like penicillin and those that include sulfonamides
Anticonvulsants, such as carbamazepine and phenytoin
Chemotherapy drugs
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medications, such as ibuprofen and aspirin
Monoclonal antibody therapy

Woman feeling ill from drug allergy reaction in Melbourne, FL

Drug Allergy Versus Adverse Drug Reaction

A negative side effect to a drug is not always a drug allergy. For example, hair loss and vomiting in response to chemotherapy drugs or stomach cramps and diarrhea in response to antibiotics are examples of adverse reactions, not drug allergies.

Drug Allergy Symptoms

Symptoms of drug allergies include skin rash, itching, swelling, and respiratory issues. Only 5 to 10 % of drug reactions are caused by an allergy. Some drug allergies may be mild at first but can quickly progress to fatal anaphylactic shock requiring immediate medical attention.

Drug Allergy Testing

Drug allergies can be difficult to diagnose because their symptoms may mimic those of other medical conditions. While most drug allergy symptoms will appear between 1 to 2 hours after drug ingestion, some drug allergies are severely delayed in their presentation. If you suspect you have a drug allergy, your allergist will obtain a detailed medical history from you and will want to know the details of your drug reaction. Your allergist may recommend a skin test, blood test, or oral drug challenge–where you take the drug under medical supervision–to identify the specific drug allergy.

Drug allergy specialist Dr. Pavana Beerelli administering allergy test on patient to check for drug allergies

Penicillin Allergy Testing

Penicillin is the most commonly reported drug allergy. However, up to 90% of penicillin allergy diagnoses are misdiagnoses. This is because most people will lose their penicillin allergy if they avoid the antibiotic for 10 years–only about 20% of people are still allergic to penicillin after this time. Still, penicillin continues to be significantly over-reported as a current drug allergy. Penicillin drug allergy can be tested with a skin prick or oral drug challenge in clinic.

Drug Allergy Treatment & Management

A severe drug allergy reaction may involve treatment with epinephrine injection while a mild reaction may be resolved with antihistamines or corticosteroids. Avoiding the drug you are allergic to is the best way to prevent an allergic reaction. During a serious allergic reaction such as anaphylaxis, an epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen) is used. Make sure to inform your health care providers of your specific drug allergies so that they do not prescribe you those medications. It may be a good idea to wear a medical alert bracelet or carry a card in your wallet with your drug allergies listed on it.

Woman using EpiPen to control severe drug allergy reaction

References

[1] American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology: https://acaai.org/ [2] Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America: https://www.aafa.org/

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See a Drug Allergy Specialist in Melbourne, FL

Get a formal drug allergy diagnosis from a trusted allergist. Dr. Pavana Beerelli is passionate about treating each of her patients with empathy, attentiveness and respect.

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