Drug: The Double Edged Knife (Part 17)

By: Mohamed H. Dahir. Chairman, Pharmaceutical Association of Somaliland

Email: mayakharaj@hotmail.com

Allergy (Continued)

Unfortunately, when it comes to seasonal pollen allergies, it is more difficult to avoid the stuff. There are, however, a few helpful hints which may make hay fever season easier to bear. If you live in the interior, it makes good sense to cut down the ragweed which grows around your home before it has a chance to pollinate. Children should be encouraged to play indoors, or as far away as possible from ripe ragweed fields. Although air conditioning does not filter out the pollen, it does allow you to close the windows in your house, thus reducing circulating pollen.

So you are doing your best to stay away from air-borne contaminants, but let’s face it, there is no way to really avoid the stuff as long as you’re still breathing. Remember, most allergic reactions are a direct result of the liberation of histamine from cells within your body. Anything which diminishes this response will be beneficial to hay fever sufferers. One very popular antihistamine that is supposed to cause minimal drowsiness is Chlorpheniramine Maleate. It is present in many popular over-the-counter formulations, including Mixagrip and most of cough syrups. Whenever possible just stick, to the pure antihistamine, since these products often contain decongestants, sleep-inducers, caffeine, and lots of other garbage. If you think you might have high blood pressure, you must stay away from anything with a decongestant, since it will aggravate your condition.

Another common antihistamine is Diphenyldramine. It is potent and effective, with low incidence of stomach upset. Unfortunately, it produces a high degree of sedation and many patients who are receiving this drug experience unpleasant drowsiness.

ANAPHYLAXIS (Life and death allergy)

So far we have just been talking about simple allergies. Because the problem has become so commonplace these days and is almost the in thing, people have become complacent and casual about their allergic disorders. Unfortunately, there is one kind of allergic reaction which can be a matter of life and death. For an increasing number of people, insect- sting allergy can be incredibly serious. It may be hard to appreciate the severity of anaphylactic shock after thinking in terms of hay fever, but believe me, this is whole different game. Anaphylaxis is a big word which represents the type of life-threatening reaction to such diverse substances as Penicillin, Streptomycin, Insulin, Tetanus Toxin, Local Anaesthetic, as well as insect stings. It may begin with a marked local reaction (a bee sting which really swells up and lasts) or generalized itching. This may be followed by a feeling of uneasiness accompanied by agitation, flushing, hives, tearing, coughing, sneezing, nasal congestion, throbbing of the ears, rapid pulse, and possibly heart palpitations. Some of all of these symptoms may appear one to fifteen minutes after the contact, though occasionally they may be delayed much longer. After these initial symptoms, a spasm of the respiratory tract may appear which will make breathing very difficult. Rapid accumulation of fluid in the tissue of the neck may also seriously interfere with respiration. Thereafter, shock is likelihood with loss of consciousness followed by death, probably due to the severe strain placed on the heart.

Obviously, this kind of serious reaction demands quick recognition and medical supervision. Even if you haven’t had a serious response to an insect sting or a drug before, it is not impossible for one to develop. Although there are thirty different kinds of insects that can produce allergic symptoms, in general the reactions to yellow jackets, wasps, hornets and bees are the worst. Very few people are aware that more people die from allergy to insect stings than from snake bites. Although you can’t bet on it, the first atypical, or greater than usual, response to a sting usually produces no serious complications.

Nevertheless, this experience should serve as a warning that you may be developing an allergy. Each subsequent sting or contact will produce a more serious sensitivity. If you even suspect that you are developing an allergy, you must take certain precautions, because you may have less than thirty minutes to live once the toxic venoms have been injected into your skin. Fast action will save your life. If you are close to a doctor’s office or a hospital, go there immediately as an emergency patient. Unfortunately because there are many situations where you may not be able to get there fast enough, you absolutely must be prepared to save your self long enough for proper medical attention.

To be continued next week.

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