If you develop swelling, itching, or hives after taking a medication, you have a drug allergy. When you stop taking the drug and the medication leaves your body, the reaction will disappear. Although drug allergies are relatively rare, just about any drug can trigger a reaction in a few individuals. Drug allergies often run in families, sometimes skipping a generation. The most common drugs causing allergies include antibiotics, insulin, local anesthetics (an-us-THET-iks), sleeping pills, and laxatives. Penicillin is an antibiotic that many people are allergic to, and is responsible for roughly 600 deaths a year. Some substances, like aspirin and food dyes, cause 'pseudoallergic' (SUE-doe-allergic) responses, which result in the same symptoms but aren't true allergic reactions since they don't involve the immune system. Also, about 80 percent of all adverse drug reactions occur because of a side effect of the drug itself, not an allergy to it, so it's important to know the difference. Drug allergies can occur between 15 minutes and several hours after taking the drug. If you develop symptoms like hives or rashes, stop taking the drug immediately and call your doctor for further instructions. Sometimes, symptoms may become severe, such as swollen mouth, breathing difficulty and pounding heart. If this occurs, call 911 (9-1-1) or proceed to a hospital immediately. Keep a record of the medications you're allergic to and report this to your doctor each time you seek a prescription.
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