Apr
like i took two aleves or sumthin and now i have rashes all over my face and my back and stuff. its red and its swollen and it itches!!
i took two benedryl's (allergy medicine) the pharmacist said it would be ok. I cant go to the physician well because they close in a few hours and they’ve no appointments available. please help!! what should i do. oh i just took the allergy medicine few minutes ago. any recommendations????
Answer:
Okay, talking from someone who has had a serious life threatening allergy, I am urging you to watch your symptoms VERY carefully.
Are the rashes raised and a pinkish or skin tone colour? If they’re hives, they will probably last up to a few days, and might not be absolutely gone for 1 week. They are not serious, even though they’re very annoying and itchy. They will probably move around (for example, you might develop a patch on the back of your neck, then that patch might go away and then you’ll develop a new rash on your chest, etc). This is normal.
Benadryl is the best thing to take for this. It is an antihistamine and works to block the allergic reaction. It will help some, but it will NOT take the hives/rash away. It will help with the itching. If you don’t get enough relief with this, and there’s any way you can get an appointment with a doctor, they can prescribe you a stronger antihistamine called hydroxyzine. This works great for these kind of allergic reactions, even though Benadryl should work.
The important thing to watch out for is if this reaction gets worse. This is extremely important, because reactions like this can develop into a life-threatening reaction known as anaphylaxis. Sometimes this can be delayed, so watch your symptoms until they are all gone. It is rare, but IF you develop any swelling of your mouth, tongue, or throat, have difficulty breathing, CALL 911!! Go to your emergency department of your local hospital. This type of problem must be taken care of IMMEDIATELY, or it can be fatal.
However, like I stated, this is rare. You may even notice your hands and/or feet begin to swell up. Your lips and face might swell too. You may notice the hives and itching get worse the next few days. As long as you do not notice swelling inside of your mouth/tongue/throat, and everything else is okay, then you don't need to worry and this will go away within 1 week, most likely within 4-5 days.
Please watch out for these signs. Keep taking the Benadryl as directed. It will probably make you sleepy for the first few doses. Try some cold compresses on your skin to relieve the itchiness. Do this by wetting a cloth and putting it on your skin in the itchy parts and holding it there for about 15 minutes. Repeat this 4-6 times a day as needed. You can continue to take the Benadryl at regular intervals for as long as this lasts. If the drowsiness bothers you, there’s another antihistamine called chlorpheniramine (the brand name in Canada is called Chlor-Tripolon, I don't know the brand name in other areas). This one will cause some drowsiness but not as much. The “non-drowsy” antihistamines are not very effective with this kind of reaction, unfortunately.
Oatmeal baths can help with the itchiness for some people. You can purchase the oatmeal at your pharmacy, it is very finely chopped into a powder and helps some people.
I wish you luck. Remember the warning signs. Also be aware that aleve is not aspirin, but it is an aspirin-like drug. It is naproxen. If you’ve developed this reaction due to the aleve, then it is wise to AVOID all related drugs, including aspirin and ibuprofen. Let your pharmacist know to put this on your profile that you have had a reaction. Some prescription products should not be given to people who have this type of allergy. Let your doctor know as soon as you can too.