My doctor prescribed a medication that he knew I was allergic to. What should I !
Question: My allergy doctor prescribed Atropine nasal spray. I used it and a while later I started to feel kind of hoarse and my throat began to feel like it had a lump in it and like it was swollen. I looked online and found that Atropine is an anticholinergic. I had a very bad allergic reaction to an anticholinergic medication a long time ago. My doctor at the time told me to never take it again, so I always put down that I am allergic to antocholinergics. This new doctor talked with me in detail about what it had done to me, and then prescribed Atropine, which is definitely an anticholinergic. Also, my pharmacy was aware that I was allergic to anticholinergics but filled the prescription anyway. What should I do? I believe this to be totally unethical on both the doctor and the pharmacy. Am I making too big a deal of this?
Answers: My allergy doctor prescribed Atropine nasal spray. I used it and a while later I started to feel kind of hoarse and my throat began to feel like it had a lump in it and like it was swollen. I looked online and found that Atropine is an anticholinergic. I had a very bad allergic reaction to an anticholinergic medication a long time ago. My doctor at the time told me to never take it again, so I always put down that I am allergic to antocholinergics. This new doctor talked with me in detail about what it had done to me, and then prescribed Atropine, which is definitely an anticholinergic. Also, my pharmacy was aware that I was allergic to anticholinergics but filled the prescription anyway. What should I do? I believe this to be totally unethical on both the doctor and the pharmacy. Am I making too big a deal of this?
allergic reactions are something not to be taken lightly. they can result in cardiac arrest, shock and even death. if you are allergic to the meds prescribed, don't take them. go see another doctor if you have to but do not take that medicine. you can also report both the doctor and the pharmacy to the state boards and see what they do. in the mean time, y ou might want to get some legal advice from a lawyer regarding this. you are not making a big deal out of this.
I don't know if I'd call it unethical. What reason would they have to purposely do this to you?
I would just say this is ignorance on their part, and shows how no one really does their job as well as they should. But they should definitely get some sort of penalty or something because of this. I'm sure you could take some sort of action against them. But I would at least stop going to that doctor and that pharmacy.
What I don't understand, however, is why you took the medication when you already knew you were allergic to it? (Maybe I missed something?)
are you sure the doctor really know that you are allergic to that? did you tell the doctor or reminded him? he could have mis looked about your allergies though the physician has legal obligation to that. regarding the pharmacy well, the one who gave it to you might have thought that you were not the one taking the med. and since you know you are allergic to that, then dont take the drug. instead, report it to your doctor so he could give you other meds.=)
atropine is an Rx for when your heart beats too slow. I would say, you have a sensitivity, not allergic. and that taking the medicine has more benefits that out weight your sensitivity. If you don't fix your slow heart rate, it progressivly get slower, causes chest pain, or dizzyness or fainting, and your heart may go into a leathal rhythm causing cardiac arrest.
Allergic would mean you have an anaphalaxis reaction and you go into respiratory arrest, and need an injection of epi.
now is it ethical, Im sure your doctor wants best for you, but does not think you are having a true allergic reaction to the med.
Next time you see a doctor, ask more questions.
I don't think you're making too big of a deal, you should definitely do something about it. Try and get to another doctor for one.
i think you should let your doctor and pharmacist no of the mistake they have made and make sure they know of allergies also i might go over any thing else you are allergic to with them just in case it has slipped their might. If it happens again i might think about switching doctors.
Well if you're allergic to it, obviously stop taking it.
Finding another doctor would be best in your situation and maybe pointing out to your allergist that you have a sensitivity to something and were prescribed that certain medicine and this is why your feel you need a new doctor would be a decent idea.
However, what happened isn't unethical. It would only be considered that really if the doctor and pharmacist purposely gave you the meds trying to kill or harm you.
Making too big a deal about it would be suing them. Suing those in the medical profession for something other than wholly gross negligence which causes death or injury is a deterrent for pros to attempt anything over fear of lawsuit. There are far too many trivial suits out there and most likely, you would lose.
At the same time, doctors don't know everything about everything. They too learn most of what they know in their profession from experience. Perhaps momentarily your doctor was overworked and tired and just forgot that you were allergic. As for the pharmacy, you must make them aware each time if you have any drug allergies.
You have every right to feel like you've been wronged, but ultimately, you too need to know what you're putting in your body and not blindly trust a doctor. I personally look up every med I am prescribed before I take it and ask a load of questions. This also helps me build a trusting relationship with my doctor and allows me to see just how attentive and knowledgeable she is.
Just take this as a learning experience that you can gain from in the future.
With medication we can suffer either allergic reactions, side effects or sometimes both.
Allergic reactions are the body's response to an allergic stimulus. This can be localized to one area or generalized and may include: rash, itching, hives, swelling, difficulty breathing, and/or low blood pressure.
Side effects are problems that occur when treatment goes beyond the desired effect. Or problems that occur in addition to the desired therapeutic effect.
I'm wondering if your Dr thought you we describing a side effect and not an allergy... One thing for sure is he failed to listen to you!
Because you said you feel a lump and your throat was swollen it sounds to me like an allergic reaction.
If and when this happens you need to get to the ER ASAP for observation and if needed, treatment. The problem is your throat could keep swelling and cause an emergency situation.
Go back to this Doctor, Make him listen, do the same with your pharmacy.
The next patient he fails to listen to he could kill!
No you're not making a 'too bigger deal' out of this, allergic reactions can become life threatening and even cause death.
I'm glad you're okay.
We all need to take some autonomy for the treatment we receive. Think how many patients your doctor has. Yes he should have been more aware and so should the pharmasist, but it is also your responsibility to reinforce this information.
Hope you feel better soon.
Chances are that allergy was not on your profile. Most of the computer systems would have alerted the pharmacist about the allergy. Atropine is the stereotypical anti-cholinergic. It is the first one you learn about because many of the others are based off of it. It is very rarely prescribed. Ask the pharmacy what allergies they have recorded for you.