[kallikat November 20, 2008 at 6:56 pm Post count: 29]

#1019959

Does everyone with GD have swelling? Do we all take diuretics?
One of the symptoms I first noticed before diagnosis was swelling – lots of it – all over. My Dr immediately put me on HCTZ in Feb 2007. I took it daily until two months ago when she changed me to Lasix because it seemed like it had quit working as well. I have felt SO much better – not completely normal, but better. My feet actually slip out of my shoes now and those "flu like" symptoms disappeared!
However…my stepmom is a nurse, and we were discussing my medicine and the changes, etc… the other night. I told her I had taken HCTZ for a year a half and she freaked because I’m allergic to sulfa drugs and that is what it is. My Dr and pharmacist both know this about me, so I find it hard to believe they would let me take it that long. They are so careful about antibiotics they give me.
I went through the methamizole, RAI and now synthroid – and my TSH is still swinging away.
So now I’m wondering if a lot of my symptoms were allergic reactions? But seems like taking a sulfa drug every day for that long would have caused a whole lot more problems, or even death??? The last reaction I had was to an antibiotic and I was hospitalized overnight with an IV and oxygen, about 10 years ago. I haven’t experienced the same hot, red skin or rash, though. Definitely shortness of breath – but that comes with GD, too.
Do any of you nurses and "medical pros" have any thoughts on this?

[cathycnm November 22, 2008 at 4:25 pm Post count: 284]

#1075288

Kallikat – It sounds like what you have had to antibiotics is an immediate sensativity reaction – you are correct that these, if bad enough, can cause death. This is because your body is sensitized to the antibiotic and, therefore, is ready to attack at full force when the substance is encountered again.

Generally speaking, if you are going to have that type of reaction – it will be quick and you will know it.

Lots of drugs have a similar enough structure that the drug companies issue warnings. Those go in nursing and provider drug books. I often have my student nurses catch those sorts of things when giving meds. When we talk to the prescribing provider, they often have sound rationalle. Usually it is because the risk of cross-sensitization is very rare and the med’s advantages outweigh this risk.

That said – I think it would be good to review your concern with your doctor to get your questions answered. It may have been a different type of allergic responce you were having and – if so – your doctor absolutely needs to know this for the records, esp with your history of life-threatening allergic responce. Cathy

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