There is a reason that doctors ask about your allergies when you first fill out paperwork. Allergic reactions have been known to cause serious injury and sometimes even death. Prescribing the right drugs requires that doctors and pharmacists be aware of how those drugs will interact with other drugs, along with your allergies.
At our law firm, we represent those who have been injured by medication errors. Please contact us today for a free consultation so you can learn more about your rights.
Signs of an Allergic Reaction
People react differently to the drugs they receive. However, if you have an allergy, then you might experience any of the following:
- Hives
- Rashes
- Fever
- Sneezing
- Itching
- Swollen tongue or lips
- Coughing or wheezing
A more serious allergic response is anaphylaxis, which can result in the dysfunction or failure of bodily systems. You might experience:
- Difficulty breathing due to tightening of airways
- Chest pain
- Diarrhea or vomiting
- Dizziness
- Drop in blood pressure
- Seizure
Your pulse might become weak and you could have trouble staying conscious. A mild allergic reaction might clear up in a couple of days but a severe one will send you to the hospital flat on your back. Pay attention to how you are feeling after taking the medicine and talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you think you are having an allergic reaction.
Avoiding an Allergic Reaction
When you receive your medication, read all the directions and associated material. Understand how you should take the medication and ask your pharmacist if you have any questions. If you realize that the medication will adversely affect you, then don’t take it. It might have been prescribed in error.
Unfortunately, even the most careful person can suffer an allergic reaction due to medical negligence. Some doctors and pharmacists do not follow the correct standard of care and could either fail to ask about allergies or simply ignore that information when writing a script. Their negligence makes them legally liable when a patient suffers injury or dies.
Identifying Whether Medical Negligence is to Blame
If you or a loved one has been injured by medication, then you might not know if the allergic reaction was foreseeable. Doctors and pharmacists can’t be expected to know about allergies that you don’t tell them about. These cases tend to turn on what the doctor knew and the questions he or she asked.
Contact a Miami medical malpractice attorney today. Dolan Dobrinsky Rosenblum Bluestein offers a free consultation to those who call 305-371-2692.