medication sensitivity?

I just had my follow-up appt w/ my rheumy.  She's leaving my dx at UCTD, but said I may have early Lupus or most likely will show up as Lupus specifically down the road, but the longer I can remain treated on the Plaquenil and remain "undifferentiated" the better.  Amen.  I still have to get my Vitamin D levels up enough to take the Fosamax for osteoporosis.  I also have mild scoliosis and osteoarthritis.  Explains some of the back pain. 

My question is about being so sensitive to medication.  Antiinflammatories play havoc with my stomach, which is so annoying because they also really help the pain; Lipitor/statins put me into what feels like fibro flare, I can't take muscle relaxants, or anything with codiene; have had some bad experiences with a few ABX; antihistamines/decongestants cause heart palpitations; even my dentist gives me polarcaine without epinephrine; I couldn't tolerate Neurontin; even vitamins are GI culprits....you get the picture.   So grateful I have no problem with the Plaquenil - but I resisted that too long for fear of side effects.

Rheumy gave me Rx for Lidocaine patches for pain (I asked for something topical).  Does anyone else have experience with the lidocaine patches or this sensitivity issue?  Trying to figure out if this is a by-product of the autoimmune problem, or the fibro, or just an unrelated fluke.   Rheumy kind of shrugged at that question, but warned me this could put me in a real trouble spot at some point. 

Thanks for any help/comments.  Hope you are having a good day!

Lucy

Lets see here:

pcn = anaphlaxix

sulfa = angio edema

keflex = angio edema

lovenox = fever of 105

methotrexate = pulmonitis

all beta blockers = pulmonitis

arava = hypertension 200/110

banana's = anaphlaxis

bee's = anaphlaxis

I know Im missing something. I too get scared when put on anything. I am only able to take 5mg of prednisone 2 times a day. Any more and I go nuts. I understand where your coming from. Sorry, and I think its probably a autoimmune thing. I do know that many lupies have an allergy to sulfa.

Thanks Pearl, Anne and Barbara for your responses.  This sensitivity thing seems to have come on with the fibro (quite some time ago) and has increased over the last couple of years.  I'm going to pass along the lidocaine info to my mother - she has some serious osteoarthritis and can't take nsaids because of a bleeding disorder - this may help her as well, especially at night 

Lucy

Lucy--
I can't take most things, cyp3A4 inhibitors are the primary problems. I have problems with some anticholinergenics and GABA inhibiting drugs (neurontin, lyrica, gabatril) too. My problems often only occur after a month or so of use, but I get bad sideeffects during the entire time. The rash usually starts after a month or so. Some meds are so bad I can't tolerate for more than a few days. My doc explained that in my case my liver is like a sieve, a filter, and mine is so full of fat that meds with large or complex molecules cannot fit through the decreased holes in the filter and the drugs back up in my system. My body views it as toxic, then the fun starts.

I do better on choliinergenic and pro GABA drugs. Apparently I need more choline and GABA, not less.

I found amazingly good info on a meds to avoid list for porphyria. I don't know if there is some component of porphyria to some autoimmune diseases, but it read like a list of my allergies. It is a good resource for over the counter and other substances, to check to see if they increase sun sensitivity, which we all seem to have.

My mom has ulcerative colitis and is allergic to nearly everything, including aloe and lanolin. Her allergies seemed to accumulate with age.

Allergc reactions are caused by histamines, origin in the liver. Sparing your liver from unnecessary damage can help with reducing the chances of developing new allergies for me. I don't know if this helps but I hope you can find a balance. Just make sure you check and take care of your liver yourself, too. Many docs feel liver damage is an appropriate sacrifice for quality of life, but with a little more effort and research, they often can find a better compromise.