Promethazine for allergic reaction?

[MrBrown]

Back to Phenergan...remember that IV injection can cause severe tissue damage...most hospitals prefer now to give it deep IM.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpYfVkygS1Q

I can attest to this first hand, promethazine IV burns something bloody terrible even when given slowly. Didn't get any nasty necrosis (although I did get a rash from the IV tape) but wow did it hurt!

Good stuff tho, got me nicely wasted and seeing funny things on the ceiling which did not exist

 

[stonez]

In South Africa it is ONLY indicated for Anaphylaxis or severe allergy.

 

[gamma6]

You can't be allergic to epinephrine... It could cause side effects that the patient doesn't like, but it doesn't mean they are allergic to it. Also, as mentioned previously, they could be allergic to a formulation of it (perhaps a nasal spray or inhaler with other ingredients).

trust me man i know, i kinda said whatever to her.....this lady was a little nutts anyways....i was like " i guess you are screwed when a systemic allergic reaction starts to kick in"....well there is always vasopressin....

 

[ExpatMedic]

Have I used it in place of other medications for allergic reactions? No, our protocols are not written in a way that allows us to. However, like others have mentioned, it apparently does work.

 

[Lifeguards For Life]

While Promethazine is chiefly classified as an antiemetic, it is a long-acting derivative of phenothyiazine(an example, of a group of tranquilizing drugs with antipsychotic actions thought to act by blocking dopaminergic transmissions) with marked antihistaminic activity, and prominent sedative, amnesic and anti-motion sickness actions.

Unlike other drugs derived from phenothiazine, extra pyramidal effects are rare, though in higher doesages, the potential for toxicity is eual to that of other derivatives. Much like other antihistamines, promethazine exerts antiseritonin, anticholinergic, and local anestheitc properties. Antiemetic MOA, is thought to be depressing CTZ in the medulla.

Regarding being allergic to epi;
"I have an allergic reaction to epinephrine - I get heart palpitations, start shaking and sweating, and get a bad headache. Last time, I felt as though I was going to die!"-the above complaints are all adverse reactions of the drug.

It is impossible to be allergic to epinephrine (epinephrine is the same as adrenaline). Our bodies produce epinephrine all the time. If you were allergic to it, you'd be long dead before reading this.

On an interesting note I'm sure most of you know epinephrine and adrenaline are synonymous, but did you know this: Epinephrine is derived from the greek 'epi-' meaning above, and 'nephros' regarding the kidney. so at face value, epinephrine means above the kidney. Adrenalin is derived from the Latin roots ''ad- and 'renes' and literally means on the kidney.

So both adrenalin and epinephrine mean the exact same thing in 2 different languages

 

[Lifeguards For Life]

Maybe not the bendaryl itself but they could be allergic to the dye, flavour etc or a compound it is bound to

true. Benadryl is also sold in a dye-free version, and there have been reported "allergic reactions" to this dye free form.

Benadryl contains sulfur, perhaps these patients have a sulfur allergy?

 

[stonez]

Out of my protocol book:

PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTION
· Promethazine is a non selective antihistamine with considerable activity at other receptor sites: It combines potent H¹-antagonism with antiemetic, anticholinergic, and marked sedative activities, and some hypotensive effects.
· The role of Promethazine in acute anaphylaxis is adjunctive to other core resuscitative approaches.