Irrational fear of anaphylaxis- just started new medication

[Jemz14]

Hi

im a 32 year old female with extreme anxiety and panic Attacks. I was on a medication for about 10 years which I think I build up a tolerance to. I started a new medication on Monday but it sparked severe anxiety about me getting a serious anaphylaxis reaction. I took it and ended up so hysterical and distraught I was admitted into a emergency psych ward which was awful in there. Day 4 on the new meds now am I’m at home but I still fear so greatly that I will have anaphylaxis each time I take this tablet. I have been seeing my GP daily for reassurance and now it’s the weekend I can’t see her til Monday and I’m TERRIFIED can anyone help me with ways to get through the next couple of days.

thanks heaps

[Hope_for_the_best]

Firstly, do you understand what exactly is "anaphylaxis"? I don't mean to judge you, but from your post you don't seem to understand this term well enough. As someone from health science, I hope I can make you feel better by clarifying it a bit. Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction which your blood pressure drops, your airways are swelling so much that you cannot breathe etc. It is a medical emergency that usually develops shortly after you expose to something that you are allergic to, e.g. medication. If indeed you are severely allergic to this new medication, you would have got anaphylaxis straight after taking the first tablet. It is impossible that a medication can cause you anaphylaxis when you have taken it 4 days in a row. Please be assured that your doctor must have asked whether you are allergic to any medication prior to prescribing you any. If you have advised your doctor what medication you are allergic to, and you don't have any allergic diseases like asthma and hay fever, you probably won't get anaphylaxis for the rest of your life.

[Jemz14]

Thanks so much I do kind of understand anaphylaxis, but I do also know my fear is irrational and have been told that for some reason I just can’t make the fear go away. I get physical symptoms with my anxiety so I always feel a funny feeling in my throat etc.... I do have asthma however it’s very mild and very controlled with preventers. I know it’s irrational I just can’t stop worrying abt it along with other things my health anxiety is severe I hope it gets better.

Thanks for your reassuring word

[Hope_for_the_best]

I also get a lumpy throat feeling when I get very anxious. It is just how your body reacts to stress. Perhaps try to distract yourself when you get the thought of "Oh no! I may get anaphylaxis soon!" Maybe go shopping, cook good meals for yourself, talk to your friends etc. I often find that when I can focus on something other than the physical symptom, I simply don't feel it anymore. Anaphylaxis is more like a very severe asthmatic attack which ventilators cannot be of any help. A lumpy throat feeling is nowhere near that.

I suggest that when you go back to your doctor on Monday, you ask for help to manage your health anxiety. Counselling can be very helpful to tackle anxiety like that. Get well soon.

[Hope_for_the_best]

Miss these out in the last post: Even though you have mild asthma, your chance of getting anaphylaxis is still not very high. It just means that your body can be more sensitive than usual to an allergen, so theoretically your chance is somewhat higher than those without allergic diseases. As long as you stay away from things that you had an allergic reaction to, e.g. medication, food etc., you would be okay. You can request for an allergen test from your GP if this will put your mind at ease.

[Jemz14]

Thanks so much for the reply. I think the answer to the problem is more abt me controlling the anxiety and irrational fears. If it’s not anaphylaxis it will be fear of a heart Attack, brain tumour cancers and so on I’m truly the worlds worst hypochondriac. I think it stems from trauma from me finding my mum dead when I was 15 the fear of death is just constantly intensifying it’s hard but I’ll keep battling it

[Hope_for_the_best]

Sorry to hear about your mum. This must be hard to deal with, especially when it happened to you at such a young age. I think you have PTSD that manifests into health anxiety. Your reactions are totally understandable given your circumstances, so don't beat yourself up. Have you told your doctor about that? Perhaps getting referred to a psychologist who is specialised in trauma management will help you the best.

I got quite hypochondriac once when I had a big exam coming up. My body ached here and there and my temperature was slightly up (due to anxiety). I was so worried that I would not be able to take the exam so I went to my doctor daily. At first, he was very patient and reassured me that I would be fine. However, after a few days, he got increasingly annoyed. I still remember that he sent me off with some sedatives and said he did not want to see me again the next day. Of course, I stopped seeing him from then on.

It is a blessing to have a doctor who is understanding and caring. It sounds like your doctor is one such doctor. Not many doctors can put up with patients coming back for daily reassurance.

[Jemz14]

Oh wow that’s no good your doctor isn’t helpful. Mine is lovely but I do think the receptionist sometimes thinks I’m crazy. But I’m hoping after a few more days on the medication I can start to trust I won’t have anaphylaxis. It’s soo annoying even to me that I can’t get rid of the fear even though so many people have reassured me. I also think I have sleep apnea so I’m constantly forcing myself to stay awake with the fear I will die in my sleep it’s truly exhausting I have told my psychologist this and I still feel so unable to use strategies cause it comes on so fast and and is strong and unbearable I just want relief already.

[Need2Bstronger]

I am allergic to fish and have had a number of anaphylactic reactions. They’re instant and like another poster said, if you have been taking the medication for 4 days you would know by now if you are indeed allergic to it.

Some of the symptoms I feel are nausea, hives/itching, red bulgy eyes, hoarse voice, swollen lips, itchy ears, I go very pale and obviously my throat feels like I need to cough something up but can’t, I don’t develop a wheeze, but I’ve been lucky enough to get myself to hospital before it’s gotten to that stage.

Just keep telling yourself this when you take the tablets “I’m not allergic, this will not give me anaphylaxis”

Ask your GP for a allergen test so you have phsical proof you can use to reassure yourself when your having a panic attack.

I hope this helps x