Sulfa Drugs

No, this isn't some new illegal drug fad, it's just a type of antibiotics that can be given for any number of infections. The interesting part of this post follows: if, when taking a sulfa drug, you break out in hives, stop taking said sulfa drug and call your doctor immediately. Apparently this indicates you are very allergic to sulfa drugs, and the next time you take one you could go into that shock thing (anapholaxic??) that makes your throat close up and you'll have to get stuck with an EpiPen to prevent death (They've been having some commercials about this where the mom is allergic to seafood and the kid gives her the EpiPen). How do I know this you ask? I got hives. Fortunately, mine weren't the "break out the epipen" hives. In fact, I just kind of thought they'd go away on their own after a few hours (that's what WebMD said). Then I read the side effects of my sulfa drug more carefully and started to think about the fact that I had been a little itchy ever since I started take it, and maybe I should call the doctor after all. A few benadryls and an allegra later, I'm doing all right. I don't remember too much of Monday night, though, since I did spend it in a benadryl induced coma from 7pm on. Next time, the doctor warned, I could die. So kids, don't go playing around with sulfa drugs, or I'll have to stick you with Andy's epipen (he's allergic to bees, don't you know)