Question: Can a person develop a drug allergy at any time?
Answer: Sneezing is not a laughing matter. Adverse reactions may be potentially serious, especially allergic reactions to medications. Celebrex, one of the COX-2 inhibitors (a class of anti-inflammatory agents), is known to cause allergic reactions in patients with a previous history of sulfa allergy. Although those patients with known hypersensitivity to sulfonamides may exhibit minor reactions, i.e. dizziness, sore throat, sinus irritation and rash, more serious events such as anaphylactoid reaction (fainting and circulatory collapse), urticaria (hives), and bronchospasm have been reported. Allergic reactions may develop any time a patient is placed on medication, even when there is no previous known allergy history. A good rule for all patients to remember is that; any drug, can do any thing, to any one, at any time. (Answer provided by the late Dr. Raymond Federman, aka Dr. Bones, who passed away on September 2, 2003. The care of his patients even in retirement was always his joy.)
