The immune system produces substances (antibodies) to attack harmful foreign materials to protect your body. An allergic reaction occurs when your immune system identifies a particular foreign material as harmful, even though it is not. A person with a bleeding disorder can have an allergic reaction to their medication.1
This section of Allergic Reactions covers:
What are Signs and Symptoms of Allergic Reactions?
What Should I Do if I Have an Allergic Reaction?
What is the Connection to Inhibitors?
What are Signs and Symptoms of Allergic Reactions?
You can experience an allergic reaction. Knowing the signs and symptoms will help you to navigate this experience. Your health care provider should be present whenever you are given a new treatment product in case an allergic reaction occurs.1,2
Here are some of the most common symptoms of an allergic reaction:
- Itchiness
- Hives
- Headaches
- Chills
- Drowsiness
- Weakness
- Dizziness
- Cold sweats
- Complaints of tightness in the throat
- Difficulty breathing
- Anaphylaxis
- Any other unusual symptoms that occur during or shortly after you have taken your medication
What Should I Do if I Have an Allergic Reaction?
If you are experiencing any signs or symptoms of an allergic reaction, you should seek medical attention and contact your health care provider immediately.1
If your bleeding disorder medication caused the allergic reaction, you should write down the lot number of the package or bottle you used. Do not use any additional medication from this specific package or bottle.
Some medications can cause flushing, shortness of breath, and nausea if they are given too quickly. This is not an allergic reaction. If you are taking your medication via infusion, slowing down how fast you are being giving the medication will prevent these symptoms.
What is the Connection to Inhibitors?
You may have heard about inhibitors in connection to allergic reactions. Inhibitors develop when your immune system targets your bleeding disorder medication. This will cause your treatment to no longer be working well and will increase the risk and severity of bleeding episodes.2
If you want more information about inhibitors, please go to What is an Inhibitor?
- American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (2018, February 28). Drug Allergies. Allergies. Retrieved February 3, 2023, from https://acaai.org/allergies/allergic-conditions/drug-allergies/
- Recht, M., Pollman, H., Tagliaferri, A., Musso, R., Janco, R., & Richey Neuman, W. (2011). A retrospective study to describe the incidence of moderate to severe allergic reactions to factor IX in subjects with haemophilia B: Allergic Reactions to factor IX for Hemophilia B. Haemophilia : the Official Journal of the World Federation of Hemophilia, 17(3), 494–499. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2516.2011.02436.x