Beta Blockers Anaphylaxis

[my3reasonsy]

Hello.  Cardiologist dx me with stress/exercise induced tachycardia & hypertension.  I am 38 and during exercise heart rate was 200+ and experience pain at such high rate. I take corgard beta blocker daily.  This is the third bb I have been on since around Feb. 06.  I am allergic to erythymycn (spelling?) and also allergic to several foods.  I suffer anaphylaxis from the foods and the medicine.  I have not had a reaction in approx. 3 yrs.  When I filled out my forms at the cardiologists office I did list my allergies, but I was not asked what reaction I have.  I have recently read that beta blockers should be avoided if you also have anaphylaxis.  I will be discussing this with my cardiologist at my next visit, but I would like to get a little input first.  My concern is that I do the best I can to avoid the foods, but if I were to have anaphylaxis again, would I be able to take an epipen safely? Is it even true that it is dangerous to take a bb if you have anaphylaxis? Are certain bb safe?  What happens to the heart if on a bb and an epipen is necessary?  If bb are dangerous to take with anaphylaxis should I decrease my exercise intensity level and come off of the bb, as my problems only exist at mid to high level cardio workouts?
Thank you for any information you can give me.

[Cleveland Clinic]

3reasons,

thanks for the post.

Its a difficult question. Beta blockers block the receptors that are acted upon to counter allergic reactions since beta blocker therapy can potentially aggravate allergic reactions and interfere with epinephrine action.  It is important to balance the risk and benefit of any particular drug you take. For someone that is using the beta blocker solely for rate control there are other options such as calcium channel blockers. I would have your allergist and cardiologist work together to devise a safe therapeutic regimen.

good luck

[Fionajnz]

With all the health probs I have had this year, anaphylaxis was one of them.....I happened to be on BB at the time for a post partum cardiomyopathy, they had tried me on ACE inhibitors initially but I got a severe drug rash from them too, so BB were the drugs of choice but not high on the list of any of my physicians due to asthma and severe SOB related to a neuromuscular weakness during this time.  

The anaphylaxis occurred when they were doing a CAT scan with iodine dye.  I have no idea if the BB I was on aggravated the situation or not, but I had had at least one CAT scan with contrast prior to that one.  My throat and tongue started swelling so I had a pretty nasty reaction.  They gave me epi and I now carry an epi- pen.  I hope never to have to use it.

I hope you don't encounter this again either.  GL with your treatment choices, but know that I did just fine being on BB and having an anaphylactic reaction - btw, I make sure to let physicians know that it is an anaphylaxis I have had as an allergy.

Fiona  

[anacyde]

I'm just going to second what Fiona said.  Make sure your doctors - ALL of them - know you've had an anaphylactic reaction.  I have a long terrible list of allergies, all of which are medications with the exception of bees and certain types of smoke.  Most of the time when I list my allergies, a nurse will ask, "What, like you get an upset stomach?"  And I explain, no, I get rushed to the hospital and have a tube stuffed down my throat because it's swelling shut and the medications to counteract it aren't working fast enough...all the while more of me is becoming covered in giant half-dollar sized hives, ok?  I usually get an..."Ohh...wow..."

I think a lot of people do call stomach upset an "allergy" so it is important to specify.  I carry a laminated piece of paper with me listing my allergies and the reaction I have to them.

Kind of like:
Sulfa: hives, itching
Doxycycline: anaphylaxis
Erythromycin: hives, breathing difficulty

You get the idea.  It's easier than (a) trying to remember them all and (b) explaining one by one each reaction.