DEAR DR. GOTT: In a past column, you addressed the problem of allergies and scan dyes. I would like to add some information in the hopes that it will help others avoid a problem.
I am allergic to shrimp. On my first trip to the hospital, I was asked if I were allergic to any medications. I wasn’t aware of any, but I did say I was allergic to shrimp. I thought the nurse would say I shouldn’t expect shrimp at the hospital and we would have a chuckle about it, but instead she said that it was “significant.” When I asked why, she told me that it had the same chemical makeup as intravenous dye and proceeded to give me a red bracelet and wrote down the allergy in red pen on my chart. [Read more...]
Food allergies may cause concern with scan dyes
February 3, 2010 By