Can you become allergic to lidocaine all of a sudden?

Question

I was just perscribed lidocaine and was allergic to it - well - I felt dizzy, nausous, diarra, just icky. I also have this feeling when I go to the dentist. I have been ok with the dentist until 8 years ago when I passed out in the dentist office. And ever since then I am terrified about going to the dentist because of that. Was that a allergic reaction and can you become allergic to lidocaine and the dentist "caine"?

Had lidocaine in a mouthwash - had to swallow it.

Answer 1

You can be allergic to just about anything, but you don't describe the usual allergic reaction. The dentist uses the same local anesthetic the doctors do, except their preps usually contain epinephrine as well- to restrict bleeding and extend the effectiveness. Epinephrine is the "fight or flight" chemical your body produces when you are stressed or frightened, and can cause all sorts of odd feelings- including the gut. To find out if you are truly allergic to it you would need to be specifically tested by an allergist. If you suspect you are, that would be a good thing to do, because allergies to medications that are injected can be quite deadly. They can show up all of a sudden, and can go from one mild to one life threatening reaction without warning. And since lidocaine is such a common local anesthetic, you would certainly need to know and have a medicalert tag to the effect. But what I think is you are dealing with an overstressed body in fear of the dentist, and the epinephrine isn't helping matters any. That's what it really sounds like. Still, get tested and find out for certain. Then if it's safe, you can always ask the dentist for a bit of a sedative first, which will help control the other reactions.

Note- you aren't supposed to swallow the mouthwash. You are supposed to swish in in your mouth and spit it out- not swallow it. You feel slighty icky because you just slightly anesthetized your esophogus, stomach and everything else. While it won't hurt you- it's not intended to be swallowed in much quantity.

Answer 2

yes you can. most allergic reactions occur all of a sudden on things you have been exposed to before..I became allergic to penicillin all of a sudden.

those symptoms are like many allergic reactions I have seen. I have had patients pass out right after an injection..

I had a reaction to rocephin and I was disoriented, vomiting, felt like I was about to pass out..and itched like crazy.

and if you aren't sure if you are or not...just assume you are. If you really are and are administered it again..it could be fatal!!

Answer 3

Yes, you can become allergic to something in a few years. I am not a doctor but I have bad allergies to animals. Mostly cats. It happens when your body feels something new in it surrounding. But a few years, months later your body can be affected because It can not handle (dislike) the object or in your case an animal

Answer 4

Allergies To Lidocaine

Answer 5

Yes, you can develop an allergy to lidocaine. However, the symptoms you have described are not exactly what I would expect as an allergy. In addition, lidocaine is usually delivered by injection or ointment, isn't it?