 Newspaper View
 Print
 Email
 Comment
 RSS
 Bookmark
If you would like to bookmark this article you will need to Login to your tulsaworld.com account
close
Many medicines spark photosensitive reactions, nasty sunburns
By SUZY COHEN Dear Pharmacist
Published: 6/6/2009 2:22 AM
Last Modified: 6/6/2009 4:19 AM
Dear Pharmacist: I just started taking "doxycycline" for acne. The prescription label says to "avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight." My roommate says he took doxycycline before going on a cruise and nothing happened to him. He bet me $100 to go outside for an hour. Should I? — CN, Gainesville, Fla.
Don't take the bet because if you lose, you lose big time.
Only you, not your roommate, run the risk of turning into a blistering red-faced 'gator. Photosensitivity is a fairly common skin reaction that is sparked by taking medicine that interacts with the ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or tanning beds. It happened to me, luckily just on the top of my hands, and I can tell you the burning pain of it, and associated pins-and-needles sensation rendered me out of writing commission for two days.
Photosensitive reactions are very unpredictable. Some people get severe sunburns and brown splotches in their skin, some get redness, tenderness, a rash, hives, or other types of inflammation (such as swelling or generalized pain). Some skin reactions are permanent.
There are hundreds of other offending drugs. Here are some relatively common ones:
Antibiotics: Sulfa drugs, tetracycline, doxycycline, ciprofloxacin and nitrofurantoin.
Antidepressants and anti-anxiety meds: Elavil, Norpramin, Sinequan, Effexor, Zoloft, Remeron and Xanax.
Accutane and Retin A
used to improve skin.
Allergy meds: Zyrtec, Benadryl, Claritin.
Blood-pressure
pills: Capoten, Vasotec, Accupril, Altace, diltiazem, nifedipine.
Diabetic drugs: Glipizide, glyburide, tolbutamide, glimepiride.
Birth control pills or menopausal drugs.
Statin cholesterol drugs: Mevacor, Pravachol, Zocor.
Diuretics: HCTZ or furosemide.
Anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs: Ibuprofen and naproxen.
info@dearpharmacist.com
By SUZY COHEN Dear Pharmacist
Newspaper View
Print
Email
Comment
RSS
Bookmark
If you would like to bookmark this article you will need to Login to your tulsaworld.com account
close
 |
|
