Post # 1
Member
5982 posts
Bee Keeper
So I had never had an allergic reaction until the other day (I am 26). I took some B3 (I swear I have taken this before without this) and got what is called “red man syndrome”. My entire body was bright red (like a lobster…seriously) and I swelled up and my skin felt really tight. It felt like I had a very bad sunburn. DH and I were in the car and I totally freaked out…it was very scarey. I had him take me to the ER and we went over everything I had ate and drank that day and that is how we found out it was the B3 (apparently B3 is known for this allergic reaction). anywho..I just thought it was crazy. Anyone else have a similar situation?
Post # 3
Member
1937 posts
Buzzing bee
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) is well known for it’s ability to make people flush (skin turns bright red), but it’s not necessarily an allergic reaction. I’m not an allergist, but I’m more familiar with the term “red man syndrome” for someone who has a hypersensitivity reaction to the IV antibiotic vancomycin.
Vitamin B3 is found in quite a few common foods – red meat, poultry, fish, nuts, potatoes, pasta, etc. Have you ever had problems with these foods?
Did they have to give you epinephrine or diphenhydramine (i.e. it was an actual true allergy, not a hypersensitivity reaction)? If so, did they talk to you about whether you need to carry an Epi pen (especially if your throat started to close)? With the way you’re describing it, it sounds like a normal hypersensitivity reaction to niacin, not a like threatening allergic reaction (which is a good thing!)
Post # 4
Member
6890 posts
Busy Beekeeper
Not the same thing but yeah, kind of. The first time I gave blood I found out I was allergic to the topical iodine they put on your arm…not the most fun way to find that out. Lol. Now it makes me scared for things like going to the hospital because they use it SO much for necessary things. :/ Boo.
Post # 5
Member
47432 posts
Honey Beekeeper
This is a very common side effect of Niacin. It causes vasodilation and itching. It normally passes on its own in 10-20 minutes, I am an ER nurse and we get people in here all the time with this.
If you want to take Niacin as a supplement you need to build up your dose gradually, so you can tolerate the higher doses without the side effect.
Re “allergic reactions” many people say “i’ve had it before and didn’t have a reaction”. You don’t have an allergic reaction the first time you are exposed to something. You have to be exposed to something for your body to bulid up antibodies that may cause an allergic reaction in the future.
Post # 6
Member
3600 posts
Sugar bee
@bestbuddies: That’s what’s known a Niacin Flush. It’s uncomfortable, but harmless and goes away on it’s own in about an hour. Red Man Syndrome is related to IV antibiotics like vancomycin and deadly if untreated.
Unfortunately, it’s completely normal to have that type of reaction to niacin, and is not going to be ameliorated by benadryl, since it’s not an allergy. Try a slow-release version called “Slo-Niacin” next time, and the symptoms will be reduced.
Post # 7
Member
216 posts
Helper bee
Not B3…but found out I was deathly allerigic to Benadryl in college. I took a Tylenol PM the night before we were leaving to drive to Florida for Spring Break. Apparently Tylenol PM has one of the same active ingrediant as Benadryl. I started breaking out in hives that morning and a friend gave me a benadryl…I ended up going into anaphylactic (spelling?) shock on the road and spent the night in some random hospital in GA.
Post # 8
Member
413 posts
Helper bee
@bestbuddies: It took forever to figure out, but about 5 years ago I found out that I had an allergy to the sun. Which sucks, because I love the sun! I had hives all over my face and body that I could never get rid of. No one (doctors) could figure out why, until I was refered to a dermatologist.
Turns out that if I have to go outside my skin cannot be exposed. At all. I have to be covered at all times (in light clothing, of course), and wear a hat, otherwise I’ll end up with hives all over me. It feels weird though… When my skin is exposed to the sun, it feels like someone is seering a cigarette onto my skin. Almost like a burning-pinching feeling.
SPF 70 saved me lol.
Gwen
Post # 9
Member
5982 posts
Bee Keeper
wow..thanks everyone for sharing your stories.
@EvaBostonTerrier: The ER doc told me to follow up with my pcp about it. I do not have problems with any of those items that you mentioned. Also, I take a multivitamin every day that has niacin in it. That does not affect me either. It was because I took niacin 50mg 🙂
@julies1949: My symptoms were around for over 2 hours (starting fading at about 2 hours) so not sure why it goes away in 10 minutes for some people.
@helenberrycrunch: Thanks!
@courtbu17: oh my goodness. I am so glad that you are ok…I bet that was scarey
@GwenvonD: oh wow. How old were you when you found out?
Post # 10
Member
413 posts
Helper bee
@bestbuddies: I was around 24 or 25 years old. But I had the hives on my face for well over a year 🙁 Didn’t know how to get rid of them (tried everything) and didn’t know what caused it either.
Gwen
Post # 11
Member
5982 posts
Bee Keeper
@GwenvonD:HMM that is interesting. A good friend of mine has been told that she is allergic to the sun. I somehow spaced on that but just remembered (we have a long distance friendship). She also was allergic for a long time before they figure out what was causing everything. Sorry you have to deal with it…
Post # 12
Member
413 posts
Helper bee
@bestbuddies:It’s not so bad once you get used to it. It becomes second nature 🙂
Post # 13
Member
5982 posts
Bee Keeper
@GwenvonD: i am glad that you have adapted well. 🙂
Post # 14
Member
411 posts
Helper bee
I have some pretty weird allergies that cause me to give a lot of funny looks. I’m allergic to nutmeg (fall and winter are definitely NOT my seasons for food!), chlorine in pools, and Jingles hairspray.
Post # 15
Member
231 posts
Helper bee
@bestbuddies: I got staph infection… on my face : (
it was bad news. anyways they gave me an antibiotic that is sulfa based and within 10 mins I couldn’t breathe and had half dollar size welts all over my body. It was quite scary! Then I realized that all my life I would get hives after using lotions and my head was always itchy and it was because I am allergic to the sulfa and sulfates they use in a lot of lotions and shampoos. I have to use sulfa free everything!
Post # 16
Member
939 posts
Busy bee
i don’t have any allergies that i know of, i just came in to say that i giggled at the title of this thread. I was thinking how a honey bee with allergies (such as pollen) would be terribly ironic.