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Ct scan allergic reaction to contrast dye

Posted , 12 users are following.

michelle83257
michelle83257

Hi wondering if anyone else, has had a weird reaction to the contrast dye they inject into your veins during a ct scan. Was ok until a few hours after, my fingers started to swell up like sausages and redness of the skin all over, seems to be dying down a bit now after taking anti allergy tablets, is this a normal side effect?

2 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • MrPenguin
    MrPenguin michelle83257

    Posted

    Some people do, I would mention it should you habe another CT in future incase they decide it might be better not to give you it.

    After mine I felt very strange.. almost like I couldn't feel my body properly.. I walked to the car and started driving home and the worst pain right in the base of my brain and my head felt extremely floppy.. I didn't feel myself again for a week.

    • daniellelyra
      daniellelyra MrPenguin

      Posted

      Found out I'm probably allergic to iodine today via the same symptom of dysproprioception you describe. All these years thinking I just had a shellfish allergy and now I'm finding out I'm probably one of those rare cases who's just allergic to the iodine IN the shellfish, not the typical allergens. 

      commenting here though as it's been hours after drinking an oral contrast of iodine (much less intense than an IV) and I still feel floppy and dysproprioceptive. Wondering if anyone sees this if you know of what you can do - because I'm clearly not bad enough to visit the ER

  • sanya11314
    sanya11314 michelle83257

    Posted

    Allergic reactions are not normal side effects.

    You definitely need to tell this to your doc, that it goes on your file, which contrast agent you got and what the effects were.

    You actually should have called up your GP upon getting red skin and swelling of fingers. (since you don't know how much further the reaction would go at this point)

    You luckily only had mild to moderate reaction, that can be tackled with over the counter anti-histamine.

    Next time it could get much worse and you don't want to risk that. At least not unmonitored at home.

    I guess you got an iodine iv contrast for CT?

    Gadolinium used in MRI as contrast is often much saver.

    It is not normal.

  • sherry14795
    sherry14795 michelle83257

    Posted

    I have had allergic reaction to CT scan. I broke out in hives on both the front and the back of my torso. This was also a 24-48 hour delay , so we weren't sure that this was caused by the scan or something I ate.  I went to the hospital because it was so itchy I couldn't tolerate it, and they gave me prednisone which did not help much.  I went a couple of days later to my internist who prescribed some type of anti itch topical lotion as well as Zantac. ( apparently this helps with allergic reactions.) this helped clear it up.  Two or three years later, I had to have another Ct scan, and they put me on prednisone first, before the scan.  This did keep the reaction to mild hives versus all over, but also confirmed I was allergic to the dye, which is iodine based.  Definitely convey to any doctor you go to, that you're allergic to this dye.  I've had MRIs and the dye they use does not affect me. 

    • julia4782
      julia4782 sherry14795

      Posted

      I am suffering the same thing now day  5! It came on 2 days after the CT scan and is now practically perple ans is covering my whole body!

      how long did it take yours to subside? I can't imagine looking normal again!

      Also on prednisone and using Epaderm cream. It's was intolerable first 3days no sleep but better after an oatmeal bath and this cream seems to work .

      No way I can wear shorts in this hot weather with purple legs!

      please say it doesn't take weeks to go. I'll try the Zantac too, thanks for that.

  • anthony75367
    anthony75367 michelle83257

    Posted

    So I have been having horrible pain in the middle of the bottom of my rib cage (my stomach) for awhile now and have been getting tests done as of recently, but I got a CT scan yesterday and it has made my pain worse. And as long as I can remember every time I get the CT scan I get a horrible pain in the same spot that I am getting checked. It is a horrible pain too. It’s sharp and hot and usually lasts for about 20 minutes after the scan. The most painful is right after the scan. Unfortunately this time the pain didn’t subside and has made my pain exponentially worse. I even told the CT tech as well as the doctor and two nurses, but they had never heard of this before and probably just thought I was trying to score narcotics. I have tried to look up any cases or side effects that are like mine but to no prevail. I just don’t know what to do at this point.
    • geri36918
      geri36918 anthony75367

      Posted

      Hi Anthony. I was wondering if after the CT scan they ended up telling you anything like any of or 1 of your internal organs wasn't where it was supposed to be in your body? I only ask this because in 2008 I too had a scan where they injected contrast dye to diagnose the problem. As it turned out, I had e-coli in my right kidney which was not located in my body where it should have been (their excuse for taking 3 days to diagnose the problem at all because pain presented in the front not the back) subsequent to that I noticed I had pain in my joints all over my body. I complained to my doctor who dismissed it all together. After doing my own research I found out that the contrast sometimes in some people (definitely with kidney problems) the dye doesn't get filtered out of the body properly and can linger and migrate to the joints. My point is it could be kidney's the dye made pain worse because they can't filter the dye and you will have other noticeable symptoms besides the abdominal pain. Be aware and start writing it down because no one will believe you. That was 2008 fast forward to 1/25/2018 where I had a CT scan and told them not to use contrast, they said they wouldn't and when I got down there they used it anyway. 6 hours later I was home and all of a sudden my face blew up like a balloon on the right side. Looked like mumps. Not mumps, they don't know what happened. I'm betting on the dye. Today talking to my son's teacher I mentioned it. (my jaw is still swollen btw) she said she had the same reaction after dye only it was her entire eye socket and surrounding area that swelled up. There is a huge problem with that dye and has been for years. Good luck. Oh, I'm not allergic to iodine for sure and still had a problem so it may be the iodine for some but not all and skin reactions seem to be the milder version of the problem.  

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