[Vi Schorpp]

Laurie I can so relate.

I had a very interesting day this past Tuesday. I arrived at my job about 11:00 after running an errand. I worked for about 35 minutes and then got EXTREMELY hot (a major HOT FLASH) and then incredibly itchy. Felt like my clothes were on fire. Decided I'd cool down by putting water on me. Major welts on my face, neck, torso, arms, etc. Then, I got so itchy I wanted to rip off my clothes. About 1000 bumps appeared on my arms (looked exactly like spider bites) and my skin was beet red. I was having an allergic reaction. To what we still don't know!

Since I was all alone (not a typical scenario), it crossed my mind to call the rescue squad, but that seemed a bit extreme. I went to CVS and picked up a box of Benadryl tablets , but couldn't find the liquid. I asked the clerk to see the pharmacist and I asked him if he had anything more fast-acting. He said YOU ARE GOING TO THE HOSPITAL! He called the rescue squad and then he gave me 25 mg. of Benadryl orally. The rescue squad came and gave me more benadryl and took my vitals. My heartrate was at 220.,.not good.
They could not believe how red and swollen I was. We went to Hillcrest Hospital. They eventually stabilized me and then I was released.

Meanwhile, my daughter Erika could not reach me and she knew I was headed to the drugstore for Benadryl. She finally reached a dispatcher and the only thing the woman would say is "your mother is in very grave condition, not doing well, but that's all I can say." By the time I was admitted to the hospital my daugher arrived 10 minutes later.

What I'm trying to figure out is this...I stopped taking Aromasin in the middle of July because of excessive joint pain and switched to Femara on July 14th. I've been very happy with the Femara. On August 1st I woke up with swelling of my lips and arms and got a dose of Benadryl. It seemed to do the trick and I went back to sleep. Never knew what caused this.

In my lifetime, I've never had an allergic reaction to anything, so this was the first. The second one I had Tuesday was so much more severe. I hadn't even eaten anything that day, but had taken the Femara.

I'm waiting for the oncologist nurse to call me back, but I read that a small percentage of patients could have an allergic reaction to Femara. Does anyone else think that if I've only had two allergic reactions in my lifetime, since starting Femara on July 15th, that there might be a connection? Would the reaction have been quicker than this timeframe? One reaction two weeks after starting this medication, then another reaction six weeks later?

I am on no other medication -- nothing, except Voltaren as needed for knee pain once in a while.

The internist said that 95% of the time the source of the reaction is never known. The ER doctor said the next time this happens take the benadryl as I'm calling the rescue squad.

Any thoughts?