What will epinephrine do to me

People with severe allergies should always carry an auto-injector with them in case of exposure to an allergen. People should administer epinephrine within minutes of the onset of severe allergy symptoms.

Failure to treat anaphylaxis increases the risk of death. Some auto-injectors may require a different method of administration. Therefore, individuals should always follow the instructions on the device that their doctor has prescribed. After use, place the auto-injector into the tube ensuring that the tip is pointing downward and put the cap back on.

Emergency room staff may wish to see the empty device to understand how much epinephrine a person took. There is no set dose for epinephrine — it is an emergency treatment that people should use as necessary.

Sometimes, people require a second dose or another follow-up treatment. For this reason, it is vital that people seek emergency medical attention after using an epinephrine injection. In some cases, a doctor will administer further epinephrine directly into a vein. Following the advice below can help people use the device correctly and efficiently, maximizing its effectiveness. Therefore, individuals should be sure to tell their doctor if they are taking any medication or have a history of:.

If a woman who carries an epinephrine auto-injector becomes pregnant, she should inform medical professionals that she may require epinephrine. After using an epinephrine injection, pregnant women should seek emergency medical attention. It is important to check the epinephrine auto-injector regularly and replace it with a new one if:. However, in an emergency, it is better to give an out-of-date epinephrine injection than to give none at all.

A person should never administer an injection if the color is pink or yellow or if the liquid is cloudy or contains particles. Tell the doctor at the emergency department if any of these symptoms occur. Also, inform the doctor if there are signs of infection at the injection site, including:. Emergency medical attention is essential if someone is displaying the symptoms of overdose or has other serious symptoms, such as loss of consciousness or seizure.

Epinephrine may also cause other side effects. Anyone who has any queries or concerns should speak to their doctor. Some medications, vitamins , and herbs may interact with epinephrine.

Do not inject epinephrine into the buttocks or any other part of your body such as fingers, hands, or feet or into a vein. Do not put your thumb, fingers, or hand over the needle area of the automatic injection device.

If epinephrine is accidently injected into these areas, get emergency medical treatment immediately. After you inject a dose of epinephrine injection, some solution will remain in the injection device. This is normal and does not mean that you did not receive the full dose.

Do not use the extra liquid; dispose of the remaining liquid and device properly. Take the used device with you to the emergency room or ask your doctor, pharmacist, or healthcare provider how to dispose of used injection devices safely. This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Talk to your doctor about whether and when you should use epinephrine injection if you are pregnant. Keep this medication in the plastic carrying tube it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children.

Keep it at room temperature and away from light, excess heat and moisture not in the bathroom. Do not refrigerate epinephrine injection or leave it in your car, especially in hot or cold weather. If the prefilled automatic injection device is dropped, check to see if it is broken or leaking.

Dispose of any medication that is damaged or should otherwise not be used and be sure to have a replacement available. Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them.

However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location — one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach.

In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at Do not let anyone else take your medication.

If you use a prefilled automatic injection device, be sure to get a replacement right away. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.

It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription over-the-counter medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors.

Some people may experience side effects to a life-saving medication called epinephrine. However, it is unlikely that you can be "allergic" to epinephrine. Epinephrine use in the case of allergic reaction affecting the airway has and will continue to save many lives. There is no absolute contraindication to using epinephrine in suspected cases of acute anaphylaxis.

Another name for epinephrine is adrenaline and it is a hormone that is produced by your adrenal glands. You can't live without it. This is why it seems odd that rarely an individual can experience an allergic reaction when given epinephrine as a medication. Epinephrine is released from your adrenal glands in response to stress and is responsible for the "fight or flight" phenomenon.

It has several effects on the body including making your heart rate faster and boosting the oxygen and nutrient supply to your skeletal muscles and your brain so that you can run away from danger.

It also increases your awareness and gives you sharper vision and hearing. Epinephrine is released in response to fear or stress in small bursts and these effects typically last a very short amount of time, just long enough to allow us to survive stressful or dangerous situations.

People who do not produce enough epinephrine from their adrenal glands have a condition called Addison's disease which can be fatal if not treated properly. Epinephrine is used as a medication for life-threatening allergic reactions anaphylaxis and can save your life. Epinephrine is the drug of choice and the first drug that should be administered in acute anaphylaxis. Epinephrine reverses immediate, life threatening symptoms such as difficulty breathing, wheezing, and swelling affecting the respiratory system.

For this reason, there is no medical contraindication to the use of epinephrine in the case of allergic reaction causing acute anaphylaxis. Epinephrine is a hormone that is naturally produced by the body, and essential to life. In most cases, a true allergy to epinephrine doesn't exist.

The component of our immune system that causes respiratory-system swelling is tuned to react to foreign allergens. Because epinephrine is naturally present in your body, a minor, additional injected amount of epinephrine is unlikely to cause allergic reaction. That is not to say that people haven't experienced side effects due to epinephrine including: breathing problems, faster heart rate, sweating, nausea, dizziness, anxiety, and fear. These changes are not immediately life-threatening, and are signs that injected epinephrine is working in the body as intended: that is to reverse a potentially life threatening allergic reaction.

These side effects of epinephrine are minor compared to death, the worst outcome of an allergic reaction that is threatening to block an airway acute anaphylaxis. Often these effects are due to the allergic reaction and not epinephrine, or are the natural effects of adrenaline on the body. As we react to different sources of stress differently, the affects of adrenaline will affect different people differently.