r/emergencymedicine • u/Asleep-Palpitation43 Nurse Practiciner • Feb 02 '25

Advice Allergy Olympics

Is it wrong that if I see a patient has more than 10 allergies I IMMEDIATELY assume she's (bc it's always a she) a psych case?

In 24 years I've never been wrong.

You'll never read this in a textbook but add it to your practice today and thank me later👍

497 Upvotes

85% Upvoted

369 comments sorted by

View all comments

111

u/MissyChevious613 EM Social Worker Feb 02 '25

My personal favorite was 54 allergies AND she claimed she's allergic to all generic medications. She was a real gem.

13

u/Comprehensive_Ant984 Feb 02 '25

My god. Did we know the same person? I had a law firm partner who always listed all of her (exhaustive) food preferences as allergies. She was also a huge label diva, and boasted ab how she always told her doctors that she was allergic to all generic medications bc that way they’d be forced to give her brand names only. Blew my mind.

3

u/Whatsthathum Physician Feb 03 '25

“Label diva” What a perfect descriptor! Thank you!

1

u/babypinkhowell Feb 04 '25

Can I claim to be allergic to all brand name medications? Why on earth would she want the brand name, more expensive medication when the generic is the same thing. If I could avoid taking any brand name meds i would purely because of the cost LOL