FAQ’s – Click The Link Below To Jump to That Section.
General – Refills, Scheduling, Treatment Sheet, Nutrition Protocol
Blood Draws – Time of Month for Blood Draws, Etc.
Hormones – Testosterone, Estrogen, Progesterone, Injections, Etc.
Thyroid – Reaction/Side Effects, Not Feeling Better, Alternatives, Discontinue, Etc.
SIBO / IBS / Gastro – Reaction/Side Effects, Not Feeling Better, Process, Etc.
Supplements – Treatment protocols, where to purchase, etc.
Allergic Reaction – Steps to take if you’re having an allergic reaction.
Clinic Policies – General policies and guidelines for Natural Med Doc.
General FAQ
Refills, Scheduling, Treatment Sheet, Nutrition Protocol
Refill requests may be submitted using the Refill form located in the footer (the bottom) of the Natural Med Doc website or by calling the Natural Med Doc refill line, 480-630-9093 Ext 3.
All refills should be submitted 7 to 10 days before the respective medication runs out to allow processing time.
The prescribing physician must approve all refills. Approval requires that:
- You are scheduled for your next recommended lab review consultation.
- The medication is an active medication managed by your Natural Med Doc physician.
- Compliant thus far with the recommended follow-up schedule.
- Accurate and consistent dosing of the prescribed medication.
- That any payments due for the respective medication have been settled.
- All outstanding charges have been settled.
To schedule any desired appointment with Natural Med Doc, please call our existing patient line to reach our front desk for assistance, 480-630-9093 Ext 2.
Your Natural Med Doc physician will send you your treatment sheet attached to a charm message after every consultation. Please check your charm messages to view your most recent treatment sheet.
Any nutrition protocols that are recommended to you during your consultation will be indicated under the Diet section of your treatment sheet.
Your Natural Med Doc physician will send you your treatment sheet attached to a Charm message after every consultation. Please check your charm messages to view your most recent treatment sheet.
Unless otherwise specified, the comprehensive nutrition protocol instructions handout will be listed on the members portal. Simply log in to your members portal to view your nutritional guideline.
If you do not see your specific protocol listed, please contact the office at 480-630-9093 Ext 2.
Blood Draws
Time of Month for Blood Draws, Menstrual Cycles, Wait Time, Etc.
Many women’s menstrual cycles are irregular when beginning treatment or may become irregular at different times for different reasons. If you have an irregular cycle, we will schedule your blood draw in one of two ways;
- If your most recent menstrual cycle started within the last two months, we would calculate your next blood draw date based on this cycle.
- If you are highly irregular, having gone many months without having a cycle, we will draw your blood at any given time.
It is always best, in this case, to call the office for guidance on how to schedule. Please contact our existing patient line to reach our front desk for assistance, 480-630-9093 Ext 2.
If you forget to take your hormonal injection at your regular time the week before your blood draw, your blood draw date will need to be rescheduled.
A good rule of thumb is to call the existing patient line for assistance, 480-630-9093 Ext 2, if you are ever concerned that your blood draw or follow-up date may need to be adjusted.
Please call our existing patient line for assistance, 480-630-9093 Ext 2. They will be able to assist you with adjusting your dosing schedule to allow for a four days post-injection blood draw to land sometime during the week when our office or another draw station is open for blood draws.
We will often recommend that you move your injection day. To do this, we may ask you to wait an additional day or two before injecting your next dose of hormones.
Natural Med Doc runs all general blood work through Lab Corp, Sonora Quest, and Access Medical Labs. Unfortunately, due to these labs having a 14-day turnaround time for sending us the finalized reports, we cannot schedule your lab review any sooner than 14 days after having your blood drawn.
When completing specialty labs, Natural Med Doc will schedule both your completion date and your follow-up date simultaneously. The completion date must be 21 days before your scheduled lab review to allow time for our clinic to receive your results.
Hormones
Testosterone, Estrogen, Progesterone, Injections, Etc.
Natural Med Doc physicians work with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (bHRT).
Bioidentical hormones are molecularly identical to the hormones naturally produced in your body and have been shown to have a much lower risk profile than synthetic hormones.
These hormones include progesterone, testosterone, and estrogen.
For more information about hormone replacement therapy, read our comprehensive article by clicking here.
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (bHRT) is utilized to correct hormonal imbalances naturally. Hormone imbalances can present at any age. bHRT may be recommended to men and women of all ages, but primarily for individuals aged 30 – 60.
bHRT is not commonly recommended for children.
For more information about hormone replacement therapy, read our comprehensive article by clicking here.
Natural Med Doc offers an in-house hormone membership. If recommended to start bioidentical hormone replacement therapy by your Natural Med Doc physician, you will have the ability to sign up for this service.
The Natural Med Doc in-house hormone membership will ship hormones directly to your door.
To understand where your medications are being called in, take a look at your treatment sheet. All pharmacies are listed next to the respective hormone or medication.
For more information about hormone replacement therapy, read our comprehensive article by clicking here.
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is used to treat many different conditions and symptoms. Some of the most common are listed below:
- Menopausal symptoms ( hot flashes, vaginal dryness, pain with intercourse, brain fog, mood swings, anxiety, sleep dysfunction, collagen degradation)
- PCOS
- Anxiety
- Poor sleep
- Low energy
- Low motivation
- Low libido
- Brain Fog
- Headaches
- Heavy and irregular menstrual cycles
- Breast tenderness
- Difficult weight loss
- Disease prevention includes:
- Osteoporosis
- Bone fractures
- Cardiovascular disease
- Dementia
- Diabetes
For more information about hormone replacement therapy, read our comprehensive article by clicking here.
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is used to treat many different conditions and symptoms. Some of the most common are listed below:
- Menopausal symptoms ( hot flashes, vaginal dryness, pain with intercourse, brain fog, mood swings, anxiety, sleep dysfunction, collagen degradation)
- PCOS
- Anxiety
- Poor sleep
- Low energy
- Low motivation
- Low libido
- Brain Fog
- Headaches
- Heavy and irregular menstrual cycles
- Breast tenderness
- Difficult weight loss
- Disease prevention includes:
- Osteoporosis
- Bone fractures
- Cardiovascular disease
- Dementia
- Diabetes
For more information about hormone replacement therapy, read our comprehensive article by clicking here.
Side effects of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy are specific to each hormone.
Progesterone
Common side effects of progesterone replacement may be experienced if the progesterone dose is too high, improperly balanced with other hormones, or if you happen to be sensitive to progesterone replacement. The most common side effects include:
- Headaches
- Breast tenderness
- Feeling weepy
- Morning grogginess
- Water retention
- Menstrual cycle changes
Testosterone
The common side effects of testosterone replacement may be experienced if the testosterone dose is too high, improperly balanced with other hormones, or if you happen to be sensitive to testosterone replacement. The most common side effects include:
Women’s Side Effects:
- Acne on the chin, neck, chest, and back
- Dark hair growth on the upper lip, chin, and around the nipples, chest, and belly.
- Irritability
- Headaches
- Hair loss
- Increased red blood cell production
- Water retention
Men’s Side Effects:
Men generally tolerate testosterone very well, displaying side effects less frequently.
- Acne on the back, neck, chest, and chin.
- Hair loss
- Irritability
- Excessive muscle growth
- Increased red blood cell production
Estrogen
The common side effects to estrogen replacement may be experienced if the estrogen dose is too high, improperly balanced with other hormones, or if you happen to be sensitive to estrogen replacement.
The most common side effects include:
- Breast Tenderness
- Menstrual changes
- Mood swings
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Water retention
If you believe you are experiencing side effects of hormonal replacement, experience the symptoms listed above for at least three days. Please reach out to the Natural Med Doc office, 480-630-9093 Ext2.
For more information about hormone replacement therapy, read our comprehensive article by clicking here.
The answer to this question varies greatly depending on the person.
The initial goal with starting treatment at Natural Med Doc is to resolve your symptoms and begin the healing and optimization process as quickly as possible. To do so, the physicians will recommend the therapies that they know to be the most effective and work the most quickly.
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (bHRT) is often one of these treatments.
Once balanced out, all patients have different goals.
Some patients choose to take bHRT as an ongoing therapy to maintain optimally balanced levels of hormones. This is a safe and effective option if you are accurate and consistent with dosing and follow through with the requested lab review schedule set by your Natural Med Doc physician.
Some patients wish to discontinue bHRT once it is balanced. bHRT is not dependence-forming and may be discontinued at any time. However, it is highly recommended that if you plan on stopping any bHRT, you schedule an appointment with your Natural Med Doc physician.
For more information about hormone replacement therapy, read our comprehensive article by clicking here.
bHRT is not dependence-forming and may be discontinued at any time. However, it is highly recommended that before discontinuing any bHRT you schedule an appointment with your Natural Med Doc physician.
After discontinuing bHRT, hormone levels will often return to their original level before starting hormone replacement therapy. Previously experienced symptoms will often return when hormone levels return to where they were before beginning bHRT. Sometimes other alternative therapies may be used to treat these symptoms, and this is why we highly recommend discussing discontinuation with your physician before doing so.
For more information about hormone replacement therapy, read our comprehensive article by clicking here.
The cost of hormone replacement therapy depends on the hormone, form, route of administration, and pharmacy.
The Natural Med Doc in-house hormone memberships ships a 3 month supply of hormones to your door. To be enrolled your credit card is held on file and automatically charged every 3 months. Natural Med Doc members receive discounts on in-house hormone memberships.
Please call the office for pricing 480-630-9093 Ext 2.
For more information about hormone replacement therapy, read our comprehensive article by clicking here.
There are alternative therapies to address symptoms related to hormone imbalance. The therapies available depend on which hormonal imbalance is being treated.
Natural Med Doc providers work with herbal and nutrient supplements that bind certain hormone receptors or convert them to the desired hormone. Natural Med Doc providers are also well versed in alternative prescriptions that may help stimulate the body’s production of certain hormones.
These alternative therapies may be effective for some patients and not others. If you are interested in these alternative treatments, it is highly recommended that your schedule a consultation with your Natural Med Doc physician to discuss this option. This option is not recommended for all patients.
These alternative therapies are not equivalents to bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and, therefore, should not be viewed the same. In addition, they do not directly increase the hormone status of the body and, therefore may be less effective for some individuals.
For more information about hormone replacement therapy, read our comprehensive article by clicking here.
Thyroid
Reaction/Side Effects, Not Feeling Better, Alternatives, Discontinue, Etc.
NP Thyroid / Armour Thyroid
NP Thyroid & Armour Thyroid are thyroid hormone medications created from desiccated thyroid glands from animals. These medications contain a combination of T3 and T4 . If your physician recommends, the dose will be prescribed based on the results of your thyroid hormone labs.
Liothyronine
Liothyronine is a synthetically created thyroid hormone medication. It includes the active thyroid hormone T3.
Levothyroxine
Liothyronine is a synthetically created thyroid hormone medication. It includes the inactive thyroid hormone, T4.
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Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism or underproduction of thyroid hormones from the thyroid gland is the most common thyroid dysfunction. Common signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism include weight gain, low energy, brain fog, depression, constipation, cold intolerance, hair loss, dry hair, skin, and nails.
Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism is the overproduction of thyroid hormones from the thyroid gland. Common signs and symptoms of hyperthyroidism include weight loss, difficulty sleeping, headaches, high anxiety, irritability, heart palpitations, diarrhea or loose stool, hot intolerance, and hair loss.
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Common signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism Include:
- Weight gain
- Low energy
- Brain fog
- Depression
- Constipation
- Cold intolerance
- Hair loss
- Dry hair, skin, and nails
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The most common adverse reactions to thyroid hormone therapy include symptoms of hyperthyroidism. These symptoms include weight loss, difficulty sleeping, headaches, high anxiety, irritability, heart palpitations, diarrhea or loose stool, hot intolerance, and hair loss.
Although thyroid hormone therapy is safe and tolerated well by most patients, we always want to know the potential side effects and reactions of any treatment you begin.
If you experience any of the symptoms listed above for more than three days, please contact our office on the existing patient line, 480-630-9093 Ext 2.
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Your Natural Med Doc provider will likely ask you to discontinue dosing or return to your previous dose. If symptoms do not resolve within five days, a lifestyle consultation with your prescribing provider will be recommended.
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If you experience any of the symptoms listed above for more than three days, please contact our office on the existing patient line, 480-630-9093 Ext 2.
If symptoms are severe, please call the office immediately or call 911.
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The answer to this question varies greatly depending on the person.
The initial goal with starting treatment at Natural Med Doc is to resolve your symptoms and begin the healing and optimization process as quickly as possible. To do so, the physicians will recommend the therapies that they know to be the most effective and work the most quickly. Thyroid hormone therapy is often one of these treatments.
Once balanced out, all patients have different goals.
Some will decide to take thyroid hormone therapy as an ongoing treatment. This is a safe and effective option as long as you maintain the recommended lab review schedule by your Natural Med Doc physician.
Other patients wish to get off the prescribed thyroid medication and address thyroid function with other natural treatments such as diet and supplements. This is also an excellent option that any Natural Med Doc physician can discuss with you upon request. However, the effectiveness of this option is highly dependent on the individual and the state of their specific thyroid gland. For some, this option will be effective, and for others, it will not. Therefore, this option may not be recommended for certain patients.
Thyroid medications are not dependence-forming and may be discontinued at any time with guidance from your physician. Please note that discontinuation may not be recommended for all patients.
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Schedule a consultation with your Natural Med Doc physician to discuss your individualized plan to discontinue thyroid hormone therapy medication. It is essential to ensure your thyroid stays optimized and balanced to avoid the symptoms of hypothyroidism.
Common signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism include:
- Weight gain
- Low energy
- Brain fog
- Depression
- Constipation
- Cold intolerance
- Hair loss
- Dry hair, skin, and nails
To create your personalized plan to discontinue thyroid hormone therapy medication and maintain a balanced thyroid function, your Natural Med Doc physician may recommend a combination of therapies including but not limited to nutritional counseling, herbal and nutrient supplementation, and lifestyle changes.
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SIBO / IBS / Gastro
What is it, how to test for it, and treatment protocol.
SIBO is exactly what is in the name, overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine, where most of our digestion and nutrient absorption is happening. While it is normal and necessary to have bacteria in our large intestine, it is not normal to have large amounts of bacteria in the small intestine.
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First, you will likely experience some of the most common symptoms of SIBO:
- Excessive gas and bloating
- Frequent belching
- Indigestion
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Acid reflux
- Anxiety
If you are experiencing the symptoms listed above, you would need to complete testing to confirm the diagnosis. SIBO is tested using a SIBO breath test.
If you think you may have SIBO, discuss testing and treatment with your Natural Med Doc physician. Call our office today to schedule 480-630-9093 Ext 2.
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SIBO treatments are developed using the results of a SIBO breath test. The treatment recommended depends on the type of SIBO you have and your symptom picture.
Treatments may include antibiotics, herbal and nutrient supplementation, and dietary recommendations.
One round of SIBO treatment is generally 14 to 30 days in duration. After you finish your treatment, completing another SIBO breath test will be recommended to reassess your SIBO status.
SIBO can be very stubborn to treat, often requiring multiple rounds of testing and treatment. However, it is curable and one of the most rewarding accomplishments once fully treated.
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With any treatment comes risks of side effects.
When starting a SIBO treatment protocol, you may or may not experience side effects. Often side effects are the result of a die-off reaction. Although it may not feel like it, this is often considered a good thing, indicating that the bacterial overgrowth is dying off, releasing toxins that cause other unwanted symptoms.
Common symptoms of die-off reactions include:
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Abdominal cramping or burning
- Brain fog
- Anxiety
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Temperature fluctuations
- Nausea and vomiting
- Bowel urgency
- Bloating and Gas
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If you have been experiencing common symptoms associated with SIBO treatment (listed above) for more than three consecutive days that do not appear to be improving, contact your Natural Med Doc physician to let them know.
The Natural Med Doc approach to side effects caused by SIBO treatments:
Suppose your Natural Med Doc physician believes that you have a standard die-off reaction, resulting in worsening or persistent symptoms ( lasting three or more consecutive days). In that case, they may request that you decrease the dose of certain medications and/or supplements for a given period. This will allow you to build back up to your originally prescribed dose. Conversely, they may request that you discontinue a specific medication and/or supplement that is believed to be the primary cause of your symptoms.
If symptoms are severe, please call 911.
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SIBO treatment protocols are typically 14 days to 30 days in duration for each round.
See below for the most common treatment timelines used at Natural Med Doc.
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Stay the course!
Continue to take the treatment protocol as recommended.
Often it takes several weeks to notice improvement. Although symptoms may not be changing at a rapid pace, we often see changes and progress on the next SIBO breath test.
The SIBO treatment plans are specific to eradicating SIBO. However, if symptoms persist after curing SIBO, there is likely another underlying cause that needs to be assessed and addressed.
Suppose you are concerned because it has been a minimum of 14 days, and you have not experienced any changes in symptoms. In that case, you may call the Natural Med Doc office to schedule a progress review and consult with your physician to assess your current situation fully.
To reach the office, please contact the existing patient line at 480-630-9093 Ext 2.
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Unfortunately, some SIBO medications may take up to 1 month to arrive once ordered. This is because some medicines are costly when called into a standard U.S.-based pharmacy, sometimes costing $2000 or more per round. We may order your prescription from a Canadian pharmacy to decrease your price. Orders from this pharmacy may take up to 4 weeks.
It is recommended that you take this into account when planning your treatment plan, retesting, and subsequent follow-up.
If shipping is taking longer than expected, please call our office for assistance rescheduling your testing and follow-up.
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Call the Natural Med Doc office for assistance with rescheduling your subsequent testing and follow-up date based on your protocol. To reach the office, please call the existing patient line 480-630-9093 Ext 2.
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Discontinue the supplements and or medications at this time. Instead, wait 14 days and complete your next SIBO breath test as recommended.
Don’t forget to call the Natural Med Doc office to reschedule your next follow-up appointment! To reach the office, please contact the existing patient line at 480-630-9093 Ext 2.
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Take your antibiotics as recommended. Once the antibiotic round has been completed, you must wait four weeks to complete your SIBO breath test. Be sure to follow the avoidance schedule and preparation instructions provided by the SIBO INSTRUCTION VIDEO. ( Instructions are also listed below)
Don’t forget to call the Natural Med Doc office to reschedule your next follow-up appointment! To reach the office, please contact the existing patient line at 480-630-9093 Ext 2.
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Certain medications and supplements must be discontinued before completing your SIBO breath test. Please follow the instructions below unless otherwise instructed.
Discontinue four weeks prior:
- Antibiotics
Discontinue 2 to 4 weeks prior:
- Anti-fungals
- Pepto-Bismol
- Herbal antimicrobials ( including but not limited to: berberine, garlic, oil of oregano, and caprylic acid)
Discontinue seven days prior:
- Laxatives
- Stool softeners
- Bulking agents
- Antacids containing aluminum or magnesium hydroxide
Discontinue 24 hours prior:
- probiotics
Test Preparation:
- 24 hours before test completion, limit your diet. Eat only the following foods:
- Baked or broiled chicken, fish, or turkey ( Salt and pepper only )
- White bread
- Plain steamed rice
- Eggs
- Clear chicken or beef broth with no vegetable pieces
- 12 hours before test completion, you must fast. This means water only.
- The day of testing:
- Do not take non-essential supplements or medications before the test.
- Do not chew gum, eat candy, use toothpaste, or use mouth wash
- Do not smoke 1 hour before the test or at any time during completion.
- Do not sleep or engage in vigorous activity 1 hour before the start of the test or any time during the test.
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Return the Sibo breath test kit to the Natural Med Doc office to exchange it for a new kit. Unfortunately, this means you will have to redo the test from start to finish.
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For instructions, please watch the video linked below.
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The avoidance and preparation schedule for the SIBO breath test should be followed as closely as possible.
If you cannot avoid laxatives for seven days, you may utilize magnesium citrate or senna tea to maintain bowel flow up until 24 hours before test completion.
If you have any other questions, please call the Natural Med Doc office at 480-630-9093 Ext 2.
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Supplements
Treatment protocols, where to purchase, etc.
Natural Med Doc physicians may recommend pharmaceutical-grade supplements as a treatment.
Natural Med Doc holds the 20 most commonly recommended supplements on the Natural Med Doc store. You may purchase these supplements online to be shipped directly to your home or office.
The less commonly recommended supplements may be purchased from an online store named Fullscript. If a supplement is recommended to your from this store, your physician will send you a prescription to your email. Just follow the instructions on this email, and you will be able to order these supplements to be shipped to your home.
If you forget what supplements were recommended, don’t worry!
Take a look at your most recent treatment sheet. Here your Natural Med Doc physician will not only list out all of the recommended supplements with instructions on how to take them but will indicate in bold letters which store to purchase from, NMD or Fullscript.
Allergic Reaction
Steps to take if you're having an allergic reaction.
Almost anything can cause an allergic reaction.
Suppose you are experiencing an allergic reaction in response to a new treatment. Discontinue the therapy immediately.
Most allergic reactions are mild and not life-threatening.
General allergic reaction symptoms include:
- Itching of the eyes, nose, and roof of the mouth
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Watery eyes
- Sneezing or coughing
- A blocked feeling in the ear
- Red, raised, itchy rash called hives
- Red and purple spots
- Rash, redness, welts, blisters
- Itching, burning, stinging, pain
- Dry, flaky, cracking, scaly skin
General allergic reactions present with mild to moderate symptoms and may last a few hours to a few days. To reduce and resolve the symptoms of the allergic reaction, it is recommended that you:
- Remove and avoid the known allergen.
- Take an antihistamine. Example – Adult dosing- Diphenhydramine 25mg to 50 mg every 4 to 6 hours. Do not exceed six doses of 25mg over the course of 24 hours.
- For non-drowsy options try Zyrtec or Allegra.
Some allergic reactions are severe and life-threatening. These are known as anaphylactic reactions. Read the question below to learn more.
Please read our blog article for more information about allergic reactions (Link).
If you are having an anaphylactic reaction stop and call 911.
An anaphylactic reaction is severe and life-threatening. Almost anything may cause an anaphylactic reaction. Symptoms may present within minutes to hours.
Characteristic symptoms of an anaphylactic reaction include:
- Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or other parts of the body
- Hoarse voice
- Trouble swallowing, feeling like your throat is closing
- Trouble breathing, wheezing
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps
- Feeling faint or lightheaded, rapid heart rate
See below for photos of what an anaphylactic reaction looks like.
An anaphylactic reaction will not resolve with anti-histamines and must receive medical attention as soon as possible.
If you have an epi-pen ( epinephrine ) in the home, inject the person reacting to the thigh, as pictured below.
It is recommended that you instruct the person having the reaction to sit down on a comfortable surface, facing up, before administering the epinephrine injection.
It will be the biggest adrenaline rush of your life!
Once you have administered the epinephrine, call 911 as they will likely require additional treatment.
If an anaphylactic reaction goes untreated, the airways will close, causing suffocation and death.
For more information, please read our allergic reaction article ( Link ).