What to do when having a sulfite reaction

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twinturbo:
Hair dyes often have PPD which is a known to be highly allergenic.

Sulfa and sulfite are not related, though it is still possible to react to both. It's not doctors as much as chemistry is my understanding. But both can be very serious reactions. One is a drug, the other is an additive. Like bell pepper and pepper are botanically distinct. Nutmeg is not a nut, etc.

leesieleesie:
Thanks. Yes, PPD is dangerous for some, but most permanent hair dyes are loaded with sulfites, too, unfortunately.

And you're correct that doctors say the two are unrelated (two ER doctors have told me this), but in my research I've found that many sulfite sensitivity sufferers started with a sulfa drug reaction. For me, my reactions to both were exactly the same and I was healthy and had never reacted to anything before that particular course of antibiotics. (Also some antibiotics have sulfite added as a preservative.)

Do you have sulfite sensitivity? Would appreciate any links you might have regarding this. I'm going to peruse this great site for information this morning. Thanks again.

rebekahc:
http://www.uic.edu/pharmacy/services/di/faq/sulfa.php

--- Quote ---One of the more common drug allergies is that to sulfa drugs. Sulfa drugs are more appropriately labeled sulfonamides and are derivatives of para-amino benzoic acid. Table 1 lists common medications that contain a sulfonamide component. A sulfonamide allergy is different from a sulfite allergy because sulfonamides and sulfites are distinctly different chemicals. A person allergic to sulfites is no more likely to be allergic to sulfonamides than any other individual.
--- End quote ---

It may be possible you are reacting to both sulfites and sulfonamides, but please understand they are not related. Reacting to sulfa drugs is an allergy - reacting to sulfites is not.

leesieleesie:
They may not be related, but there are many for whom the sulfite sensitivity started after taking a course of these antibiotics, such as the OP and myself. Perhaps they were preserved with sulfites, as many medications are.

leesieleesie:
http://www.beatcfsandfms.org/html/Sulfides.html
Sulfites can hurt you if your protective Sulfite Oxidase enzyme (a chemical that converts one chemical to another chemical) is low. Sulfite Oxidase converts sulfites to sulfates, which are not harmful.
Things that can impair the protective sulfite oxidase are as follows: heavy metal molecules such as lead and mercury, Sulfa-drugs (e.g. a class of drugs within the sulfa group that can impair pterin synthesis, such as asthmatic inhalants and many antibiotics), molybdenum deficiency, proto-IX-porphyria (enzyme that makes blood inhibited), inherited genetic damage encoding of the SO-enzyme, severe B12-vitamin deficiency, and arrays of So2/SO3-group containing drugs including DMPS (an Rx chelation drug).