The headache was bearable, but pestering me. So I asked my colleague for a panadol. The drawer has a tray of three different types of panadols. And among the three, I picked the panadol extra, thinking that it will relieve my headache fast, the other two were for cold relief.
I walked back to my workstation, and popped the pill on an empty stomach, cos I have no appetite for lunch. Typing away and 30mins passed. It felt like a hundred mosquito bites on my palm. I scratched to relief the itch but that does not help to make it go off. In fact, the palms redden. I walked to the washroom to run cold running water to relieve the itch and to my horror, my palm started to swell and I saw the tip of my nose redden, I look like a reindeer. Soon, the ear redden and itch as well. The reaction happens very fast, too fast for me to react.
I turned to my colleague for help, checking the expiry date on the panadol box to ensure that it was not an expired pill I took.
The scratch aggravated the swelling and I have to stop work immediately and rush myself to the nearest clinic for a jab. The few mins wait in the clinic felt like eternity and seeing the doc felt like "I see GOD, my saviour".
She immediately gave me a jab and wrote me a memo, instructing me that if no signs of improvement for the next hr, I will have to admit myself to A&E, don't come to the clinic anymore, and bring along the medication she has prescribed to me. She reminded and reminded, making sure I get her message correctly, before I left her room. By then, my upper forearms and neck started to develop pink rashes as well.
Under the hot sun, I walked my way home, telling myself that I must make it home fast. The jab makes me drowsy and I knock out on bed once I explained to my parents why I was home early.
The slept lasted for 3 to 4 hrs. Finally some decent rest. I checked my palms. The swell subsided. Feeling groggy, I wash up and had my dinner at 8. Thinking and recall back what happened to me. Allergic to panadols? Never have I be allergic to any medication let alone panadols. Then I started to think about what the doc said. Allergic may cause death depending on the different degree of reaction. Then I realised how a little pill could have caused my life.



Then that brings back to two years ago about my close encounter again with panadols. Two pallets to be exact. Some said the toxic may reside in a body for 5 years. In fact, this is not the 1st time I develop allergy in the past recent one year. In the previous few occasions, it was either a little gastric discomfort or itch in the palm which was totally ignored by me cause it never cross my mind that I will be allergic to PANADOL, such a common drug.
But this time, the reaction seemed to have gotten worst. Was it just Panadol extra that I am allergic to or was it that I should never touch paracetamol ever again? Hmm...well, guess its all about trial and error. Now I will not touch panadol extra for a period of time or for the time being? I dun know.
And not only that, I realise certain brand of beer will cause reactions in me as well. Either rashes or aching the next day.
Is that another side effect that arises after my foolish act years ago? See? It makes me realised again that in life, no one will share the consequences with you. Becos if you chose to harm your body when you are just utterly disappointed with others, at the end of the day, you are the only one bearing the consequences for your action. No one will be affected. So, this is another life lesson I learnt. I could have force it down someone else's throat instead!
Life, everyday is a life lesson learnt.