Swollen lips... ?

[Rubyrose]

Hello,

About a month ago I had trouble with my wisdom tooth and went to the dentist and was given antibiotics. I was also taking Nurofen for the pain. On the first day I took both of these, the top left side of my lip got swollen. I went to the doctors and they said they didn't think it was an allergic reaction. It could be a blocked saliva gland but they weren't sure and if it happens again, I should take Piriton.

Today I had a headache so I took Nurofen again. (I hardly ever take pain killers. This must have been the second time in about 12 months). Anyway... I took them and then about an hour later my lip got swollen again! This time the left bottom and top of the lip. It's not the actual lip but a lump up inside the lip. You can't really notice it but I can feel it. I don't want to go back to the doctors as they don't really seem to know what it is!

Has anyone ever had this before? Could it be some kind of allergy? The first time it happened I had just eaten Risotto and this time it happened I had eaten pasta with tomato sauce! It kind of feels stiffly numb.. it's weird!
Any ideas?

Thanks.

[Drisgirl]

Does your neck feel a bit sore to touch when this happsn
Its funny its happening when you eat because that does suggest a blocked saliva gland.
I had to have one of mine removed -under the tonque-the symtoms seem similar.
This sounds weird but have you tried licking it with the tip of your tonque and sucking in at the same time -if you get a rush of saliva then thats what it could be -also next time have a good look and see if there is a slight inflammation under your tonque with perhaps a little white dot.

[sense4all]

Mr S is allergic to ibuprofen he comes up in hives and gets swollen lips and achy joints into the bargain.

[Rubyrose]

My neck feels absolutely normal.
It happened about 40mins-1hr after I'd eaten and I'm sure that's what happened last time too.
I took some Piriton but nothing happened. It starts to feel a bit stiff about 5mins before it happens and then all of a sudden it swells up. You wouldn't know it to look at me though. It's mainly on the inside of my lips.

[Drisgirl]

O that does sound like an allergy then -saliva glands is before you eat.

Lips being swollen is a classic sign of an allergy -drink loads of water to flush your system out and then see your GP to have this annotated on your records -that would my advice to you.

[Rubyrose]

Intertesting.. so it could be the Ibuprofen... Although last time I had the reaction, I took the Nurofen again almost every 4hrs for the rest of the week and it was fine.. but it could be the first use of it that does it!

[dot.hawkes]

That sounds like an allergy, i am allergic to seafood, even Prawn Cocktail flavour crisps, which I have had occasionally without realising, and there is a definate swollen sensation to the tongue and lips, yet noone else can see any swelling.

[Rubyrose]

Hmmm.. I think I will have to make an appointment tomorrow then! Blooming hell! If it's not one thing, its the other!

I just drank some water and something felt weird and then I could have sworn the swelling went down or moved or something! I don't know.

[Rubyrose]

Well my tongue feels fine. Can't notice any weird feeling with that.. but it's the top left side of my lip and the bottom left side. In the lip. It feels tight and weird.

[Eve]

I get wierd lip things when I have kiwi fruit, cherries or too many strawberries or nuts so could be an allergy.

Do you swollow the tablets straight down with water or do you put them on your tongue? Are they powder tablets or the capsule ones?

[JK2]

I'm allergic to Nurofen. Not every time I took it but occasionally, when other conditions are present (like hives) I have had a severe reaction and after one occasion when not only my mouth but my throat also closed up and I thought I would die, I no longer ever take Nurofen or Ibruprofen - too risky.

[Rubyrose]

Jenna - I tend to bite the tablets in half and swallow them that way. They are the powder ones that are coated so they are easier to swallow.

JK2 - That's interesting.. and worrying! I don't think I will take them anymore... I am worried now.

[Bathsheba]

Just a thought, Rubyrose, - I don't think it's a good idea to break tablets in half- they could be time-release ones, therefore you could be getting a concentrated dose by doing that. Hope you manage to get sorted out x

[chopper32]

believe me if any one out there gets a swollen lip..it is definitely the use of nurofen or ibuprofen....cos..it only happens to me after using this medication...doctors and pharmicists need a good kick up the ass...cos..until your lips stop swelling you get sick of imbeciles saying..is your lip swollen...

[chopper32]

if you get swollen lips ..its because of the reaction to ibuprofen or nurofen...only after taking this medication this happens to me...really....doctors and professionals must think its ok for people to walk around looking like the elephant man...sure it only lasts 7-8 hours but really embarrassing when idiots keep saying ...you lip looks swollen

[flying-cheese]

Yes it happened to me! a couple of months ago i had a massive head ache so before bed i took 2 Nurofen and woke up with the bottom right of my lip all swollen! it disappeared after a few hours but i felt like Mick Jagger!, last night i did the same had 2 nurofen same thing before bed and woke up with middle upper lip swollen! is it the nurofen? its still swollen now and its midday =(