Among Friends

[ciao_bella]

Many years ago when I was much younger, I developed a nasty rash over a good portion of my body from the antibiotic Ampicillin.  So, the doc said from now on, your medical records need to indicate you're allergic to any drug with any type of penicillin. 

Fast forward to two weeks ago.  I was given an antibiotic that I had taken for about 10 years when I get my teeth cleaned because I had two knee replacements that many years go. My orthopedist from Hospital for Special Surgeries  wants pre-meds taken (only 2 pills) 1 hour prior to the teeth cleanings to prevent any possibility of blood borne  bacteria from settling in the knee replacement, which it can and has happened to many people. He said it happens more often than you think and it's not worth the risk.  

Never had any issue with this until two weeks ago.  Took the 2 pre-med pills as usual before the dental cleaning and the next day I had a rash on my neck and chest.  It then spread randomly to other parts of my body.  Itched like crazy!  It was the weekend, so my PCP was closed and went to Urgent Care.  Told me to take an antihistamine and put hydrocortisone cream on it.  It continued to spread and get worse.  By Monday I got an appointment at my PCP and he looked at it an said, it's definitely not Shingles or anything like that...no blisters, no pain, just red blotches and really itchy.  Gave me some oral pack of Methylprednisone to take over the course of I think it was 6 days.  Helped a little with the itch, but the rash was still there and continued to spread.  He said, you need to see a dermatologist now!

Went yesterday to see the dermatologist and I definitely am allergic to the antibiotic, Clindamycin.  Mind you, it was only 2 pills that did this.  She said, it doesn't matter if you took the pills for many years prior.  The body often slowly builds a sensitivity to a drug and POW!  One day it explodes on your body. 

So, now she has me on a steroid cream and said with antibiotic allergic reactions, it can take up to a month for it to finally be gone.   

Anyone else have an allergy to penicillin and/or clindamycin and get a reaction rash like this?

[LTT1]

@ciao_bella 

Oh yes‼️ 

and I’m so sorry this happened to you 💔

My throat began closing up once many years again with clindamycin! So I have not taken it ever again.

Then last year macrobid was rx'd for me ... and I sure had an all-out reaction. My doctor said it is now on my chart as an allergy. 

Back in the day I asked for antibiotics over and over for sinus infections knowing full well that the warning was that some day I'd regret it. Still, the sinus problems persisted and now I guess I’m reaping the results.

Glad to hear you are on the mend.❤️‍🩹

[FranandZoe]

You poor thing - glad you healing.  It's so frustrating.

I'm allergic to Keflex/cephalexin.  The first time I took it - 30 years ago - I got a mild rash.  Took it again and the rash was much worse and very red - all over my chest and abdomen.  Stupid me took it again and my face and lips swelled along with the rash.  Benadryl helped.

I've also been told to not take penicillin - same family.

Two years ago I got bit by something working in one of my flower areas - got hives from that.  Took Benadryl but it took awhile for the hives to go away.  I now wear long sleeves, long gloves and pants and use a personal insect spray repellant when I work in the yard.

About 6 months ago I had extensive dental work done - was given many injections of I think Lidocaine - have to check on that.  Anyway my throat kind of closed up - very scary but it subsided quickly.  My face swelled and I coudln't breathe out of one side of my nose.  It took about a week for the swelling to go down.  From my research I'm apparently allergic to whatever they injected me with.

Allergies can get worse every time.  So it's scary to me.  

Anyway hope you're much better very soon.

[Still Raining]

Skin allergy rashes are the worst!  Hope it goes away soon.

[Sooner]

That sort of reaction to erythromycin sent me to the hospital in an ambulance when I was 19.  The ambulance crew thought I'd passed. . . scared me.  

And I had taken it a lot in my life--just suddenly happened.

[millieshops]

@ciao_bella   I had my first negative reaction to penicillin about 70 years ago, and I've listed it and related drugs as my allergies ever since.  Then a few years ago I had a horrid head to toe itchy, red rash at the same time my sodium count dropped precipitously.  I collapsed and ended up in the ER before I could ever see a dermatologist.

I was hospitalized for 5 days and no one including the disease specialist the ER called in could pinpoint the cause.  He was able to tell me I was not contagious but was so curious that 2 weeks after I saw him and had been home for many days, he asked me to his office to explain what he had further investigated.  Nothing definitive, but his opinion was medical scientists could investigate for 6 months and still know nothing more than the general category we already knew.  Mother Nature wasn't ceding control!

[LdyBugz]

@ciao_bella. I had a HORRIBLE reaction to Clidamycin!  I had been on it for about 8 days when I started to feel itchy under my bra line.  The itchiness kept getting worse so I finally took off my bra and saw the beginning of the blotches.  I thought maybe I was having a reaction to laundry soap.  But over the course of the next two days, which was on a weekend, it spread all over my body, head to toe.  I was in such agony with the itching it actual brought me to tears.  

It finally occurred to me that maybe it was the Clindamycin.  Google search helped me confirm it, so stopped taking the med and saw my doctor on Monday, and she confirmed that it was an allergic reaction.  Cortisone cream, oatmeal baths, and Benadryl helped ease the itching.

It took about a good two weeks before it all cleared up.  My chest, neck and face actually peeled like a sunburn it was so bad.  My arms and legs did not peel and cleared up a little faster.  Pics below is how I looked on the second day of when the blotches were blossoming.  

I'm sorry you had a bad experience, too.  Try an oatmeal bath soak and keep using the cortizone creams. Best wishes you heal quickly!

[cindyNC]

@ciao_bella Oh my!  I do hope you are feeling better.  What a horrible time you've had of it. 

Thanks for the info about the dentist and knee replacements.  I didn't know that and a replacement is down the road for me. 

[bikerbabe]

Rashes are the most common allergic reaction to most classes of antibiotics.

I’m allergic to penicillin-type antibiotics.

[Kachina624]

. I've had one TKR. I too took an antibiotic before every dental procedure for a long time. Then my dentist told me it was kind of an old fashioned idea and had been proven unnecessary, so he was making it optional. I quit taking them and have never had a problem. Discuss with your dentist.