Anyone have any experience with Amoxicillin reactions?

[ctmartin]

Hi, Everyone!

So, my peanut/sesame allergic daughter contracted strep throat the 1st week of school.  This is so unlike her, as she is never sick and thus has had little to no experience with abx.  I usually eschew taking any meds period for a more holistic approach, but strangely enough our new holistic doctor pushed me toward abx saying that strep isn't something to fool around with.  So, I succumbed, and she was on abx for a little over a week when she came down with a HORRIBLE red rash all over her face!  In the meantime, a couple of days after she was dx with strep, I came down with it and the doctors urged me to go on abx as well.  I have NKA, so other than putting yucky meds into my body, I never even dreamed that I might be allergic.

I came down with a very minor rash 3 days into my course.  It was on my inner thigh, tiny red spots that were not raised or itchy.  Unlike my daughter who had no warning, just full on horrendous rash one morning, I had this warning but when I did some research on it every place I read said that as long as it is not itchy it is not an allergic reaction ... it is a "side effect."  There is so much misinformation out there and the doctors don't know anything either.  Plus I was hesitant to come off the abx before the course was through, worrying I would have to go on something else and just wanting this over.

Well, of course we stopped the ammox as soon as my daughter woke up with that rash.  Her rash was not itchy and it resolved, for the most part (it's 3 days later and there is still some remnant of it, but very little) with one  dose of benadryl and letting it runs its course.  No other symptoms, THANK GOD!  In the meantime, my rash is absolutely HORRIBLE ... I woke up with a rash all over my thighs, behind, calves, stomach, and arms (none on face ... thank GOD for small miracles).  However, my ears,  knuckles, elbows, knees and ankles are the worst ... yikes!  Benadryl and Hydrocortisone do NOTHING to stop the itch ... only ice packs help.  And I have swelling on some of the larger patches ... it is insane!!  I went to the doctor to get steroids, and I am now on Day 2 but have not seen any dramatic improvement as I had expected.

Sorry for such a long post!  I guess my point is to remind others not to fall for the "side effect" thing ... if you develop a rash to an abx I would stop immediately and see your doc.  I so wish I had done that ... I bet I would not be going through something as severe as this.  Instead, I continued for 3 days until it went all full blown on me.  Secondly, I would like to hear from anyone who has experience something similar or has any insight on this ... as I mentioned, I have NKA so this is out of left field for me (it's been quite a bonding experience for my daughter and I, though!!).  Thanks!

[GoingNuts]

Younger DS had taken amoxicillin many times before getting a full body rash several days into taking it for strep.  Long story short, he was tested and the result is that he has serum sickness, as opposed to a full blown penicillin allergy. This means he can take some forms of penicillin orally, but not via IV. He has taken Augmentin successfully.

Interestingly, he has the same reaction to Duracef.

Your practitioner is right about not messing with strep; I know 3 children who became extremely ill from delayed or inadequate treatment.  Don't skip getting a recheck once treatment is done.

I hope your rash resolves quickly. Antibiotics can remain in your system for a week or more, so it may take some time.

ETA:  ask your MD about Atarax, but be aware it is very sedating.

[ctmartin]

Thanks for your response!  I guess you never know for sure unless you are tested whether it is the abx itself or something perhaps added in.  For both of us, I am going to just assume it is the ammox and avoid.

I was retested for strep when I picked up my steroids and fortunately it was negative.  We started my daughter on abx after she was already symptom-free (strangely enough, she had a rash that I wanted checked out ... it turned out it was related to strep) and the doctor assured me that after 8 days on abx she should be fine.  I may go get her retested anyway, though (the rash resolved within 24 hours on abx, but she still took another 7 days worth of meds)

[Janelle205]

One thing to consider - have either of you had a mono test?  The only time I had a rash from amoxicillin was when I was taking it when I had mono (didn't know about it yet).  Apparently this is a common reaction in folks with mono.

I've taken it since then and haven't had any issues.

[GoingNuts]

Younger DS. Has had strep many times, and has never had the same symptoms twice!  One time, it was a petechia-like rash that alarmed me. I brought him in, and he was + for strep. No sore throat or anything.  Another time, a high fever with nausea.  Again, no sore throat. So strange.

I just get classic symptoms. I'm boring. 

[rebekahc]

I wonder if you both had Scarlet Fever rather than antibiotic reactions?

http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/skin/scarlet_fever.html#

[ctmartin]

Janelle- my hubby had the same experience!  I have heard that once you go through that, you can never take amox again without having the same reaction.  My hubby now just says he is allergic because that is what the doctor told him (this was years ago).  I highly doubt that we had mono, though, although I know it is hard to tell in kids because it can be mild.  The only symptoms she had other than a mild sore throat (no spots or white patches) and mild swelling of lymph nodes/slight fever  (which all went away with one dose of advil), was a lingering rash on her bottom.  The doctor had said the strep may have spread, and on abx, it resolved in 24 hours.  As for me, I had NO symptoms at all, except for the sore throat, so given my daughter's diagnosis I just assumed it was strep, and then had it confirmed (I wanted to do so quickly to make sure hubby and other daughter didn't get it)

Rebekahc - there is no way of knowing for sure, but given that all of her symptoms were gone and she was on day 8 of her antibiotics when the rash appeared, i don't think the the scarlet fever would have manifested then and only on her face.  Plus, the rashes both looked like classic drug reactions and doctors confirmed both.

Thanks, everyone.  I must say the last dose of steroids I took last night has helped tremendously with the rash itself and swelling, although the itching is still a problem   Hope that will be gone soon, too!!

[Mookie86]

I had no drug allergies until I was in college.  Granted, I didn't take antibiotics often, but when I did, there were no problems.  That changed when I got older.  At 18, I had my first reaction to a sulfa drug.  I developed a rash and perhaps hives (I don't remember the details).  Approximately 20 years later, I had my first reaction to penicillin.  I had hives so bad that I took 50 mg of Benadryl around the clock for five days.  Otherwise, I itched so badly that I couldn't function.  My allergist was adamant that, if it didn't resolve on Day 5, I would have to start a course of steroids.  I badly wanted to avoid steroids, so I delayed it as long as possible.  The hives went away after Day 5, so I never used steroids for that reaction.

I'm sorry you're now dealing with another allergy. 

[ctmartin]

I know ... I would have LOVED to avoid steroids!  I don't take meds for anything (hubby is always like, "why don't you take something for your headache?"  Um, no thank you!!) and when the rash first appeared, I was taking 50mg of benadryl every 4 hours for two days.  Unfortunately, it did nothing to stop the progression of hives and swelling, or to lessen those that were already there.  Not to mention the side effects!   I think I have taken benadryl only once before, so maybe my body just wasn't used to it, but I woke up the first night twitching in my sleep, with increased heart rate and having an anxiety attack.  It was horrible!  I did not feel drowsy at all on it ... more like I was on speed!!  Needless to say (and especially since it was doing nothing at all), I haven't taken any since.

[Stinky10]

make sure to throw out or sterilize your toothbrushes!

[ctmartin]

we did .. thanks!