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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Any doctors in the house? AIBU to be freaking out??

15 replies

Teachtolive · 21/06/2018 18:37

I've been to my own GP today but I need a hand hold or some reassurance or something! Been taking clarithromycin as prescribed but developed a slight yellowness on my palms and eyes. I have no other symptoms. Dr is sending me for blood tests but none available til Monday. In the meantime I've been reading online (I know I shouldn't!) I am now freaking out thinking I'm about to die of liver disease or something awful! Please someone tell me this is common and I'll be fine :(

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Teachtolive · 21/06/2018 20:25

Sorry, I should add that I stopped taking them the day I noticed the yellowness

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madeyemoodysmum · 21/06/2018 20:28

Try not to panic. If you have stopped taking them you should be ok. If you feel unwell. Pains etc go to a&e. I'm not a doc but I am allergic to clarithrmycin Medicine of the devil I say!!

madeyemoodysmum · 21/06/2018 20:29

Drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol for now.

blondeemily · 21/06/2018 20:31

I'm not a doctor but if you have stopped taking them and your GP didn't seem particularly concerned, I wouldn't worry too much. You're obviously feeling okay in yourself if you say you have no other symptoms. I'm sure your blood tests will be to confirm everything is okay.

Teachtolive · 21/06/2018 20:50

Thanks for the responses. madeyemoodysmum Can I ask what kind of allergic reaction you have? Or more to the point, has it ever causes yellowness in you?

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RightYesButNo · 21/06/2018 20:56

Not a doctor, exactly - just very experienced with medications. This does not constitute medical advice - just information and a handhold:

Clarithromycin, as an antibiotic, can cause hyperbilirubinemia, which is a raise in your bilirubin, like what would occur in jaundice. This COULD be your yellowing. When caused by medications, the treatment is to stop taking the medication and when there are absolutely no other physical symptoms (a blood test will show some raised levels) besides the slight yellowing you mention (your doctor saw you and found no enlargement of the liver upon examination, no pain when palpitating, and you mention no changes to your urine), it’s very likely it may resolve without any treatment at all. You may already experience the yellow lessening, as you’ve stopped the medication. Even if you don’t, do NOT panic. Yes, there is a chance of serious liver damage from taking clarithromycin but please realize that we’re talking about a .0038% chance AND even then, there would be more symptoms already, such as urinary changes and abdominal pain.

While you mention there were no blood draw appointments until Monday, please rest assured that if your doctor felt you were in immediate danger from liver damage, they would not have hesitated to send you to A&E for urgent tests and would not waste time waiting until Monday. The fact she/he believes it can wait until Monday indicates that he/she, too, has taken stock of your symptoms and determined it’s not an emergency.

Also, to share a brief anecdote with you, I once had one woman experience yellowing of her sclera for no discernable reason at all. All blood tests came back normal, and the yellow slowly resolved - it remains a mystery, and perhaps something in the blood that just resolved before it could be checked.

I know what it’s like to develop some scary symptoms and to suddenly face a wait so please have these Flowers and Brew but know that it really doesn’t sound like serious liver damage and your doctor would be much more proactive if they thought it was.

Teachtolive · 21/06/2018 21:10

RightYesButNo thank you so much for that. That has actually given me a lot of relief!

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Teachtolive · 21/06/2018 21:10

And thanks for taking the time to write all that out for me. :)

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NoNarnas · 21/06/2018 21:13

I have Gilbert’s syndrome which causes high bilirubin and yellowing of my eyes and skin. It flares up when I am stressed or rundown and so if I’m even on antibiotics or unwell I often go yellow.

TarragonChicken · 21/06/2018 21:35

I would second what RightYesButNo has said. Some slight disruption of liver function is not unusual with clari and your gp's actions seem reasonable and proportionate.

madeyemoodysmum · 21/06/2018 21:37

I got heart palpitations with it. I can't have any of the mycin group.

barcodescanner · 21/06/2018 21:38

I'm allergic to it as well. I came out in hives that came up quickly then disappeared as more came up and so on. It was really itchy

Jayfee · 21/06/2018 21:41

Rightyesbutno..I don't need the advice but thank you.It is lovely when someone shares knowledge to help another person.

ElizabethDarcy88 · 21/06/2018 21:47

Can I add to pp I'm a health care assistant and if GP in my surgery was worried enough about the bloods they would either take sample themselves or ask me to squeeze in a extra to my clinic

Teachtolive · 21/06/2018 22:02

Thank you all, your responses are really helping me climb down here.
NoNarnas in your case do you just have to wait for the yellowness to pass by itself?

TarragonChicken are you in healthcare? When I stop panicking I can see you're right, my GP is extremely level headed. She didn't even mention not to gave a drink so she can't be that concerned!

madeyemoodysmum and *barcodescanner" I have no palpitations or hives which is a relief cos I'm already allergic to penicillin! Don't need to add another antibiotic to the list!

elizabethDarcy yeah looking back on it, if I was at risk there's no way she would let me wait

I cant wait til I shake off my anxiety a bit more and can look at these things as rationally as you all do! Thanks again

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