Anyone got any experience with medicine allergies?.

[halloweenera]

DS (5) has a chest infection and is also having an asthma flare up so he is currently on antibiotics and steroids. They are both medicines he has had before but a slightly different dose. He's started the medication last night, he has seemed worse today with his chest but I put that down to the cold weather. Then tonight about 5 minutes after he had his meds his eye started to swell up, it started with about 5/6 big hives but has now turned in to one big swelling. His skin has turned white around his eye apart from the edge of the swelling which is a red line. Can you suddenly develop an allergy to medicine you've had before? Or it it likely to be something else

Get off here and take him to A&E!!!!

Yes, you can develop an allergy to pretty much anything at any point. If there is any reaction affecting the airways, seek medical advice. Better to have help and not need it than not seek help when you do need it.....

You absolutely can have an allergic reaction to something you've had before. In fact, it's very unlikely to have an allergic reaction to something on the first exposure.

Whether or not this is an allergic reaction, I don't know, but you should definitely seek medical advice.

Get off MN and seek medical advice.

That's definitely one to ask a medic about rather urgently. I think A&E more than 111.

Is it penicillin?
My son swelled up on the second time he had penicillin, and Same thing happened to my husband as a child.
Its usually the second exposure is when the allergy shows

@Branleuse yes it's penicillin. He's had it lots of times as this is about his 7th chest infection. He's also had his steroids lots of times too. I'm just waiting for a call back from 111.

Yes it can, and absolutely needs medical attention. Don't phone 111. Just get him to A&E. If his airway is affected, dial 999.

You are hopefully getting medical attention but while/if you are having to wait, piriton (chlorphenamine) is the best allergy medication.

I have food allergies/medication allergies and hayfever.

My mother took penicillin all her life and was fine until one day in her 50s she took it and blew up like a balloon. You can develop an allergy to anything at any time.
Your child needs medical attention asap

Get off mumsnet and phone 999. He's got an illness causing breathing difficulties and is now struggling with a new allergic reaction which you've no idea how serious it will get!

Yes you can absolutely develop something and normally with each exposure the reaction gets more severe. a&e now. He should not have penicillin again (unless in the unlikely event a dr today says it's unrelated to the meds). He could deteriorate further this evening and if his airway starts to be affected you want to be in a hospital. Do not wait to see if he gets worse.

You can develop a sudden allergic reaction to lots of things, including food stuffs.
This sounds like an allergic reaction to penicillin. If you haven't heard back from 111 yet, I'd just take him to A&E straightaway.
Poor you, OP, thinking of you. Let us know how he is when the drama is over. Xx

As an adult I developed a similar allergy to penicillin, with hives all over, on my third consecutive course. It turned out I had a persistent chest infection because I had a partially collapsed lung after surgery.

I had steroid treatment and a change to a different type of antibiotic but not before a night in A&E and a separate visit from a paramedic after I lost consciousness at home from the allergy. Please get medical help right away.

Don't wait for 111, take that child to A&E right now

DH has a penicillin allergy and it's a life threatening issue, not a 111 issue.

The reaction gets worse every time. You may not notice it the first couple times. If his face is swelling ou need to go A&E

I got hives from a shampoo. It was pretty awful, GP described it as ‘severe’. Medication reactions can vary. Some allergic reactions are immediate after first contact but often it’s cumulative; in that the more you have it, the worse the reaction is. I’m allergic to ibuprofen. I used to take it every month (for period pain). Then I got wheezy after taking it when I had a chest infection. Last time I took it by accident (hungover, rooted round in a bag in the dark in a hotel room and took it assuming it was paracetamol) and I was ill for days. Doctor advised me to never take it again because it’s a ‘true allergy’ and next time could be severe.
Definitely get medical advice (I see you’re waiting for 111 but get him to hospital if it gets worse). Try to prevent him from rubbing or scratching anywhere. I accidentally rubbed my eyes when I had hives and then I looked like a panda! 🐼

Hopefully you’ve taken the advice above and gone to A&E.

Yes you can suddenly develop an allergy. This sounds like what in medical terms is a a type 1 hypersensitivity reaction. It is most likely due to the penicillin. With this history I would not give him penicillin type antibiotics again unless an allergy clinic had proven him not to be allergic to it.

Just thought I'd update. DS is fine now, we took him in and they controlled the reaction. We have been told he now has a severe penicillin allergy so he won't be able to have penicillin again. They've also put him on a longer dose of steroids to control his asthma that's he's struggling with still. Thanks for all the advice!

Well done for getting him seen!

Pleased he is OK and you did the right thing taking him to A & E.
Take care in the future because, from experience, not all doctors will believe that he has had a reaction to penicillin. partly because so many people say they have an allergy when in reality they have had an upset stomach. Just spell out clearly how severe the reaction was.
When he gets older., put a note on his phone next to his emergency contact number.
It is not just penicillin, he will react to the whole penicillin 'family'.