Allergic to Penicillin

[prufrock]

DD recently ahd a very bad cold which went on and on. GP prescribed amoxycillin, and 4 hours later dd came out in a virulent red rash over her entire body. The paedeatrician diagnosed a possible allergy to penicillin, but I was too stresed by a constantly screaming daughter and an arsehole of a husband who was helpfully at the Chelsea game to ask exactly what that meant, apart from obviously not giving her penicillin any more. Has anybody else got any experience of this? What is different about the ethrymicene based antibiotics? Surely if they were as good as penicillin they would be given to start off with anyway?

Can't really answer all your questions, but I'm allergic to penicillin - hasn't really been a major problem in my life particularly, except that you have to be sure that all medical notes are marked clearly (apparently second reaction to it can be much more severe than the first).

One thing to be aware of with erythromyacin (spelling?) is that a quarter of people who are allergic to penicillin are also allergic to erythromyacin (well at least that's what my doctor told me just after I'd spent the night in agony while reacting badly to it... gee thanks, couldn't you have told me before?!) so do be aware and keep a sharp look out for any reaction.

I think in general, penicillin is the more effective (and probably cheaper?) antibiotic which is why they usually start with that first.

What might be helpful is to phone NHS Direct and see if they can send you out some literature about antibiotics and what to do about allergies to antibiotics.

I'm allergic to penicillin & have never given it much thought, don't even remember how I reacted. I also gather that the alternatives aren't meant to be quite as good, but it hasn't affected my life one bit.

Me too I'm allergic to penicillin hasn't affected my life either.
Just remember to state every time you visit your GP as locums etc dont always check.

me too - I've been allergic to Amoxyl for about 20 years. Just make sure you always tell Drs, dentists etc. I had a caesarean and had to mention it then, as they put antibiotics in the drips. Erythromycin is fine for me though and just as effective.

DS has just had exactly the same reaction to amoxycillin. This was coupled with 36 hours of green slimy and mucus like poo (sorry to be so graphic). Apparently this is not an uncommon reaction to penicillin. Rash was v v worrying. 24 hours after stopping the drug - no rash - happy baby. I think he had stomach cramps as well (probably as a result of the bottom activity) and insisted on sleeping on his front. The reason amoxycillin is given - despite the side effects is apparently it is one of the oldest drugs of this type and so has been tested and tested and tested over time.

My dd was allergic to amoxycillin as a baby and had erythromycin instead. However, it tended to upset her tummy - I was told that that is a drawback of erythromycin, hence amoycillin being the prefered drug of choice. She later outgrew the allergy to amoxycillin.

been allergic to penicillins since early childhood, also allergic to erythromycin, which is rarer. Hasn't really affected my life, just means that I tend to avoid all antibiotics unless I can really help it because I don't want to develop allergies to any of the others - which probably isn't a bad thing. Main issue is that others are generally more expensive, and generally not so broad-spectrum, so you have to choose the antibiotic for the illness (some are better for chest infections, some wallop urinary tract problems, etc).
Don't assume she'll grow out of the allergy - the second reaction is very often much worse than the first, mine involved putting a tube down my throat to stop in closing up from the swelling!

Im allergic to penicillin. It was discovered when I was about 10. I came out in a virulent rash of small spots and I think I may have had an upset stomach as well. It hasnt really affected my life - you just have to remember to tell doctors from time to time! Sorry this probably doesnt help much - I just wanted to say that I dont think that its anything to worry about. I agree that its fairly common.

I'm in the same boat as wiltshirelass - allergic to penicillin and erythromycin too. The reactions I've had to both are horrendous, and far worse than what I've been suffering from in the first place!