Antibiotic side effects: what to look out for?

Hi there.

I've been on Clavocin regularly for three days now, and I think I'm having an allergic reaction to something in it.
It started with this itching along my sides. When things felt weird, I checked myself in the mirror and—thankfully—didn't die of pure terror... my whole side is bright red and covered in blisters (definitely not acne). It itches like crazy, and then my feet started acting up too. After about thirty minutes, both feet were so swollen it felt like my shoes were two sizes too small.
It's been about three hours since it started ((and my medical records are still stuck at the doctor's office—the waiting room is a total circus right now, just pure chaos and people cutting lines everywhere)).
Anyway, I'm heading in now to see what happens. . . . .
I actually panicked enough to call emergency services, but a very polite, calm woman talked me down. She said it wasn't the end of the world and mentioned she had a similar reaction last year. She suggested checking if I have any allergy meds at home (I never thought I'd find myself saying "Thank God" for a random bottle of antihistamines) . . . . .
The symptoms seem to be easing up a bit... so, hopefully, everything turns out fine.

Best, Brian Sanders18

Hey there

I dropped off my paperwork at 1:45 PM (they open at 2:00), but I didn't actually get seen until around 5:00... scary stuff...

Turns out I'm allergic to some component in Clavocin ((there was even this guy there who ended up in the ER))
They switched me over to Sumamed...

What really SHOCKED me, though, was the doctor suggesting that maybe my own "psychological attitude" caused the rash. Like he thinks the cause could be psychosomatic... Jesus.!!!!!!

- speaking of which, I remember watching this episode of CSI where a guy on a plane gets sudden pressure changes ((he went diving and then straight onto a flight)) and breaks out in a rash, so the crew goes wild thinking it's some virus and everyone starts breaking out??? You can't believe how possible that is, truly unbelievable
basically, the power of suggestion is wild...

If anyone feels like sharing their thoughts on this incredibly interesting topic, please do

Best, Brian Sanders18

Megan Peterson87 said:I've been on antibiotics for a week now and the headaches are driving me absolutely insane... I've always had such a hard time tolerating them... honestly, I just want to stop right now... what do you all think? What kind of side effects are you dealing with? Is it even worth pushing through when you end up feeling even worse afterward?

My doctors told me not to stop early, and that’s exactly what happened with me—I was prescribed Augmentin after Amoxicillin failed to do the trick, and 😲
my head was pounding, I felt dizzy, and I almost passed out😲
so I went back to see my doctor, and she actually asked me why I hadn't stopped, even though I distinctly remember her telling me specifically not to change anything without her permission🙄
I am never taking Augmentin again😁

Brian Sanders18 said:Best regards,

I dropped off my insurance card at 1:45 PM—even though they don't officially open until 2:00—and I didn't even get seen until about 5:00, which was honestly pretty scary...

It turns out I'm actually allergic to an ingredient in Clavocin (there was even a guy there who ended up being rushed to the ER)
They gave me a substitute instead...

But what really caught me off guard was when the doctor suggested that my rash might have been triggered by my own "psychological state," as if he truly believes a physical reaction could be psychosomatic... Jesus!

Best, Brian Sanders18

That’s often just an excuse they use when they can't pin down a real diagnosis.🙄

Ugh... Clavocin... 😢

I used to deal with tonsillitis, throat infections, and every kind of nasty cold you can imagine constantly. My doctor would just throw Clavocin at me every single time. It happened all the time because I was basically getting sick every three or four weeks. And look, I’m not saying it doesn't work to kill the infection, but it feels more like it's just pushing the problem down the road...

Anyway, I won't bore you with the whole saga, but I ended up becoming anemic. And no, I don't mean the typical iron deficiency that most women struggle with—it was actually my red blood cell count and hemoglobin that tanked. Turns out, all that frequent Clavocin use was the culprit...

Honestly, I think we should be avoiding antibiotics whenever humanly possible, unless there's absolutely no other way, because they just wreck your natural immune system.

Bottom line—Clavocin 👎

And as far as being allergic to what's actually in the meds... I ended up having a full-blown allergic reaction to naproxen, which was the main ingredient in the Advil I'd been popping to deal with the pain.

My lips swelled up like I’d just signed on with Sheva National, and I even broke out this nasty little blister right under my lip... 😬

And honestly, I don't buy for one second that your "psychological state" could trigger an allergic reaction, despite what the doctor tried to tell you... 🤣

Hi there,

I’m on board with everything said here. Honestly, I was even pushing back when they tried to prescribe me an antibiotic for what turned out to be a viral throat infection and bronchitis...
I really do believe antibiotics should be a "last resort."

But, apparently, that's just how things work around here. Then again, I haven't spent seven years in medical school, so I guess I can't exactly claim any expertise or experience.

- So... the rash hasn't cleared up yet (maybe it's because I'm still shaving🙂).
The pharmacist suggested that if I have a bad reaction to the antibiotic,
((or if I'm just overreacting🤣)), I could take an antihistamine—something like Benadryl or maybe Telfast, which I usually use for ragweed season in the late summer.

One thing I have to mention—((and my doctor did tell me I might be "overreacting"))—my feet were itching like crazy. Just the soles. It was so intense it almost felt like stinging. When I tried to put on my Nikes, it felt like my feet had suddenly grown too big or swollen, making it actually painful to walk. I don't know how else to describe it, but... yeah. Maybe it's the shaving.
I'll see what tomorrow brings.

Best, Brian Sanders18

Brian Sanders18 - I highly doubt your doctor is actually talking nonsense; it’s pretty obvious why people lose faith in the American healthcare system, but honestly, we’re often just digging our own graves by ignoring the facts...

1. You really need to get some allergy testing done. In certain scenarios, penicillin can be a literal lifesaver, so it’s just unwise to assume you're allergic if you aren't—though, granted, the medical system does screw up those diagnoses more often than they should.

2. That rash of yours could very well be psychosomatic. Allergies don't always follow a script. Theoretically, you could take Clavocin ten times and suddenly develop an allergy on the eleventh attempt—but realistically, that's nearly impossible. It's incredibly unlikely for a true allergy to manifest that way after repeated exposure. Since you claim you took it for three days before the reaction hit, that reaction is almost certainly triggered by the very first dose. And I'm talking about acute reactions here; sure, you might deal with diarrhea on day five, but that's different.

3. Antibiotics are useless against viruses; they have absolutely zero effect on them. So, if you truly have a viral sore throat or bronchitis, using antibiotics is just plain idiotic, and you seriously need to find a new doctor. I mean that sincerely. Of course, this assumes you're actually certain it's viral—meaning either lab tests came back negative for bacteria, or your doctor didn't even bother to examine you before handing over a prescription without checking anything at all.

I’ve been dealing with this bout of colitis lately. 😢

Hi there

Look, I’m no doctor, nor did I spend years in med school...
It’s not like I’m trying to "dispute" what a physician says or their diagnosis, but honestly, some things are just obvious, even to someone like me.
Between what I've read on various forums—which aren't exactly peer-reviewed, mind you—and what I see in hospital waiting rooms, I keep coming to the same conclusion...
I'd probably be better off managing things at home rather than sitting in a line for 14 to 17 hours just to have someone finally "take a look."
And that’s really the most tragic part, I guess—that total amateurs and hobbyists end up trying to do a professional's job.
With the internet and all this "available" literature today, anyone can play quasi-doctor. But then you run into questions about "dosage" and actually understanding the implications of a specific medication (which, in my experience, even the pros seemed clueless about), or I'll just end up being another cautionary tale or a statistical outlier dealing with side effects.

Anyway, the rash is slowly clearing up, though it stays red like blisters in those spots where I can't help but scratch.
Hopefully, I'll feel like a new person by Monday.
Now I just have to figure out how to explain the "psychological component" of it all. 🙂
Thanks to everyone for the advice and comments.

Best, Brian Sanders18

Well, you could always just go get a formal allergy test—I think they do those at Mayo Clinic—and finally know once and for all if it’s an actual penicillin allergy or just some weird reaction from being stressed out...

Hey there

Thanks for looking out for me. Next time I go to donate blood, I'll make sure to swing by the allergist's office on my way.
I just hope I don't have to waste an entire day on all those tests ((though I'm guessing I will...))

It just occurred to me that a friend of mine has a similar reaction ((specifically skin blisters)) whenever his dog licks him.
It's actually wild... how he breaks out almost seconds after the "contact."
I'm really curious what would happen if there wasn't actual contact, but he just *imagined* he was being licked... what then?

Good grief, between that episode of Dr. Gregory House ((the one I mentioned earlier about the mass rash on a plane caused by psychological factors/mass hysteria)) and this rash on my collarbone, plus this thing with the dog...
I can't help but feel like the pieces are finally clicking together...
Is there some kind of "professional journal article" about this? This topic is getting more interesting by the minute.

Best, Brian Sanders18

................
My apologies, I misspoke earlier.
I think I recently watched a show and thought it was CSI, but nope.
The show is Dr. Gregory House...
Anyway, in that series, a passenger on a long-haul flight develops a rash and goes into anaphylactic shock.
He gets the rash and starts vomiting, and then literally half the passengers start showing the exact same symptoms. A mass hysteria kicks in where everyone thinks there's a virus, but Dr. Gregory House eventually concludes that everyone except him is having a psychosomatic reaction—while the guy who is "actually sick" got it from diving without decompression before boarding the plane (I forget the name... something about pressure)...
Basically, the whole case revolved around everyone just "freaking out."
It's incredible. I've never viewed hard science as being quite so "vulnerable," if that makes sense.