Penicillin allergy

Hey there.
So, I'm new here and honestly, I'm still trying to figure out how everything works on this board. :/
I’ve got a question about anaphylactic shock. I know what it is—I've done my reading—but there's one specific thing that's really messing with my head.
See, I have a penicillin allergy, and back when I was taking a medication based on penicillin, my first symptoms were just nausea, a headache, feeling dizzy... basically all that. I stopped taking it immediately, and everything settled down fine after that.
Fast forward to now: I've got a lower respiratory infection and I was prescribed Microsoft. Now, people with a penicillin allergy aren't supposed to touch that stuff. The problem is, I never actually went in for formal allergy testing or any follow-up appointments, so I have no clue how severe my reaction actually is. I'm sitting here debating whether I should even take this medication or not. Like, what are the actual odds that I'll end up having a full-blown anaphylactic reaction?!
Thanks

Honestly, I wouldn't touch that stuff.

The first time I took Advil and then some Aspirin, my lip and eyelid swelled up like crazy. Now, I just don't trust those two. It doesn't mean it'll happen every single time, but I'm not about to play Russian roulette with my face.

On the flip side, I use Voltaren gel—which clearly warns anyone sensitive to aspirin to stay far away from it—and I haven't had any reaction at all. 🤷

Your best bet is to just check in with the doctor who wrote the prescription in the first place.

Haha.. Thanks.. 🙂
So it turns out I'm not just allergic to penicillin, but to something else too. Basically, two different groups of meds. I actually called them because I really wasn't in the mood for any more life drama, especially since my reaction to penicillin didn't even show up until after the seventh dose... so I honestly thought I might be in the clear for once.
And you seriously have to double-check everything with your doctors all the time, because one time I was given a medication based on penicillin and thank God I stopped taking it right when I did........

How on earth did you forget to mention your penicillin allergy to the doctor before they prescribed that treatment?
The reason I’m even asking—and I mean this sincerely—is because I have someone at home who deals with this constantly. They have to explicitly state their allergy every single time, even when dealing with their own primary care physician, despite the fact that their medical records clearly state 'PENICILLIN ALLERGY' in giant, bright red letters.
Please, don't take any risks or try to "tough it out" by taking the meds; next time, you absolutely must make sure to emphasize that penicillin allergy before any prescription is handed over.

And what am I supposed to write? List everything those computers are actually used for?? Like, do they really need me to spell it all out for them? It's ridiculous... And no, I'm definitely not asking. 👍 Right now I'm dealing with some Uvin H stuff, but honestly, I think I'm gonna go grab some... uh... damn, what was it... uri... uri... whatever. Something like that. And honestly, it’s such a pain in the ass because about four years ago I took a pill with penicillin in it and... man, by the second tablet the side effects were already kicking in... it was not a fun time. Not at all. 😢

I know it’s an uncomfortable situation, but you really have to be explicit about it from now on. It’s unfortunate, but sometimes you just have to speak up—you can't assume they already know. I mean, I can think of at least four or five instances where someone was handed the wrong prescription entirely. It’s just one of those things where you walk into a CVS, pick up what the doctor wrote for you, and then realize—right there at the counter—that you absolutely shouldn't be taking it. And then, of course, you're stuck dealing with the hassle of going back to get it corrected.

this is just awful... honestly, what am I even doing? I literally just walked through my front door and sat down to actually look at the instructions from the doctor to see what they prescribed... and I swear, I almost lost it right then and there.
and the pain is just unreal! 😢 I feel like I'm going to lose my mind..

People expect you to just read the medical chart, but let's be real—nobody actually does that. 🙄 My guy was looking at me like I had two heads when I told him I couldn't take aspirin or Advil. Like, seriously? Who else is allergic to those? I mean, obviously, some of us are.

My parents drilled it into my head from day one, so I make sure everyone knows—loud and clear—that I’m allergic to penicillin.

My doctor barely even glances at my medical records, yet he still asks if I have any drug allergies every single time. He looks all surprised when he sees I actually had testing done back when I was just an infant, then turns around and offers me a referral for more allergy tests. Look, I’ve been through plenty of allergy tests in my life, but my reaction to legumes was such a nightmare compared to how I handle penicillin—which, by the way, is a thousand times more intense—so there is absolutely no way I'm signing up for that again.

So, how does an allergy test for medication actually work? Is it just some stuff they rub on your skin, or what?

Honestly, I have zero clue—I think I did pretty much everything except touch the meds.

I went in for penicillin allergy testing. First, they inserted an IV, then set a crash cart right next to me just in case things went south. Next, they rubbed some powder—probably crushed pills—onto my forearm. Then came the oral doses: a quarter of a tablet, presumably Stephen, followed by a half an hour later, and then a full dose. Once they were sure I wasn't reacting, they moved to injections. One after another, lasting until the afternoon. Luckily, nothing happened, and I was cleared to head home by evening. Still, I’m staying far away from Stephen.

Yeah, Stephen is basically pure penicillin—just straight up, without any other active ingredients—and lately, it’s been causing me all sorts of trouble.
Usually, it just wipes out my gut flora, which tends to trigger digestive issues for me, like cramping and diarrhea.
But one time, it actually nuked the bacteria I need to digest lactose, which ended up making me allergic to milk and dairy products entirely.😁
Luckily, it took about three months for my system to finally bounce back.
Now, I make sure to stay far away from Stephen whenever possible!🙄

Ever since I developed a penicillin allergy back when I was ten, I’ve made it my personal mission to steer clear of medication whenever possible.
I certainly wouldn't go through that nightmare again; the reaction was absolutely brutal—blisters everywhere and joints so swollen I could barely move. I ended up stuck in a hospital bed for an entire month. Honestly, most of it is a blur, except for the fact that I was being poked with injections three times a day, having blood drawn every other day, and being forced onto this strict diet where I couldn't touch any protein at all.🙄
The strange thing is, before that allergic reaction hit, I was basically a magnet for illness, catching some kind of infection every three weeks or so. But ever since that ordeal? I can count on one hand how many times I've actually gotten sick in the last twenty years.😁

redmoose22 said:I went in for penicillin allergy testing. First, they inserted an IV, then set a crash cart right next to me just in case things went south. Next, they rubbed some powder—probably crushed pills—onto my forearm. Then came the oral doses: a quarter of a tablet, presumably Stephen, followed by a half an hour later, and then a full dose. Once they were sure I wasn't reacting, they moved to injections. One after another, lasting until the afternoon. Luckily, nothing happened, and I was cleared to head home by evening. Still, I’m staying far away from Stephen.

Thanks for the heads-up, but honestly? No thanks. My dad's been allergic to penicillin his entire life, so I don't see much reason to believe mine would just magically disappear.

redmoose22 said:I went in for penicillin allergy testing. First, they inserted an IV, then set a crash cart right next to me just in case things went south. Next, they rubbed some powder—probably crushed pills—onto my forearm. Then came the oral doses: a quarter of a tablet, presumably Stephen, followed by a half an hour later, and then a full dose. Once they were sure I wasn't reacting, they moved to injections. One after another, lasting until the afternoon. Luckily, nothing happened, and I was cleared to head home by evening. Still, I’m staying far away from Stephen.

Man, I was actually thinking about asking my doctor to send me for immunology tests to see if I'm allergic to aspirin, since I've had bad reactions to Advil and Bayer Aspirin before.

Now that I know what that procedure actually involves—needles, swallowing pills, skin rubs—I think I'll pass. I’d rather just stick to avoiding aspirin and Advil altogether.

analograven5 said:Yeah, Stephen is basically pure penicillin—just straight up, without any other active ingredients—and lately, it’s been causing me all sorts of trouble.
Usually, it just wipes out my gut flora, which tends to trigger digestive issues for me, like cramping and diarrhea.
But one time, it actually nuked the bacteria I need to digest lactose, which ended up making me allergic to milk and dairy products entirely.😁
Luckily, it took about three months for my system to finally bounce back.
Now, I make sure to stay far away from Stephen whenever possible!🙄

That's why whenever you absolutely have to take antibiotics, you need to load up on yogurt and take LGG capsules. Every single time I take antibiotics, my digestion goes to hell and I end up dealing with yeast infections on top of everything else.🙄 I only take them when it's a total emergency because it takes me a full month to recover properly after finishing a course.

Sure, I suppose it’s better to be proactive than reactive—especially when you're dealing with something as terrifying as anaphylactic shock—but I’ve heard people suggest that most folks are actually way too paranoid about side effects. Look, if you’re having a reaction, fine, but I guess you really have to weigh whether you can actually keep taking the medication or not.

And please, don't go assuming that side effects are some sign of a low-quality drug; I mean, someone with a confirmed penicillin allergy (or anything similar in the antibiotic family) is incredibly limited in their options when they face a serious illness!

p.s.

Someone brought up the term "contraindication," but they used it in the wrong context; they were actually talking about a side effect. People seem to get that mixed up all the time, thinking the two terms are basically synonyms. A contraindication is actually a specific condition, disease, or situation where a certain medication simply shouldn't be administered. For instance, drinking alcohol is contraindicated if you're planning on driving a car.

Hi everyone—and my apologies in advance if a similar thread already exists! Honestly, I’ve searched everywhere, but couldn't find one, so please, if this topic is already being discussed, don't delete my post; just move it!

I am seriously asking for help because I have a penicillin allergy—not always, mind you, but for about the last 10 years or so... When I was a kid, I’d get some Clavocin here and there and everything was fine, but then about a decade ago, I needed a tooth pulled, but they couldn't do it because of some inflammation. They gave me an antibiotic—Clavocin again—a massive dose, and I was immediately rushed to the ER. 🙄 Within minutes, I broke out in a rash, and my face swelled up so much that even Angelina Jolie would have been embarrassed by how my lips looked—plus my tongue—and my blood pressure was practically a flat line... To be honest, I actually started coming around before we even reached the hospital; I met them right at the doors, but they tossed me onto a stretcher regardless, rushed me to Mayo Clinic, pumped me full of everything, and hooked me up to an IV... 😢

I ended up getting the tooth pulled later without any antibiotics, and I haven't taken anything since—except for when my dentist gave me Celexa, which caused a mild rash, so we decided to steer clear of anything like that altogether... 🙄 Regarding Celexa, it says that about 10% of people are allergic to penicillin, but there must be something else that can be prescribed, right?

Normally, I haven't had any reason to ask about this because I’m in excellent health, but I got a bit spooked recently when I came down with some bronchopneumonia. I basically just powered through it without any medication because my regular doctor wasn't in, and the locum physician who was covering for her told me there wasn't much she could give me because of my allergy... It’s in the past now, of course; I was coughing and hacking for three weeks, but it all cleared up and I'm totally fine now, but I'm genuinely anxious about what might happen if I need something in the future....

For instance, I look at something trivial—like an ingrown toenail that I've been picking at—and I think to myself: what if something stupid like that gets infected? I mean, what if I need something today or tomorrow? I'm 36 years old, and luckily I haven't had to deal with a serious medical issue more than once in my life, but then I see a colleague at work who was put on heavy-duty pills just for a toe issue—just like I was back at the dentist when I ended up in the ER—and I panic. What if I suddenly need antibiotic therapy? I can't believe there isn't an alternative available; it's easy for someone who just survived bronchopneumonia a month ago to say, but what if something happens that I can't just "will" away with my own strength? 🤷

It just occurred to me that I could take Amoxicillin, but I didn't think of that at the time... 🤣 Not that the substitute doctor thought of it either... 🤣 My mistake... 🤣

No, seriously, it's easy for me to joke about it now, but I am truly asking for advice because I'm still a little spooked by the whole ordeal. I just want to know something I can suggest, or at least have a direction to head in, if I ever run into another doctor who thinks my only options are to either survive it or die—like I'm stuck in the wilderness or something... 😲 🤣 I'll ask my regular doctor once she's back, but I'm really looking for more opinions, recommendations, or experiences from people who are allergic to penicillins and Celexa (Clavocin, maybe not all of them...).

🤷

Honestly, there's really no reason to stress out about this... I've dealt with a massive penicillin allergy since the day I was born. Since I'm 34 now, just imagine how many times I've been sick and had to deal with antibiotics over the years. That temp doctor covering for the regular one clearly doesn't have all her wits about her—if she actually told you there's nothing they can give you because of an allergy, she's totally off base. There is a huge spectrum of antibiotics that aren't penicillin-based which work perfectly fine... though, let's be real, you can't exactly go out and buy them yourself without a prescription anyway, so you might as well just relax and stop worrying. I've used various antibiotics to fight everything from pneumonia and bronchitis to UTIs and throat infections—you name it. There are plenty of options out there... Amoxicillin is just one of many.

btw I can't use Celexa either

Jamie Wells83 said:Honestly, there's really no reason to stress out about this... I've dealt with a massive penicillin allergy since the day I was born. Since I'm 34 now, just imagine how many times I've been sick and had to deal with antibiotics over the years. That temp doctor covering for the regular one clearly doesn't have all her wits about her—if she actually told you there's nothing they can give you because of an allergy, she's totally off base. There is a huge spectrum of antibiotics that aren't penicillin-based which work perfectly fine... though, let's be real, you can't exactly go out and buy them yourself without a prescription anyway, so you might as well just relax and stop worrying. I've used various antibiotics to fight everything from pneumonia and bronchitis to UTIs and throat infections—you name it. There are plenty of options out there... Amoxicillin is just one of many.

btw I can't use Celexa either

Oh my goodness, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart, Jamie Wells83! Honestly, I haven't really had much reason to take antibiotics before, so I didn't even know... This was actually my first real encounter with this whole issue ever since I had that reaction to Clavocin and ended up in the ER ten years ago—so back then, I never even stopped to ask myself what kind of stuff was out there... It wasn't until recently, when I caught that bronchitis and all that, that it finally hit me: what happens if this repeats itself? What if I'm just totally doomed because I can't take anything...

And that substitute doctor? Good grief... I mean, I was genuinely blindsided, but she just unceremoniously sent me home, claiming she couldn't give me anything and that there was no help to be had unless things got worse—in which case, I should just head to the hospital. Luckily, it all cleared up, but you can't help but wonder, right? What if tomorrow or the day after I need surgery, or I just catch some random bug, and suddenly— 😲 -

Thank you, Jamie; let's just forget about that one doctor, she isn't even my primary care physician anyway (she wasn't even around back then); my main takeaway now is knowing that things objectively aren't as bleak as they seemed, just in case I actually need something one day! 🙂