Anybody ever have a reaction to amoxicillin?

ChrisMouse

DIS Veteran
Joined
Mar 8, 2007
Messages
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I just took my third dose at dinner (maybe 3 hours ago).

Within the last hour my face started feeling very hot. When I looked in the mirror, it looked slightly red and blotchy. no raised hives or anything...just unusual.

It hasn't gotten any worse, no shortness of breath, etc...but I'm nervous. I have a call in to my doctor but am waiting for a call back.

Just trying not to worry....:scared: I used to take tons of penicillin & amoxicillin as a kid and teen...it's weird that I would react all of a sudden.
 
Yes. My oldest ds got hives/rash from amoxicillian as an infant. Fortunately no problems breathing. At the time, we had to rush him to the doctor's office as he was only 6 weeks old. I remember they gave him a pretty big dose of Benedryl and watched him for awhile. As a new mom, it scared the living daylights out of me.

I couldn't tell you why you'd have a reaction after all this time, though. Keep calm and don't take anymore amoxicillian until you talk to your doc.
 
Thanks!!

Talked to the doctor. She is not convinced it's a true reaction to the medicine. She had me take Benedryl, and I do feel a lot better. I'm to stop taking the amoxicillin and call the office Monday.

Thanks for responding!
 
It could very well be a reaction. Allergies can build up over time. In other words, you can show no signs of a reaction when you take something and start to show signs of an allergy when you take it again at a later date.

My daughter is allergic to amoxicillan. She took it as a baby one time and was fine. She had to take it again when she was 2 for an ear infection and broke out in hives and she had difficulty breathing. We took her to the OR and they said she was having an allergic reaction to the Amoxicillan. We took her off of it right then and they gave her Omnicef. She only takes Omnicef when an antibiotic is needed.

I hope you can figure it out!! Feel better!
 

My oldest DD who is now 8 1/2 is allergic to Amoxicillin. She had taken it when she was younger with no problems and then another time, she broke out in hives after taking it.

DH is allergic to penicillin as well.
 
My son is allergic to amoxycillan; my daughter is allergic to Cefzil.

It's as you described: a rash.
 
Both of my kids had the same reaction to amoxicillin - a red rash, not raised or with hives. They are now considered "allergic" and we have to find alternate meds for them. I'm glad the Benadryl helped!
 
My DS 6 just finished amoxicillin for strep and developed a rash; like a prickly heat- that was slightly bigger and lasted a few days. MD saya it was a rebound reaction, very common and they'll just use something else next time when needed.
 
Yes my DD did at Christmas. It was her first ear infection and she broke out AFTER she finished the 9 days of meds. We visited the ER on day three because she got worse everyday and we were afraid the next day would be more serious like her throat closing or something.
 
Both my dd11 and my dh are allergic to Cillin-based antibiotics! My dd was diagnosed with this at 2 when she was on her second course of Amoxicillin for a pesky ear infection (she had full-blown hives, spike in fever, and swelling, and we ended up in the ER). My dh developed this allergy in his early 40s--he gets red, hot, and itchy, and he has had some hives. Like you, he had taken such antibiotics several times as a kid/young adult with no problems.

Good luck!
 
My son is allergic to amoxycillan; my daughter is allergic to Cefzil.

It's as you described: a rash.

My DS is allergic to both of these as well. Same symptoms...rash, no fever or any other symptoms. Scary the first time it happens isn't it!
 
DS started amoxacilin last weekend for strep and by monday he started to get a rash. By the end of the week he was covered from head to toe. We stopped the meds and he still has a rash. I bought some aveno oatmeal bath and am going to try that today. He says it doesn't itch but it looks horrible.
 
DS started amoxacilin last weekend for strep and by monday he started to get a rash. By the end of the week he was covered from head to toe. We stopped the meds and he still has a rash. I bought some aveno oatmeal bath and am going to try that today. He says it doesn't itch but it looks horrible.

Give him benadryl even if he's not itching. BIL is a dermatologist and says if your body is covered in hives you are full of histamines and need the anti stuff to help the body recover. DD was covered for about a month!!!! They tell me she can't have any Cillian based drugs and that includes Augmentin.
 
DH is allergic to it - he has trouble breathing, etc so we do not allow the kids to have it. The Drs are not happy with that because just because DH is allergic doesn't necesseraly mean they will be, but who needs to take the chance? There are other antibiotics out there that are just as good.
 
DH is allergic to it - he has trouble breathing, etc so we do not allow the kids to have it. The Drs are not happy with that because just because DH is allergic doesn't necesseraly mean they will be, but who needs to take the chance? There are other antibiotics out there that are just as good.

To find out for sure, your kids can do a drug challenge in an allergist's office. You fill a small Rx for the drug and take it with you to the appointment. Your kiddos take it there and are observed under the doc's care. Though, I don't know if this will be an accurate test if they have never had the drug.

Of course, like you said, there are other choices.
 
Thanks for all the feedback, everyone.

My face is back to normal this morning. I entertained the idea of doing another "test" dose to see if my face breaks out, but why court that kind of problem?

I'm just going to call the doctor in the morning and see if they want to call me in some alternative medicine.

Anyway, thanks to everyone for all of the input.

Chris
 
My DS is allergic to both of these as well. Same symptoms...rash, no fever or any other symptoms. Scary the first time it happens isn't it!

The killer for me is that, bad mommy that I am, I simply can never remember which child is allergic to which medicine. I know the doctor knows, and the schools know, but I simply cannot remember. (And Brian is adopted, so it's not as though they would be allergic because of anything heriditary.)
 
Glad you are feeling better! Our youngest dd is allergic to four different antibiotics and has had varying reactions to each one. One thing our doctor told us is that you can have your blood allergy tested in a lab to make sure that is what you reacted to. Safer than taking the medication again. He said each time you react it could get worse.

Hope you are feeling better soon!
 
Being an "old lady" :sad2: I have had many occasions to take amoxicillin. The last two times, I did not get a rash or hives, but had a generalized "itchy feeling" all over. Dr. assumes it is a mild allergic reaction.
Now sulfa brings on MAJOR hives within minutes! Imagine being locked, naked, in a room full of mosquitoes. That is how I look after sulfa. Not pretty!:scared1:
 












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