How does an allergic reaction to penicillin start? UPDATE post 23 - it's chicken pox!

[java]

It varies in degree and a rash at first is common. Contact your doctor.
For me I am severely allergic and stopped breathing. Thankfully I was in a dentist chair when that happened and they had an epi pen nearby. But it took me a week to get over that.

 

[Jockaroo]

As a child I was given penicillin for a sore throat. After a couple of days I got a red, pin-point size rash over my stomach. It would flare up right after taking the medicine, stay a few hours, then fade. It repeated with every dose. My mom took me back to the doctor who said I had Fifth's Disease and changed my antibiotic. The doctor never said I had a potential allergic reaction. In college, I was given the same medication at our health clinic--again for a sore throat. After the first day of medication, I got the same rash back, except it did not go away. It was definitely an allergic reaction. Fortunately, I had no breathing problems. I did have a very nasty hive reaction to a tetracycline medication a few years later. I was told that once a person has a reaction to an antibiotic future reactions are more likely and can be much more severe. I hope your daughter is feeling better today.

 

[lemondog]

UPDATE: 3/24/08

Took her to the pedi this afternoon and he said his best guess (95% sure) is that it's chicken pox. Doesn't look like classic pox, but he said "vaccinated varicella" presents very differently than unvaccinated. He said it really does not look at all like an allergic reaction, but since her ear is better anyway he said to stop the amoxicillin.

I trust him, but I am now always going to be wary of amoxicillin, just in case. I mean...he was not 100% positive...so my mommy worry instincts have kicked in. I think next time any doctor tries to give her amoxicillin I will insist it be done IN the doctor's office in case any kind of reaction occurs.