Did Your Parents Tell You That You Are Allergic To Penicillin?

[mexexpat]

Mine did. They said when I was small that I had a terrible reaction to it. They drilled it into me at an early age to always tell doctors that I was allergic to penicillin. My DH was told the same by his parents. We were born in 1951 and 1952 respectively.

Ten years ago I had a six year old root canal go bad. It started hurting a few days before a return trip from Europe and when I got to the US, the infection was quite advanced. Two 10 day oral antibiotic treatments failed and I had to be hospitalized with IV antibiotics to clear the infection.

Six years ago I was diagnosed with cellulitis on my leg that tested as strep. For 3+ years it would get infected once or twice a year. The infections were sometimes very bad (high fever) and as time went on, the some antibiotics were taking longer to work. I went to an Infectious Disease Specialist who sent me to a surgeon who removed the underlying cyst. That was 2+ years ago and all has been fine other than residual localized nerve damage (the cyst ran long and deep into my leg).

I have had a few other infections within the past 5 years; E.coli and a severe sinus infection. Either I am prone to infections or just very unlucky! I worry that I am running out of antibiotics that will work for me when I need them.

When the Infectious Disease Specialist went over my history he told me I was probably NOT allergic to penicillin and ought to get tested for that.

I finally did, this past April. I am not allergic to penicillin and likely never was (in the 1950s, many infants and toddlers reacted to it, but they were not allergic to it). Now that I know I can take penicillin, I feel a bit more relaxed. Hopefully my bad luck with infections is over but I am mindful that as we age, infections get harder to fight. Better to be well armed.

BTW, Medicare paid for the test. All I had to pay was my Medigap copay of $40 for the specialist visit (test done by a dermatologist).

 

[Katsmeow]

That is very interesting. I was told years ago that I was allergic. I've always wondered if I really am. I think it would be interesting to get tested.

 

[brett]

No. I found out the hard way. Had to rush back to the hospital for a shot of adrenaline. 12 years old. Have not been tested since but daughter has and she is.

 

[Sue J]

A few years ago I had a horrible reaction to Augmentin, which is penicillin combined with something else. My doctor said I probably reacted to the other ingredient, not the penicillin. I have taken penicillin many times before but never had a problem. I will never take augmentin again!

When our sons were at home I had to remember which one was allergic to penicillin and which one couldn’t take sulfa drugs. I’ve also reacted to sulfa drugs.

Very interesting about these allergies maybe not being real and I didn’t know there was a test for that.

 

[mexexpat]

Here's an NBC story from 2014
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/allergic-penicillin-youre-probably-not-n243161

Most people who think they are allergic to penicillin in fact are not, researchers said Friday. It’s something doctors have suspected for a long time, but the researchers say they were surprised by just how many people weren’t allergic to the antibiotic: it was 94 percent of them.

Dr. Thanai Pongdee, an allergist at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida and colleagues tested 384 people who said they were allergic to penicillin. Tests showed 94 percent of them were in fact, not allergic.

 

[MRG]

Please get tested and don't test yourself! [emoji3]

DW has found out several times she's allergic. Not in anaphylaxis, but instead a slow downward spiral that was going downhill fast. The last time her former PCP ignored her allergy.

 

[skipro33]

I discovered I was allergic to the stuff while in the military. Bullets didn't kill me, but the Penicillin darn near did me in! I was issued red dog tags after that indicating that I was allergic.

 

[joeea]

Mine did. They said when I was small that I had a terrible reaction to it. They drilled it into me at an early age to always tell doctors that I was allergic to penicillin. My DH was told the same by his parents. We were born in 1951 and 1952 respectively.

Any idea why?

Lots of folks believe they are allergic to things but have never actually been tested. Many had "terrible reactions", that got attributed to an "allergy" but may have been a correlation without causation thing.

My medical record currently shows an allergy to Benedryl. I had a bad reaction during an infusion treatment for cancer. Benedryl was routinely given before the infusion. So no more Benedryl, but we don't know for sure that it was actually the cause of the bad reaction, or just a coincidence. Since there are simple alternatives, I'm not going to push it.

 

[Ed B]

I was born 1960 and my mother told me I am allergic to penicillin. One of my knee surgeons suggested that I probably wasn't. He wanted to use it to prevent any staph infection from the procedure. I was a little loopy during that conversation so I don't remember if we used or not.

Anyway, my mother told me again recently that I had a bad reaction to it as a baby.

 

[razztazz]

Mine did. They said when I was small that I had a terrible reaction to it. They drilled it into me at an early age to always tell doctors that I was allergic to penicillin. My DH was told the same by his parents. We were born in 1951 and 1952 respectively.

Ten years ago I had a six year old root canal go bad. It started hurting a few days before a return trip from Europe and when I got to the US, the infection was quite advanced. Two 10 day oral antibiotic treatments failed and I had to be hospitalized with IV antibiotics to clear the infection.

Six years ago I was diagnosed with cellulitis on my leg that tested as strep. For 3+ years it would get infected once or twice a year. The infections were sometimes very bad (high fever) and as time went on, the some antibiotics were taking longer to work. I went to an Infectious Disease Specialist who sent me to a surgeon who removed the underlying cyst. That was 2+ years ago and all has been fine other than residual localized nerve damage (the cyst ran long and deep into my leg).

I have had a few other infections within the past 5 years; E.coli and a severe sinus infection. Either I am prone to infections or just very unlucky! I worry that I am running out of antibiotics that will work for me when I need them.

When the Infectious Disease Specialist went over my history he told me I was probably NOT allergic to penicillin and ought to get tested for that.

I finally did, this past April. I am not allergic to penicillin and likely never was (in the 1950s, many infants and toddlers reacted to it, but they were not allergic to it). Now that I know I can take penicillin, I feel a bit more relaxed. Hopefully my bad luck with infections is over but I am mindful that as we age, infections get harder to fight. Better to be well armed.

BTW, Medicare paid for the test. All I had to pay was my Medigap copay of $40 for the specialist visit (test done by a dermatologist).

Couple o' things here I recognize.

1) I have had "bad reactions" to drugs and "The System" automatically calls it "Allergy" I keep explaining but it always defaults in my records as "allergy." I think it's because to them it doesn't really matter. It means: Do Not give this person this drug". The specific reason is really moot. And I sort of concur with that. Does it really matter? They could add a label called "Bad reaction not related to allergy" I suppose?

2) PLEASE Tell me where and how you got tested. I had an anaphylactic reaction to bactrim once. Bactrim is a sulfa/trimethaprim combination. The problem is I might need trimethaprim someday but they just keep flagging me as allergic to both even tho the chances of the reaction having been from trimethaprim are way small and the reaction being from the sulfa was way big. There are so many antibiotics I cannot take I'd like to keep the list of good ones as long as possible.

 

[JoeWras]

NKDA

I'm fortunate to see that written on my medical summaries.

 

[MRG]

Actually I wrote about my DW's experience.

To the point of did my parents tell me I was allergic to penicillin?

No. I was one of those lucky kids the American Heart Association thought should take it. For a subsidized price. I took that crap till I was 22. Yeah talk about changes in best practices.

 

[JoeWras]

Actually I wrote about my DW's experience.

To the point of did my parents tell me I was allergic to penicillin?

No. I was one of those lucky kids the American Heart Association thought should take it. For a subsidized price. I took that crap till I was 22. Yeah talk about changes in best practices.

? You were taking penicillin regularly? Yikes!

 

[Potstickers]

Couple o' things here I recognize.

1) I have had "bad reactions" to drugs and "The System" automatically calls it "Allergy" I keep explaining but it always defaults in my records as "allergy." I think it's because to them it doesn't really matter. It means: Do Not give this person this drug". The specific reason is really moot. And I sort of concur with that. Does it really matter? They could add a label called "Bad reaction not related to allergy" I suppose?

2) PLEASE Tell me where and how you got tested. I had an anaphylactic reaction to bactrim once. Bactrim is a sulfa/trimethaprim combination. The problem is I might need trimethaprim someday but they just keep flagging me as allergic to both even tho the chances of the reaction having been from trimethaprim are way small and the reaction being from the sulfa was way big. There are so my antibiotics I cannot take I'd like to keep the list of good ones as long as possible.

I had an anaphylactic shock reaction to a tetanus booster back in the 80's, after having had no problems (other than a sore arm) on a number of prior occasions. Multiple docs over the year said it was probably the horse serum in which the vaccine was grown. My internist wanted me to get an update jab since the stuff is not now made with horse serum, but she didn't want to take a risk -- so I was sent to an allergist. The allergist did a scratch test of pure tetanus toxoid...and about an hour later I had a reaction. Surprised the heck out of the allergist -- I'd already made it home because I had no reaction during the 30 minutes they normally watch. The next day I went to the hospital lab for a blood titer -- and apparently, I could spend my decades walking on rusty nails without risking tetanus.

TLR -- call an allergist and find out if you can get tested for antibiotic allergies.

 

[W2R]

No, they didn't.

 

[MRG]

? You were taking penicillin regularly? Yikes!

Yeah. I had rheumatic fever at 9(?) and at that time they prescribed antibiotics prophylactically . IIRC I took this crap for 13 years. Later in life any dental work required a different antibiotic in advance.

Today dentists know better and don't require pre-medication.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ampicillin

 

[razztazz]

The next day I went to the hospital lab for a blood titer

Not to drag this off course, but what's a "blood titer"?

Yeah. I had rheumatic fever at 9(?) and at that time they prescribed antibiotics prophylactically . IIRC I took this crap for 13 years. Later in life any dental work required a different antibiotic in advance.

Today dentists know better and don't require pre-medication.

Next thing you know they'll be giving cholesterol injections to prevent heart attacks

 

[aja8888]

No, they didn't.

Same here.

 

[Sunset]

As a child I often got ear infections, and was given large penicillin pills, they were like silver dollars in shape, so have to be cut in 1/4's to take.

Possibly they were vet. medicine, as my Mother also gave us cod liver oil labeled for Vet Use Only.

 

[atmsmshr]

Yes - born 1961. Don't recall any reaction.

Issued red dog tags in boot camp and missed the big needle.

In my 50's, a doc said try one tablet of Augmenton, take the others if no reaction.

No reaction. Go figure.

 

[mexexpat]

Couple o' things here I recognize.

2) PLEASE Tell me where and how you got tested. I had an anaphylactic reaction to bactrim once. Bactrim is a sulfa/trimethaprim combination. The problem is I might need trimethaprim someday but they just keep flagging me as allergic to both even tho the chances of the reaction having been from trimethaprim are way small and the reaction being from the sulfa was way big. There are so many antibiotics I cannot take I'd like to keep the list of good ones as long as possible.

I asked my Internist about the test and and they made an appt. for me with a local allergist/immunologist (St. Petersburg FL). I went in for a consult, history and cursory exam so she could explain the allergy test. Made the appt. for the test and was told to stay of antihistamines for a week before the test. They called in an order of a penicillin liquid to my pharmacy that I had to retrieve before going in for the test. They told me to bring a book or Kindle as mostly I'd be sitting around. They said they have medication on hand to counteract any reaction I might have during the testing.

It takes about 3 hours. They start with a scratch test....if you fail that, you go home. They then do a series of needle pricks, waiting 20 minutes to see my reaction after each one. Evidently penicillin is made up a few components and they test for those. They also took my BP after each part of the test.

After the skin prick tests, I had to start chugging various amounts of the penicillin liquid and again, wait 20 minutes for any reaction. I guess it's made for kids and had sort of a bubble gum flavor....that was worst part of the test for me!

 

[spender400]

Likewise I was told I was allergic to penicillin by my parents (1970s) but my GP advised me to try it once many years later and confirmed I in fact was not allergic.

 

[DayDreaming]

My parents always told me that I'm allergic to penicillin. I don't remember having any specific incidents and when I ask my mother now, she can't recall anything either.


So I told my doctor I'm not really sure if I am allergic, and asked if maybe I should get tested. He said don't worry about it, there are plenty of alternatives.

 

[mexexpat]

My parents always told me that I'm allergic to penicillin. I don't remember having any specific incidents and when I ask my mother now, she can't recall anything either.


So I told my doctor I'm not really sure if I am allergic, and asked if maybe I should get tested. He said don't worry about it, there are plenty of alternatives.

Here's what happened to me in December 2017.

Bad cold in early December that lingered and lingered. The day after Christmas I awoke with fever, chills, horrible body aches and a headache like I've never had before.

Went to doctor and he said it was a severe sinus infection. Asked if I was allergic to penicillin (as yet untested, I said yes). Had I been able to say, no, he would have given me a penicillin-based antibiotic. Instead he gave me Levaquin.

Three days into the 10 day course, my legs started hurting and cramping. On the fourth day I could barely get out of bed (I normally walk 2+ miles a day, BTW). I was having a not so uncommon reaction to the Levaquin. I was lucky as in 3 months, my leg pain was finally gone. Many patients end up with ruptured tendons and surgery. Google Levaquin and you can see the many horror stories and class action suits.

But for penicillin allergy patients, Levaquin is the antibiotic of choice for pneumonia and severe sinus infections. Had a known I was not allergic to penicillin I would have been given an antibiotic with far less risk.

If I were you I would get tested....and maybe look for a new doctor. Bad advice IMO from yours....too flippant.

 

[happy2bretired]

My parents didn’t tell me but my hands and feet told me. The palms of my hands and the bottoms of my feet were terribly itchy. That was enough for me to always mention I’m allergic.