LymeNet Flash: What happens if you are Allergic to Penn.

This is topic What happens if you are Allergic to Penn. in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by kbholley (Member # 12938) on :

What happens if you are allergic to pennicillian and any drug that is in the pennicillian family?

I start treatments sometime in February, and I'm a little scared of the unknown, so if I am alleric to penn. and family, is there another type of med that can be used? [confused]

Posted by jamescase20 (Member # 14124) on :

If you have solely lyme your in luck. BTW I took amoxil at first and it didnt really help much...I dont think penes have much for these disease.

Roxithromycini in the treatment of Lyme disease--update and perspectives.Gasser R, Wendelin I, Reisinger E, Bergloff J, Feigl B, Schafhalter I, Eber B, Grisold M, Klein W.
Klinische Physiologie, Medizinische Universitatsklinik Graz, Austria.

Spirochaetal infections have been successfully treated with penicillin; more recently, erythromycin has been used in cases with known penicillin allergy. The discovery of the spirochaete Borrelia burgdorferi and the elaboration of a new generation of macrolides with properties that differ from older macrolides have led to new ways of treating spirochaetal disease with these compounds. This paper presents data on the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of a combination of roxithromycin and co-trimoxazole against B. burgdorferi. In vitro (checkerboard technique; B. burgdorferi strain B31; modified BSK II medium) it was found that while roxithromycin showed excellent efficacy against B. burgdorferi (MIC 0.031 mg/l), co-trimoxazole had no effect. However, the combination of both chemotherapeutics led to a minor synergistic effect, decreasing the MIC for roxithromycin by one dilution step at concentrations of co-trimoxazole from 256 to 8 mg/l. In addition, a clearly reduced growth of microorganisms was seen at concentrations of roxithromycin as low as 0.015 mg/l in combination with 256 to 4 mg/l co-trimoxazole, when compared to the positive controls. Most interestingly, however, the motility of B. burgdorferi was markedly reduced even when the two drugs were combined at very low concentrations. In an in vivo, non-randomised, open, prospective pilot study it was found that of 17 patients with confirmed late Lyme borreliosis (stage II/III), treated with combined roxithromycin (300 mg b.i.d.) and co-trimoxazole for 5 weeks, 13 (76%) recovered completely by the end of treatment, and four continued to have symptoms on follow-up at 6 and 12 months. This success rate is similar to that seen with i.v. penicillin and ceftriaxone. It appears that the reduced motility of B. burgdorferi makes the pathogen more accessible to the immune system.

PMID: 7782115 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

There are quite a few other abx you can use. Penicillin is not all that effective for Lyme.

Are you sure you didnt' just have a herx reaction to penicillin?? That's what happened to me.

I THOUGHT I was allergic to pen ... but wasn't after all.

Posted by kbholley (Member # 12938) on :

jamescase20

I have lyme and its co-infections, not sure which ones, but was told that I do have the co-infections.

Lymetoo,

I had the allergic reaction at the age of 10. Swollen tounge, hives, blisters in my mouth and down my throat.

I didn't get lyme until 2001.

Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :

I think it's a good idea to start with a very small dose, just to make sure you pass it. I react to most meds, so I like to find that out with as small a dose as possible!

Posted by kbholley (Member # 12938) on :

Should I tell my LLMD, Its already put in my medical records, should I mention the test dose first, before he prescribes the full amount?

[lol]

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

Brenda-Lee... I had hives, believe it or not, but can now take penicillin.

Maybe I was allergic to a filler in the med.

Posted by kbholley (Member # 12938) on :

It could have been a fluke.

I haven't been put back on it since I was 10, but I am also allergic to the following:

Wellbutrine
Trazodone - had a reaction Saturday night. Hives and blisters in the mouth and a really bad sore throat. Dr. J put me on it to try to get me to go to sleep. Now he changed it to Clopin? (Not sure of the spelling)

I have also had a reaction to Tetracyline and a few sulfer drugs - (not sure if it was a herx reaction or not, Not sure what herxing is.) But that was after I got bit by a tick.

I have a hard time iniating sleep and hitting stage four in sleep. In other words, a type of insomnia.

[spinning smile]

Posted by hurtingramma (Member # 7770) on :

I am allergic to pen. (throat closes up, hives...) I am currently on tetracycline.

In the summer months, I go on Biaxin and Plaquenil, sometimes even adding in Doxy.

I have no problem with these meds generally, but once in a while I get a "build up" and have to back off for a few weeks because I get itchy. Nothing too serious. Not sure if it's an allergic reaction or a die-off.

Posted by Curiouser (Member # 14128) on :

Glad you posted this. Been wondering about that myself.

Dunno if my reaction to penicillin is an allergy or intolerance.

Get the most beautiful scarlet rash all over my face, neck, and chest when I take it.

The rash is lovely, really. [Big Grin]

Not raised, not itchy. Just there.

This was back in my teens. Haven't taken penicillin since.

Haven't taken any other -illins either, so no idea about my reactions to those.

Posted by dbourne (Member # 13833) on :

I am needing some hives help. I have been on 3 grams of amoxill for 2 months. A few weeks ago I began developing hives. I currently have them all over my body. They come and go and seem to worsen in warmer temperatures. A shower just about does me in. My question is why would I be so itchy, I have never had a reaction on amoxill or any food/drug before. Any thoughts?

Posted by bunnyfluff (Member # 14117) on :

dbourne,

You can develop an allergic reaction to anything, at any time! I used to eat shrimp, and one day...BAM...I got HUGE hives from them. My Dr. said the next time, it could easily be full anaphylactic shock!

I, too, cannot take any of the 'cillin drugs or their first cousins. I am currently taking Zith and getting good results. Or so I think, due to herx. [Frown]

Oddly enuf, I can take kephlex, which is generic for Ceclor, but not Ceclor. I got hives from Ceclor, but probably a dye ingredient, not the actual Abx. [loco]

Bunny

Posted by Julie4848 (Member # 13065) on :

Very true a reaction can come at anytime while on abx.

NO HOT SHOWERS, just cool, believe me when I say this, I'm allegic to 99.9% of abxs on the market. When I had a reaction to Cipro HIves from head to toe for 9 weeks and in ICU for 10 days, they told me only COOL water and that does help. Also epson salt will help..

J

Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :

I was told I was allergic to pennicillin since the 6th grade. I didn't take it ever after that. When I found out I had lyme I told my LLMD that I wondered if I had a herx rather than allergy so he had me tested to see if I was allergic. I just found out this week that I am not allergic!!!

I've been in treatment for 20 months and we thought I was allergic this whole time. There are a lot of abx to use for the various co-infections and for lyme too from what I can tell. I think the cyclines are often used for lyme - minocycline - doxy.

Perhaps you can get a test to see if you are allergic.

Terry