posted
Hi there. My 15 year old has been taking Bactrim DS and no other antibiotics for the past 12 days with very little fanfare (loss of appetite being the only obvious side effect). This morning, however, she woke up with a slightly swollen/itchy face and as the day is progressing, she is developing an itchy, razorburn like rash across her whole body (she can feel the rash moving) and her lips feel swollen, itchy and burnt with really itchy eyes...
Does anybody have experience with bactrim or these symptoms, in particular? Of course it is Saturday and to make matters worse, we are in CO while llmd is in NJ...
Please help!
Posts: 24 | From co | Registered: Sep 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
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I would call your right now doctor anyway. His service should convey the message and tell you if he, or other doctor can get back with you right away. Or your family doctor ?
If I did not reach one of your doctors right away, I would immediately CALL FIRST and then go the the urgent care or the E.R. and take the bottle of medicine with you. They will need to see the actual pills.
By calling first, they might be able to tell you what to do. Bendadryl or not?
Is there anything else that might have been ingested that could cause this (aspartame/nutrasweet/Equal or MSG)?
New carpet or any chemical spray exposure? Any new "air fresheners"? Even a new soap or shampoo - or laundry soap - or a pet pest collar. If so, take those with you, too.
I don't think you can afford to take a chance. This sounds like an allergic reaction and it could get worse. The fact that her lips and eyes are involved indicate that the lungs and airway can also begin reacting - spasms or closing up - at any time.
Allergic reactions can happen at anytime, even after being on a medicine before or for a while.
Good luck. I hope it settles down easily and soon.
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[ 12. July 2008, 05:29 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
Thanks for the replies... no, she hasn't eaten or been exposed to any chemicals, that we know of ... and I have that same information from drugs.com along with her patient prescription information... that is what made me concerned in the first place. I have put a call into her llmd, but am not sure if I will hear back today... of course, am hesitant to rush her into urgent care or er because of past experiences Posts: 24 | From co | Registered: Sep 2007
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Tracy9
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7521
posted
DEFINITELY sounds like an allergic reaction. We just had an extensive discussion on the differences at a lymie get together last weekend, and this falls into the allergic reaction catagory.
I would call her pediatriciann or get her to ER, do you have an EPI pen if her throat starts to close? This is the beginning of anaphylactic shock!!!
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
Thanks Tracy! No epi pen... she has taken 50mg of Benadryl and has her rescue inhaler in the event her breathing becomes shallow... she is not worsening quickly, but we are still concerned as she is not getting any better either...
Posts: 24 | From co | Registered: Sep 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
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I had this reaction to a sulfa drug such as this 20 years ago - on the second round of it.
My doctor, over the phone, told me to take Benedryl, but by the time I got worse and was taken to the ER the ER doctor said I should not have taken that.
The suggestion for a baking soda bath did not help either.
I never figured out the reason for the differences of opinion.
I also had a tetanus vaccine that day so it's hard to say how much of the reaction was from what drug, but it started out as your daughter's reactions did, classic for sulfa allergy. Then, it developed into shock and convulsive attacks where I could barely breath.
Whatever shot they gave me at the hospital saved my life but it took weeks for the muscles jerking to subside (again, that may have been the vaccine but it's hard to say).
I was told to avoid all sulfa drugs from then on.
I truly understand your reluctance to go to an E.R. I've been thrown out twice for having (lyme) seizures and generally was in much worse shape for lack of care.
However, you need not say specifically WHY your daughter is on Bactrim nor WHY you happened to be out east when you saw this doctor (while on vacation, eh?).
All they need to do is stop the allergic reaction.
I hope the benadryl helps but if it does not, be aware that you may need more help. And, even if you need to call 911 they MAY be able to administer the needed meds if you are unable to get to the hospital in an emergency.
Good luck and please let us know how this works out.
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
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I was just looking around on PubMed concerning this.
It seems that there is a "hypersensitivity syndrome" to Bactrim that is sometimes far more pronounced and serious in patients who have a latent HHV-6 or HHV-7 infection - even in young adults.
There has been much attention to HHV (Human Herpes Virus 6-7) among Chronic Fatigue Syndrome researchers and many with lyme also have tested positive for it (I just did 2 months ago).
This might be an excellent time to have your daughter tested for that as, if it is present, the treatment protocol may be altered AND you can read up on the hypersensitivity reactions to many drugs for patients who have HHV-6.
(And, it could be that the hypersensitivity syndrome - as they call it - also could be connected to other infections as well, such as TBD.)
In addition to the hypersensitivity syndrome that might be associated with this, the liver can be affected.
I hope your daughter easily gets better and does not have HHV-6 or HHV-7. However, if so, caution with certain meds in the future could be life-saving, according to some of the abstracts I've been reading.
I will not post the abstracts I've collected, but will save in a file if you want them later. (Oh, and sorry that I'm adding to the stress. It's not my intent.)
Beverly
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 1271
posted
I agree with all the above posters, it sure sounds like an allergic reaction to me also.
My son had a terrible peanut allergy and if he accidentally ingested it, his face/ lips would swell right up, and he would get very itchy with a red rash. We would have to take him to the ER and he ended up with an Epi-pen. It's very scary to go through.
I was on bactrim for a while and it did cause me to herx a lot. I did get some swelling around my eyes, but I was never itchy. For me tho, swelling around my eyes had been a Lyme symptom long before I ever took any abx.
I hope your daughter is feeling better soon, let us know how she is doing.
-------------------- God Bless You! Everything..is just my opinion. Posts: 6638 | From Michigan | Registered: Jun 2001
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posted
Thank you all for your replies (Keebler, YOU ROCK with all of your knowledge and resources!) and concern. Lexie is feeling better today. She woke up @3am extremely itchy again, we administered another 50mg of Benadryl and she was able to go back to sleep by 4ish. She has just woken up in the past hour and does not look as swollen... her lips still feel weird and swollen and she is still itchy... just not as itchy as yesterday. We will continue to watch her closely...
Thanks again! Heather
Posts: 24 | From co | Registered: Sep 2007
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posted
My hubby had a terrible reaction to it. He had to stop taking it, even after they told him to just keep taking it and just take some Benadryl (sp?)
I practically had to make him stop taking it, he was in pain, had a rash and chest pains. His eyes were so bloodshot. After he quit taking it, he felt better in a few days.
-------------------- "~*~My smile hides my bite~*~." Posts: 506 | From N/A | Registered: Jun 2008
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