posted
I have had what I think can only be an allergic reaction to Zith. I started with a few hives that I chalked up to bug bites on Saturday, took my next pill on Sunday and broke out all over. I was told to stop all abx. Wondering how long to expect the hives since I know Zith stays with you a while.
Has anyone else experienced this. How long did your hives last and did it get worse? I am getting hoarse as well and am keeping a close eye out for swelling of any kind or shortness of breath. Kind of worried.
Also wondering how this will affect my treatment. If I can't use this class of abx what will they do to treat Lyme, Babs and Bart? I was just starting to feel good again. Now this. I'm concerned about how this affects my treatment. I don't want to slide backwards again.
My LLMD said she has occasionally seen hives as a symptom of Babesia - anyone have this? She doesn't think this is what is causing my hives though as they are usually present at some time or another as a symptom prior to starting treatment. Just looking for any input.
Thoughts? Aimee
[ 09-30-2009, 01:47 PM: Message edited by: Aimee ]
Posts: 239 | From Virginia | Registered: Jun 2009
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
hi aimee
may i suggest you edit and be more specific in your subject line to get more readers?
just click on pencil, 3rd box to right of your name which opens up subject and text areas.
having allergic reaction to Zith bringing on hives/losing my voice ..feedback please
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posted
Thanks Betty - I did post this a different way a few days ago but didn't get any response so I tried again. Looks like it isn't something most have had an experience with seeing as there have been no replies! I changed the title like you suggested so we'll see.
Thanks, Aimee
Posts: 239 | From Virginia | Registered: Jun 2009
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posted
Two month ago, my 6 year old son suddenly had full body hive and rash. He turned out to have lyme, barb and bart.
Over the past 1 and half month, he switched from Cefdin (bad spelling)to Zith and added Mepron and will add Rifampin.
Each time a new med is taken, the hives were intensified but then calmed down.
Despite the cycles of hives and all the other overwhelming herx, we are so relieved to see true healing bit by bit. He is still at the beginning of his treatment journey.
I did not talk to his LLMD about his rash because he had it before the treatment and we know it is not life threathening.
I use Burt's Bees creams and prescribed medical cream (mino something, steriod type) to manage and control his skin condition.
From all the reading, I realize that each person is different.
The reason that I noticed your message is that I always wonder how to differentiate herx and abx reaction.
Hope our story will help you in some way. Good luck with your treatment.
I had an allergic reaction to Zithromax about 12 years ago or so, before I knew I had Lyme, etc.
It was prescribed for a bad case of bacterial bronchitis. It was one of those little blister packs of pills, so I don't know dosage.
After I took the last pill, the reaction started with itchy, weepy eyes. Different doctor at the same walk-in clinic thought maybe a secondary eye infection. He prescribed something else, possibly something orally and gentomycin eye drops too.
I ended up with hives all over, as I recall, and the skin around my eyes swelled up very watery and puffy and eyes were very itchy and filmy.
Probably more than one allergic reaction, and by then I wasn't worried about hives anymore, just my eyes.
I did finally go to my eye doctor and he gave me steroid eye drops for the compound allergic reactions. Didn't know about Lyme dx at the time.
Took about 2 weeks for that whole mess to subside. Hopefully yours will resolve much quicker!
I have often wondered if my extreme reaction to the zithromax was more of a herx from Lyme around eyes dying off than an allergy. But I do get hives or rashes from other antibiotics, like penicillin. Hard to know and I'm reluctant to try any of it again, since further exposure is usually worse.
Take care, Nutmeg
Posts: 386 | From WA state | Registered: May 2005
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
When my lyme doctor put me on zithromax and flagyl for lyme, the zith caused me to break out in hives.
My doc said that this allergy of mine makes it important for me not to get lyme disease again, since my meds are now limited. However, I got bit again last August and was again treated successsfully.
I got rid of my lyme, babs, and bart 4 1/2 years ago. My doc used flagyl and amoxi (plus probinecid) for the lyme. Then, levaquin for the bart. Then Bactrim DS for the babesiosis. Bactrim also treats bart.
The bactrim for babs is, of course, not his preferred treatment. He prefers mepron and zith. But, since I can't take zith and I also can't take Biaxin, he said the Bactrim DS would do the job. He said it just takes longer than mepron/zith.
I stayed on the bactrim and pulsed artimesinin for about a year. Voila! I got rid of all my diseases.
So, you too can be successfully treated without zith. Evidently, it is not that uncommon for people to get hives from zith. My doc knew right away that it was the zith that caused the hives.
I don't remember how long I had the hives, sorry.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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TF - that is really good to hear that you were able to successfully treat the Lyme and co-infections and still stay away from Zith. Is Bactrim in the same family of macrolides? I'll be in touch with my LLMD tomorrow again.
Have any of you had allergy testing done? Can they test for abx allergies? I would like to be sure I am reacting to the Zith before I rule out an entire class of abx that are quite useful in treating Lyme and Co. Guess general allergy testing would be good too. Have any of you had a new onset of allergies after your Lyme dx? Curious.
Thanks again, Aimee
Posts: 239 | From Virginia | Registered: Jun 2009
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springshowers
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19863
posted
Hello. I have allergy to Sulfa meds and get hives very badly.
I have been reading up and there is supposed to be a way to "desenstiize" yourself by taking tiny amounts and slowly ramping up. Could talk to your doctor about the possibility.
I have tried it successfully one time on a sulfa medication.
From what I understand each time you start a med though you have to go through the process and it does not desensitize you from then on.
Good Luck.
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