I was prescribed penicillin (dicloxacillin 500mg) for mastitis. I woke up at 3am with my right eye swollen shut and the other one not far behind it. I look insane. I called my doc and he said to take benedryl. I've taken four so farand my eyes are slightly better. Now, the other thing is that I have a cat who cuddles with me at night. At first I though I had cat hairs in my eyes, but I've never had a reaction quite like this before...
So, could I have developed an adult allergy to penicillan or is the puffy eye situation just a coincidence? Any personal experiences similar to mine?
2006-08-12 04:12:17 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
Papeversomniferum: yeah, I'm sure my doctor is more professional than that. Thanks for your useless commentary on cats. Cat haters are always insane.
UPDATE: Eyes still puffy but better than before. Had welts on neck which leads me to believe that it's the penicillin for sure. Also remebered that my nose was stuffy last night. BTW-- I know that dander is the allergen. I was thinking that it was a cat hair as a foreign object in my eye, not the allergen. Thanks for all of the helpful answers.
2006-08-12 10:31:12 · update #1
Yes, allergies can crop up at any time. You can take the same thing into your body for years, and not have a problem, and suddenly your body will say, no, not likeing this, and react. I have done this with peanuts, I love peanut butter, salted peanuts, and for the last year, when I eat them, I start coughing and feel like something is stuck in my throat. Same thing happenend to my sister with not only peanuts, but sesame seeds and oil. This is not something to take lightly, allergies to meds are very serious, stay on the benedryl, and from now on request different meds. Swelling of the eye is a true allergic reaction, any histamine response is a sign of an allergy, swelling, rash, mucous production. A sensitivity is generally shown in a gastro intestinal response, vomitting and diarrhea.
Incidentally I have had mastitis, it is serious, but I have found that at the first sign, if you get on lots of water, hot compresses, expressing whenever possible, and pushing baby to nurse, some times it does not progress to needing meds. If it comes back, these things might help.
I hope you are feeling better soon, sounds like things are rough right now.
2006-08-12 04:24:35 · answer #1 · answered by n_of49p 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, your body has a mechanism called the immunne system. Allergies are due to antigens in the body that react with antibodies in the blood stream. Your body continously builds antibodies to everyday environmental stimulants. Some people will react to these antigens(stimulants) and some will not. Symptoms range from cough, to runny nose to even asthma and severe reactions from hives to anaphylazes that could lead to death. Now, these reactions can start at anytime. You body continously can produce antibodies therefore you developing allergies to things you weren't ever affected by before.
In my case, I wasn't allergic to a thing when I was little. Now, 23, I am allergic to all seasonal, all pet danders, trees, grasses, perfumes, and other miscellaneous things. I am not, however producing allergens to medications, which are the serious allergens. Usually bees, peanuts, and medication allergens are the serious reaction ones.
Now, with your puffy eye. That can be due to penicillin allergy, but I'd say if that is your only reaction, and no rash of any sort, that It is probably from the cat. Now, cat hair is not the culprit. It is the cats skin that is the allergen. Dander is what you should be on the lookout for.
You can have your doctor due a simple IgG test for penicillin antibodies and cat dander IgG to determine which it is. If it is penicillin, chances are, you could become allergic to it worse than this last time, and become allergic to more antibiotics in that class.
2006-08-12 05:10:18 · answer #2 · answered by LABSCIENCEROX 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
absolutely. You can develop an allergic reaction to penicillin any time in life. Even if youve taken it many times. My mom took it all her life, and then when I was a baby (im 32) she had to get a shot of penicillin and she almost died. An important thing to know is there are actually people that are "truly allergic" and there are people who are labeled "sensitive" to a drug. When you are sensitive, unpleasent side effects occur that are not life threatning, but are annoying none the less. When you are allergic to a drug, you experience life threatning symptoms that require immediate emergency care. (such as tightning in the throat, difficulty breathing, and fainting due to a sudden drop in BP) It sounds like you have become sensitive to it to me. Or it could have nothing to do with the drug. There is a chance though. Good luck. Just use a cold compress for swelling, take ibuprofen, and keep taking the benedryl.
2006-08-12 04:19:04 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No,someone cannot develop allergy to penicillin when they were not allergic as child or a teen because allergies are present right from the birth as due to contact with certain proteins the white blood cells of certain people release antibodies which then produce the allergic reaction.Whenever a person gets allergic reactions it means that the immune system is working that is why when a illness occurs we get fever as the immune system starts working.
2006-08-12 04:28:21 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Yes, you could have developed an allergy to penicillin. As a child I've taken penicillin before for tonsillitis. But as an adult, when I took it my face broke out in what looked like acne. I went to my doctor and he told me it was an allergic reaction to penicillin. So, yes you can become allergic to drugs you have taken before. Don't know why except that your body chemistry changes as you grow older.
2006-08-12 04:39:24 · answer #5 · answered by Sally H 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My son and Granddad are allergic to penicillin. My son reacted with first dose which is extremely rare. My Granddad was a adult his air way started to close and he swelled in eyes and lips. My dad's cousin took it two times the second one killed her. They said she must have had such a slight allergic reaction it went unnoticed. You can be tested for allergies. We avoid it and he wears a medic alert bracelet in case he was unconscious and could no communicate. There are other antibiotics out there best bet is to assume you are allergic. Good luck.
2006-08-12 04:19:52 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ewww GROSS! You are aware that cat's don't wipe their butts after scratching in the little box for 10 minutes to bury their crap right? They lick themselves... Then snuggle up on your pillow?
Come on now!
Do you by any chance have or have you ever had syphilis? Latent allergic reactions are common in the use of penicillin as treatment for syphilis. Or strep? In the case of an allergic reaction to penicillin you change to a cephalosporin.
If the doctor didn't change your med, and prescribed benadryl, it's probably the cat. Keep him out of your bed... WHERE YOU SLEEP! Gross! Your Doctor was probably just too polite to say it...
2006-08-12 04:25:25 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It is possible that your body has deveopled an allergy to the medicine. It is also possible that your body had a reaction due to the combination of the medication and dander from the cat. Check with your doctor.
2006-08-12 04:18:53 · answer #8 · answered by framer_larry 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes! Allergies can develop, often it takes multiple exposures to develop it. I suggest maybe getting an allergy test done, because if it's indeed the penicillian (my son is allergic) than the reaction could be much worse next time.
2006-08-12 04:16:55 · answer #9 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it can be very serious, my brother, couldn't speak and we thought he was having a heart attack. Turned out it was a reaction to the penicillin.
2006-08-12 04:27:03 · answer #10 · answered by brown.gloria@yahoo.com 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋