HA rears its ugly head when taking medicine

[gridder]

Hi folks -- I haven't been around much, and I have been feeling really good lately. Minimal to no HA for maybe 4 months or so. Unfortunately I contracted a UTI, which shouldn't be a big deal, but I am allergic to many  antibiotics. Luckily I have never had a terrible reaction, but I often get things like terrible prickling behind my knees (sulfa) or a rash on day 14 of the treatment (penicillin). The Dr put me on Cipro yesterday, and I found myself googling and was reminded that it can cause ruptured tendons. I was on another drug in that class a few years ago and got the funniest bumps on my pinky (I am not kidding) and later did have a tendon herniate through a muscle in my lower leg -- although its connection to the medicine is not clear.

Anyway, I made myself take the medicine immediately, and later that night after all my googling about ruptured tendons I was in a state. I went upstairs to change and noticed a rash on my thighs on both legs. Not a terrible one, and I had noticed some bumps there before, but it was definitely noticeable. I then was sure my tongue was swelling and my throat was prickly and I went into a 2 hour long panic attack, where I wasn't sure if I was having a severe reaction or just a panic attack. You know the feeling. Is this real, or is it Memorex, ha ha.

So, today I went back to the Dr. and he put me on the last drug available for what I have. So I alternate between worrying about having a terrible reaction, and there not being any antibiotics available to fight this thing (or anything else in the future.). I also worry that most of these drugs I am not truly allergic to and that there have been confounding factors and my own hyperchondria that have made me think I have them. So you see, I have all the worry bases covered.


I did ask for some ativan and he gave it to me, so I may take it tonight. To compound matters it is my sons 6th birthday and I am so afraid I am going to ruin it by either being a self-involved mess, or by being carted away in an ambulence due to anaphlactic shock!

And that is my sad story. Any words or support? I could sure use them.

[emma_lou]

Hi there,  big hugs.  I was exactly the same, in fact i wouldnt take any meds at all for over 2 years!  I am now on a drug cocktail for postnatal depression and ocd.  I would take the med, and then take the ativan (its good stuff, am currently being weaned off it as used for 4 weeks, it really helped at first).  Once you see that nothing  bad happens, you will then hopefully be reassured.  I was obsessed with having anaphalatic shock, so can relate

hug xxx

[forestbythesealady]

I feel for you. My HA has been pretty good as well...but, I know if I had to take an antibiotic I would be in the same state as you are right now. I had an allergic reaction to penicillin (rash all over my face) about ten years ago and since then I freak out over ANY antibiotics. When I got sick in August I had to take an antibiotic. I was a wreck. It was Zithromax. I actually went back to the doctors office once I got my prescription filled and told them about my fears (I, TOO, fear anaphylactic shock!). SO, they told me to relax and take the medicine right there in the office. I did. I was fine. They also told me that if I was going to have a severe reaction it would happen within the first five minutes. Well, I didn't have a problem with it.

I don't know how to help you feel better. I just know how frustrating it is when one little thing like antibiotics can throw you into a panic attack.

[gridder]

Well, it has been 5 hours and I am still alive, ha ha. Do you think that is true about serious reactions occurring quickly? I had read while googling that it could happen at any time.

[sixpack]

hey gridder

I'm sorry you aren't feeling so well  AND I'm glad the meds didn't kill you  .  I didn't think they would.  BUT I rather missed you, so a bit selfishly, I'm glad to see you post.

[gridder]

Yeah, thanks but no thanks sixpack! 
I don't miss this feeling. I am trying to think of ways to calm the system down - I am hypersensitive and think everything is a rash coming on, etc.

[JunoX]

Im also very scared of taking antibiotics because Ive been given a lot of them in the past and they have either made my symptoms worse or they wouldnt work on me. It seems like I always get a reaction from an antibiotic. I dont know why but I do and its always a UTI or vaginal irratation. So I always freak about antibiotics and I always think that none of them will ever help me and Ill die because of that or something.

I had to have surgery in my gums about two years ago and I was forced to take an antibiotic. I had no choice so I chose Cipro and it didnt cause any bad side effects. I had a little colon discomfort but the feeling left a few days later. I purposely chose Cipro because I have taken it in the past and its never caused any bad sad effects except for stomach discomfort so I always took it with food. It tended to give me heart burn for some reason. So dont fear Cipro, its the best.

[forestbythesealady]

Well, crap. Maybe my doctor was just telling me the BAD reactions would happen right away to make me feel better. I didn't google it at all, so I really wanted to believe him! Interestingly, once I survived the antibiotics and got over the flu, I felt much better from an HA standpoint. That was in August. I faced two of my worst fears...illness and antibiotics...and survived. And, yes...I would imagine that after five hours something would have happened if it was going to happen.

[gridder]

I think I will choose to believe what someone told you in person vs something I read on the internet! (Although I am reading what you wrote on the internet. . . ha ha.) I got a mild rash on my legs after taking Cipro, so I had to switch to something else. It didn't help that the pharmacist tech said "this is the last one to try!" Ummm. .. thanks? Who would that make feel better??

ETA: I can take erythromycin and drugs in that family, they just aren't effective in UTIs.

[gridder]

Now that I am pretty sure that the drugs aren't going to kill me, I am worried that I am not going to get better, and that my low back sensitivity is kidney pain. Of course, I took an extremely rigorous step class 2 days ago where I added a level to my step. . . and it hurts exactly in a muscular area (and 2 days later is usually when I feel an effect from a class). . . . But the good ? news is that the HA is shifting its form. I know better than this.

[forestbythesealady]

I know you've been doing well lately, so this sounds like residual HA from the initial antibiotic problem. This happens to me as well when I'm doing okay. It's like my mind is weakened by an HA outburst...then something else follows that is minor...then my strength comes back and I get back to "normal".

I'm glad you survived the antibiotics! And, I think it takes a little while for them to actually cure the UTI, right? I've only had one UTI...that was around 30 years ago...so I can't speak from experience.