Augmentin Reaction/Side Effect (long)

alicatnj

Anyone's LO take the antibiotic Augmentin and have any unusual reactions/side effects? DD was put on Augmentin last Tuesday for a possible sinus infection. On Thursday she woke up with a fever and has been generally not feeling well since then, although the fever has been gone since Friday. She also got diarrhea really bad (I mean almost every hour). I know antibiotics are known for causing diarrhea. But along with that, on Thursday night she started this weird jerking, muscle twitching when she was trying to fall asleep. It was like her legs and pelvis were having spasms. 

By Friday it was so bad that it was happening while she was sleeping and was waking her up. She cried for two straight hours on Friday night while we were trying to put her down because she could not stop moving her muscles (legs, pelvis, arms and shoulders constantly jerking around). Of course I was on and off the phone with the on call doc and the nurse at the pedi because this was really freaking me out. I have never been so scared for her. I was sick to my stomach. They said it was most likely due to whatever illness she was fighting, and that the antibiotic would not cause it.  When it was getting worse by day two, my gut was telling me otherwise and I took her off the drug. The spasms started getting better immediately, and it hasn't happened at all today. She's been off Augmentin since yesterday. I did a search online and the closest reported side effects are anxiety, restlessness, and convulsions/seizure (although she was not having seizures according to the doc [Thank God]). What do you think? Anyone experience anything like this?

 

katiekate1974

Wow! So scary! I'm glad she's better now.

That's never happened to AJ, but it sounds to me like it was a med reaction!

mielkede

DD just finished Augmentin on Friday and she did not have these symptoms. You did the right thing. I always say follow your gut. There are always other meds they can give your lo if she still needs them. 

kit443

I am so sorry! That sounds really scary. Augmentin makes Monk sick so I refuse it every time they try and give it to him.

BitterOldHag

It happened to me when I was on it for a sinus infection last month. It was awful and the doc pulled me off it after 3 days. I'd ask the pedi for something different for LO.

KelliLynee

I am a pharmacist and had never heard of this type of a reaction, so I looked it up. This is what I found from my go-to resource about CNS-type side effects: "On rare occasions, agitation or motor hyperactivity (reversible), anxiety, confusion, dizziness, insomnia, or other behavioral changes have been reported." 

So is quite rare, I've never seen it before, but it sounds like it is possible (the "motor hyperactivity" part) and also perhaps there was some insomnia from it too? 

In any case, a superinfection can result from antibiotics being stopped prematurely, if it isn't done the right way. I hope you told your pedi that you stopped the antibiotics (which it sounds like was the right thing to do), so that he could decide if you needed to try something different, or if the duration was sufficient. 

kcampy31

DS has never had these symptoms with Augmentin - that is scary- I am sorry you had to go thtough that. The only thing I can think of is that if your LO had a fever, It could be from that...I know when I have a fever I am shaky and sweaty, twitchy, and can't relax sometimes b/c my body is working hard to fight off whatever it is. Maybe she was experiencing that and didn't know how to handle it? I hope she is feeling better soon!

alicatnj

KelliLynee:

I am a pharmacist and had never heard of this type of a reaction, so I looked it up. This is what I found from my go-to resource about CNS-type side effects: "On rare occasions, agitation or motor hyperactivity (reversible), anxiety, confusion, dizziness, insomnia, or other behavioral changes have been reported." 

So is quite rare, I've never seen it before, but it sounds like it is possible (the "motor hyperactivity" part) and also perhaps there was some insomnia from it too? 

In any case, a superinfection can result from antibiotics being stopped prematurely, if it isn't done the right way. I hope you told your pedi that you stopped the antibiotics (which it sounds like was the right thing to do), so that he could decide if you needed to try something different, or if the duration was sufficient. 

Thank you so much for looking this up. This is what I found after a lot of searching on the internet myself. And yes, it was definitely motor hyperactivity. Without a doubt. I don't know if she also had insomnia, exactly. She wanted to sleep sooo bad. She's been exhausted for the last three days because she is sick. All she has wanted to do is sleep. She was just having so much trouble falling and staying asleep until I took her off the drug. Anyway, I'm calling the doc tomorrow to let them know and see what's next (it was the weekend when I took her off, so she couldn't have seen the doc anyway).

KelliLynee

alicatnj:

KelliLynee:

I am a pharmacist and had never heard of this type of a reaction, so I looked it up. This is what I found from my go-to resource about CNS-type side effects: "On rare occasions, agitation or motor hyperactivity (reversible), anxiety, confusion, dizziness, insomnia, or other behavioral changes have been reported." 

So is quite rare, I've never seen it before, but it sounds like it is possible (the "motor hyperactivity" part) and also perhaps there was some insomnia from it too? 

In any case, a superinfection can result from antibiotics being stopped prematurely, if it isn't done the right way. I hope you told your pedi that you stopped the antibiotics (which it sounds like was the right thing to do), so that he could decide if you needed to try something different, or if the duration was sufficient. 

Thank you so much for looking this up. This is what I found after a lot of searching on the internet myself. And yes, it was definitely motor hyperactivity. Without a doubt. I don't know if she also had insomnia, exactly. She wanted to sleep sooo bad. She's been exhausted for the last three days because she is sick. All she has wanted to do is sleep. She was just having so much trouble falling and staying asleep until I took her off the drug. Anyway, I'm calling the doc tomorrow to let them know and see what's next (it was the weekend when I took her off, so she couldn't have seen the doc anyway).

You're welcome. If you dont want to be all "I looked it up online..." you can say you asked a pharmacist friend to look it up (and then he will at least know its from a legit source) and that confirmed your suspicions for you. : )  Hope she feels better!

DEBBIE33CASEY

i get a rash from it...hope yiour LO is better

vermont7

A few years ago I was given augmentin after a root canal. I had a terrible reaction - started out as hives, then throat swelling (ER trip and steroids), then became terrible migratory joint pain.

I would wake up each day and a new part of my body felt as if it was broken. For example, I would go to stand and my ankle would feel like it was going to snap and I would cry out in pain. The next day it would be the other ankle or a wrist, shoulder, etc. It was awful.

The doctors tested me for everything - all normal. The joint pain lasted weeks and then one day it stopped. The doctors said that they had never seen anything like that before and it is definitely not a common/known reaction. I think you did the right thing. 

PrincessFiona9

I just want to say the one time I took augmenton, I crapped my pants. literally. I will never take it again.