Amoxicillin , I HATE YOU!

gogo2325

My poor litte guy (15 months)...last week he had a double ear infection so we started him on Amoxicillin with no issues, or so I thought. 5 days in, he gets a fever of 102 and throws up profusely but I didn't think anything about the Amoxicillin ..I thought he just had a bug. Then, last night, I took off his little baby shirt to get him into the bathtub and saw thousands of red hives (almost welts) all over his little body...This morning, his face is all swollen and the hives have spread into his hair, ears, just everywhere. My doctor said he has experienced an "adverse" but not an allergice reaction and that it will be fine and go away and not to worry....Well, I am worrying, I don't buy that and have stopped the Amoxicillin. We are going to the doctor TONIGHT! Anything that causes such ferocious hives has to be more than an "adverse reaction."

Anyone else have this happen to their little one(s)? How did you handle it?

aglenn

Oh, I am so sorry for your DS!  I just had this happen to me last month when I took amoxicillin for strep and it was the most miserable experience I've ever had (and this is coming from someone who was in labor for three days).  The itching is insane.  Ask your pedi if your DS can get a steroid shot to stop the reaction.  My doctor didn't want to give me one due to some other things that were going on, but I've heard that this can stop it and reverse the rash. 

aniceucchik

I am allergic to Penicillin, but J has never had it and wont since im allergic. I took the yummy bubble gum liquid all the time as a kid, but when i was in junior high i took the pill form and after i finished all the meds i got a wicked body rash. IMO, hives are an ALLERGIC reaction and in the future you should avoid all things penicillin for LO. Personally, I would try some benadryl for LO if he was really miserable. I also think your doc is absolutely wrong. However, this is all IMO only. You could also do an aveeno powder warm bath to help without medicating. You will need to get another antibiotic, esp since you stopped the amox (i would have also) since if all meds arent finished then the cold can come back worse Hope u get it all figured out!!

cooperme2871

My DD had a similar reaction the last time she was on amoxicillin. It happened after she finished taking it though, so they werent sure if it was the med or not. She is on it again for a virus, so hopefully she doesnt break out again.

golfbride11

My son just went through this.  He was put on amoxicillin for an ear infection on a Wednesday and was looking good Fri & Sat.  Then Sunday he got a fever of 103.8 which we could chase away with ibuprofen but for only a few hours.  The fever lasted 2 days, then the rash.  Our Pedi said it was roseola and that made sense, after reading about roseola.  But the rash didn't stop.  It spread all over him, his skin was so hot to touch, it was crazy.  We ended up at the ER where they had to give him an IV to rehydrate him.  They sent us off to a group of specialists where it was decided he was having an adverse reaction to amox. at the same time he was fighting a virus.  Within a few days we saw the rash move out . . . down his arms and legs, leaving swollen feet and hands that itched like crazy.  His skin is flaking off his face, ears and scalp leaving a very itchy, grouchy baby.

 Here's what we were told and what we tried:

oatmeal baths and calamine lotion for the itch - this dried him out too much so we gave him a little bit of benadryl (check with pedi)

very light clothes - his body temperature is normal but his skin felt very hot and would get worse at night.

tons of water (and even a little gatorade for flavor) - keep hydrated

We were also told that this doesn't mean he can't ever have amoxicillin again -but we're with you.  We hate it and will never give it to him again.

Good luck! 

JoLiz

I am allergic to Penicillin, Amoxicillin and Sulfa - huge puffy hives, rash, throat swells up... it's 100% awful.

DD had a double ear infection... they give her amoxicillin (I can't even give it to her... DH has to, I'm that allergic)  She was on the medication for 10 of the 14 days.. at day 10 she broke out with a huge rash and had a fever, it was bad and my doctor confirmed that yes she is also allergic to it.  I have to give her benedryl for a few days for the rash/hives to go away and tylenol for her fever. 

 

good luck to you and your LO

 

jbl126

One of my girls broke out in a head to toe rash AFTER she finished the amoxicilian.  I took her to the pedi and he couldnt be sure if it was from the amox or not but to be on the safe side she doesnt take it anymore.  It didnt seem to bother her but he told us to give her a little benadryl to help with it.  It cleared up in a couple of days.  Hope your LO feels better soon.

mmkerr

E had a cold that just wouldn't go away about a month ago and his pedi prescribed Amoxicillin. He took it for about 2-3 days, then had a similar reaction. DH stripped him down for his bath and he was covered in hives that spread all over, even his face. We took him back to the pedi the next day and she said it was hard to tell if it was a true allergic reaction or if it was an ampicillin rash that children sometimes get, but she did discontinue the Amoxicillin and prescribe Zithromax instead. The rash lasted for almost a week after we stopped the Amoxicillin.

I honestly think it was an allergic reaction, two of mine and DH's grandparents are allergic to Penicillin and it didn't just look like any rash. 

Printergirl

My DS had a rash after taking Amox. The dr won't confirm it was an allergic reaction but she has respected my wishes by not prescribing it again. I even avoided it for myself when I was nursing.

My mom and sister both are allergic to anything in that family and mom said my sister's reaction was mild the 1st time but caused breathing issues the 2nd time so she wanted me to not chance a 2nd time with it.

starlingrose

Awe Im sorry. I hope your lo feels better. Ds has pneumonia and was on Arythromyacin (sp way off) and he broke out in hives. I took pictures and took him into the dr. He said it was an allergic reaction to the meds. We were starting new foods and I was worried it was from his new foods. The doctor assured me that by the look of the rash it was not a food allergy. It is noted in ds`s medical chart and records that he cannot have that med now or any med in that ``family``.

jchic

My son had hives from amoxicillin and we were told that they would go away. We put him to sleep and then a couple hours later my husband went in to shut his window. We are so lucky that he did. My sons face had swelled up so much that he look disfigured. We had to call 911 and were told if we had gotten him a little later his throat likely would have swollen shut. So please keep a close eye on your little one. It is no amoxicillin for us anymore and we keep an epi pen close at all times.

gogo2325

holy crap, jchic....I am scared..that's it...he is sleeping with me until this clears up..I was terrified of that while he slept in his crib last night...

I want an EPI pen now and I don't want my doctor to poo-poo my fear away...this is a big deal..if this medication causes so much trouble, they should take it off the market...