Allergic to vancomyacin

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Specializes in LTC/Rehab, Med Surg, Home Care.

I found out the hard way, I'm allergic to vancomycin. I had no problems taking it on the first three days, on day four I started getting itchy feet. It got progressively worse as the evening wore on, so I took a few steps to try and help. Oatmeal soak in cool water to the feet, benadryl, and an ice pack to my feet.

It was minimally helpful, but I did call and get advice from our local ER. Decided to call into work and then went to bed with the plan to see my MD in the morning.

I was so restless all night, but DH said that helped him because he was afraid that I'd stop breathing so my restlessness helped him.

I woke up covered in welts. Everywhere. I had to take my rings off, my hands were getting swollen, etc. So I get to the MD and he starts me on prednisone. Get home, and the pred. seems to be helping, the itching subsides, and I was able to get som rest.

Then about 10 hours later, I started up with the itching and breaking out in NEW welts. I had another miserable night. I woke up covered with new welts all over again. Talked to the pharmicist about the 1/2 life of the vanco, and how much time I had before things would settle down. Called the MD back and made an apt. DH and I were driving to the clinic and literally moments before we arrived, my throat started itching.

I told DH not to panic, but to drive to ER instead. I never had SOB and my lungs remained clear--but that was THE scariest feeling in the world, with my throat getting itchy. Within 30 min, I was hooked up to an IV, with zantac IVPB, and had IVP benadryl and IVP solumedrol.

Within 15 minutes all the itchy was gone, and the welts were nearly gone.

Honestly, I had no idea an allergic reaction could be like that. Miserable, absolutely miserable.

Guess who will be extra careful about asking her pts about allergies?

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Specializes in ICU, nutrition.

Similar experience with amoxicillin. It was the second time I'd ever taken it, and I started breaking out with hives on the 7th day. The next day, progressively worse till I couldn't breathe!

Made me a stickler for checking allergies, that's for sure!

Glad you made it through.

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Specializes in ICU.

Zithromax made my legs itch, but it never got any worse than that.

Thanks for sharing, and for the reminder to be extra careful w/ allergies! Glad you are OK!

:paw:

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Zithro for me too, with the full hives/SOB etc. Not only am I extra careful to ask about allergies but I also restate the name of the drug to the patient when I'm giving it...just in case...

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Oy vey better avoid the MRSA like crazy eh? As I think Vacomyacin is about the last resort eh? Or is there an alternative? I read in my micro book that we now even have strains of S. aureus that is Vacomyacin resistant.....ouch

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

I was in 6th grade and sitting in class. I had a rash developing on my back. My friend was sitting behind me and looked at my shoulder for me and I had welts. I had been on Amoxicillin for something and my mom came home from work and called the pharmacy and he told her to have me quit taking it. The next day I had to do the medrol dose pack and I felt better.

I was 19 and took Bactrim for the first time. I had taken a few days worth, and woke up one morning with hives on the bottom of my feet. Called the pharmacy and asked them what the heck it could possibly be. They told me to quit taking the bactrim. I took some benedryl that my grandma gave me and got dressed and went to work. I had called the doctor's office and they gave me a script for a medrol dose pack and told me to continue with the benedryl. I never had any trouble breathing, but I was MISERABLE.

I am deffinately careful about allergies with all my patients.

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