allergic to most antibiotics

Any suggestions on what a young child with multiple drug allergies should do? She has had an aggressive form of strep A for over a month and now has a raging ear infection, fevers of 102.5 to 104. Even Hospital for Sick Children does not want to touch her without a protocal but not one can seem to come up with one...my family doc is furious with the way we have been treated but is not a specialist so cannot create protocal on her own. Any suggestions would be helpful.......help needed in Canada

  Help needed in Canada,   The medical literature contains many protocols for drug desensitization.  Here's a link to several articles authored by Mariana Castells, MD (Harvard University) which discuss drug desensitization protocols: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=(castells)+AND+antibiotic+drug+desensitization   You might also try to contact Dr. Castells to see if she can refer you to an allergist/immunologist in your area.

  Hi there, I feel so bad for you! I have a 7 year old that has survived all of these years with no ANTIBIOTICS and that is because she is ALLERGIC to every single one of them SO FAR I don't know about others. Please contact me so that we can exchange numbers, we can talk in detail and see if there is something that we can hep you WITH! my email is  ***Post is edited by moderator *** Private e-mails not allowed***Please read our Terms of Use I live in Bklyn, New York - I hope to hear from you sooner than later!

Hello there, I sadly read your posting and know first hand what it is to have a child that cannot take meds of any kind. My daughter has survived infections, flu and so much more without MEDS! If we can talk further this would help. I don't know how I can give you my info without posting too much personal information but If you want help and advise and the tools to get over this mess, I may be able to assist in some way ! I live in Bklyn, New York hope to hear back!

Hello there,  After reading your posting I was so sad, I know first hand what you are going through. My daughter of 7 years old has survived all of these years without over the counter meds and antibiotics for infections of all sorts. I would be so happy to share what we needed to do. Her doctor is so supportive but also not a specialist.  We seem to share alot of the same circumstances. I cannot believe that your child has been battling this infection for a month!  I have nipped these infections in the BUTT the moment we see the onset and there are only a limited few ways to do so. I can share what I have done.  For starters my 7 year old is 71 lbs so she is a bit on the heavier side, wonderful eater, no allergies to food at least.  We did get her allergy tested and seems like she has environmental and animal allergies. But do let me know if you want to communicate.  I have some urgent info to share it may just help you today!

I would love to hear from you. We do have a way of clearing passages to help her not get sick but this time it just got away from us. Mine also has environmental allergies and I do belive the bout of nice weather earlier in the year helped her on her way to being sick. To top it off I did have pneumonia which probably did not help the situation. Any information you can give me would be appreciated

Is this Doctor now at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Rheumatology, Immunology and Allergy? I will contact her if I found the right one. Thanks

I too have had many allergic reactions to these meds, erythromycin, Vanco, penicillin, sulfa (sp) and most recently doxycycline I have been treated for two emergency allergic reactions, the last one was back in October 2012 was rushed to the hospital by a friend and almost didn't make it. This is so a scary, I am only 24 and have three children that I fear for if I ever get another infection and can't be treated. I live in AZ and was thinking about going to mayo clinic. Please let me know if you have had any luck!

I have had severe allergic reactions to antibiotics since early childhood (i am now 40); starting with Penicillin- to the point where there were literally no "common" options for me. The last antibiotic I had been given was ceftin and I had broken out in severe hives with anaphylaxis on the 7th day. This past winter I had developed bronchitis that I couldnt shake for months. I was advised to see a specialist for treatment (as my regular doctor was reluctant to advise)- they admitted me into the hospital and gave me an antibiotic by IV (called levequin *sp). The benefit was that I was in a hospital and could be supervised if a reaction should take place and I didn't have to be on the antibiotic as long. They did prescribe prednesone as a precaution (40mgs daily) with zyrtec and benedryl (taken 5 days). I know that the levequin has some potentially bad side effects (so I have heard)- but it was literally the only option. Hoping your little one recovers quickly!!!!

In reply to Mother in Brooklyn, I would be very interested in hearing more about your positive stories as I recently discovered my 3 yr ds is allergic to all antibiotics.  In addtion, when his immune is compromised, easily is susceptible to bacterial infections. Any homeopathic remedies discovered?

I also am have bad reactions to almost all antibiotics and I have very bad reactions to anti nausea drugs like reglen and all phenothyzines. Any time I have taken any drug that is suposed to calm someone like ativan or haldol or any anti anxiety meds I become extreamly agitatted to the point of feeling helplessness and fearing I will die. MY latest reaction to antibiotic  azitromyacin was extreme panic attack. It was so bad, I didnt realize what was causing it and was in a panic for 3 days before I stopped taking it. When I went to the e.r. because I felt I couldnt breath and was unable to sleep from the panic they said there was no way it was the med. Funny when I looked it up I read time after time about this exact reaction to azithromax. Doctors  and nurses (not all, but alot) just tell you that you are over reacting. It is very frustrating. I was wondering if anyone else here gets the total panic non stop feeling when on the antibiotics. I dont think it was the fear of taking it because I had taken it before and actually asked for it because I had only mild stomach problems the last time.

thank you! I need all the help I can get!there is a doctor in New York City and her name is Gillian Shepherd and ***this post is edited by moderator *** *** private phone numbers not allowed*** Please read our Terms of Use  she does specialize in drug allergies and can do skin testing and desensitization I think she's actually the chair of allergy and for hospital which is New York Cornell Hospital.

For all the people with multiple allergies........                             i too am allergic to all antibiotics analgesia and lignocaine and latex (full blown anaphalactic shock), i have seen immunologist who are no help at all! I give a false positive to everything due to being extremely dermographic. So having a broken arm, wrist, chest inf etc im left to my own devices most of the time apart from benzodiazapines to relax or knock me out! However i have found 1 antibiotic that i dont react too, as most of you know the reaction (unless its IV) tends to occor on the second or third dose, there is an antibiotic know as Fosfomycine or Monuril which it a broad spectrum it is a 1 dose treatment of 3g in a drink, its not licensed in the UK but my GP can prescribe it as a special. Its therefore very expensive as they import it from europe and the prescription takes 3 days but it works. Garlic capsules in high doses also help. I hope this helps even one of you x

For all of those allergic to a vast array of antibiotics, I sympathize with you. Every time in my life I've received antibiotics I've had an allergic (yet thankfully mild) reaction. It occurs a few days after starting to even after stopping, depending on the dosage. I mostly just break out in hives all over and my skin becomes incredibly hot to the touch, and I believe (if I recall correctly) I even got a blister on my arm where it tends to be hottest. However, a few months ago I had my wisdom teeth removed, and because my surgeon was very cautious, she gave me antibiotics just to prevent an infection if one might attempt to form. However, knowing I was allergic I told her of this. She made an assumption (which for most people would be correct, but for me would not be) that the thing I was allergic to in antibiotics was sulfa, a common ingredient in a majority of the most commonly used antibiotics. She took a shot and missed. Using her assumption, she gave me an antibiotic from a different family than those I'd taken before, one that didn't contain sulfa. I was allergic. I've taken antibiotics from multiple families, in multiple forms (liquid, pill, etc), a different one each time I've needed them and they all give me a reaction. After I had my check up with the surgeon two weeks later and was red as a beet, she told me I needed to go see an allergist, which I did. They couldn't match any single ingredient in the various antibiotics I'd taken. I'm just flat out allergic to all of them. However, if I take benadryl simultaneously I have no reaction. Short of what I'm saying is: For those who suffer from allergies to many antibiotics, especially severely. If you can, check whether or not you've tried antibiotics that do not contain sulfa. If you haven't tried ones that do not, perhaps see an allergist and get tested to see if those that do not contain sulfa would work for you. Also, if you have merely mild reactions, try taking benadryl with it to avoid it.

I have the same problem. I recently went to the ER with a Cellulitis infection and the DR. was annoyed when he rattled off the list of antibiotics appropriate for this infection. I was allergic to all of them. So he said well I will give you Bactrum a sulfa drug, do you have a problem with that too. I said, I'm 99.9% sure I am but I would have to check with my dr. who we couldn't reach at that time. I told him I'm allergic to most antibiotics which is true, and I don't the the name of everyone off the top of my head, but I recalled 25 years ago having an issue with Bactrum, so I said I wasn't comfortable with taking it. He gave me the script for it anyway and said, "well take some benydryl 10 minutes before you and hope for the best!! What an A-hole! That was yesterday and today is Sunday, I still can't contact my DR., so I guess I'm just going to die.