Mast Cell Disorders Forum

Mast Cell Disorders Forum
http://mastcelldisorders.wallack.us/yabb/YaBB.pl General Mast Cell Disorders Discussion >> Mast Cell Triggers >> Antibiotics http://mastcelldisorders.wallack.us/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1367445698 Message started by Starflower on 05/01/13 at 11:01:38

Title: Antibiotics
Post by Starflower on 05/01/13 at 11:01:38

Last week I had a procedure (ahem) at my GYN's office. "Just to be safe" she asked me to take an antibiotic for a few days. I was so relieved that the procedure went much better than I expected... I forgot to be careful about the antibiotic. Silly me.

I had a bad reaction to tetracycline as a teenager. Not anaphylaxis exactly... it made the hairy parts of my body very, very itchy (as in... "I know it looks bad that I'm scratching my groin, but..."). So... for years my charts have included "allergy to tetracycline." My GYN prescribed "vibramycin." I didn't think about it when I filled the Rx and took the first dose, but... the generic is doxycycline, a close relative of tetracycline. The second dose made me vomit >:( As I was laying on the couch, waiting for the horrible dizzy/nauseated feeling to go away, I put 2 and 2 together.

Gah!!! >:( >:( >:(

I share this story for two reasons...

1) When you get a new drug... run it through Dr. Google

2) I know that antibiotics are pretty common triggers/allergens, but I'm not allergic to the most common one (penicillin). Are there certain classes we should be more careful of than others?

Heather

Title: Re: Antibiotics
Post by Joan on 07/05/13 at 20:42:50

Some antibiotics can cause direct histamine release, so they should be avoided. Doxycycline is one, and the fluoroquinolones (Cipro, Avelox, Levaquin, etc.) are, too. They should all be avoided if possible.

If there's a very serious disease and only one of the 'avoid' antibiotics will work, then a mast cell doctor should be consulted.

Some people can tolerate Zithromax very well.

Title: Re: Antibiotics
Post by Joan on 08/28/13 at 18:49:25

BTW, there was a new warning this past week about quinolone antibiotics causing permanent nerve damage in some patients. As long as there are alternatives, it might be good to avoid them, especially if you're a mast cell patient.