Rash from Amoxicillin? - YouLookFab Forum

I have been having an interesting few months. First, a problem with my right eye (dermatitis) which has totally cleared up. Then I started feeling discomfort near one of my upper molars about 2 weeks ago. Waited a few days and since it did not go away, I saw my dentist last Friday (2/1). Took an xray and suspected something not so good going on in that tooth, so put me on amoxicillin 3x's a day and I made an appointment to see endodontist the following Friday . So now on Tuesday (2/5) I wake up to find I have an abscess (bump) on the gum over the tooth in question. Endodontist saw me right away, drained the abscess, and took a cone beam ct scan to get a better look at the tooth (isn't technology amazing). So apparently I had a cracked root on that tooth. He switched me up to a stronger antibiotic (Clindamycin). I took 3 doses of the Clindamycin and the following morning (Wed, 2/6) noticed a rash on my torso (not itchy). Called endodontist office and they told me to stop Clindamycin and go back to Amoxicillin and will be adding another (Flagyl). Took one dose of the amoxicillin and flagyl yesterday and was pleasantly surprised that the periodontist said I could come in that day to take care of the problem tooth. So by 5 pm the entire tooth (it had previous root canal) was removed and bone graft put in for a future (keeping fingers crossed) implant.

With me so far? Around 7pm I noticed the rash has spread to my arms and neck. Texted the periodontist and he told me to stop all medication and phoned in a prescription for Bactrim (a sulfa drug).

So I still have the rash. I did take a Zyrtec last night, but am thinking I may want to go Benadryl, not sure.

Has anyone ever had such a reaction to an antibiotic? If so how long did it last? I have taken Amoxicillin and Penicillin in the past and have never had such a reaction. Plus don't know if this is an allergy or just a reaction.

6 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

I’m allergic to penicillin. I don’t know about becoming allergic to an antibiotic later in life, but no doubt it happens. Happens with other allergies.

Ginger

My brother is allergic to Amoxicillin, also presenting as a rash. this was over 20 years ago when he was a child then. To my knowledge none of the rest of us are currently allergic to it. But yes, a rash in response to antibiotic is fairly common. I hope your tooth gets better soon as well!

Ang

Active Member

I'm allergic to both amoxicillin and clindamycin. Amoxicillin makes me swell up almost immediately, and clindamycin presented as a drug rash a few days after I completed the course. The rash basically popped up overnight across my whole body and took about 7-10 days to fully clear up. It didn't itch, and benadryl didn't really help.

L'Abeille

That could be a rash from the amoxil or the clindamycin. Drug rashes from antibiotics often continue to spread (and even first emerge) after the culprit drug was stopped. It is certainly possible to develop an allergy to a drug that you previously tolerated. You would have to do testing in future to determine which was safe to use, or just avoid both those drug families in future.

Is the endodontist sure you still need to be on an antibiotic now that the abscess has been drained? (The bone graft might be the reason.) Because sulfa drugs are MORE likely to cause drug rashes than other antibiotics, so your no-go list might get even longer. Have you talked to your primary care provider?

nemosmom

My older son (6) is allergic to amoxicillin and penicillin. His presented as a rash (upper torso, back, arms) that grew over 4 days. Took about a week for the rash to subside. He can take ceftin or cefdinir without issue.

taylor

I do this exact thing with Sulpha drugs in the form of hives . Highly allergic

Since Amoxicillin is from the Penacillin family sounds like that may be where your allergy lies.

cloud9

Amoxicillin gave me hives too. My (may be outdated) understanding is that penicillin family antibiotics have build up and cannot take too close each time. May need months in between courses.

Anonymous

Yes! I did!

I had an over the top localized allergic reaction to a plant that became a deep tissue bacterial infection and I went through three different antibiotics because with the first two, a curious rash of tiny red bumps started to spread from my torso.

It really surprised me because I've used antibiotics so rarely I don't know how I managed to develop reactivity.

Lucy

Yes, I am allergic to Keflex, but seem to be ok with other antibiotics from other families. Doctors always told me to ditch any antibiotic, even if the rash is mild, because they don't know how it will turn out if you keep using it, and whether it could move to throat swelling. I was a bit surprised - I have a few food allergies that cause the same rash, and I was never overly concerned, but multiple doctors have seemed far more concerned about the antibiotic rash.
So it is definitely possible, and something to be wary of. I have found that strong antihistamines (the ones aimed at "rash" rather than sinus) helped, but not fully.

Style Fan

I am allergic to penicillin. I get a rash and my tongue swells up. Not a great experience. I agree with L'Abeille and would speak with your primary care provider.

kkards

not a doctor, and not saying not to get in touch with your GP, but recommend that you speak to the pharmacist where you are getting your prescription filled....they are trained to know about drugs, reactions etc...

The rash is slightly improving. I tried one dose of benadryl and felt lousy afterwards, so went back to Zyrtec. I think once this is all over I am going to get tested for allergies to penicillin class -amoxicillin and clindamycin.

Everything that I have read online says that the rash to amoxicillin is very common and it is not an allergy, but just a reaction that can begin 3 - 10 days after starting.. The periodontist first said amoxicillin is most likely the culprit, but since I had taken it for 4 days then switched to clindamycin by endodontist (he said I needed something stronger for the infection since my tooth abscessed), he wasn't sure which one was the culprit so he put me on a sulfa drug. So far so good.

Also, spoke to pharmacist who said that either of those could have caused the reaction.

Yikes, and sorry to hear about the abcess! Glad you were able to take care if that straightaway.

Helena

What an ordeal my daughter has the same ... Non-allergic rash reaction to amoxicillin (not sure how that works but ok!) ... So basically she's to avoid it but can take different types of penicillin, and I guess in an emergency could take amox. Anyways good luck resolving everything and I hope you feel much better soon!

One week later and still have a rash on my torso. All gone from my neck, mostly gone on my arms. It has been 1 week since I stopped amoxicillin. Definitely going to get allergy tested just in case, so I don't experience a more severe reaction in the future if I need to take this antibiotic again.

Category