Medical people: I recently had to stop taking Amoxicillin after I developed a rash. This is supposed to have happened because in 1996 I had Glandular Fever. What is the connection? Why do I get a rash after taking antibiotics because I had a virus 6 years ago?
My dentist indicated that the rash can have serious effects. I’m quite surprised by that as it looked harmless enough. Is it true that it can become fatal? I tried searching for information, but all I could find was page after page warning not to give Amoxicillin to people who’d had Glandular Fever without going into detail.
My pharmacist seemed to think that I wouldn’t have a problem with Amoxicillin because it’s been so long since I had GF. Am I likely to be able to take Amoxicillin again in the future, or will I have to avoid it for the rest of my life?
I don’t think there’s any relation between a previous bout of “Glandular Fever” (mononucleosis) and your recent Amoxicillin rash.
It is true, though, that people in the throes of mononucleosis are much more likely to get a rash from amoxicillin than those who aren’t suffering from mono (~75% of mono patients treated with amoxil get a rash). ASFAIK, this propensity disappears as the person recovers from the mono. A rash six years later is pure coincidence.
I am allergic to a couple different antibiotics. The reaction I get is an itchy rash across my upper torso.
If you did have an allergic reaction, you need to make sure that this information is in your medical records. Allergic reactions that are mild with the first exposure can be deadly with subsequent exposure.
We learned 95% of people with mono get a rash after taking either amoxicillin or ampicillin. For this reason, I tend to prescribe good ol’ pencillin for 13 year olds instead.
I agree the second rash has little to do with the mono. But since there are lots of alternatives, I would take something else.
I had a strep-throat last summer and took amoxicillin for it. I had taken it before with no side effects. I’ve taken it since my last bout of mono with no ill effects. This last time kicked my ass though. I broke out with the mentioned rash over 80% of my body or so. I looked like a tomato. Very gross looking. I got pictures, truely nasty. I started taking a different anti-biotic and the strep went away pretty quickly. My rash didnt. When it finally did a week or so later it itched. Horribly bad. The worst experience of my adult life. I went through about 6 bottles of Benedryl spray and cream. I’m a 28 year old male with no other alergies.
dead0man…all spelling errors were purposly not corrected because I’m lazy
Keep in mind that not all drug rashes are true allergies, and the rash associated with Mono and Amoxil is a case in point. The vast majority of people who experienced this type of reaction can safely take most other cillins, including Amoxil. But consult your own doctor before trying this, to be safe.
Thanks for the feedback. I immediately assumed that the rash was related to the GF because a) I had been warned that a rash was the side effect I was likely to experience if I’d had GF and b) Because, despite the years that have passed, I have never recovered from GF, and still feel like I’m affected by it. This could be related in a different way - GF triggered Fibromyalgia Syndrome for me, and as a result I’ve been experiencing chemical and food sensitivities over the years. To suddenly find myself having a reaction to penicillin after taking a LOT of cillins over the years stuck me as odd, and so of course I related it back to my big health problem.