# The Flu 2 : The Itching **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 28, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flu-2-the-itching/333090 "2005-11-28T19:10:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flu-2-the-itching/333090/1 "2005-11-28T19:10:47Z")
I may be allergic to Amoxicillin. Either that, or it’s a standard sometimes-occurring side effect, as the doctor suggests. The side effect or symptom is a full-body red-dot itchy rash. The itching is resistable - after all, I’ve endured poison ivy - but it’s so widespread that I can scratch no itch at all, for fear of aggravating the rash. The doctor had me discontinue the Amox, which is wonderful, unless the ear infection resurges - I won’t miss the Amox’s stomach side effects. Still, I hope the itching leaves soon - the worst spots are between my fingers. When I bend them very far, the itching intensifies. Sigh. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flu-2-the-itching/333090/2 "2005-11-28T20:42:43Z")
Hmmm. When I developed similar symptoms in a similar situation, my doctor said it was most likely a new allergy to the penicillin. (Of course, I haven’t \*seen \* your rash, and am \*not \* a doctor, so this comment is worth precisely nothing.) ---
**Author:** ![poeticyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6bbea6/32.png) [@poeticyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/poeticyde)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flu-2-the-itching/333090/3 "2005-11-28T20:47:36Z")
Sounds like a classic allergic reaction to it to me…being that’s how _my_ allergic reaction to pennicillin started. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flu-2-the-itching/333090/4 "2005-11-28T20:48:05Z")
Well, I’m itchy and puffy, but no difficulty breathing, so I’m not sure. I’ll probably try some Benadryl this evening, see if it helps. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flu-2-the-itching/333090/5 "2005-11-28T21:00:37Z")
Oh , this brings back very bad memories for me. Long about 1985 or '86, I was taking amoxicillin for bronchitis, I believe. I was near the end of the prescription , and had gone back to work, when the itching began. My hands turned beet red and developed donut shaped hives that stood 1/4 inch high, and visibly stood out, being pale white against the red ov my hands. My fingers swelled up like sausages; I was unable to even bend them. This happened in less than 3 hours. I had to drive home, using my wrists against the steering wheel , since I couldn’t bend my fingers. I went to my parent’s house , and my mother , being the wonderful woman she was, said she simply couldn’t drive at night to help me get to the hospital. By this time, I was getting hives on my scalp and back, and breathing was becoming difficult. I called my father home from work , and he DID come home and get me to the ER, where I was given several injections and a perscription . I was told if I had waited another hour or so , my throat would have closed completely, as there were hives IN my throat , and I would have suffocated. Very , very scary. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flu-2-the-itching/333090/6 "2005-11-28T21:04:23Z")
Yikes! Yeah, this is a much slower-seeming reaction. And less… puffy than all that. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flu-2-the-itching/333090/7 "2005-11-29T02:26:48Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > Yikes! > > Yeah, this is a much slower-seeming reaction. And less… puffy than all that. OK… but if it GETS WORSE or you develop hives or ESPECIALLY if you have breathing difficulties **get to an ER immediately!** Allergies don’t always come on full-blown at once. This time you might get a rash… next time maybe hives… then the time after that even worse… The doc was right to have you stop taking the amoxicilian. Better safe than sorry, it’s not the only antibiotic out there, after all. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flu-2-the-itching/333090/8 "2005-11-29T06:19:25Z")
I have taken amox and penicillian many many times in my 25 years - with no ill effects. A few years ago, I was taking one or the other for an ear infection. With one day to go, I developed an awful rash - right under my left boob. I called the doctor who told me to take Benedryl. It helped the itch but because of the unfortunate location of the rash, it didn’t go away for over a month. Other than being rather annoying, the reaction didn’t get any worse. I am now not allowed to take either. Luckily - I haven’t had to since then. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flu-2-the-itching/333090/9 "2005-11-29T13:58:31Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > OK… but if it GETS WORSE or you develop hives or ESPECIALLY if you have breathing difficulties **get to an ER immediately!** > > Allergies don’t always come on full-blown at once. This time you might get a rash… next time maybe hives… then the time after that even worse… > > The doc was right to have you stop taking the amoxicilian. Better safe than sorry, it’s not the only antibiotic out there, after all. What distinguishes “hives” from a mere “rash”? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flu-2-the-itching/333090/10 "2005-11-30T01:18:02Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > What distinguishes “hives” from a mere “rash”? A rash is typically a low-lying skin irritation - red spots, redness, flaking, etc. Hives are like mosquito bites from hell ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flu-2-the-itching/333090/11 "2005-11-30T17:32:39Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > A rash is typically a low-lying skin irritation - red spots, redness, flaking, etc. > > Hives are like mosquito bites from hell Well, I have little experience with Mosquito bites - but suffice to say, this seems more like a rash. And has faded still-further. But thanks for the info.