Almost two weeks ago I was put on antibiotics. Simple Bactrim DS. I've been around this medication a lot, being a nurse, and have never had issues. My husband has been on it, and again, I've never had issues. The only medication I've ever had an allergic reaction to is Percocet, and my eyes swelled and filled with fluid. So I thought nothing of it when I started this drug.
As a mom and a nurse, I always read warning labels for drugs. I read the side effects very carefully so I know what to expect. And I popped the pills down without thinking. Shawn and I went on our very conservative Honeymoon, and I didn't think twice about my antibiotics unless it was 10am or 10pm when I chugged down another pill. After 24hrs, I started feeling not quite right. Considering all antibiotics make me feel nauseated, I just shrugged it off. After 72hrs on the drug, I started sleeping more. I just couldn't make myself wake up enough to want to do much. I felt exhausted, but just chalked it up to being in the sun all day for the past few days and moved on. I also started getting dizzy spells constantly. Again, I put these symptoms on the list of "Too much fun, all junk food, running around like crazy with my husband" list. Eight days after I began this medication (I was only on it for 10 days) I was lying in bed and noticed some bumps on my ankle. It was strange, but I decided it had to be bug bites I didn't notice from our vacation/honeymoon. I popped my antibiotic and went to sleep. I woke up the next morning (Thursday) feeling even more blah than before. I drank my coffee, showered, and headed off to work. I counted my pills, and was thrilled to know I only had two more days of this hell and I would start feeling better once I finished. I bought breakfast for myself because I can't take this on an empty stomach. I got to work, tried to eat, and just couldn't. It tasted like crap. I threw it away. While getting report, I started itching. Silly me just assumed it was my sunburn peeling again. I had been itchy for the past 12hrs at that point. I looked down and noticed a rash on my arms. Then I started to panic a little bit. I lifted up my scrubs and noticed that my legs were now covered in a rash and bumps. Then I checked out my stomach. Covered. A coworker noticed that my face was covered in a rash as well. I disposed of my pill in my pocket instead of taking it, just to be safe. I popped two benedryl and started my day. Within 15mins of taking the second benedryl, I began to feel a lump in my throat. Then it grew. It felt like I had a golf ball wedged in my throat. My O2 sats were good (97%) so I just kept working. My lips began to get tingly and numb, and my breathing became slightly raspy. The metalic taste came next. About 2hrs after I took the benedryl, my job sent me to the ER. Luckily I work right next door to a Hospital. Let me tell you, the attention you get when you drag yourself through the ER, with audible breathing, covered from head to toe in a rash and hives is amazing. I was immediately thrown onto a bed, crash cart in tow, and got an entire team at my side consisting of four nurses and a PA. As soon as I was put on the bed, I felt myself begin to doze off. Not allowed when you are having an allergic reaction. I was shook by the PA and forced to stay awake and answer questions. IV was started, meds pushed through my veins, and 15mins later, I was finally able to breathe again without difficulty. I fell asleep shortly after that. I woke up, glanced at the clock, the empty IV bag, and made the nurse let me go to the bathroom. 1000ml if IV fluid in roughly an hour for a woman weighing 112lbs makes you gotta pee! I still get chills thinking about it. If I hadn't noticed the rash, or taken my medication before I left the house like I originally planned instead of waiting until I got to work so I could eat first, and I probably would have gone into anaphylactic shock. It had been about 12hrs since my last dose when the allergic reaction hit me full on. I've now got to carry an EPI pen around, and since I don't know exactly how severe my allergy is to Sulfa (a major ingrediant in Bactrim DS) I am absolutely terrified. I know I will never handle the medication again without gloves on (even though we don't touch it when giving it to our patients.) But I'm still freaked out. I'm a mom of five kids! And I'm so mad at myself for not noticing the little abnormal things that could have prevented this from getting so bad, like the dizziness, and the altered food taste. I haven't slept in two days. I just can't. I don't know if I'm just scared or it's the Prednisone keeping me awake. Shawn hasn't slept in two days either. I think for me, the scariest part was when I was lying on the hospital bed, and I actually thought, "Okay, I'm tired. I don't want to try any more." After almost 3hrs of the allergy flaring it's ugly head, I was so exhausted from staying calm and breathing slow deep breaths to keep my oxygen level up, that I just didn't care. I had other medical professionals around me, and I just didn't care any more. The only thing I could think of was that it hurt to breathe.
I'm recovering nicely, but I'm just physically and emotionally exhausted. My body feels like I've tried to kill it, and my head hasn't stopped hurting in two days. I'm just so glad I'm okay. I got really lucky this time. Read warning labels. Don't dismiss symptoms. I don't care if you've taken a medication a dozen times before, read that stupid phamphlet again!
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