Dentists- GRRRRRR!

[Debbrn]

Like everyone else here I have to take antibiotics before I go to the dentist. I can't take penicillin because I had a rash while taking it as a toddler. I take clindamycin instead. The only problem is that clindamycin gives me SEVERE heart burn even with pepcid AC.

Plan A: Get allergy testing done for penicillin. Problem it is no longer done by one of the premiere allergists in the area.

Plan B: Work with a pharmicists to try to relieve the heart burn. Problem-the pharmacists said that with the dose of clindamycin that I have to take that if pepcid did not work, that probably nothing else would work.

Plan C: Work with the dentist to try a test dose of Cephalexin before taking the large dose to actually visit the dentist. Problem- Dentist office called me back and left a message. The message stated that I should not be having that severe of a problem and maybe I was taking too big of a dose. The dose consists of only 2-150mg tablets and to call back tomorrow. In actually the dose for clindamycin is 4-150mg tablets and the dentist office is who calls in the prescriptions for me. The reason that they have the updated version is that I had to fax the new protocol several years ago because they were going to call in a presciption for the old protocol. And to top it off the dentist's son was also born with TOF and I am always able to teach him more about his son's condition. The dentists uses no more than 10-15 medications and he obviously doesn't know much about them.

It may be time for a new dentist.

Any one have any other suggestions. I will give you an update when I find out more.

Debbie

 

[Ross]

I think I'd try Amoxicillin and see if the rash appears again. I have a feeling it won't now that your older. If you can get along with it, 4-500mg capsules 1 hour before your appointment.

 

[Debster]

Hey Debbie! I have the same problem with penicillin antibiotics-when I was little I got a bad rash from them...as an adult I took Biaxin, which as the pharmacist said, would give me a 10 percent chance of getting a rash. Well-I turned into a big tomato rash head to toe. I take Keflex now with no problem...good luck-Debbie

 

[sue943]

Amoxicillin is penicillin, if you had a rash once I wouldn't suggest taking it unless you have medical help standing by in case of a violent reaction. My mother was allergic to penicillin and it almost killed her.

 

[Paul_N]

This is always an interesting topic for me. I think I'm one of the few who has gone from taking oral antibiotics before my surgery, to injections after my surgery. I get 1 gram of amoxicilan an hour before and a 1 gram 6 hours after. A total of 4 injections in the rear ... 2 before and 2 after. I end up having to take the whole day off from work for a 30 minute visit to the dentist because of the shots. The nurses at work won't administer them, so I work with the medics on my fire department at home. most of the time, it's my brother in-law. Believe me ... he's seen more of me than I'd care to have him see!

Does anyone remember how that stuff burns when they shoot you in the rear? I hop around like a monkey for the first 5 minutes after getting them!

My cardio is the one who made the switch. I've tried a number of times to talk him into going back to oral, but to no avail.

 

[tommy]

The rash could be yeast infection. The anitbiotic kills the good bacteria as well as the bad. Talk to your doc about that.

 

[geebee]

I take Keflex despite many doctors and dentists, over the years, telling me it is not recommended for dental procedures. I actually have a copy of the AHA guidleines showing it as an option.

I am allergic (or had reactions) to just about everything else.

Keflex causes gut problems if take for a number of days but I have never had an issue with the dental dose.

 

[twinmaker]

I also had problems with penicillin as a child. Several years ago, I had allergy testing done specifically to see if I was still allergic to it. My cardiologist really wanted to give me penicillin and ordered the allergy test. It turned out that as an adult, I wasn't allergic to it any longer. The allergist said he sees this quite frequently. I wouldn't suggest that you try penicillin without the allergy testing. But I do think that it's worth a try to do the allergy testing and see where you stand now. LINDA

 

[lance]

Had similar experience to penicillin

Had similar experience to penicillin

Hi Debbrn:

Experienced same problem to penicillan as you did.

Prior to dental apointments I take Cephalexin 8 x 250 mg 1 hour prior to appointment. I have been taking it for years without apparent side effects.

If Clindamycin is a purple capsule I reacted to it the second time I took it.

 

[Karlynn]

I take Clindamycin because it doesn't do anything to my stomach. Sorry to hear you have problems with it. What about Erythromycin? Although it is the reason I use Clindamycin. I literally had to stop 2 times on the way to the dentist to throw up after premedicating with Eryth.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

My cardiologist gave me a wallet size foldout form published by the American Heart Association for patients that need protection from Bacterial Endocarditis. (I now use option 3.c. below).

1. Standard prophylaxis: 2000 mg Amoxicillin one hour before dental procedure

2. Ampicillin 2000 mg IM or IV within 30 minutes of procedure for patients unable to take oral medication

3. Allergic to above:
a. Clindamycin 600 mg orally one hour before, or
b. Cephalexin or Cefadroxil 2000 mg one hour before, or
c. Azithromycin (a.k.a. Z-pak) 500 mg orally one hour before procedure.

FWIW, I've been taking 500 mg of Azithromycin for all dental procedures after becoming mildly reactive to Amoxicillin. NO PROBLEMS and NO REACTIONS to either skin or GI tract.

For a combination upper (esophagus) and lower endoscopy (a.k.a. colonoscopy) I received IV antibiotics Vancomycin plus gentamicin. See AHA recommendations for details.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[Debbrn]

Al- I have the same wallot card. I also got IV vanc for my EGD. I ended up getting a mild case of red man syndrome and was given IV benadryl to relieve the symptoms.

Karlynn- I was glad that they stopped using the erythromycin because it made me sick as a dog. It tied my stomach in knots and made me very nauseated with some vomiting.

Linda- I would love to have the penicillin allergy testing done, but apparantly they are having trouble getting the skin test. So presently that is not an option. Everyone suspects that I am not actually allergic to penicillin, but no one will prescribe it until I prove I am not.

Thank everyone for all the responses. I still have not heard anything final from the dentist.

Debbie

 

[Ann L]

Since we're on the topic of antibiotics before dental visits, I've read that Cipro is most commonly prescribed for cystitis and such but it's what I take before my dental visits because of allergies and mild reactions to most other antibiotics (especially pencillian). I was just wondering if anybody else takes Cipro before their visit? Thanks.

 

[Debbrn]

The dentist agreed to try the cephalexin. I took a small dose 2 times and then a medium dose 1 time over the past couple of weeks. I took the big dose (2 grams) today before I went to the dentist. No problems. YEAH! For the first time in years I was not nauseated or having chest pain from reflux.

Debbie

 

[PJmomrunner]

I've been reading a lot about antibiotic allergies lately because my daughter had a allergic reaction (rash and swollen lips) to cephalexin last week. We were told that because she has reacted to a cephalosporin she cannot take any of that type of drug any more, nor will she be given a penicillin drug because there is a 10% chance that she will also be allergic to that. I guess I'm glad to hear you all manage, but I am bummed that she can't take most of the more simple antibiotics.

I did come across info that says if you had a rash when taking an antibiotic as a young child it is likely that the rash was a part of whatever sickness you had to cause you to be taking the antibiotic in the first place and not a true allergy to antibiotics, which is uncommon in young children. That's a fine "probably," but who wants to risk anaphylaxis to test it? If you can't get a doctor to administer a test, you really have not choice but to avoid the possible allergen.