help ?DRUG REACTION??

[seska]

hi guys

quick question (andf yesn i hav rung my rheumy aw well! lol)

today i come out in huge rash evrywhere statred small but looks like allergy, lips and hands are swollen and handfs and feet itch like crazy, lips swell . raised white bumps all over - large and small - skin all red and raised its all joining togethher in patches............all over me and face and neck swollen some eyes itch too.....

have started mepacrine last week - do yuo thikn itt mihgt be that? i did take it todayf........

thanks for yuor help guys


love sesk x x x

[amysgarden2]

Seska,

I am not sure what caused it but it sounds like a strong allergic reaction! Take a strong dose of Benadryl (diphenhydramine) right away to help with the reaction.

If you have any trouble breathing or swallowing call an ambulance!

I HOPE YOU FEEL BETTER SOON.
Amy :wave:

[carrie]

awww seska, i cant answer this but sending you soft hugs
http://smilies.sofrayt.com/1/k/pftroest.gifhttp://smilies.sofrayt.com/1/k/pftroest.gifhttp://smilies.sofrayt.com/1/k/pftroest.gifhttp://smilies.sofrayt.com/1/k/pftroest.gifhttp://smilies.sofrayt.com/1/k/pftroest.gifhttp://smilies.sofrayt.com/1/k/pftroest.gif

[Clare.T]

I am sorry Seska. Maybe it's lessening and you have had medical advice. If not I think you should go to ER at once
I hope it's better very soon

Clare :flowers: :luck:

[Sannie]

Hi Seska

Having just talked to you on MSN you must go to A&E straight away!

Let us know what happens.

Love
Sannie

[Maxx]

Seska!

I sure hope you have gone to the hospital!

You must be having a reaction to something.

Love, Deb

[3forme]

GO TO ER, please!!!!!
Keep us posted, please.
IF YOU HAVEN"T GONE TO ER YET

GO NOW

Many thoughts, 3forme

[seska]

hello my friends

thankyou and sorry for worrying you!

I did as told (for once lol) and went to A&E at St Thomas. Got seen fairly quickly.

Basically told I had an anaphylactic reaction - probably to the mepacrine I have recently started. Also told that in all likelyhood the reaction has flared my SLE resulting in multiple joint swellings ouch (doc said that is not usual for allergic reaction) ........ my hands have ballooned and I have never been in so much pain in my hands and wrist before.......

still, I have a week supply of 20mg Prednisolone....... hooray

but no more mepacrine :cry: - hope there's another alternative as I cant take chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine (plaquenil)

doc is also going to speak to rheumy in morning about seeing me this week or next and then calling me back afterward

THANKYOU so much guys..............

im off to bed for a long, long time.....

love sesk :flowers:

[gladm]

Hi Seska. :wave:
So sorry to hear of your recent set back. :(
Glad to hear that you went to the ER. Hope you improve soon. love gladm. :sick: :nurse:

[Maxx]

Seska,

Glad you went to the Er!
Hope you are better soon.
love, Deb

[seska]

ps - it is best to take the Pred at any particular time of the day?? the doc didnt tell me appart from taking the initial dose last night.......

thanks, love sesk :flowers:

[Sannie]

Hi Seska

If they really thought you had an anaphylactic reaction, I am very surprised they have discharged you so quickly and treated you with just 20mg of prednisilone.

How long are you supposed to take the pred for?

What happens about reducing/stopping it?

It is best to take it very early in the morning so it does'nt disturb your sleep too much - and best to take it with some toast or other food if it is'nt the e.c tablets.

I hope you get over this quickly.

Love
Sannie

[seska]

hi Sannie

yeh, I was a little surprised by his saying that too - i had expected them to give me antihistamines - what the doc said was an 'anaphylactic type' reaction - i.e. not as severe as full blown anaphylaxis and it had partially started to recover without treatment (which happily! - i think is the reason they let me go home - phew)- he said the treatment with Pred was to ensure it didnt turn into full anapylaxis (which he said happens in a percentage of untreated cases) and to come back via ambulance if my throat swelled up again - which fortunately it didnt. Today my rash has almost entirely dissapeared and I am left with quite swollen hands, wrists and feet - so not too bad considering. On the pred he said take it for 4 days and then stop and then wait to see what lupus guys have to say.

thanks sannie - thankyou for your help :)

love sesk

[Manda]

Hi Seska, l what a nightmare!

lots of love! :nurse: :nurse: :nurse:

Manda

[Lily]

Oh Sesk what are we going to do with you :rolleyes: :D

Usually anaphalactic shock or variants of come on very quickly after taking something. Did you do anything else differently before it happened? Like Sannie I'm a bit surprised they sent you home with pred and then said take it for 4 days then stop...............won't this fool around with your Lupus, just stopping like that?
Just my thoughts, we are all different I guess.

love
Lily

[HelenS]

hi seska, so glad to hear you got this all sorted out. what a scare. i keep benadryl on hand at home because i live out in the countryside some distance from a hospital and i have had reactions to meds in the past - very, very itchy rashes all over my bod. keeping the anti histamine on hand buys me some time to get to the hospital if it happens again. take care. helen.

[seska]

Hi Lily

yeh, the reaction came on within an hour of taking mepacrine + my other drugs (I only take it twice a week) and none of my other drugs are new - I cant think of anything else that could of caused it - but then there are millions of possibilities - I guess i might not know for sure ever.

I can only guess that they sent me home as the anaphylactoid reaction hadn't developed into full anaphylactic shock - the doc kept stressing to come back in an ambulance if it got any worse and they did keep me in the hosp for a couple hours to make sure I was ok.

as far as stopping the pred - he said just to stop it after the 4 days, but to keep an eye on things as this could potentially put me in a flare (the reaction, not stopping the pred).

thanks again

love sesk