What causes my allergic reaction to several antibiotics?
Drug allergies don’t generally happen the first time you take a medication. Although I can’t tell you why your body developed an allergy to these specific medications, allergic reactions occur when your immune system “overreacts” to a drug. Your body views the medication as a foreign invader, and begins to build a specialized antibody against it. These specialized antibodies, called IgE, release histamine to fight off the invader — which is why medication allergies are usually indicated by hives and swelling. Your allergy to amoxicillin is fairly common. In this case, your best bet is to stay away from any antibiotics in the penicillin family. You can use a cephalosporin, such as Keflex, to replace penicillin. Your doctor can also provide another broad-spectrum antibiotic such as Cipro instead of prescribing Bactrim or Zithromax. Just make sure that you always have a list of your allergies on your person. Write them down and keep them in your wallet. If you tell your physician your al
