Ok. Let me start this from pretty much the beginning, because it gets involved.
I went to my paediatrician on Wednesday, 8 August for a yearly checkup and upon inspecting my urine paddle they saw that I had some white blood cells, etc. in it. My doctor believed that this, along with my complaints of painful urination, to be evidence of a bladder infection and put me on Bactrim DS (a sulfa medication) which I was to take twice a day for two weeks. (The dosage was never put on the bottle). I picked up the Bactrim on Friday, 10 August.
I took the medication for the remainder of that week, with no problems except that I noticed small, bloody-looking spots on my thighs and around the insides of my knees. At first I thought they were just broken blood vessels, as I had started exercising more recently. (I now recognize them as petechiae, a form of rash which are apparently caused by some allergic reactions.)
Near the beginning of the next week, I suddenly woke up one morning after a restless night with a feverish feeling, chills, an intense headache, waivering ability to visually focus, and a swollen but not sore throat. Throughout the day it got progressively better, but as the night returned so did my symptoms and I did not sleep at all the second night. My mother called the paediatrician that morning (Thursday, the 16th), but he was to be out until Monday. We went to another family doctor who inspected my skin and was told my symptoms, and he took me off of the Bactrim and I am now on 500 mg of Amoxicillin, three times daily.
Since I have no more chills, headache, swollen, throat, etc. Everything has gone except for the petechiae, which seem to be spreading and it has me nervous.
Also, with the start of this medication my vagina (or my urethra, it is hard for me to determine which) becomes not sore, but has an aching sensation on and off. It is rather strange, and the reason I posted this in the first place.
Could this still be a side effect of the Bactrim coming out of my system? could it be the amoxicillin? Is the amoxicillin not at a strong enough dosage?
Also, I was wondering if there are any GPs on the website, or someone who knows about general health, if they could tell me whether or not this spreading rash (petechiae) is a bad thing? They are now pretty much all over my body, congregating on my arms and legs and seem to like my left side more than my right side.
Thank you very much to anyone who can help, and I am sorry this was so long.
Bactrim for UTI's is prescribed as Bactrim DS--one standard dose. MANY, MANY people have issues with sulfa drugs and mainly do not develop them (the ones you have described; HA, swollen throat, redness, itching, etc) many times until you have been on them for some period of time.
Drink plenty of water to flush this sulfa out of your body. It takes a few days before it's fully gone out of your system. The aching in the vulva? It can be from the med, it's an atypical complaint.
Amoxicillin can be used to treat the infection and it's fine for those who are allergic to sulfa drugs. It's not the most ideal (the amox) but it's okay.
Now on to the most concerning part of your post...the small red areas you are noting--if you are scratching you are damaging your tissue put some Aveno oatmeal on your body and shower it off and follow it with the same moisturizer (do not bathe with it). Now, if you are not scratching (either awake or while sleeping) to cause these, I would say call the doc now or get yourself to a Emergency room...true Petechiae is caused from a very serious infection and you need IV antibiotics ASAP. There are also other causes which require an immediate blood test to be done--a CBC, etc.
I am not a MD...just a ER RN (20 years) & Family Nurse Practitioner...but this is serious if what you are describing as Petechiae IS happening. It probably is increased on one side since that is the side you are resting or sleeping on...
If you place a finger on the spotted area and press lightly, if the area does not blanch (turn slightly white) for less a period of time of about 2 seconds---GET TO THE ER ASAP.
[QUOTE=sera300;190939]Bactrim for UTI's is prescribed as Bactrim DS--one standard dose. MANY, MANY people have issues with sulfa drugs and mainly do not develop them (the ones you have described; HA, swollen throat, redness, itching, etc) many times until you have been on them for some period of time.
Drink plenty of water to flush this sulfa out of your body. It takes a few days before it's fully gone out of your system. The aching in the vulva? It can be from the med, it's an atypical complaint.
Amoxicillin can be used to treat the infection and it's fine for those who are allergic to sulfa drugs. It's not the most ideal (the amox) but it's okay.
Now on to the most concerning part of your post...the small red areas you are noting--if you are scratching you are damaging your tissue put some Aveno oatmeal on your body and shower it off and follow it with the same moisturizer (do not bathe with it). Now, if you are not scratching (either awake or while sleeping) to cause these, I would say call the doc now or get yourself to a Emergency room...true Petechiae is caused from a very serious infection and you need IV antibiotics ASAP. There are also other causes which require an immediate blood test to be done--a CBC, etc.
I am not a MD...just a ER RN (20 years) & Family Nurse Practitioner...but this is serious if what you are describing as Petechiae IS happening.
If you place a finger on the spotted area and press lightly, if the area does not blanch (turn slightly white) for less a period of time of about 2 seconds---GET TO THE ER ASAP.[/QUOTE]
They do not itch, are not raised, do not cause a burning sensation, and give me no physical discomfort whatsoever. From pictures of petechiae-purpura I have seen on medical websites and the like, that is why I am fairly safely assuming that is what it is. Also they do not go away with the "glass test" (they do not blanche when under pressure, the area around them however, does.)
I read from several sources that when occuring as part of an allergic reaction they go away on their own? When I showed the paediatrician I went to (the one who prescribed me the amox) and his RN my skin they didn't seem dreadfully concerned. He is a very trustworthy doctor, so I am wondering and hoping if this is just part of the reaction to the sulfa?
It can be caused by an allergic reaction but there are other causes as well which require blood work. If it has increased, it would do as I suggested.
Thank you very much :).
[QUOTE=sera300;190943]It can be caused by an allergic reaction but there are other causes as well which require blood work. If it has increased, it would do as I suggested.[/QUOTE]
Would I have any other sensations/symptoms to suggest something wrong with me? ie, a low platelet count, would I be pale or feel weak or nauseous?
I'm sorry that I'm not well-versed in all this, it just seems like if it were an illness or physical abnormality that there would be other signs in conjunction. . .
Infections can move into the blood stream which cause sepsis. Bladder infections & kidney can change to urosepsis. Most common symptoms are fever, chills, malaise, fatigue, changes in blood pressure, dizziness, and increased heart rate. Call the doctor...someone is on call and will return your phone call even after hours.
I have seen many patients with sulfa reactions, and other medication/bee sting reactions, both acute and others as delayed responses.
Generally a patient with an allergy will be red as if they put their face in a hot oven with other dermal demarcations on their body. Given you changed antibiotics on Thursday (last dose either that am or the night before) and it's now Sat. night and the markings have increased; as a nurse in the ER or as a NP I would rather have a patient get checked and sent home due to an "allergic response" then to wonder if it's something more severe. And no, Thrombocythemia does not have to have accompanying symptoms.
Please do not diagnose yourself on the internet, it's a good resourse for general info. A hands on exam should be done, either see the doc or make the call to him/her. If you were my patient (from what you have described to me) I would sent you to an ER, or get my rump out of bed and meet you there, or meet you in the office and run the labs there after I calibrated the "lab work" machines to be certain.