Cipro allergic reaction help

Hello,

Hopefully someone can help.  After being on Cipro for about 8 days (250mg 2x per day) I have noticed some problems.  It started with some difficulty in breathing but got worse last night.  After waking up very sweaty and dizzy, I attempted to get some water and ended up fainting... twice... and having some dramatic cold shivers while collapsed.  I went to the emergency room as I was a bit freaked out by the experience... but no one really had any suggestions and I was just monitored for a while and released.

It seems to me to be an allergic reaction... I have stopped taking the Cipro and will try to move on to a different treatment.  Does anyone have any advice on how to handle this if it happens again?  Can an antihistamine help to counter such reactions?  Does anyone know how long these reactions might persist after the medication is stopped?

Thanks in advance,
josh

[Dr Rajput]

Hi, symptoms are suggestive of drug allergy and are mediated by release of histamine in the body. Your body is known to hypersensitive to quinolones to which ciprofloxacin belongs to.  

The spectrum of these reactions can vary widely; reactions may present as typical allergic symptoms (eg, itching, urticaria, rash, edema) after a single dose, or may manifest as severe idiosyncratic dermatologic reaction, pulmonary (eg, pneumonitis), renal (eg, nephritis), hepatic (eg, hepatic failure or necrosis), and/or hematologic (eg, anemia, cytopenias) events, usually after multiple doses.

If drug allergy is suspected you need to discontinue the drug and report to your doctor immediately. Treatment includes anti histaminic and glucocorticoids against prescription. Even shot of adrenaline has to be given, when one is in anaphylactic shock. I suggest you to consult a skin specialist. Take care and regards.