Penicillin allergy?? Here's my short story on that...

[drsdonthelp]

Today can be marked down as the most unsuccessful doc's appt. I have ever had!! I am dead serious!!

First, I arrived at my appt. for 1:30, I had to wait about 20 mins. then when I get in, I had to wait again and fill out a ton of paperwork on what kind of allergies I had,  I was only there to get a stinking allergy test done to see if I was allergic to penicillin, not for all the other bologna that I was questioned about. My mom was waiting in the car with my two kids and my niece (since I do not drive). I did not know how horribly long this rediculous appt. was going to last!

The "Doc." comes in and starts talking about my family doc. (asking me their personal business) I was like, I cannot elaborate on their personal life, It's not my business, they are my doctors and that is it. (WOW) I am thinking, he is trying to be friendly, funny, ,,, NOSY!! Anyway,,,,, he then started to ask me about my "Lyme" diagnosis, and who "this guy is" (my LLMD), I would start to explain and fill him in on things and I got the hand  up in my face motion, as in, (Ok, I've heard enough), then, he said, well your tests are negative for lyme so how could "he" say you have lyme? Once again, I tried to explain and I got the roll of the eyes.. ( Now I am getiing p**ed!!! )

Next, I was put through a breathing test, blow into the tube 3 x's and then have a nebulizer treatment then do the breathing test again... at this point I am thinking "ARE YOU FREAKIN KIDDING ME, I AM HERE TO SEE IF I AM ALLERGIC TO PENICILLIN", I now, am breathing through a tube and trying to text my sister so she could call my mom that is sitting in the car with all the kids to just leave me there and get them home and I will call when this rediculous appt. is over with. (They were sitting in the car for 2 hrs!!!!) Now, my husband shows up while I am in the middle of breathing into a tube, he was p**d as well, saying "why is she having these tests done, she's here for a penicillin allergy test and that's it? well,, they sent me into another room, and started looking up my nose, in my ears, in my eyes, down my throat, ...... seriously????????? OMG!!

Finally after the most annoyingly long appt. 31/2 hrs. I DIDN'T EVEN GET A GOSH FOR SAKEN ALLERGY TEST ON THE PENICILLIN. He said, that if things go wrong, then he will be in court telling the "jury" that he gave me penicillin that went all wrong, with no lab test proving that I have "lyme", then if things go right, he said, then "this guy reaps the reward", OK, I AM THINKING WTF (AND I DON'T SAY THAT WORD VERY OFTEN) BUT IS THIS GUY SERIOUS????  He tried to give me a flu shot, and I told him "NO" He told me I need to quit smoking, (Is that all these doc.s can come up with? Then, he said that if I had a penicillin test done, i would need to spend the entire day with him from 7 am til 5 pm , UMMM< I don't think so,,,,,, LOL

He gave me a lab sheet to get blood work done and to come back to see him, I took the sheet and said thank you, Happy New Year, and walked out with my husband to NEVER EVER EVER RETURN AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Soo, anybody know what I can do at this point to find out if I am "really allergic" to penicilin?

LOL<<<<<< Thanks everyone for listening to my RANT!!!!!!!!
Pam:)

[drsdonthelp]

Hi Jackie, I did inform my LLMD of my upcoming surgery, and the only reason why my eye doc. is willing to go ahead with my eye surgery is because of me finally getting a diagnosis. Luckily I have great confidence in both of these docs.... Can't say that with all, but Thank God for these two....

My surgery is an out patient surgery, so I go home later that day and am able to take my medications as scheduled. I guess I wasn't sure about it becuase some medications they tell you to stop taking prior to, but antibiotics I would end up being on anyway following my surgery. Oh well, we will see,,,  Thanks Jackie, and I will have to make sure all is taken care of, my husband gets annoyed with docs,, lol

[JackieCalifornia]

About the eye surgery -- here's where I would take charge of managing the docs, because someone has to, and you're in the best position to do that effectively -- never mind you don't feel up to it.  Sigh.

Here's how I would do it:

-- Tell the LLMD you are having the eye surgery, ask him what you need to tell the eye doc about your current condition and treatment you are undergoing.

-- Then go to the eye doc ahead of time, tell him/her you've been diagnosed with Lyme (and any coinfections) and are being treated with x, y and Z meds and expect to be on them during the time of your surgery and recovery.  

-- Does the eye doc see any problem with that, and if so, would the eye doc like to speak with the Lyme doc directly to coordinate things?

This kind of coordination is something HMOs can be good at, but when you're not in an HMO, then you gotta do it yourself.  It's not a huge amount of management, but it's very important to do.  

(And in my experience, having an HMO-style managing doc is not *always* a good thing, because the manager's prejudices and biases get in the way and there's little or no back up to catch any oversights or mistakes.  It's the same reason buildings have more than one emergency exit:  to be sure there's an alternative in case the first and most obvious choice isn't working.)

You can do it; just be sure you do, or put your hubby in charge if you're not up to it.

[drsdonthelp]

As always Jackie, I appreciate your quick informative responses, you are awesome my dear!!

Yeah, that allergist was sooo sooo nice and he explained everything he was doing , along with, telling me the difference of how my skin reacted to each drug administered. He is very caring, and intelligent. He has alot of my LLMD's patients come to him for antibiotic allergy tests so he has that knowledge, also, his secretary has lyme and we were chit chatting about it.

I am wondering how I will be doing my treatment when I have my eye surgery in March, will they keep treating during that time?

I am also due to have blood work to check to see if the nasty little critters are showing their faces yet!! LOL

Just the thought makes me cringe!!
Have a great day!!
Pam

[JackieCalifornia]

So glad to hear you had a good doc visit.

I don't have a direct answer to your question about IV abx, but it's my understanding that the general approach is to go with oral abx and only if they don't work to then go to IV.  The reason is that IV is more complicated to administer and has risks related to the physical nature of the infusion (that is, possible infection).  

The added time, risk and expense of IV is warranted when oral abx don't work, but trying the cheaper, easier, and less risky oral abx first is logical.

There seems to be some suspicion that abx is the lesser approach, as in not as effective as IV, but I think that suspicion may have arisen because  of the general feeling many of us have (after having been neglected and ignored by nonLLMDs) that the harder, more difficult, riskier treatment must be better for everyone.  

Now that the LLMDs have figured out using combos of various abx, however, IV is not the only alternative to oral doxy (which was the original Lyme treatment, I think).

For what it's worth.

and PS, I like your doc already.  Keep us posted.

[drsdonthelp]

I went to the Allergist in Mt. Kisco, NY. What a great guy and Dr.,, and ... what a difference seeing someone that understands, and is not scared to run a simple skin test. I spent 2 hrs. getting tested and had great conversation with him regarding Lyme...

I am allergic to penicillin! But.... some of the other abx that are in the penicillin family, I am not allergic to. Soooo, my LLMD started me on Ceftin, 2x's a day, but for the first 3 days, I am only to take just one, to make sure there isn't a huge reaction (just in case),


I did ask about, the protocol of my treatment, and my LLMD told me that they start me out on oral antibiotics, if that isn't attacking the lyme and co infections, then they will start me on IV antibiotics.

Just wondering, if anyone has been on IV antibiotics and how long were you on it for?

thanks everyone!

[JackieCalifornia]

Good for you!  Oh the wacky world of medicine!!!

Not like being sick is bad enough, eh?

Here's to the New Year being better for us all --

[drsdonthelp]

I called my LLMD and explained the whole story,,, the "office staff" - girl, told me that I can go 5 minutes down the road from my LLMD and get the test done, and they will call my LLMD with the results the same day.

So I have an appt. set up for next Wed.  the same day as my LLMD appt. No more messing around with the "nuts" LOL

Pam

[JackieCalifornia]

I think you already had it nailed when you posted.  Just giving you some reinforcement.  :)  

Here's to a better year in 2012!

[drsdonthelp]

LOL, Thanks for helping me understand his dimwittedness, LOL

I will definately let my LLMD know about this piece of work, my appt with him is next Friday.

Hope you have a Happy New Year!
Pam :)

[JackieCalifornia]

Pam,

That's a major case of CYA-itis that the doc is exhibiting.  A terminal case, if I had to guess.

I've seen that sneer on the faces of some of my nonLLMD docs, and partly it's that they think LLMDs are witch doctors committing malpractice on a daily basis, and partly they are terrified that they will themselves get hauled up before the local/state medical board for cooperating in committing malpractice.

So he's covering his backside to be SURE there is nothing HE can find wrong with you, so that whatever happens to you going forward, whether Lyme-related or not, he won't be blamed for it.

I'm no doc, but in this situation I'd tell my LLMD the whole story and see if the Lyme doc can order the proper allergy tests or can refer you to somebody who's not as rude, snotty and paranoid as Dr CYA appears to be.

So sorry you got this treatment.  You are entitled to a major rant or twelve.

Hang in there, call your LLMD, get advice on how to find another allergy doc.  Then when you actually see your LLMD next, give him/her the download so the LLMD will understand, if the LLMD is the one who referred you to Dr CYA.

That's why I tried to avoid telling docs other than my LLMD about my Lyme diagnosis, but sometimes I felt it was important, like with my eye doctor, to tell them, and I was glad I did.

So sorry.  Hold tight.  You're going in the right direction.