I had a big allergic reaction, covered in hives. Advice please! (long)

[bethiecow]

nak

Last night I started to break out in a few hives. A few on my arms, and my belly. This NEVER happens to me. Only other time was my last month of pregnancy with the twins, when I had PUPPP. I haven't eaten anything different, changed laundry detergents, any toiletry items, etc. All of that has stayed the same.

Anyhow, I took some benadryl and went to bed. Woke up at 3am throwing up (never happens, unless I'm pregnant, which I am NOT). Back to bed. Woke this morning covered with hives, from my knees to above my jaw line, and my throat felt swollen. Not sore, just swollen inside. I went to the dr (at an urgent care clinic), who said I'd probably developed an allergy to penicillin (I've been on antibiotics for a week and a half for sinus infection).

They wanted to give me a steroid shot, and told me I'd have to stop breastfeeding for a few days. Um, no. Asher has been nursing for 11 months, has taken exactly one bottle of expressed bm when he was a month old, and would have nothing to do with bottles after that. He still eats very little solids; I'm his primary food source. Stopping nursing is not an option. They couldn't believe it, kept saying, "But you are having a SEVERE allergic reaction, you really need this shot." I'm not in the hospital in anaphylactic shock; I don't see how it can be THAT severe. Overreacting much, ya think?

So they wrote me a prescription for a Medrol dose pack, but said I should get a second opinion because they weren't comfortable with me taking it while breastfeeding.

I went to the pharmacy and talked to them, and they said no, I shouldn't take it while breastfeeding. Just Benadryl. So I came home and looked Medrol up on kellymom. They say it's approved and listed as L2:
"L2 SAFER:
Drug which has been studied in a limited number of breastfeeding women without an increase in adverse effects in the infant; And/or, the evidence of a demonstrated risk which is likely to follow use of this medication in a breastfeeding woman is remote."
http://www.kellymom.com/health/meds/aap-approved-meds.html#Steroids
So now what? According to kellymom Medrol is pretty safe. I'd like to tough it out, but I'm covered in hives. Covered. My throat still feels half-closed. I'm miserable.

Should I just suck it up and keep on with the Benadryl? Or go and get this prescription filled? I think I already know the answer as I type this. I need to tough it out, don't I? This sucks, but Ash is more important. *sigh* Thanks for reading and letting me vent. I'm feeling very sorry for myself right now.

[kaylabelle05]

After I went into Anaphylaxis with my allergy shots (I am THAT allergic), the doc gave me 4 meds: Benadryl, Prednisone, Zantac, Epi-pens.

Benadryl for the itching. Prednisone for the swelling (steroid), Zantac is ALSO an antihistamine, Epi-pens in case I had another one. Once you had a reaction, anything you had a slight reaction to, could cause another Anaphylaxis; you are now hyper-sensitive.

Also this happened when DD was 4 months old. I took ALL of these meds while nursing.

[ThatLinGirl]

I'd take it! L2 is pretty darn safe. I'd feel comfortable with that -- sounds like you're pretty bad off.

[SarahLiz]

did you look it up on Dr Hale's site? http://neonatal.ama.ttuhsc.edu/cgi-b...s&access=guest

i've taken all kinds of things that Drs tell me not to take while BF...honestly, they're just covering their own *sses...Dr Hale actually studies and documents all this stuff! I hope you feel better soon!