Doctors say that many people who think they are allergic to penicillin are actually not. “The main problem with penicillin use is a hypersensitive reaction of the body,” Dr. Thomas Leath, an allergist from the Texas-based A&M College of Medicine says.

Many people report that they’re allergic to penicillin without a real cause – they either had a slight reaction to it or were told by a family member to avoid penicillin. People with allergic reaction to penicillin often have to take expensive drugs which might have adverse side-effects and can damage their health. And, although many people claim they’re allergic to the antibiotic, a Mayo Clinic study confirmed that 80-90% of all people claim so without any kind of evidence of their allergy. A penicillin allergy can be confirmed with a simple skin test – the reaction to the antibiotic can be seen in about 10 minutes.

Penicillin allergy causes rash, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, swollen lips, swollen tongue and asthmatic symptoms. It can also cause a drop in blood pressure which can lead to dizziness and loss of consciousness. If you have experienced these symptoms following a penicillin shot, and you also have an anaphylactic reaction, you should visit a doctor immediately.

Real penicillin reactions happen very fast after the administration, usually about 10-15 minutes afterwards. If you’re having stomach problems up to 3 days after the shot, you’re not allergic to penicillin.

 

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