Cautionary Tale

[lizbud]

Don't rely strickly on a Google search to figure out a strange rash.

I developed a strange rash on Sunday that itched like crazy and by evening,
spread around my face & neck. I checked Google & it looked to me like a
typical poison ivy rash. After treating it with all the usual stuff, it didn't feel
any better. Had trouble breathing by early Monday morning & called the Dr.
Saw him last night at 6;30pm and found out it was a reaction to a new med
he had added to my BP meds. It had caused edema in my lungs & the crazy
itchy rash & swelling on my face/neck.

If left unchecked, the breathing wopuld have become much worse and
might have involved a quick trip to the ER.

FYI. The new med was Lisinopril.

[Karen]

Oh, Liz! Next time maybe you'll read the (insanely fine print) long list of possible side effects when you take a new med - it always includes a" If you experience any of the following, contact your physician ..." I read them whenever I get a new medicine, knowing that my body objects to things as innocuous as celery, I figure I ought to be prepared!

Hope you feel better now!

[Cataholic]

Glad you had it checked out! I hope the itchiness stops soon.

[lizbud]

Oh, Liz! Next time maybe you'll read the (insanely fine print) long list of possible side effects when you take a new med - it always includes a" If you experience any of the following, contact your physician ..." I read them whenever I get a new medicine, knowing that my body objects to things as innocuous as celery, I figure I ought to be prepared!

Hope you feel better now!

Karen, thing was, it was a new med added when I was in the hospital
in May. I didn't get a list of possible side effects. I guess they expect you
to just follow up with your own Doctor. My Dr said it was not a common
allergic reaction.

I did have a small outbeak of rash over 4th of July, but didn't call about it & it went away after about a week. This one was worse & made my face red, itchy & swollen.

[Miss Z]

Oh no! I hope you have a speedy recovery and the swelling eases soon.

[Grace]

I've been taking Lisinopril for years with nary a sit effect - so has my husband. But I remember reading when I first got it, that the rash and trouble breathing can occur.

I'm so glad I never had had problems with it, because being an ACE inhibitor, it is a med that takes good care of my kidneys - and I am a diabetic.

I hope your doc can find another med that will work for you, and not against you.

[sirrahbed]

I took Lisinopril for about a year and it took months to associate it with a weird tickle in my throat and cough. Sometimes it is really hard to associate side effects with medications. I am guilty of not reading warnings as closely as I should because the list is so long!! That could have been very scary to have the rash turn into a breathing problem! Glad you made the connection - thanks!

[lizbud]

I've been taking Lisinopril for years with nary a sit effect - so has my husband. But I remember reading when I first got it, that the rash and trouble breathing can occur.

I'm so glad I never had had problems with it, because being an ACE inhibitor, it is a med that takes good care of my kidneys - and I am a diabetic.

I hope your doc can find another med that will work for you, and not against you.

I had a long time getting the correct dosage worked out, but thought
I had all the problems worked out by now. I also liked the idea of a ACE
inhibitor to go along with my Atenolol, a BP med which is not an ACE. I'm
pretty sure DR will come up with another choice to try.

Donna, yes, Not being able to get enough air to breath properly can be
very scary.

sirrahbed, yep, PT is better than Google, for finding out about many things,
not just our pets.