Cautionary Tale

**lizbud** · 07-27-2010, 11:14 AM

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** · 07-27-2010, 11:33 AM

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** · 07-27-2010, 11:37 AM

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

**lizbud** · 07-27-2010, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by 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!

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** · 07-27-2010, 01:16 PM

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

**Grace** · 07-27-2010, 02:09 PM

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** · 07-27-2010, 02:25 PM

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!

**moosmom** · 07-27-2010, 03:11 PM

First thing I do when my doctor prescribes any new meds is look it up to see what the side effects are. Makes good sense.

Feel better, Liz. Glad you caught it right away and got treated. Anaphylaxis is not fun, and can be dangerous!!

HUGS,

Donna and fur kids

**Grace** · 07-27-2010, 03:17 PM

Originally Posted by 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!

I had that tickle and cough - especially at night. Drove me nuts. Come to find out it was caused by gastric reflux, not Lisinopril. Soon as I started Prilosec, the cough completely disappeared. Haven't taken a could lozenge is a couple of year!

I'm really very fortunate - the only allergic reaction I've ever had to a medication is Penicillin - and that reaction was when I was 5, so I don't remember it.

**Cataholic** · 07-27-2010, 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by Grace

I had that tickle and cough - especially at night. Drove me nuts. Come to find out it was caused by gastric reflux, not Lisinopril. Soon as I started Prilosec, the cough completely disappeared. Haven't taken a could lozenge is a couple of year!

Fascinating. We go to a new ENT tomorrow for this tickle/cough/throat clearing....I just wonder.....though, with reflux..don't you have 'heart burn' or something similar???

**Grace** · 07-27-2010, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by Cataholic

Fascinating. We go to a new ENT tomorrow for this tickle/cough/throat clearing....I just wonder.....though, with reflux..don't you have 'heart burn' or something similar???

Yes, I did have heartburn, and that's when I tried the Prilosec. Didn't think much about it - the reflux went away, and I felt better. It was actually my husband who commented that I wasn't coughing at night any longer.

Then I realized I wasn't eating cough drops anymore

I had actually spoken to my doc about changing the BP meds, because of the cough - didn't have to happen.

**sirrahbed** · 07-27-2010, 04:55 PM

Johanna do you take Lisinopril or anything with "pril" at the end? That cough is very annoying and I learned it is even called "lisinopril cough" in my case it just felt like a tickle and I would dry cough to "scratch" it. My doc said it was not serious just annoying but in my case it went completely away once I changed the medicine.

so... don't google your symptoms, just come to PT!! (J/K!!)

Seriously though, sometimes I have gotten very good anecdotal advice that has proven to be correct from this place!

**lizbud** · 07-27-2010, 06:47 PM

Originally Posted by 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.

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.

**Cataholic** · 07-28-2010, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by Grace

Yes, I did have heartburn, and that's when I tried the Prilosec. Didn't think much about it - the reflux went away, and I felt better. It was actually my husband who commented that I wasn't coughing at night any longer.

Then I realized I wasn't eating cough drops anymore

I had actually spoken to my doc about changing the BP meds, because of the cough - didn't have to happen.

The ENT today after the little telescope thingy (during which my son was a total CHAMP!!!) said, "it looks like he has reflux"

So, we will start some zantac (sic)....how incredibly odd. Also said to stay away from five things: smoking, alcohol, caffeine, greasy food and something else. LOL. I hope to heck he meant J and not J's mommy.

PT, MD.

**pomtzu** · 07-28-2010, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by Cataholic

The ENT today after the little telescope thingy (during which my son was a total CHAMP!!!) said, "it looks like he has reflux"

So, we will start some zantac (sic)....how incredibly odd. Also said to stay away from five things: smoking, alcohol, caffeine, greasy food and something else. LOL. I hope to heck he meant J and not J's mommy.

PT, MD.

Give him an extra pillow to help elevate his head and shoulders, and make sure he doesn't lay down for the night, too soon after eating. Give that food time to travel further down!

I have reflux at times, and it's mostly associated with laying down too soon after eating. It chokes me to the point where I can't breath, and I bolt upright wheezing and gasping for air, much like someone who is having a severe asthma attack, I would imagine. It's pretty darn frightening, not being able to get any air into your lungs. Recently my son has started having the same thing too, but he is bad about eating late and then laying down.