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I think drugs may have damaged me physically. Help?

D

DLink

Greenlighter
Joined
Feb 25, 2012
Messages
6
Not the usual drugs, as it were. (I haven't done recreational drugs in years), this is a scarier older kinda fear. In order to apply for a simple free surgery in the U.S. I had my blood pressure checked (always been high, runs in the family). So I was assigned some basic BP meds, not that expensive... and had my first allergic reaction to a drug - or several, I'm not sure.

6 Different BP drugs, 3 rashes/hives, basically, a full body break out over a month and a half. Hives turned into sores and a swollen leg and antibiotics seem to make more rash no less swelling. I'm off all the original stuff and I'm looking at a very scary leg now. I got out of the hospital 2 days ago and am hopeful the two different meds I'm taking, one for anti-biotic, one for BP will work (older, wiser doctors).

Tonight, I'm scared. Nothing seems to be improving the sores on my leg. I thought long and hard about all the places I've been on the internet and remembered Bluelight, and I thought who would better know about a really persistently bad drug reaction. So, I created an account to ask. I'm normal and optimistic to my friends/family, and I'm absolutely terrified that this might get away from me. Nothing looks red or infected, just swollen and seeping, and just scary.

My account here is open to suggestions and this is my first post. I drink, I smoke, my whole body itches and my leg is.. not looking good. Any advice is welcome, I've seen the local doctors, and they've done what they can. I remembered, and came back here because I remembered who takes drugs seriously. Any drugs. Whatever you've got (info/intel), I'm listening.

Thanks for reading this.
TLDR: First post, scared, bad reaction to a drug(s), advice?
 
If it gets any worse you should go back to the hospital. Things like this are very hard to figure out over the internet, not only because we can't see you and don't know your complete medical history, but also because I don't think that we are qualified to answer medical questions of this nature.

This isn't to discourage you from doing research and finding out possible causes for these symptoms, but it may be out of the limits of our knowledge. Good luck though. What meds are you currently taking?
 
Hi DLink,
First, I'm so sorry to hear about this scary situation you're going through. I am glad that you reached out for help.
I see that many people have viewed your post, but not any replies except for Tommyboy. Please don't take this as a sign that nobody cares. I believe it's because nobody is quite sure how to answer your questions. Your's seems like it could be a very serious situation. I agree with Tommyboy- I think you should go back to the doctor/hospital if it doesn't get better VERY soon.
Sorry I cannot offer anything to help.
Please don't wait too long to seek medical attention!
 
I know I'm reaching really, really far here, and I'm listening. I'm actually asking far too much from too far away, and I know it. BTW, I've discovered that toilet paper and a band-aid make a wonderfully inexpensive gauze bandage. It's not horrible black or green or anything, just swollen leg and scary sore (discounting the full rash for more important things). Necessity always has been the mother of invention. No good for a compress bandage and a bleeder, ace bandages are good for that.

It's called a catch 22 in the U.S. I need to have BP meds, my brother died of a heart attack at my age and I scare the living hell out of everyone who's ever taken my Blood Pressure since I was about 19 or so. I just realized I can attach a picture, but I've just wrapped it for the night and plan to sleep with it elevated, it supposedly is the thing to do, I've heard so far from, well, others. The catch 22 is that if I do what I need to do for my BP, it might be killing me, but I have to do it. It's quite frustrating. PS soaking gauze in water or saline solution or bottled water makes it easier/less painful to remove keeps the bandage from sticking to the wound (don't know a better thing to call it).

It's not that I want to know these things, I just have to know these things. The best recommendation I've heard to date is to see a dermatologist. I can only take so many days off work, before, well, you know. I'm out a week now, I've one (week) left for the year.

I have a good recommendation for a dermatologist and may need to use it and some more time off. I didn't really come here expecting some miracle solution. I remembered a community that cared. There was a random comment link I found and followed here long ago to find this place. You have in no way disappointed me. I needed a response from somewhere in the world. I am content with this. Tommyboy reached my standby e-mail address first... Thank you, Tommyboy - my spellchecker now likes him. I just thought, if I can send a picture here, I can send one to a dermatologist online. I'm keeping that in mind for tomorrow. Mostly I just needed an anonymous place to scream HELP and be heard. I just thought of here first. The most non-judgmental place I've ever found, I think.

I DO appreciate the response Tommyboy. A lot. macd610, you too. Even if you can't help, you can say you were there for someone when someone needed someone. Sometimes people find themselves "there". PS when putting on gauze and taping it down, fold the ends of the ends of the tape on itself to make a tab for easy removal, apparently this is an unforgivable mistake not to do.
 
Meds aren't supposed to be mentioned, but, screw it, these aren't recreational and I'm not looking to sell or buy. I LIKE freestyle.

10mg Amlodopine Besylate + HCTZ 12.5 / Lisonopril 20mg + Cyanocobalamin 1000MCG

Next came:
Amlodopine Besylate 10mg
Atenolol 25mg X 1/2
Losartan 100mg X 1/2
Doxycycline Hyclate 100mg Every 12hrs
(After the concentrated rash/swelling of the leg)

After that:
Losartan 50mg
Amlodopine 10mg
Amoxicillan Whatever

After that:
Clindamyicin 300mg/6hrs 6 days 2/23/2012
Labetalol 200mg 3/day 2/23/2012

I don't want to get better at tracking my meds, I want to get better, and it's proving to be a very rough road. I've provided this in that it may help someone else. My advice for blood pressure meds is this: Only take one type. Search your body closely for two weeks for anything weird. Anything red. Anything angry. Never start, or add in multiple sets of drugs at a time. Never add another drug w/out a 2 week test period, never two new ones at the same time. Ever.

Sure, it's against the rules of the forum to list drugs. I just wanted to send a thank you for being there. Life scares people, they look and move on. I like when people latch on and fight. Especially when I'm the one who's scared that I won't be able to put my shoe on a swollen foot come Monday. Your e-mail, forwarded, however it works here... was a sight for sore eyes. No, literally, my eyelid has a small hive now.

You cared. I Just wanted to say Thank You, and fuck the rules. I'm used to fixing things. But, I needed a hand this time. I needed a care in the world. Got your message=Care in the world. Sometimes, that's all that matters.
 
It's fine to mention the meds that you are currently prescribed. You never know if somebody else on here has had the same reaction to one of the same meds you are on, and the only way they would know is because you listed it now.

A second opinion (other than just Bluelight of course) is a must, in my opinion. Also, make sure that any doctor prescribing you something knows what you are currently taking. Communication is essential in getting the proper treatment, and also for preventing any complications from taking medications that have adverse effects when combined. You said that you got out of the hospital a few days ago, did they know what medications you were currently before sending you off with more meds to take (I think you said they gave you more meds when you left)?
 
OK, follow-up. This is diagnosed by a hospital as cellulitis. A bacterial infection at the ankle complicated by 1 or several rashes from initial blood pressure medication trials. It may kill me yet as a bacterial infection attacks through open sores and my body is unfortunately covered in them from the rashes. For the enlightenment of the curious who have stopped by and those who answered the call for help, I've added what a bacterial infection (Cellulitis) and that rash look like. It's the least I can do. http://i.imgur.com/WsVgz.jpg

Dealing with it best I can. Should I make it back, I promise something more fun. I'll make a point of it. =D

EDIT: oops http://i.imgur.com/AGQQG.jpg the rash is a lot worse on my back.
 
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I didn't take the meds after leaving the hospital. Just to get back with folks, clearing out my mail.. and 3mo in it's an ongoing thing. Not spreading anymore after stopping the meds, clearly gonna take awhile to get out the system. I still itch. The Ecstasy of lightly scratching. OMG. Don't scratch hard, infections are very bad, especially if the cure is what you may be allergic to.

I don't know which blood meds caused it, never had a problem with antibiotics growing up. I blame the Blood Pressure meds squarely. I never had an allergic reaction to anything in my life, until I took blood pressure meds. Fucked me up pretty bad, out of work and in the Hospital for 2 weeks.

Ankles still feel like rough leather month and 1/2 after stopping meds. Swelling is gone, Itches like crazy after showers/sweating, still red rashes fading. 45 yo male. I believe in passing on all the things... My donation. How I found here, a story for another night.
 
I don't come here often, and when I do I tend to be in an odd sort of mind. Is homeless better than overdosing on something? Are needles sliding into the veins a preferred option to life then... These are question answered best by the individual enduring life in some situations. I'm not over the current bout with my body, we still have a few issues, but, as I'm here...

I stopped taking all drugs to eliminate the allergic reaction. It did leave me with very scaly skin on my ankles, rather like a tight old leather wrap which I imagine is dead skin that itches like crazy when scratched, or put it water. And it is pure ecstasy to scratch my legs 3months into this thing.

I can't take my BP medication for fear of further reaction and expect this to clear up completely in about a year. Sadly, once a bad reaction starts, there's no telling which one started it and everything must stop. Nothing new. First thing done is give something new, and it's a very bad idea. When you can't discern whether it's an old reaction or a new one... WAIT.

Time heals all..? This is how it went for me.
 
Dlink-the message above your last (homeless>OD) only means that one of the mods moved your thread from homeless, to the Other Drugs section.

I don't have any knowledge about your problem-im really sorry, wish I could help. But I do hope you recover from here on out, and start feeling much better. Good luck-and don't let any anymore "professionals" throw you some mystery meds, until they know more about how your body handles them! This is meant only in a friendly manner-stay safe:)
 
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