Drug Allergy

[livingwith]

Listen to your body! I started taking Topamax for migraines and I started to have problems two days in to treatment. I called a pharmacist to ask if Topamax could be causing my difficulty breathing. The pharmacist said no that there is a 1 and 1000 chance of being allergic to this drug. I felt releved and continued taking for two weeks. My breathing had gotten worse and my skin was now itchy with hives. I was so itchy I couldn’t even sleep. Well, to find out I was the 1 in 1000 alle...Read the full article

[itchyrashesblow]

I am not sure it is that uncommon to be allergic to Topamax. I also just started taking Topamax. A few days after starting take it, my lips got swollen and itchy and next my eyelids. I took some benadryl and went to bed that night. By the next morning, I had a rash all over my forearms and also under my breasts. I went to the doctor that morning, but my primary doctor wasn't available so I saw someone else. I was told that most people never find out what triggers a reaction and to use over the counter stuff to see if that helped (and was given a sample of my asthma medication since I was out and apparently they were a little worried about that.) Things didn't get better that day. In the middle of the night, other, more 'inconvenient' places started itching like mad. When I woke up in the morning, the rash covered much of my stomach as well. The itching was so bad and it was getting more difficult to breathe. I went to the doctor again and this time I was able to see my doctor. She said right away that it was probably the Topamax and I should stop taking it. She did not even mention that it was rare to be allergic to it. I was given oral steroids to take in addition to the over-the-counter stuff. The redness of the rash was significantly reduced within a few hours. It has not even been one whole day yet, but I can't wait for the itching to go away...