A 29-year-old male asked:
i may need cephalosporin therapy with a suspected penicillin allergy. how does it work? do i take a 3rd generation by mouth and sit in an er waiting room with a buddy and an epipen (epinephrine)?
2 doctor answers
Dr. Hunter Handsfield answered
53 years experience Infectious Disease
Don't overreact: Allergies to cephalosporins are very rare, even in people with penicillin allergy. I doubt it is necessary to stay in an emergency room or even a doctor's office, or to have an WpiPen at hand. Discuss with the doctor prescribing the antibiotic.
Answered on Apr 21, 2016
Dr. Gerardo Guerra Bonilla answered
12 years experience Family Medicine
Penicillin allergy: Among all patients reporting penicillin allergy, 85 to 90% will tolerate a penicillin, either because they were never allergic or because they had an earlier allergy that subsequently resolved. Among penicillin skin test-positive patients, approximately 2% will react to a cephalosporin.
Answered on Nov 28, 2017
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