askye, I'm (unfortunately) getting a lot more sensitive to different medications the older I get, and it's pretty common for me to get flushed pink/red on my face/chest/arms when I start new meds. I just take some Benadryl to calm it down, and so far (knock on wood), things settle back to normal after a couple-few days. But it's a good idea for you to check with the pharmacist.

The things you should never ignore in terms of drug reactions are hives, a rash (which is different from flushing), and obviously any kind of swelling of your airway/tongue.

Steph, I briefly thought about messaging you for an opinion but I googled the antibiotic (I can't remember the name and I'm too lazy to go find the bottle) and it has a really low rate of allergic reactions and I wasn't having anything that was listed as serious. Just the super flushed face and feeling overly hot.

No trouble breathing or rash or anything like that. If I had I would have done something sooner.

I know the last time I took sulfa antibiotics I had a reaction (So I don't take them anymore) but I turned bright red down to my chest and I think I was itching.

Well that was quick--apparently the only line at the pharmacy was the drive through.

According to the pharmacist this is "flushing" and while it's a reaction it's not anything like an allergic reaction since I don't have any rash or itching or trouble breathing etc. She offered to call the dr about having a different antibiotic but since it's not an allergy and I don't want to deal with another prescription and possible reactions to that I'm going to stick with this. She did suggest taking aspirin a couple hours before I take the antibiotic to reduce the flushing so that's what I'm going to do.

I mean if it gets really uncomfortable or bad I'll contact my dr but this is just like the overheated feeling I was dealing with on the anti depressant and being easily overheated so it's in the realm of tolerable .

Glad to hear that, askye, but it's still got to be annoying!

Frickin' cold in SF this morning! 40 when I woke up.

Ha! That was our unseasonably mild temperature this morning! We haven't had much cold here yet, but it's going to be -8 or some shit this weekend.

askye, weren't you on a steroid? That always causes me to flush.

She did suggest taking aspirin a couple hours before I take the antibiotic to reduce the flushing so that's what I'm going to do.

Benadryl is also your friend. Unless you need to stay awake. But it will reduce the flushing significantly.

I felt like long Covid was loosening its grip on me after two years.

Annnd I have Covid again. Totally vaccinated, boosted and bivalented with an rx for Paxlovid and cough tablets that I can pick up now. So I am hoping this won't be as rough. And since I now know I have hyponatremia, I know to keep my electrolytes topped up. I also have a pulse oximeter so I can track.

I felt really bad with body aches early Sunday and am coughing. The body aches eased up for today but I tested as a precaution and it was clearly positive. So I tested again because that makes Covid go away, right? It, my friends, does not.

I'm hopeful I didn't expose anyone but I probably did given I saw my favorite uncle on Thursday and we had a Celebration of Life for my uncle on another side of my family on Saturday. The CoL was mostly outside so I'm hoping that mitigated some transmission.

Oh, crap, Cass, I'm sorry to hear that. I hope it is mild and of short duration.

Oh no, Cass, I'm so sorry to hear that!

Oh, Cass, I'm sorry. I hope that all your hard won knowledge will help you get through this bout with less pain and suffering than previous.