Lyme Disease Support Group

Had a very bad reaction to Bactrim. LLMD says that I'm allergic to sulfa meds. So, now my pharmacy has an alert for penicillin and sulfa ABX. He said I'm narrowing down his choices.

A friend told me to be careful with wines, shrimp, dried fruit, etc. I have done research on the difference between sulfa meds and sulfites put in food and liquid drinks. What I saw the compounding of the meds and the sulfites found in food are totally diffferent.

My question is: those of you that are allergic to sulfa meds, do you also have problems with wine, shrimp and other sulfite infused products?

Same allergies...

But I love shrip cocktail and wine!

Wine gives me a headache sometimes, though...

Everything you read says they are two different things. My Dr. didn't think I was allergic to sulfites...but have a very severe potentially FATAL allergy to sulfa..and we found out through bactrim in the hospital...I almost died!

However, he said I would all sorts of problems with food allergies if I was allergic to sulfites...Like most Dr.s he was quick to poopoo anything I had to say as if it were in direct opposition to him or something...BUT I have had food problems for YEARS (probably due to lyme) but I cannot drink wine and I do have a reaction to shrimp that developed in the later years where I get terrible burning and severe pain anywhere the food touched me particularly the lips and inside of mouth and throat.

Foods that have sulfites in them and I know it.....I have tried and some make me have a terrible reaction much like I do when I ingest MSG...Lots of runny nose and blowing and upset tummy etc....Headache and FOGGY BRAIN TERRIBLY! Even confusion has been an after effect of some foods..

It might have something to do with the way things are prepared as well...I haven't been able to dicifer it fully...

So I think from the medical profession they will be QUICK to tell you that those are TWO VERY different allergies...But actually most people have them both concurrently....Does that mean they are the one and same allergy? I think so...but no way I can be sure.

GOOD LUCK!!! It's a terrible allergy to have..because you never know when and if you are going to have a reaction....because sulfur is present everywhere these days...

OH I have found that boiled eggs don't necessarily bother me nor does broccoli and they are both full of natural sulfer...but hey that is GOOD for you like that!

It might just be something with the synthetic stuff....Oh btw..I have latex allergy...but I found out that all rubber products like condoms and gloves etc...are VULCANIZED in sulfur...so even the "OTHER"/alternative products could have sulfur in them!

Well, Dharma, I LOVE my shrimp and have been eating it for years and no real effect, except if I eat too much of it. Well, I get a real upset tummy. I don't really drink a whole lot. But my hubby has said the I get red splotchy and flushing when I have one too many glasses of wine...LOL, which can be more than one...ha,ha. I have noticed that I get real bad heartburn feeling when I have too much at times.

Well, my hubby asked if I'd like to go out for my Bday today and I said I just wanted to relax. You know, I just might have myself, one glass of wine. You only live once, right?

Thanks.

Thanks Tara too. A lot of good info there. Must be the whole getting older thing...ha, ha, ha.

I also had a bad reaction to Bactrim, although I'd taken it previously with no problems. It's possible that you had a herx, not an allergic reaction. A bactrim herx has been said to suggest bartonella or babesia. Could you get an allergy test done to confirm before making major changes?

You can have a reaction at any given time from any abx...Even if you took it before. I used to always take zitrox for many years, two years ago took it and went right to the ER as it messed with my heart in a hugh way. But then I'm allergic to all abx's and it sucks

p.s. They don NOT test for allergies from Abx's...They did many many years ago but stopped due to the reactions it had on the people that were allergic to the abx.

What I have to do, it go see the allergist, they then give me small amounts of the abx and we sit and wait for 6 long hours...

Wine gives me headaches also when I drink to much of it...LOL

Guys let's don't forget that MANY bottled waters have sulfur in them!