Have UTI and very allergic to antibiotics: What can I do?

Does your doctor have any options?

When was your last reaction? I thought I was allergic to penicillin for most of my life because I had a reaction as a child after taking it. So penicillin allergy was on all my charts. After a particularly stubborn, antibiotic resistant infection in my hand a few years ago, I was advised by an infectious disease doctor to take a penicillin challenge to see if I still was allergic. Many outgrow the allergy.

I took the challenge and passed it! Turns out I did outgrow it and I can take penicillin. My chart info was changed. It gives me a lot of reassurance.

I hope there are some remedies for you. Please post what you discover.

As a person with lifelong UTI's--I think you need to see your doctor as soon as possible. Home remedies really do not work, and you can get a kidney infection which can be very serious. Have you been tested, or just feeling symptomatic? The infection can be cultured, for a more honed approach. There are various families of antibiotics, and hopefully some will work for you. But this is a serious medical question that we here can't know the answer to as it involves testing and medical knowledge. I hope you get help soon!

@howardrae2

Welcome to Mayo Connect. Hopefully other members allergic to antibodies will be able to give suggestions.

I have never been diagnosed being allergic, but have terrible GI issues when take antibodies. My providers suggested taking probiotics whenever I take an antibody.

What did your provider advice you to do or take for UTI?

I needed to know that.

I had a very serious reaction to erythromycin. I always list it on my allergies and I always get a 'Really?'. I have never had a problem with finding an alternative. You need to pester your doctor.

I had "allergies" to all sorts of antibiotics, usually skin reactions. My dermatologist finally sent me to an allergy and asthma clinic at Vanderbilt bc he was worried there would be no antibiotics I could use in a life threatening situation. Turns out I have very reactive skin, and didn't have a true allergy to several antibiotic families. I'm instructed to take an antihistimine when I take an antibiotic and get a skin reaction. The caveat is that it only works ONLY for the antibiotic groups I've been tested for and we know are safe. We didn't bother testing sulfa bc i've had a huge systemic reaction that runs in my family.

I would not do this on your own bc without being tested bc a skin reaction could be the start of a more serious allergic reaction.

I should make it clear that the antibiotic challenge I mentioned above is a process whete the patient has this done in a well staffed medical facility under controlled conditions. A tiny amount of antibiotic is put under the skin and the reaction is measured over a timed sequence. Gradually, the dose is increased. Eventually, a full dose is administered. After waiting a designated time period, the area (on arm) is checked for allergy and if none, you are considered not allergic. They are ready to give you life saving measures if the need arises. I wouldn’t try it outside a medical setting.