Venily Update! Allergic to Amoxicillian!! :(

We got a call at 2:30pm yesterday saying that Venily wanted to come home and she was complaining of knee pain.  The school nurse was very concerned with what I told her the walk-in doctor had said.  She said that it shouldn't be getting worse and the swelling and rash should be getting better if she's on Benadryl.  I called Venily's doctor again (who was out until Tues) and spoke with the other pediatrician's nurse again.  She wanted Venily seen with the other dr. asap.  In the past, I have always avoided this other dr.  I'm not sure why, I did hear another mom complain about him though.

Venily was again at the point where she couldn't walk again and was in severe pain and itching like crazy!  :(  We brought her to the doctor and it was one of the best appointments I've ever been to!  He did an actual thorough exam, explained everything as he went, did research regarding her symptoms online, and came up with a diagnosis for us.  She was diagnosed with "serum-sickness like reaction" to Amoxicillian!   And he was PISSED that the stupid walk-in doctor told us to continue on with the rest of her Amoxicillian when there was even a possibility that it could be the cause.  (pretty sure I'll never go back to the Burlington walk-in again even though I DO like a few of the doctors there.  I'm also not too happy with her regular pediatrician since the problem could have been caught so early and was staring her right in the face!  uhhh!).

He gave us a ton of options of things we could do.  If we wanted to be super aggressive about it we could have said we wanted allergy testing, blood work, etc, etc, but he recommended that we not go that route if there wasn't a need (and we're pretty sure there isn't).  He said if the itching and swelling gets a lot worse then he can do a steroid shot, but wanted to wait it out a few days first and hope it gets better now that she is no longer on the Amoxicillian.  He actually gave us his personal pager # to use this weekend since he and another dr are on call and said we could page him if she gets worse or we have any q's etc.  I was pretty shocked!!!  He also wrote out the diagnosis and gave it to us and encouraged us to look it up online.  (P.S. We did and it fits her symptoms EXACTLY!!!).  Overall, I think I really like this doctor!  He is super tall (taller than Jason even) and young and really thorough and seems to know exactly what he's doing!  He even went over his regular hours time to talk to us, explain everything, and make us feel comfortable with his diagnosis.  However, I highly doubt he has children of his own.  He just doesn't seem like he does.  He is really sarcastic and was joking but kind of getting annoyed with Haven while we were there.  She was INSANELY hyper and talking to him like crazy, asking him questions, saying the goofiest stuff and just basically wanting to leave, lol!  (she is NOTHING like her sister was at this age!!!  Even Venily hardly said anything to him and mostly just whispered to us answers to his questions, lol!).  However, I love that their actual pediatrician has 4 children of her own and is really good with my children.  I think it will be in my best interest to use both the pediatricians now that I know the other one a little better.

Here is a before and after pic of her last dose of Amoxicillian:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

You can just see the absolute misery she was in!  :(  I sat on the computer crying while trying to research ways to make her feel better while Jason gave her yet another oatmeal bath!

She had a rough night once we got home.  Basically in excruciating pain and itching.  We tried EVERYTHING to make her feel better.  She finally got to sleep and actually slept pretty good.  We woke her up at 2am for her dose of Benadryl.

Today has been more of the same.  Itchy, pain, swelling.  It has spread to her ankles as well as her face (her forehead, eyelids, lips, and chin are swollen and itchy).  She is also now covered in bruises, mostly in her joints, but also everywhere she has big welts, large bruises are forming in the middle, though overall she does seem to be getting better.  :(  She just got out of her 5th oatmeal bath.  We have 3 different kinds of creams and are still giving her Benadryl every 6 hours.  She is starting to walk a bit again but it hurts her to do so and she limps around.  This has been such an awful experience and I am terrified of the next time she gets sick and needs to take antibiotics! :(

P.S.  Both my brother AND my mom are allergic to antibiotics...

I'm glad that Venily has off school on Monday.  I'm hoping she is all better by Tuesday, and Thursday is her birthday!!!