Weird Reactions To Medications

[wowzer]

Hi, At least I haven't had so many sinus infections since I went gluten free. The problem is now I have one and have reacted to yet another antiobiotic. It is so frustrating. My doctor does agree that I absorb them in strange ways. He believes most of my reactions are really too much of the antibiotic for my system. This last one he had me take half the dose and I still reacted. I should have went back a week ago, but am going tomorrow. I stretched it out for 2 weeks, but of course this infection isn't going away on it's own. Even before going gluten free, I had many strange reactions to medications. Any ideas??? Thanks

[missy'smom]

I'm glad I'm not the only one! I think that my doctors think I'm such a complainer, but actually I try to suck it up before I complain. It's good that your doc is a little more understanding. I always think that it happens to me because I'm so much smaller than the average American. Have you tried saline nasal rinses ? They pretty much cured me of sinus infections.

[spunky]

I'm the same way... I can't seem to take anything. Once when we all had the flu, I tried Nyquil and it put everybody else out for the night... for me, I got the shakes, strange & scary sensations and felt like I was tripping out and dying, on top of having to put up with the high fever, cough, aches, etc., plus getting to stay up all night while everybody else was konked out and resting up. I just can't take medicines, it seems.

Fortunately sinus infections are not one of the things I get, but I agree that I've heard many people say the saline sprays and even those neti pots you can buy in healthfood stores are helpful. Plus, I've heard there is something like a water pic, or something that hooks up to a water pic or something that irrigates the sinuses and I've heard of people saying it really takes care of it better than drugs.

Whenever I'm sick now, I eat raw garlic on something... just one or two cloves a day seems to be very helpful for me... it's also known as "Russian Penicillin," becuase it has antibiotic activity.

Also, when I get a stuffy nose with a cold, I find squeezing a drop of lemon juice straight from a little slice of fresh lemon into each nostril really clears it up so I can breathe... I just gave up on cold medicines and whenever I have a cold I just carry a baggie with a slice of lemon, squeeze one drop or two if it's really bad into each nostril... sniff up but careful not to let the lemon juice roll back into your throat, because then that gets really painful when your throat's sore... but just allow the lemon juice to get sniffed upward into each nostril and it really clears them up immediately...

I drink horehound tea for a cough... if the cough is really bad I buy Jaegermeister (it's gluten free... a GErman whiskey with licorice and some other herbs) and just take it by the spoonful and it calms a cough down.

I just gave up on medicines and do stuff like that... I always joke around that I have no blood/brain barrier, because it seems they all go straight to my brain and I feel just psychotic and like I'm losing it... panicky and terrible. I don't know why that is.

[wowzer]

Well I went to the doctor yesterday. He prescribed Z-Max which I have taken before with no problem. It is one dose of horrible fake banana flavored liquid. The pharmacy had to order it and was supposed to be in today but won't be in until tomorrow. I have been too chicken to try a neti pot or sinus rinse. I did mention it to my doctor and he said that I was too blocked up for it to work. I do try and use the saline spray or gel. I really don't like taking medicine. I have had luck using Mucinex so need to get some of that. I have had the reaction of being wide awake when something is supposed to knock you out. Not fun at all I agree. I guess this all comes back to the absorption. Thanks for your input.

[dlp252]

I had continual sinus infections for a whole 3 year period before I went gluten and casein free. Since then I've only had one. I can tell you that the nasal rinsing didn't work for me for just the same reason your doctor said it wouldn't work for you. I tried the saline rinses (both home made and store bought) for several months, but stopped because my passages were so narrow that the fluid wasn't all coming out. One of my doctors said she could do nasal surgery to widen the passages, but I opted not to do that, and thankfully the gluten/casein free has helped.

[Lisa16]

Hi! I also had multiple sinus infections before going gluten-free. I never thought about a link before, but I think it makes sense. Our immune systems get suppressed by the celiac. And some of us have the "achilles sinus."

Years ago I had the surgery on one side, and it did seem to help. And it also seems to matter where you live-- when I lived in NC, I got these constantly. I didn't get so many in TX. Now (especially after going gluten-free) in MN I do get them, but maybe one evey year or two. Usually it is after I fly or experience a big climate change (from HI to MN, say). I think the salt water/ baking soda "snarfing" rinses do help. My uncle uses a special mix of this with a few drops of vodka thrown in for fun (actually as an anti-bacterial.) I also think using listerine can help too. And of course, hot baths and hot towels and lots of liquids.

I think some of the nose sprays help me quite a bit too, once the infection blocks things up. But some of them raise BP, which is no good for me.

I also have very odd reactions to medications and the list of RX allergies is getting quite impressive and there are three classes of antiobiotics that have been eliminated It is very scary because I often think what will happen if I get something truly nasty or resistent. Like spunky, I am beginning to think that we are all better off if we can avoid the doctor. But sometimes you really do need a little help to finally kick something for good. Maybe it is best to save those times for the doctor.

I am still able to take a few antibiotics, and I count myself lucky. Hang in there! And I hope you can figure out something that works and maybe even figure out a way to avoid getting these.

Good luck!

Lisa

[wowzer]

I took my Zmax when I got home from work today. It is probably a good thing that it took an extra day to get. If I had taken it last night I would have thought I had a reaction to it. I had a bad gluten reaction and a very restless night. I don't eat gluten on purpose, but I sure can tell when it has found me. I am thinking yesterday could be from the huge basket of gluten goodies that a former employee had delivered to us. I didn't eat any of it, but everyone else was. She did call and apologize to me and sent me a half dozen Celiac Specialty donuts. I will say when I first went gluten free my sinuses improved greatly. I used to have never ending sinus infections. I should never have let this one go so long, but just hate taking medicine. I am trying to drink a lot of water and use the saline spray. I can't take decongestants because they make my heart race.

Thanks for all of your great ideas. I am waiting until I am so tired that I hope I fall asleep and stay asleep until I have to get up. Of course that doesn't always work either.

[dlp252]

Aw, I'm sorry you got glutened!

I will say that I think the casein was more important in clearing up my sinuses than the gluten was. I get mostly gastro symptoms from gluten. I ocassionaly will have some unsweetened plain sheepmilk yogurt, and if I have it too many days in a row I'll get the head symptoms: clogged sinuses, sore throat which goes up into my ears, light-headedness, etc. I get those same head symptoms from sedations too.

I'm another one who reacts strangely to meds...I tend to get wired from sinus and cold medicines, even the night-time ones and that are known to cause drowsiness in most people, lol. Tylenol PM, sleep meds, etc. will keep me awake for hours!

[wowzer]

I am not sure what caused this sinus infection. I do seem to get one set off by hay fever season, so that is probably why. I have battled a lot of candida, but my doctor did say this one was bacteria. My sinuses cleared up in the first couple weeks of going gluten free. At least I haven't had them constantly like I used to. I just hope this antibiotic works. The doctor is at the point he says they need a new one for me. I have had a lot of opposite reactions to drugs. If it is supposed to make you sleep it will keep me awake. I can't take tylenol. The last time I took it. it felt like my throat was closing up, so avoid it.

[Salem]

I'm the same way... I can't seem to take anything. Once when we all had the flu, I tried Nyquil and it put everybody else out for the night... for me, I got the shakes, strange & scary sensations and felt like I was tripping out and dying, on top of having to put up with the high fever, cough, aches, etc., plus getting to stay up all night while everybody else was konked out and resting up. I just can't take medicines, it seems.

Fortunately sinus infections are not one of the things I get, but I agree that I've heard many people say the saline sprays and even those neti pots you can buy in healthfood stores are helpful. Plus, I've heard there is something like a water pic, or something that hooks up to a water pic or something that irrigates the sinuses and I've heard of people saying it really takes care of it better than drugs.

Whenever I'm sick now, I eat raw garlic on something... just one or two cloves a day seems to be very helpful for me... it's also known as "Russian Penicillin," becuase it has antibiotic activity.

Also, when I get a stuffy nose with a cold, I find squeezing a drop of lemon juice straight from a little slice of fresh lemon into each nostril really clears it up so I can breathe... I just gave up on cold medicines and whenever I have a cold I just carry a baggie with a slice of lemon, squeeze one drop or two if it's really bad into each nostril... sniff up but careful not to let the lemon juice roll back into your throat, because then that gets really painful when your throat's sore... but just allow the lemon juice to get sniffed upward into each nostril and it really clears them up immediately...

I drink horehound tea for a cough... if the cough is really bad I buy Jaegermeister (it's gluten free... a GErman whiskey with licorice and some other herbs) and just take it by the spoonful and it calms a cough down.

I just gave up on medicines and do stuff like that... I always joke around that I have no blood/brain barrier, because it seems they all go straight to my brain and I feel just psychotic and like I'm losing it... panicky and terrible. I don't know why that is.

Nyquil has an antihistamine in it which causes drowsiness, but not for everyone. Your resction isn't that unusual. Same goes for tylenol 3, tylenol PM, and travel tabs, for most people they cause drowsiness, but for other people they are an upper.