Can You Outgrow a Penicillin Allergy? What the Latest Research Says

Is it possible that you aren’t allergic to things that affected you as a child? Can you grow up and grow out of allergies?

One out of 10 Americans report having a penicillin allergy. Research shows that many people have been mislabeled with penicillin allergies. Only 1% of the entire population are really allergic to penicillin. If you’ve been told you have a penicillin allergy, it’s time to take a closer look at what research says about this type of allergy and if it’s possible to outgrow it. Premium Allergy dives in.

Researchers Find That Penicillin Allergies Fade with Time

Penicillin is an antibiotic classified as a beta-lactam medicine. Some people experience Type 1 and Type 4 hypersensitivities to these compounds. Typically, the more severe allergic reactions occur between the ages of 20 and 49. 

Yet, studies find that people with penicillin allergies often experience a 10% decrease in sensitivity each year. Ten years later, the allergy may have resolved itself. There are also cases where an allergy was misdiagnosed because doctors mistook the reaction as an allergy rather than a symptom of the bacterial infection that led to the use of penicillin.

How does an allergy fade? It comes down to your immune system. When you’re not exposed to an allergen repeatedly, the production of the IgE antibody slows and eventually stops over time. 

IgE is short for immunoglobulin E. It’s an antibody that the immune system produces in response to allergens. Each one checks specifically for a specific type of allergen and not all allergens, which is why you won’t necessarily have an allergy to cats if you’re allergic to tree pollen. IgE goes to your cells and releases a chemical that triggers an inflammatory response. Typically, you feel that response in your lungs, nose, skin, or throat. 

If IgE antibody production could slow in time, does this mean you should ignore your past allergy? No. You need to see an allergist and get retested. The last thing you want to do is take penicillin for an infection and experience a severe reaction when you’re home alone.

It’s Essential That You Get Re-Evaluated

As research has shown that many people outgrow their allergy over time, it’s important to get re-evaluated. You might be wondering why it matters. There are other antibiotics you can safely use, so why bother.

The reality is that the antibiotics prescribed to patients with penicillin allergies are broad-spectrum drugs. They do better at treating some infections than others. Antibiotic resistance is a problem, and it’s tied to the overuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics to treat infections that they weren’t originally intended to treat. 

For example, simple UTIs might get treated with ciprofloxacin, which can trigger antibiotic resistance and impact gut flora, which are important for fighting infection. As a result, use of this antibiotic can make it hard to fight future UTIs. Situations like this are why so many children with ear infections are no longer administered an antibiotic and instead must wait it out.

Broad-spectrum antibiotics can also have additional side effects that make them a less suitable option. For example, tetracyclines are safe for penicillin allergic patients, and were once used in children. Children prescribed tetracycline ended up with discolored teeth. The same problem occurs with the growing fetus in pregnant women.

The other risk to consider is that penicillin is often an effective medication for treating post-surgery infections. While surgeons do everything possible to ensure you don’t develop an infection, they cannot control how you care for your incision at home. If an infection does develop and penicillin isn’t advised, it can make it harder to treat that infection, negating the benefits of the surgery you just had.

Penicillin is both cost-effective and treats infections faster than other antibiotics. Instead of ending up with an infection that is resistant to broad-spectrum antibiotics, your infection clears up before you end up in the hospital while doctors try different medications until the right one helps kill the bacteria that are causing harm.

As it is so important to start with the most appropriate antibiotic for your infection, being able to take penicillin when it’s the best choice is important. That’s the key reason that an incorrect penicillin allergy diagnosis is harmful.

How Does an Allergy Doctor Test You for a Penicillin Allergy?

What are the possible tests for diagnosing a penicillin allergy? A comprehensive evaluation and testing by an allergist is the only way to be certain if your allergy is present. It starts by sharing your detailed medical history, including the history of your penicillin allergy. Be prepared to answer these questions.

• How old were you?
• What infection or medical condition did you have?
• How did you take the penicillin? Were any other medications used at the same time?
• How did doctors treat your allergic reaction?
• Have you ever used penicillin again? What other antibiotics have you taken?

After this, you might undergo a skin reaction test. A small amount of penicillin is injected or scratched into the skin. The doctor then watches for a reaction, such as wheals, which are small raised spots. If there’s no reaction, it’s a clear sign that your immune system didn’t trigger IgE antibodies.

If there was no skin reaction, the next step would be to administer a dose of penicillin under the doctor’s supervision. The medication may be taken orally or administered in an IV. The doctor monitors you for an hour or so. If there’s no reaction, it’s proof that you don’t have a penicillin allergy.

Not having a penicillin allergy doesn’t mean you won’t experience the normal side effects that commonly occur when taking this medication. They include:

• Mild nausea
• Diarrhea
• Vaginal itching
• A slight measle-like rash
• Abdominal cramping

If you experience more severe symptoms like muscle spasms, an irregular heart rate, flushing, or severe headache, your doctor may determine that penicillin isn’t the best choice for you.

Premium Allergy Helps You Get to the Bottom of Your Allergies

Penicillin allergies aren’t always a life-long issue. It’s possible that you have outgrown them over time. But, there’s only one way to know for sure, and that’s why it’s so essential that you make an appointment with an allergist. Premium Allergy is here to help you get to the truth and determine if you really have a penicillin allergy or not. Make an appointment with ease using our online system or by calling our office.