Did you know that most penicillin allergies may have been incorrectly diagnosed or will disappear over time?
10% of patients are labeled as penicillin-allergic based on a previous reaction. However, only a small fraction of that number is actually allergic and will be unable to take this class of medication again.
The initial evaluation is based on history. The diagnosis can be eliminated by an allergy evaluation involving skin testing followed by a test dose of a penicillin type of antibiotic taken by mouth in an allergy office. Those with a history of certain severe reactions will not be tested.
The advantages: Penicillin type antibiotics (Amoxicillin, Augmentin) are often less expensive, have fewer side effects than alternatives, and are often the most effective for common bacterial infections.
See an allergist when you are healthy to determine if you can eliminate this from your medical history.