28F, 156lbs, 5’0”, Caucasian, only routinely take birth control, no smoking, occasional glass of wine every couple weeks or so.

On Feb. 2 I went to urgent care to get an antibiotic for an infected toe and the PA prescribed me Bactrim. I began taking it as directed on Feb. 3. By the time Feb. 7 rolled around I felt like I had gotten hit by a truck, and only continued to feel worse from then on. I missed work Monday, managed to go in on Tuesday, but then Tuesday night developed a fever bouncing between 100.4 to 101.5. Wednesday I got a rapid and PCR Covid test, rapid came back negative, PCR came back “not detected”. Thursday Feb. 11 I wake up and my entire body is covered in a rash/hives. I immediately call the urgent care and the physician I talk to says she thinks it’s viral or Covid related and prescribes me 50mg of Prednisone (I’m never going to sleep, Prednisone wires me up), and tells me to continue the dosages of the Bactrim. Obviously I’ve searched the web and found that, yeah, people have had an allergic reaction to Bactrim, and everything I’m feeling is what’s happened to them. It probably wouldn’t be unheard of for me to be suddenly allergic to something, I’m part of the 1% allergic to Dermabond surgical glue.

Should I cease taking the Bactrim at this point? I know antibiotics are best when you’ve ran the full course, but I cannot keep dealing with this and missing all the work I have when I have 0 paid time off to use, and I need to get back in the office Monday.

Thanks in advance!

(PS, the rash/hives are literally from my neck to the top of my feet. Sort of itchy, but mainly uncomfortable. Let me also add I don’t have any issues breathing.)