cathycnm
Kallikat – It sounds like what you have had to antibiotics is an immediate sensativity reaction – you are correct that these, if bad enough, can cause death. This is because your body is sensitized to the antibiotic and, therefore, is ready to attack at full force when the substance is encountered again.
Generally speaking, if you are going to have that type of reaction – it will be quick and you will know it.
Lots of drugs have a similar enough structure that the drug companies issue warnings. Those go in nursing and provider drug books. I often have my student nurses catch those sorts of things when giving meds. When we talk to the prescribing provider, they often have sound rationalle. Usually it is because the risk of cross-sensitization is very rare and the med’s advantages outweigh this risk.
That said – I think it would be good to review your concern with your doctor to get your questions answered. It may have been a different type of allergic responce you were having and – if so – your doctor absolutely needs to know this for the records, esp with your history of life-threatening allergic responce. Cathy