Switching Antibiotics at the ER

9.5.09 In the ER they consulted with my doctors and decided to try me on Cefepime and Vancomycin. Both were administered through my PICC line. I did fine with the Cefepime and then had a problem with the Vancomycin. The Vancomycin was a 2 hour infusion. Towards the end of the infusion I felt my scalp suddenly start to itch. Then my face and neck turned tomato red and my blood pressure and temperature rose to 99.3. I was having a reaction known as "Red Mans Syndrome". I was given two Benadryl's and admitted to the hospital yet again. I was on a schedule of the Vanco every 12 hours and the cefepime every 8 hours. They monitored me in the hospital while continuing to give me both antibiotics and of course benadryl before my Vanco infusion. It was agreed that I was tolerating the Vanco well enough with the benadryl. So I was discharged on Labor day and went back to my sisters with instructions to continue the antibiotics.