Let me just start off by saying that I have not had any allergic ...

Let me just start off by saying that I have not had any allergic reactions to medications before. I don't have allergies to any foods or external stimuli like dust or pollen. But literally two minutes after taking Avelox, I started sneezing uncontrollably. Then my nose filled with mucus and I started itching all over my body, most notably on my arms, legs, and scalp. Then I felt that my skin was burning. I looked in the mirror and my face and body were bright pink. I called the pharmacist and she told me to take Benadryl and if my throat started to close up I should go to the hospital. Well, I didn't have any Benadryl, because I don't have any allergies, so I had to drive three blocks to the CVS. At this point, my face is starting to swell up: my eyelids, my nose, my lips and my ears are twice their normal size. I have hives all over my arms and legs. I'm shaking because I feel so cold--my body temperature was only 94 degrees. I took two Benadryl but it didn't really work until I took the 2nd dose four hours later. I ended up at the hospital because I felt like there was something stuck in my throat and was unsure whether that meant that my throat was closing up, but they were so busy that I never made it past triage, where my blood pressure was only 80/40 and my heart rate was 120. We waited in the waiting room until I was able to take the second dose of Benadryl and left. All this after only one dose. I would advise extreme caution with Avelox.