Bactrim Side Effects
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I am curious if anyone else has had any of these side effects from taking bactrim. My mouth is so swollen with blisters all inside my mouth.....now it has started to affect my private area as well with same symptoms. I cant eat and it burns all day long. I only took 4 pills when this started. Please help if you can.

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Stop taking the antibiotic and report to your doctor. You are having allergic reaction.

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I was prescribed Bactrim after having a cyst drained. After 2 doses, my eye became itchy and swollen and it began to itch in my vagina area. My blood sugar was running high and I usually get itchy down there when it happens so I didn’t think of it. Once the blisters started, I immediately knew I was having an allergic reaction to the medicine (I had the same reaction to Meloxicam in January). I previously took Valtrex when it happened and had to beg my doctor to prescribe it (I went to my OB the first time since I had no idea what it was). Hoping it works this time. I’m also applying Lidocaine on the blisters since it hurts and stings when I go to the bathroom and using Benadryl for my eye. I was prescribed another antibiotic for the cyst but I’m super afraid to take it since I’ve had this reaction with the last 2 I’ve taken.

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I am sad but also fortified by your similar experiences with Bactrim. I was recently presented with a subcutaneous cyst at the top of my leg and went to my primary care to have it lanced. However the PA wanted to address it with antibiotics as first approach and so I agreed to try. Bactrim was prescribed. On day 7 I began to experience severe neck stiffening and headache. I mistook for driving fatigue and continued taking. On day 8 and 9 I had high fever, marbling of skin, diarrhea, extreme loss of energy, all over body aches, dizziness and loss of appetite. I noticed diarrhea in the drug side effect possibilities, and wrote he other off as the flu. However, I began to notice severe swelling of my genital area. It was itchy, painful with painful urination and it was difficult to walk or bend over. I noticed a couple of blisters on the outside opening to the vagina and some white discharge which made me think yeast infection. I kept taking the sulfamethoxazole, never having had an allergic reaction to a drug and only knowing that it is detrimental not to consume the complete antibiotic dose. On day 10 I continued having marbling of skin, fever, and other symptoms with now a reddening of my face, neck and chest. I had an appointment the next day to follow up with the prescribing doctor and called to see if I could get in earlier. I could hardly walk and was generally miserable. They recognized the allergic reaction to sulfa, but proceeded to tell me I had genital herpes. Me, married to the same man for 24 years exclusively! Doctor insisted that he must have had an affair and passed it to me. Well, doctor was wrong and I won’t be seeing her again. It has been 2 weeks and there are still some residual side effects like neck stiffness and headache, and some of the blisters inside remain, but each day, and with drinking many fluids, I flush the sulfa out of my body and feel a little bit better. It was totally demeaning to be talked down to by the doctor and her PA, and nobody even called to follow up about the blood work or samples that they took. Just really done with them and want others to be wary of this drug.

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I am taking Bactrim for a UTI and on the 4th day today I started feeling I can’t pee, like very slow flow... and it feels like pressure down there. The doctor told me to stop taking it. I took it a year ago and didn’t have this problem. Is this a side effect of this med and will it go away?

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For the 3rd time I end up in the ER and the doctor had to give me a steroid shot to ease the burning pains and pains from the ulcer that Bactrim was causing. I went through 9 days of hell and there is not a damn thing that will help you except the steroid shot and it only last for 24 hours but it was instant relief and it gave enough time foe the new antibiotic to kick in and still I lay on bed for days in pain due to the burns from the Bactrim. When I urinated I used the sitz bath bottle with tubing to let cold water running through it every time i peed and I had to use the cold button on the blow dryer to dry down there because I was burnt so bad my skin was peeling. Doctor said I was am allergic to the sulfur like my mother, so chances are if mom is allergic than maybe so are you. Anyway KY jelly helps some at bed time or anytime it helps, lose the underware and let your fan blow cold air there so you can get some rest. The scary part is the burning and skin peeling can be symptoms from John Stephensons disease which is cause by Bactrim.
Bactrim is one of the worst antibiotics and should not even be given to people, look at all the complaints, there is more to this medicain than me being allergic to it, seriously are all these people allergic to it as well??? I don't think that is the case!

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Yes the same thing is happening to me I just read about the side affects and it causes thrush in our mouth Tounge real sore and private area burning and itching my urine feels like acid comeing out stop taking it I'm calling my doctor Tommrow ugh or call your Dr first I feel your pain

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What did anyone do for the fire crotch that Bactrim causes. I took one pill and my vajayjay is on fire and blistered.
I was given another antibiotic but that gave me flu systems and i had to stop that.
What are you using to stop the burning?

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Re: Bre (# 2)

NOOOOO!!! STOPPPPP THE DRUG!!! DO NOT TAKE IT CALL THE PHARMACIST. THAT SIDE EFFECT IS NOT A NORMAL ONE.
SOUNDS LIKE A POSSIBLE ALLERGY

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Hi all! After going through the agony everyone here described — twice — my doctor figured out it wasn’t lichen planus but instead Stevens Johnson Syndrome. The second time it happened, I immediately started using clobetasol 0.05 ointment downstairs which stopped it from getting truly bad. Instead, my entire mouth erupted and the pain was excruciating. I couldn’t eat or talk, swallowing felt like I had strep, and it wasn’t until I was patched through to the emergency dermatologist at the hospital that someone realized what was going on. I’m going in first thing tomorrow for a biopsy.

If you can’t get to a doctor, homemade “Magic Mouthwash” can help — equal parts liquid Benadryl and maalox, swirled, gargled then spit 4xs a day. Avoid eating and drinking for 30 min afterward.

I also now know I can use the clobetasol cream in my mouth, but they gave me the gel version instead. If you’re getting flu-like symptoms, the sores and difficulty swallowing, call your dr and ask about Stevens Johnson ASAP. And stop taking the bactrim immediately! (Assuming you’re using it for a UTI and not MRSA)

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Started taking Bactria a nd after four days painful blisters came up on the right side of my nose, is this normal.

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Re: Michael (# 71)

When I read “red hot itchy scrotum” I new I wasn’t alone :) thank you!

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It’s 5:00 AM and I can’t sleep since 2:00. I was prescribed Bactrim for a sinus infection the beginning of January. I’ve been suffering with vaginal lesions for weeks I went to the gynecologist and she didn’t know what it is. She gave me an anti fungal cream...didn’t work. Went to a dermatologist they said herpes or shingles . Took Valtrex for 4 days and used clindamyacin solution...no relief. Went back to the doctor and they did a biopsy and prescribed Bactrim!!! I’ve been taking them for a day and a half now but am stopping immediately after reading all these posts. What do I do to stop this burning and itching? It hurts to wear pants!

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Re: Shirley (# 164)

I have taken Bactrim previously without any problems. Started on Bactrim DS yesterday for a skin infection, and after just one dose started with vaginal itching within an hour which progressed to generalized redness and itching. As an RN with three kids with Sulfa allergies, I recognized this as an allergic reaction and did not take any additional doses. From what I have read, it may take three days or more for symptoms to resolve. So uncomfortable even with allergy medication being taken! Sure wish our bodies didn’t react this way!

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Re: Rachael (# 163)

Me too. I ended up in ER twice I had a multitude of symptoms too...throwing up, blood red rash, nauseated, horrible migraine, got a blood clot, had to wear a hear monitor because it threw my heart rhythm off and scared me to death. ..I have a story. All bc of Bactrim.

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Re: Bre (# 2)

Don't take half a dose if you've already had a negative reaction such as that. It will still catch up to you like it did me. I had a full-blown allergic reaction that put me in the ER and it continued even after I'd discontinued the Bactrim. It stays in your body. Don't do it.

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I had the WORST experience with Bactrim. Only 3 doses. Fever, chills, nausea, sores on my vagina. Just horrible. Right away I knew it was the medication as I get blood tested for work regularly for all STIs and blood diseases, but still. NEVER taking it again. EVER.

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Re: Chelly92 (# 67)

Thank you sooooo much for this information!!!! I am experiencing this exact situation. And I have been scared and uncomfortable for several days. I see my GYN tmrw.

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Re: LCS (# 159)

I *just* can’t BELIEVE this! I took pill 7 of a 10-day dose of Bactrim DS and am having BIG problems, too. Rash on thigh, HUGE sores in my mouth and fire in my crotch that is FAR worse than the UTI for which I was prescribed the meds. I have been nauseous and had an awful headache, too. God bless you all and THANK YOU for sharing your stories with me. Will be at the doc first thing in the morning.

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Omg!! I have experienced similar symptoms after the first dose of taking barium ds I woke up to a swollen lip & a very red torso. The redness subsided off my torso..but the mouth swelling, sores/irratipn increasing for worst. I took approximately 6 pills total before I realized I was having a negative reaction to the medication after reading more about it. My tongue & lips are so sore/red/raw/swollen/dry/constant burning sensation...hurts so bad. I can barely talk, eat, drink. Called my dr several times for them to say stop taking med & take benadryl.. not nothing a difference they eventually told me to go to ER for the ER dr to not think I was having a reaction to the medication. They did however prescribe me prednisone... This experience is not only painful, uncomfortable it's also embarrassing looking due to the swelling & redness in my lips & funny speech. I haven't gotten these sores anywhere else other than my mouth as described in some of these other post. I hoping these symptoms subside soon.. but from the looks of it from other people's post I may have these symptoms longer than I want..ugh. Does anyone have any suggestions to help with the healing or at least help with decreasing the constant burning sensation/pain???

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I have genital and oral herpes, so when I took my first dose of Bactrim and developed blisters inside my mouth, I assumed it was just a herpes outbreak. Even though, I had never experienced an outbreak like this in all the 6 years since my herpes diagnosis. My lips swelled 3 days after taking 1 single 800mg Bactrim dose and slowly a pink rash developed around my lips, that same day little blisters popped up on my lips and I began experiencing vaginal itching and what I felt was the beginning of a genital herpes outbreak. Let me tell you, it looked just like a horrible herpes outbreak. Well, the sores on my vagina became worse over the course of the rest of the day...when I woke up the next morning to go pee... IT FELT LIKE SOMEONE CUT INTO PARTS OF MY VAGINA AND WAS JUST POURING EVERY POSSIBLE ACID IN THERE! I have had a terrible UTI before and prior genital outbreaks but let me tell you, this was the absolute worst pain I have EVER encountered in my life. I resorted to filling a cup of warm water to pour over my sores while I peed. This marginally helped. Me thinking it was a horrendous outbreak begun heavy dosing Lysine and Monolaurin. I'd take tramadol for the pain. I applied lidocaine to the sores but unlike any other outbreak, the medicine would last maybe 5 minutes this time compared to the hours it would usually aid me. No fever, no body rash.

Well flash forward 1 month and a half down the line, which would be right now in the present. On Saturday at 11AM I feel like I am getting a UTI (very slight retention) so I take 1 single dose of the 800mg Bactrim. Well within 7 hours my lips have swollen and I get the most absolutely severe vaginal itching I have ever experienced. It was making me jump! I was running all over the place out of desperation. I assume it's a terrible yeast infection and get OTC yeast treatment and take a bunch of benadryl. It didn't help. The itching is getting worse both on my lips and my vagina. Next day, the itching has subsided substantially and it's still itchy but I can ignore it. It hurts to walk because of the sores I now have in my vagina. It's starting to burn when I pee, so this time these affects are progressing much quicker. No sores or blisters in or around my mouth, just very swollen, ocassionally itchy lips. It was this time that I linked the Bactrim to what I was experiencing. I have never had a month to month outbreak and after my first outbreak of barely being infected with herpes, I have never had both oral and genital outbreaks ay the same time in the 6 years since. My oral outbreaks are extremely mild and my lips have never become swollen before. I wish I would've made this connection before I took the Bactrim again.

The slight retention I had from what I thought was a UTI was so so much better than this hell I know I'm about to experience again. No skin rash, no fever or sore throat. I went to the ER because I knew what was awaiting me and all the doctor did was prescribe Benadryl and an anti-fungal cream. She didn't take my lips or vaginal symptoms seriously at all. She actually said "I'm don't know if that's an allergy". At that point I just thanked her and waited for my discharge papers because I knew she was just going to think I'm looney if I pressed it since she had already made up her mind. I forgot to mention I also have rectal itching. My pee is starting to burn my sores, I know it's just a matter of hours or a day before the extremely painful urination and inability to walk come around. I'm just so worried that it's progressing so much faster this time and am worried it will get much worse this time. I hope not. Bactrim is horrible. I will never take this medication or sulfa drugs again.

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