Side Effects Of Bactrim (Page 4) (Top voted first)

I need to know of any side effects that may occur while taking this medication.

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this is dawn again just posting to let everyone know that my daughter was diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson-Syndrome which was due to the toxic levels of Bactrim! She could have died from this and now has medical alert bracelet for life threatening sulfa drug reactions.....

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Hi Katiemae,
Yes if you had a reaction to Bactrim you well feel better after you stop taking it (you've seen the SIZE of those pills right?! They are loaded with Sulfa) but after effects will probably linger for days or weeks afterwards. It took about a month for me to get completely back to normal, and I took it for 5 days. I don't know what your time table will be but it's easy to believe during the worst of it that you'll never get back to normal! But don't stress, if you got hit with side effects, they'll go away. Go to the ER again if you develop a skin rash, they will take you seriously then and give you a steroid probably. Sounds to me like you're ok, avoid Sulfa drugs from now on, they are harsh stuff and are already banned in the UK. They may have been lifesavers back in the 1950's but now more people have bad reactions to them than don't, my doctor says. They def should be banned, there are other drugs out now that are as effective and less dangerous. Best of luck to you Katiemae!

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So this was the 3rd time I was prescribed bactrim to treat a UTI. The first treatment was a 5 day treatment. I had gone on vacation to Vegas while on the medication and on the 5 day of taking the meds I started feeling a pain on my left side of my abdomen and back I went to urgent care 2 times and they said that I pulled a muscle. It was hard to believe since I really did not do much activity. But I treated it for a pulled muscle and felt better eventually. About 3 weeks ago I got another UTI and they prescribed bactrim once again but this was only a 3 day treatment so the side effects where not as sever and I did not notice them. A week ago I got a sharp pain in what I thought was my bladder so here I go again to the doctors office they had little proof of it being a bladder infection just small amount of blood in my urine but they still prescribed bactim this time a 5 day treatment. On day 3 I was constipated and was in so much pain and discomfort I had to go to urgent care again. I told them the medication I was on and now have stopped taking due to the constipation. They said oh we think its appendicitis!! After 2 days there several test and CT scans they said its not appendicitis your just constipated. I asked again could all of this be a side effect of the meds I was prescribed and they assured me it was not. It had to do with my diet. I just didn't feel okay with there respond so I got home and did a little research and found this!! I wish I would have found this sooner. People are experiencing the same side and after effects as me anxiety, insomnia, pain on my abdomen,constipation, tremors,shortness of breath, irregular heat beat. It's even on the FDA website but the doctor assured me it was not a side effect of the drug!! And now to know it was banned in the UK!!! I don't understand these doctors. I have 2 days off of work for my "constipation" I have the right mind to make a appointment with my doctor and ask why they would prescribed something so dangerous! I don't feel myself and I just want this to be over. Oh and get this on my discharged papers they state continue to take current medication bactim 2 a day. If anyone could tell me how long these effect last it will be greatly appraised

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Josh, nobody knows how long it will last for you. For me it was 3-4 weeks the best thing I did was started chugging water (excessively) and taking probiotics and vitamins (since I wasn't very hungry.) I noticed exercise helped, even though I had no energy... Maybe it helps sweat it out? Idk. I thought I would never feel better, but I did. Just try to take care if yourself.

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It took about 4 to 5 weeks to finally get rid of the blazing hot fever feelings that would flare up at a certain time in the after noon. My doctor told me I could try benadryl pills over the counter to see of that help. And it did take some of the edge off.. just a little bit.

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My 8 year old Daughter was prescribed Bactrim for Cellulitis in her lower left leg. She was on it 10 Days and THIRSTY, THIRSTY the entire time. The very last day of the Medicine after her Morning dose of 1 and 1/2 pills twice daily she broke out into Hives all over her legs, Feet, arms. Doctor said to not take her last dose and that her rash will go away. It is 2 days after the rash appeared and it gets worse each day. Horrible Antibiotic and i am sure it will soon be on a Television Commercial that if you have taken this Medicine and have had all this issue to call the number to sue the company. AND I WILL BE RIGHT THERE!!! IF THIS RASH GETS ANY WORSE I AM CONTACTING A LAWYER IN THE MORNING. My child is not going to suffer the consequences of some A hole company putting out un safe drugs. SO DISGRUNTLED.

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My mother is 83, took Bactrim for 6 days and started itching all over from the inside. She has polymyalgia and started hallucinating. Spent 11 nights in the hospital. Docs said her blood sodium level dropped and this caused the hallucinations. She has spent 3 weeks in physical therapy because she was so weakened. She still has burning / stinging sensations in her lower body. Doc thinks it is nerve damage. Pharm did not give her drug fact sheet to read (apparently trying to save paper). Talk to doctor about meds before using. This could save a lot of misery.

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I just wanted to update on my friend....She had serious heart damage. She suffered 1st and second degree burns while on Bactrim. Was in the burn unit for over a week. The weeks later she has started to get lesions on her face, and having issues with hey legs. She may have to have a defibrillator installed permanently. She has a long way to go.

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Why does FDA approve his drug composition? I had fevers for two days on day 6-7 and broke out in a rash all over my body on day 8. Also have dry lips and not sure if it's due to bactrim.

It starts on the upper arms and tummy and basically moved down. My ears remain extremely itchy. I'm stunned doctors would use this knowing the side effects.

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I am just stopped taking the Bactrim today even though I still had 6 days left. I woke up last night with reflux and then ended up vomiting and diarrhea. I could not lay down without the reflux coming up. I have been super hot, shaky and weak. I called my dr and she told me to stop the Bactrim and eat yogurt to restore the balance of bacteria in my stomach. Hope it goes away soon!!

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I was prescribed a 14 day course of Bactrim 500mg 2x a day for a UTI. I felt fine, up until about day 5 when I got several painful sores in my mouth that I assumed were due to natural bacteria being killed off. Then it went to a sore throat, not horrible but there and let me know on each swallow. Day 11 I wake up and I am itching all over my body. I go look and see that I have hives everywhere. I went back to the Dr and he told me get off the Bactrim never take it again. He prescribed me some prednisone for a week , im on the 2nd day now and I dont feel it has helped , as I am still getting new hives. Im also taking vistaril for the itching , which it does an ok job of relieving symptoms of, but not great. Guess in the end we will see how long this takes.

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I had horrible pain all over my body for about two and a half months. This was after having taken 9 days of Bactrim. I could hardly walk, turn over, or move without severe discomfort. My CRP level was elevated throughout this time and indicated an inflammatory state. I was only on the Bactrim because of a possible small infectious area on my toe.

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I took Bactrim ds and now I am having severe pain in my upper torso and my throat feels like it is closing up all the time. I stopped taking it and now I have taken so much prednisone I feel like I might explode from that. The pain is so bad I am taking pain meds. But they don't help went to Er and they gave me dilaudid and that helped but that seems to be the only thing to relieve the pain of this my neck feels like it's going to explode.. My chest stays red and hot to the touch. I am shaky and really agitated at times .. Ugh help any advice would be great.. It truly hurts to touch me..

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This is an update. After my post it really took about a month to feel healthy again. I seem to have no residual effects. I only took about 5 days of this medication but will NEVER take it again. Doctors said if Bactrim has this effect I should be considered allergic to all sulfa antibiotics and never take a sulfa antibiotics again.

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Bactrim (all sulfa based antibiotics) can cause significant drop in platelet count that is very dangerous. Always seek professional help asap

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I was prescribed bactrim for an infection that wouldn't heal properly. After taking one pill at 7:30 at night I woke up at 3:30 vomiting, halluecinations, full body shivers with a 104 temp. I lost consciousness and woke up in the back of the Ambulance heading to our local hospital. They said I had a violent reaction to bactrim and I should never take it again. It has been 6 days I feel much better but still have body aches and red blotchy skin that my Dr. says may not entirely go away for another 3-4 weeks.

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I started bactrim 8 days ago, 2x a day. I had read online to look out for a reaction even though dr. Told me there were no side effects. I felt really sore and lethargic at first, head aches, moody. Then last night on 7th day my lips swelled up. Now I woke up to my eyes completely swollen. I took an antihistamine and will probably run to urgent care when it open to avoid an er bill. I was.put on this for acne treatment. Hope it goes away quickly as I look like someone who just got punched!

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The first and only time I took Bactrim I had a psychological reaction to the drug. I am not diabitic and I have no autoimune diseases. After my third does I started feeling really depressed to the point I was in tears. Then it felt like pin and needels all over my body. This all lead into my first panic attack.My anxiety decreased after a couple hours and I was able to sleep. I woke up the next morning in a ball from night sweats and so depressed. I was taken back to the doctor who took me off the drug. The side effects have been lingering for the past four days but each day it gets better. Come to find out my brother had convulsions and hallucinations on this drug in the hospital after his first does!

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Kelsey,

Insomnia was the worst part of my side effects and by no means do I believe that my case is typical but it took me a very long time to get to a place that I feel 75% back to my old self. I suffered for at least 3 or 4 months, I accepted the pain and appreciated the hour or two of sleep I'd get per night for the next 2 months. Then slowly but surely I started getting more and more sleep per night. Now I'd say I average about 6-7 hours per night but I get by just fine on about 4 to 5 hours. I used to sleep 9+ with no problem. But I'm a year out from getting poisoned and life is fine. Just be patient and be mentally and physically ok with it hurting for a while. You will be fine though. Not sure if these help, but I take 400mg magnesium Glycanate, 2 pills of tryptophan, 200 mg l-thymine, 50% dv of zinc and turmeric every night about 2 hours before bedtime (these do not make you sleep but I believe the address some of the problems and help to repair them some. In the morning I take 1000 vitamin D, 50% dv of zinc and turmeric. I used to take Benadryl 25 - 50 mg every night for a few months then I started drinking a few beers to help sleep. Both of these help some. I did the Rx rout, but those hinder healing as your body is allowed to sleep without producing its own GABA. Also, try to limit Benadryl and alcohol to avoid tolerance/dependence. Oh, and 10mg melotonin may help as well. Nothing was a cure or fix all or even made me feel normal again, but like I said I'm 75% better and I'm pretty happy with that. Good luck and God bless.

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My symptoms are resolved now. The side effects should go away but it may take several months.

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