Bactrim Septra DS Trimeth-Sulfa Sulfatrim side effects
Page 14 of mail to investigative reporter Brian Deer recounting sometimes serious side effects of the antibiotic often known as Bactrim, Septra or Trimeth-Sulfa DS
BACTRIM: 11 March
I decided to do some research on Bactrim and found your website. I absolutely can not believe they are still able to prescribe this drug.
My daughter is 18 years old. On Tues night (3/8/05) she called me from college and said she was sick. She said she thought she had food poisoning. She said she was vomiting and had diarrhea. I told her to take some Pepto and see if that would help, maybe it was just an upset stomach. We talked off and on for the next hour or so. When I realized the Pepto was not going to help, and she was probably getting dehydrated I called a friend of hers Toni that lives there. Toni came and picked her up and took her to the hospital. They check her out and said she was dehydrated and had an UTI. They gave her 3 bags of fluid, a shot for pain, an oral antibiotic (which we found out later was bactrim) and a prescription for antibiotics. They released her about 5:30 am on Wed. (3/9/05). I was up all night talking with the hospital and Toni. When my daughter was able to talk with her. She said she felt better, but was weak. That was understandable. I told her that me and her Dad would be there later that day to pick her up and bring her home. Well, about 7:15 am she called and said she was hurting again. So she called the hospital and they said she should take tylenol and that it would take a few days to get over. I had a meeting for work that morning so after I got ready I left for my meeting. She didn’t call me back so I assumed she was asleep and didn’t want to wake her. On my way back home, which was about 10:30 am she called me. She said felt really bad, she said she felt worse than before. I told her I was almost home and as soon as I got there me and her dad would be on our way. When I got back home we left to go get her. It was 11:10 am. It’s a 5 hour drive to where she is at. We got there about 4:00pm. She looked bad, her eyes were red and swelled, and her body was swelled. She couldn’t hardly walk. Oh my God, I couldn’t believe it.
Well, spring break was starting friday so we had to pack up her room and get it ready for check out. (which isn’t to bad, you don’t remove everything, just the open food and unplug everything). She told us she did not have her prescription. She said she felt to bad to wait for it to be filled, so we went to CVS and picked up the prescription. It was Sulfamethoxazole/TMP DS which is the generic for Bactrim. I handed it to her through the window and I got into her truck (she was riding we her Dad) and we started home
I was talking with her Dad on our cells and he said she had taken her antibiotics. She dropped the bottle on the floor and couldn’t reach them. About, 2/3 of the way home we stopped at Sonic to grab a burger. She was still feeling bad but didn’t seem to be as bad. I think that is when she took the Bactrim. We got home about 11:00 pm and she seemed worse. I wanted to take her back to the emergency room but she said no. She said, I will be alright, I’m tired and I just want to go to bed. Well, I couldn’t sleep all night for worrying and checking on her. I think it was about 4:00 am when I finally went to sleep. She was on the couch and I slept on the love seat. I woke me up at 5:30 am, checked on her. She was still feeling bad. I gave her the Bactrim again, along with some tylenol. She went back to sleep and I left for a meeting at work. Her Dad stayed there. After my meeting I came straight home. When I got there her Dad said she had been sleeping. I checked on her and she was burning up with fever, her eyes extremely red and glassy.She said she had taken tylenol around 11:00am and she didn’t want to go to the emergency room. I called the doctor but they were closed for lunch. They close from 12:00 – 2:00. At 1:45 we left for the doctors office. I decided they were going to see her no matter what. When we got there and they seen her, they took her right in. She had a fever of 102.4 and had taken tylenol 3 hours before. They give her some more tylenol. The doctor examined her right away. She was complaining with her neck hurting, her stomach, her head hurt really bad, body aches, stiffness in her joints, weak, sensitivity to light, chills, eye irritation, dizziness, she was swollen all over her body, she was red all over her body, she had a rash on her face, and she was itching on her feet and hands, she was really bad. The doctor was very concerned. We told her the events that led up to this. She said she was concerned about meningitis. She sent her to the emergency room. The doctor there started her on an IV for fluids and then commenced to give her medicine through the IV, one of which was Benadryl. He never said it was an allergic reaction to the Bactrim. He did say she was given the wrong antibiotic. He said she had a severe kidney infection and that Bactrim was the wrong antibiotic for it. He did blood work and a urine test. Her liver enzymes were out of wack and he order a hepatitis test. He said not to take the Bactrim and gave her a different antibiotic and some pain medicine. Take tylenol only if she needs it for fever. After 2 bags of fluid, numerous other medicine, and allergy eye drops, her redness started going away, the rash was still there but not as bad, her fever was down and she looked better (not good but better), he gave instructions to she our doctor tomorrow, follow up on the liver / hepatitis panel, and if anything changes in her condition that night to come back to the hospital. By the next morning (3/11/05) she was alot better. I took her back to our doctor. She read over the blood work and all of the notes from the ER doctor. She said she believes it was an allergic reaction to the Bactrim. She said she would check on the results of the hepatitis panel and wants her back next week to do some more blood work to check on her liver. If they numbers are still out of wack she is going to refer her to a GI (a liver specialist, don’t know how to spell it).
When we got home I started researching Bactrim and found your articles on it. I thank God she didn’t take but 3 tablets. I will be praying that the test next week come back OK. I am going to contact our local news channels and let them know about your website and the bad side affects and deaths that have been caused by Bactrim. People need to know this and I guess the government or the makers aren’t going to tell them.
Doris B, Katy, Tx. USA
BACTRIM DS: 15 March
Brian:
I have been prescribed Bactrim DS every year for the last several years for a seasonal allergy problem that turns into a sinus infection and bronchitis. Coincidentally, every year I experience a bout of severe depression, anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia & nightmares that last for about two weeks. Until this past week I d never put two & two together. I d always put it down to stress at work. Still, there always seems to be something unreal about these periodic attacks. I usually suffer from a low level of daily anxiety, but nothing so intense & debilitating as I ve gone through in the last couple of weeks while on Bactrim.
I started to get suspicious and reviewed my notes from my journals and found that I was taking Bactrim during these periods. Several years ago I had a truly frightening experience with Floxin, where I couldn t sleep for three days & was in a constant state of panic. When I began to hallucinate I realized that something must be wrong with the prescription and stopped taking it. My reaction to Bactrim was similar, but not as extreme.
CM.
SEPTRA DS: 17 March
Just an email to let you know that I began Septra DS on 8 March and by 10 March I had a severe knot in my stomach in the am, followed by nausea, lack of appetite and lethargy.
This turned into progressive pain, which had me writhing all night (12 March) and in the ER on 13 March thinking it was my gallbladder. (No one thought it was the Bactrim–nor did I!) In fact, the ER doc told me to keep taking the Bactrim because my urine had leukocytes (despite no dysuria).
My pain was constant, increased with walking (kind of a peritoneal pain–diffuse with acute epigastric–radiating to my right epigastric area).
US of my gallbladder was WNL and my lab studies were WNL except for my urine. I couldn’t walk traight–it hurt to stand straight. By 14 March I had a red, raised pruritic plaque-like rash underneath both of my eyes.
After stopping the medication (and the Tylenol 3# I had taken for two days to function) I began to feel better. By day 3–after NO medication–I can walk again and have just remnants of my rash under my eyes–my epigastria area is a little sore but I am fully recovering.
Elke ZBACTRIM: 22 March
I recently was prescribed Bactrim for a UTI. As I am 52, I’m guessing I’ve taken sulfa antibiotics before. On the 3rd day I awoke with a very high fever and thought I had the flu. The doctor swabbed my nose twice in 2 days and reported that I did not have the flu. My temperatures ranged from 100 to 104. On the 5th day of high fever, mostly in the 102-103 range, I was hospitalized for 5 days and on IV fluids for severe dehydration, on Vicodan, Benedryl, Zantac, Valium the whole time.The last night in the hospital I had a terrible problem breathing and had to be given oxygen. I did not develop a rash until the 8th day after the fever started, the 10th day after I first started taking Bactrim. The rash went away almost immediately but started again with a vengance 2 days after I was home. It was so bad I went to the doctor’s 2 days in a row and begged for a shot of Cortisone. I still am somewhat itchy (nothing like before) but can’t see any rash.
I have seen almost nothing about the terrible fever.My fever was 104 or higher at least 3 times in that period. I am now wearing a MedicAlert bracelet.
Kerry F
SMZ/TMP: 25 March
Hi Brian,
I just ran into your website when looking into a possibility that I might have started an allergy to the antibiotic smz/tmp. I had been on chemotherapy (for leukimia) for four months during which my oncologist put me on this drug to prevent bacterial infections of the lungs since I have immune system supression. The dosage is two pills a day for three days a week. When I first started on SMZ/TMP I did fine at the beginning. Then after three and a half months of being on this, I started rashes, itchy bumps like spider bites, all over my body, mostly on the tummy, arms, under arms, thighs, legs., nothing on the face or in the mouth. It’s been going on more than three weeks now and it’s driving me crazy. I told my oncologist about me possibly starting an allergic reaction to the smz/tmp but he says the rash doesn’t look like that one. On your site I read people having itchy bumps like mine, I think my intuitions are right and I might have started an allergic reaction to this antibiotic or something else since my immune system is weak, I even remember the day the allergy started, I had diarreah and green stool. Since than the itching started, and I’m itching mostly at night. Is it possible to start an allergic reaction to smz/tmp after four months of use, even though I did well for three and a half months on this drug? By the way thank you for the site and any advice you can give me,
Karen Z.
TMP/SULFA DS: 26 March
Hi Brian,
I am a 40 year old male in excellent health. I had developed a cold and had a plugged up ear. I went to an extended care clinic and was prescribed a drug called TMP/Sulfa DS. It was prescribed as 1 tablet twice a day. I took the 2 tablets my first day and had all kinds of problems such as loss of appetite, hands shaking, dry mouth, anxiety, insomnia and I developed a panic attack as well.
I went off the tablets the very next day. Thank god my family noticed these changes in me as well. I then went to an ear, nose and throat Dr. and was prescribed flonase for my plugged up ear and I’m hoping this will work for me.
I thank you for your site and hope it can help out someone else.
Thanks,
Brian
BACTRIM: 30 March
Hello,
I was visiting your website about Bactrim, and I came upon your website by searching for the long term effects of bactrim. Well, I was prescribed sulfameth which is a generic name for bactrim and the weird
thing is I was prescribe this for acne and not urinary tract infections or ear infections which I know it’s
supposed to be for those purposes, but my doctor prescribed it for me for acne. I was at another dermatologist today and she told me that it’s very dangerous that I took sulfameth for like 2.5 years! and when I’d ask my old doctor if it’s okay to be using it for so long he said its fine since I wasn’t forming any allergies or rashes to it!
Now I feel like something is wrong with my back and I dunno if I should related to the drug but I read on
another site that this drug reduces white blood cells which could lead to bone marrow and I’m worried that
it could be the case I still havent checked with a doctor about this but thought I should let you guys know.
Shimaa.
SEPTRA DS: 31 March
Hi Brian
I just tried to take this drug and after about three days I broke out with a big rash and fever. Then the next day the rash was gone but then my whole body felt like it was on fire and I couldn t stand as much as a sheet on me. It felt like a mattress on top of me. Are we talking about the same pill? I was given it for inter ear infection and my ears ring ever since.
Thank you for your info.
Lois
SMZ TMP DS: 3 April
Thanks for this research.. I would have had no idea..
I was prescribed the smz tmp for a infection of the skin . The medicine cleared up the problem almost immediately. After a few weeks however I began experiencing severe heat aches, fever of 100.2 and general fatigue. Pain in the eyes, neck stiffness and loss of appetite, I stopped the medicine today.
I would warn others – I am 44yr.old male , am very healthy otherwise and am no match for this drug…
Thanks again
Greg H.
BACTRIM: 9 April
Hello Brian,
Update to my case if you want it for your email pages.
I ended up back in the hospital last night. My arms and legs became extremely swollen to a point I lost feeling in my hands and feet and Hives covered my body. When I started having a hard time breathing my wife took me to the ER. They have me a EPI shot, and steroids and put my on an IV, and within 15 minutes the swelling and hives were gone, but not my severe abdominal pain. The doctor at the ER pulled my chart and saw that I was treated for “diverticulitis” (which I believe was just bactrim infecting my bowels the last time too), and said it just miraculously reappeared, coincidentally during another reaction to bactrim. He gave me cipro and protozone and metholadizine for that, and I took it last night and hopefully I can kick this. I seem to be feeling better in my bowel and am pretty certain that my digestive issues arent just a coincidence.
Thank you for taking my emails, and I am planning on contacting some of my local media organizations who will investigate and harrass any large company, including this one if the story merits it. With your permission I would like to reference your site if I may.
Thanks again
Bill S, Michigan
BACTRIM: 9 April
Aloha Brian
First off I would like to thank you immensely for this web site, I only wish I had research it before my partner had taken 6 days (of the prescribed 12) of Bactrim. Greg, who is 48, came down with the flu on Easter Sunday. After 6 days bronchitis was setting in so he went to the doctor. Being HIV+, the doctor gave him a prescription for Bactrim to stop any type of pneumonia from developing. The first day a terrible headache started which should have been an omen of what was to come. The next day a fever joined the growing list of painful effects. The fever began spiking to 103 and a rash started to develop.
Thinking these are just severe flu symptoms he continued on the med for 6 days. On day seven he went back to the medical center and saw a different doctor because his was his own doctor was out. This new doctor stated that Greg is probably having a reaction to Bactrim, told him to throw it away and gave him a new prescription for a different antibiotic. By the next morning after another horrendous sleepless night, Greg was so swollen and covered with a head to toe rash that burned from the inside out. The pain had reduced Greg to moaning and sobbing. Rushing him to the E.R. he eventually found treatment with 2 EPI shots, Benydryl and Prednisone.
It is now 3 days after his last dose of Bactrim and 2 days of treatment for its horrible effects. Greg is vastly improved although still covered with a rash. The swelling has gone down and the headache and body pain have almost vanished. He still is very weak though. I am very concerned that there may be lasting bad effects, being that his immune system is already suppressed by HIV and the toxicity of the “cocktail”. Isn’t the Prednisone suppressing his immune system also? Why aren’t doctors aware of the potential problems with this drug and if they are, why don’t they alert the patient to the possible side-effects. Our doctor didn’t even seem to think that it was important to begin treating the allergic reaction. I firmly believe this was a potentially fatal situation and I also believe there could be long term effects. I have always questioned the quality of the healthcare here on Maui but reading all these letters I see it is everywhere.
Brian you are doing great and wonderful thing. I’ll try and do my part by spreading the word.
Aloha and mahalo,
Jeff
SEPTRIN: 12 April
Hello there
My father died in 1993. he was taking septrin for years prior to this and suffered many of the side effects. he was visited by a specialist from Wales and was asked what medication he was taking. As soon as he mentioned septrin the doctor told him to stop taking it straight away. He was marginally better for a while but deteriorated over a period of time. We did not think anything about it at the time but have since heard of the problems with this drug and cannot believe that it was prescribed to my Dad and was the cause of many of his problems which made his life miserable.
Please feel free to contact me.
Alison H.
SMZ/TMP DOUBLE STRENGTH: 18 April
I was given two weeks of this medication, unsure of the dose, but two good sized pills each day for 14 days. This medication was for a urinary track infection. Since taking the medicine I am running into serious issues with Anxiety and near panic attacks. I am shaky and somewhat weak. I have lost my appetite, but worst off for me is the anxiety and the near panic attacks. I think it best in light of the situation to stop taking the medication early. I have finished 8 of the 14 days, but the anxiety is really strong especially about 3-4 hours after taking the medicine.
ECTAPRIM: 18 April
Hi Brian,
Thank God I found your web site. We just came back early from a trip to Mexico, San Felipe, because my son, who is 5 years old, got some kind of stomach infection. So I was desperate, because he was vomiting a lot and he had a high fever. I went to a pharmacy and they gave me Ectaprim for children also Sulfa/Trime drug. He seems to have gotten better, because he stop vomiting and his fever went down, but he has some kind of rash around his anus,groin and all in his tongue. We took him yesterday to the E.R just as a precaution and they just told us to stop using it. And nothing else. I’m really upset about that. Needles to say I’m totally freaked out about all the stories. I have stopped giving him the Ectaprim but he took it 4 times and only 5ml’s at a time every 12 hours. Please let me know if this could be something bad or should I take him back to the E.R., or take him to his Pediatrician.
Thank you
Sincerely
Ruben (Worried Dad), CA
SEPTRA: 21 April
I was prescribed this medicine yesterday to treat an inflamed and infection throat and sinuses. Within about two hours of taking the medication I became extremely nauseous and vomited several times. I attributed this to the ice cream I ate which may have been sitting on the counter too long but I now know better after taking a second dose. But that’s not all, I came down with an intense fever and superhuman skull splitting headache. The pressure was heavily focused in my frontal lobe. My eyes became heavily glazed with a reddish covering. I also experienced chills that were at sub-human temperatures. My body was twisting and turning, my leg, thighs, and feet in agony. Let’s just say, I wasn’t feeling too good. I’ve been battling with a cold over the past week and half but never felt anything like this. Well, it turns out that Septra, also known as Bacterim and Setrin, is restrictive for use in the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />UK and there have been all sorts of deaths and horrific side effects related to people taking this drug. In short, Septra is not for everyone and especially not for me. I would advise each and every one of you to seek an alternative if presented with this drug. I will be taking Keflex in its place which has been proven effective before. You have no idea how bad I feel right now.
A friend of mine who heard about this, wrote to me and said she had lost 20 pounds over a three week period when she was prescribed this medicine. She was successful at banning the use of Septra in several counties and published in her findings and experience in several journals. That’s all I am going to say since she signed an agreement not to go public with her experience and the particulars of which hospital it was, etc.
Stay away from this medicine if you want to live a long, happy, and productive life. That’s my advice.
Jim C — Los Angeles, CA
SMZ/TMP DS 800-160: 25 April
I was given Septra for a Staph infection. I have been taking the meds for 7 days now. I have had chills, fever, been light-headed and the feeling of having an anxiety attack. I had a bloated feeling 3 days after taking the meds and I am currently constipated. (I have drank plenty of water for fear of getting kidney stones). I have suffered severe stomach pains that would normally go away with Tagament. ( I was previously diagnosed with Acid Reflux Syndrome but have watched my diet as to prohibit a sour stomach) Have been nauseated, and has suffered from loss of appetite.
I have had severe headaches and stiffness of neck but because of prior neck injury and history of migraines, I was unable to relate the headaches and stiffness to the medication. However, after contemplation over what I could have done the few days prior to the headaches starting, I realized that I did no heavy lifting or did not overexert myself in anyway. The only explanation is the Septra. I also have suffered from blurred vision, or spots. All of this is unexplainable. I ran a fever a few days before I started the medication and then it has been intermittent since then, off and on again. none of my symptoms are constant as I don’t take them at the same time everyday. I always take one before going to be because of the headaches that I get and normally try to take the morning one around 9:00.
Today I took one at about 11:00 and my head feels like it is going to split open across the back, I am finding it very bothersome to see with the spots in my eyes as well.
K.E.
SEPTRA: 26 April
Brian, this has been quite an awakening to the reactions that a drug can cause. After pouring through the emails of others unfortunate experiences I feel fortunate that I may have escaped a potential situation of my own. I was perscribed SMZ/TMP DS (Septa DS) for a sinus infection. This was to be a 15 day dosage 2 times daily. On day 14 I noticed a red rash on my legs extending upward to my chest and somewhat onto my arms. At that point I quit taking this med. and started researching the side effects. Red rash seems to be very common to this type drug. On day 15 I called my Dr. office and they said the rash is common, use Benedryl and it will go away. Today is day 15 and I am writing this with the rash still though it seems to be subsiding some you can bet I will be watching it closely in the following days. I have not used the Bendryl or anything else as I have not had any other symptoms except for a mild tingling of my skin which may be more paranoia than anything. Needless to say I will not be re-filling this perscription or taking any of the other sulfonamide based drugs.
Thanks for the enlightenment.
James B, Oregon, USA
APO-SULFATRIM: 2 May
I don’t usually contact people that I don’t know via the internet, for fear of a virus, but I had to tell you this.
I am a registered nurse, a healthy, active 37 year old mother of 2 girls, usually very strong.
2 weeks ago, I felt that I had a sinus infection, my teeth tingled, I had a pressure across the bridge of my nose. I tried to treat it with otc advil cold/sinus. No relief, I even went to the dentist to make sure that my teeth were O.K. (which they were).
One week ago, while at work at the hospital, saw one of the DR’s. Had sinus x-rays, and was put on “APO-SULFATRIM 400/80 MG ,2 tabs, twice a day x 10 days. The next day (Mon. ) woke up with an incredible headache, going up into my left eye. Went back to ER, was put on prednisone 50 mg x 3 days. That afternoon, had my first ever anxiety attack : in the early hours of Wed am , around 1 am, went again to the hospital with a migraine H/A. Never had one before in my life,
The headaches and anxiety continued during the week, had palpitations, generalized feelings of weakness / fatigue, .Went back to the ER on Thurs, was given “nasonex ” for the sinus, H/A continued; had a CT on Fri. Very strange feelings of vagueness, also, each time that my b/p was checked…unusually high. I normally run 110/60, different checks 175/83, 189/91, finally the lowest recorded was 139/79. Still to high for me.
I took 6 full days of the med. , and dose on Sat am. It finally peaked on Sat at lunch time…full blown panic attack. VERY SCARY. I then again went back to the hospital Sat evening, blood work normal.
It has been 48 hrs since I last took the med, I am still having feelings of anxiousness, my headache is not as bad as it was , but it is still present, I lost 5 lbs lat week, have been having trouble sleeping, vivid dreams which I am able to recall. I have been drinking lots of water to try to get this out of my system.
I took this drug back in 2001, for a throat infection, but then it was dispensed as “septra ” , not the generic that I had last week . I recall having a headache, but no other adverse reactions. ( I keep a journal of a sort , that is how I can look back ).
FOOTNOTE: lost 2 days of scheduled work due to this, ruined our weekend plans, and don’t very often go to ER , but out of 7 days, was there for 5 visits…..Not my normal type of lifestyle.
CT
RELATED:
Bactrim-Septra: a secret epidemic
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