This page is material from a 1990s investigation and campaign in The Sunday Times of London over the risks of an antibiotic with many names, such as Bactrim, Septra, Septrin, Sulfatrim, and co-trimoxazole

Bactrim Septra Sulfatrim Septrin TMP/SMZ side effects

Page 18 of mail to investigative reporter Brian Deer recounting sometimes serious side effects of the antibiotic often known as Bactrim, Septra, Sulfatrim or TMP/SMX

BACTRIM DS: 17 October

Hi I was given ds bactrim for acne ( my sister has been on it for 2 years with now great skin) After 10 days of using it I had real bad joint pain. So I called my dermatologist. She said thats really not a symptom and advised me to stop taking it for 2 weeks and then try it again to see id it really is the bactrim or something else. After 2 days off I felt better. I went and talked with a pharmasist and they said the same thing” That’s not a reaction from bactrim” So 2 weeks later I was desperate to clear my acne ( I mean I’m a 33 year old woman, that’s enough acne, you’ll try anything) Within 15 minutes of taking one pill I started to have pin prickles on my skin & lips. I just thought well this is strange. So I laid down for a little. When I woke my eyes were yellow, I was starting to shake and talk jittery. Then not more that an hour later things got real bad. I was shaking uncontrolably ( much like I did in childbirth) I had a fever that showed on my face, I felt like I wasn’t really there, all my joint were 10 times worse than the first time. My arms & legs were numb. I couldnt close my fists. The back of my lung area hurt when breathing. By the next day ( all day in bed) my eyes were yellow & red, swollen, my lips were swollen, all my joint were in such pain. The numbness continued and headaches. This was aweful and I feel like I was poisoned. I don’t want anyone to go through this. And for the medical field to tell me this does’nt happen with Bactrim! Now I have been reading posts of others, and found out there is a possiblity of severe liver damage and white blood cells. I feel very scared!

Barbie S.


BACTRIM: 20 October

Brian,

I am very fortunate to have found your site. It started about 6 days ago& I developed a fever (never rising above 102), crippling joint aches, pain in my lower back by my kidneys, confusion, pain in my lungs/chest (the feeling is similar to discomfort from inhaling very cold air) and severe fatigue, which kept me confined to my bed for 6 days! By the way I am not the type of person who enjoys lying around and being idle, but I could not muster the strength to get out of bed. Still sick and worsening symptoms I went to the emergency room and again my symptoms were excused for a viral infection . My family began doing some research on this medication prompting me to stop taking the Bactrim and within 24 hours I was beginning to feel better. Now pushing as much fluid in my body as possible to flush this all out of my system. I cannot understand how 2 separate physicians could miss this!

Thank you again for having this info available!

Doug.


SULFA/TRIMETH: 21 October

I’ve taken a lot of Sulfa/Trimeth after my liver transplant three years ago. I haven’t had any problems with it as opposed to the prednisone/tacrolimus I’ve taken. I was never been given any special precautions regarding this drug. I found your article interesting.

John D.


BACTRIM: 23 October

I’m writing from Hickory, North Carolina, USA. I was recently prescribed Bactrim for a urinary tract infection by a Nurse Practioner in my Women’s clinic. Two days after beginning the anti-biotic I started to itch on my upper torso. The itching intensified over the next few days and by day five I had a severe rash on my chest, neck, and back; and it has continued to spread to the rest of my body.

This is no minor rash … it’s horrendous: bright red welts and blisters, and the itch is unbearable. A person could go insane with a rash like this, I literally wanted to crawl out of my skin!

Naturally, I wanted to find-out what was known about Bactrim/Septra and searched the Internet for information. I can see that this drugs use may be warrantted in extreme cases, as a last option. In my situation, it was the drug of first choice, prescribed by a nurse practiioner in my physicians office; and I am outraged by it! It has caused me days of agony coping with this extreme rash.

In addition to sufferring for days, I feel angry about a couple of things. One being, this drug – with it’s well-known side-effects – was prescribed as a drug of first choice. The second one being it was prescribed by a nurse practitioner; I know that NP’s can be an asset to medicine. However, they do not have the extensive training of a medical doctor and it seems wrong that they are, essentially, practicing medicine without a medical doctor degree.

Kathy G.


BACTRIM DS: 23 October

Hi Brian,

I found your website while looking up info on Bactrim. I just finished a 5 day course of the DS which was prescribed for me by an ER doctor for a kidney infection. I thought I was going insane when I was taking the drug. I had so many side effects—but I didn’t know if they were from the infection, or coming down with the flu, or what.

I had achy joints, especially my knees—I’m in my 20’s so it’s kind of early for arthritis. And my hands were just throbbing—again, I thought it was some kind of arthritis or something I’d done that caused it.

I also had incredibly painful headaches that seemed to focus directly behind my eyes. It was as though there was so much pain and pressure in my head, it felt as though my eyes were going to pop right out.

The Bactrim made me unbelievably tired. All I wanted to do was sleep. I have huge dark circles around my eyes and look like a raccoon…I haven’t really slept since going on the Bactrim because it makes me sick in the middle of the night and restless…even though I’m overwhelmed with this urge to sleep and feel completely exhausted.

I took my last pill yesterday and became incredibly sick a couple of hours later. I was extremely nauseous and light-headed. And then the diarrhea started as well. I called two pharmacies and asked if this was normal, and one said it was and to take an antacid (which the literature that came with the pills said not to do), and the other one said it wasn’t the pills and that I must be coming down with the flu.

I was unbelievably sick, and the sleepiness was overwhelming at that point. I was extremely thankful that my mom was around to take care of me. About 5 hours after I took that last pill, the nausea started to lessen. I wasn’t able to really eat much until a day later though as my stomach was still quite upset.

I’ve been on other antibiotics before and realize that they do tend to make me nauseous and sicker as I come close to finishing the prescription. However the Bactim came with a host of side effects that no one disclosed to me and I wasn’t aware of.

Denise, Manhattan, US.


BACTRIM: 1 November

In 1996 I was put on a 14 day course of Bactrim by my dermatologist for a skin infection. After 7 days I began experiencing symptoms including a dry patchy rash on the inside of my knees and elbows and on my face around the hairline, my eyes were sensitive to light, and joint pain, but no hives. I asked the doctor at that time if it could be a drug reaction/allergy and was told no because I had been on the medication for some time, if it was an allergy it would have been more immediate, and besides I didn’t have hives. The doctor thought it might be measles. I was tested to check what my measles titer was since I had had the vaccine. The results were fine. Over the next 2 days I developed cyclic (every 4 hours) fever up to 104 degrees, red lobster-like itchy thighs, severe joint pain, severe headache (focused behind my eyes), mental confusion, severe fatigue and finally purpura.

I worked in a hospital labratory and the Pathologists there got me directly to a Hematologist. I immediately had routine blood work done and was also tested for Lupus (due to family history). I had a Bone marrow exam done. I had virtually no platelets, and required a platelet transfusion. I felt like I was on death’s doorstep. The Bactrim was finally stopped. I was hospitalized for 5 days and it took several weeks before I truly felt back to my old self.

Thank you for providing a site to share our Bactrim horror stories. I hope people will realize that drug allergies can happen at any point when taking certain drugs, and that the symptoms can include more than just hives and wheezing.

Julie



TRIMOXAZOLE: 14 November

Hi Brian,

I came across your web site after my father got deathly ill from taking trimoxazole for a staph infection. He has always been of near perfect health, no medications or health problems at 71.

He first came down with a rash all over his body. Then purple blood marks all over his lower legs. Then fevers and chills for days on end. My Dad who has been healthy thought he must have caught a flu bug. But it just kept on. He was having high fevers of 102 plus then chills then severe itching. He went to the emergency room where they admitted him for 2 days. Could not really find anything so he went home only to get deathly ill again a week later with the same symptoms. Again we went to the emergency where he was again admitted this time being much sicker. His blood platelets were 37. The next day they were 11, then 4. They gave him a several blood transfusions without any results in his count going up. They then did a cat scan of his chest and his lymph nodes were “hot”. The Doctors wanted to do a chest lymph biopsy but because of his platelets they could not. The Doctors were not sure what was up. They did a bone marrow biopsy which we feared would be a blood or bone cancer. It came back negative. His platelets were still low even though he had been getting blood transfusions of blood platelets. He went to the hospital Saturday, had fever and chills till the next Friday when they decided his spleen was the problem with the platelets being eaten up. They removed his very enlarged spleen.

Still giving him lots of blood platelets. He still had the rash which was like hives all over his body head to toes. They also had him on very high dosages of prednisone. By removing his spleen and giving him platelets his platelet count finally went up 2 and half weeks later to 138. He left the hospital 2 1/2 week later, still not well but a bit better. He is completely worn out and now his rash is returning along with fever and chills. He is being checked by a blood specialist and his platelets have improved but he is far from well. This all happen October 2005.

What I am wondering as probably many have if what can he do to get better. I am going to try a homeopathic and see if that can help his immune system which seems to be shot. My sister found your web site by looking up the adverse effects of the drug he had taken before this all started. My heart goes out to the people who did not have a good outcome, for I know we were close to it being far worst. I would say the Doctors at the hospital stayed his life. I only hope he will recover fully. Any info you could pass my way would be most appreciated. I am surprised by how many people have been effected by this drug and it is still prescribed. It has really made me a ware of what I take and what family members take.

Jamie, San Clemente, Ca


SEPTRA DS: 17 November

Hi, I found your website looking for symptoms of the medication Septra DS online. I am at work and am afraid I might have an accident on my way home because of the dizziness I have had all day .I have been on Septra 2 days now for a vaginal infection, got a bit dizzy last night but today is really bad. I already suffer from axiety and hairloss and after reading you re page am freaking out. I would call my doc and ask for another prescription but I just paid $93.00 dollars for this one and don t get paid for 2 weeks. Do you think it is it dangerous to take it for the remaining 8 days, I read a lot of emails but was too dizzy to keep reading, a lot of them were long term users of this drug. I need to cure my infection because I have a lot of abdominal pain but I am 29 with 3 kids and don t want to risk my life!

Jasmine P


RESPRIM FORTE: 18 November

I was subscribed Resprim Forte in May this year. The pharmacist gave me advice on eating beforehand and informed me about excessive exposure to sunlight etc.

I ate a large roll before taking 1 tablet. Within ½ hour I started to itch. ½ hour later or so, I was lying in my bed, dizzy, pounding head, sweating profusely, my heart going a million miles an hour. I truly thought I was going to die. I was too weak and ill to even pick up the phone to call an ambulance, which is what I would have done, if able. After an hour or so, I was able to get out of bed, in an extremely weak state and get a glass of water. For the rest of the afternoon and evening, I was in what felt like a fatigued state, as though I was getting over being hit with a sledgehammer. The next day, I was still slightly affected. Needless to say, the other 9 tablets in the packet have remained in the box.

I am a 50 year old male, 90 kgs and take 4mg Amaryl tablets for diabetes. I am generally in good health. I have an allergy to penicillin. I have not taken penicillin for 20 years but when I did, it caused me to itch to the point where I needed an injection to suppress it. I have previously taken sulphur based antibiotics without any side effects.

I hope this adds to your stories on Resprim Forte (or Bactrim as it is also known in Australia).

Regards

Mark E, Adelaide, South Australia


BACTRIM: 21 November

Dear Brian

I was prescribed Bactrim by my MD for a sinus infection. She asked if I was alergic to sulfer and I didn’t know. She prescribed the Bactrim and said if I had a reaction she would simply switch antibiotics . . well, I had a reaction.

After the first pill i noticed some swelling and heaviness in my penis. Soon after the second dose my penis began itch and felt “hot,” almost on fire. Within a day, my penis swelled horribly with red and purple welts along the shaft and the head. The welts soon erupted into lesions on the shaft and dark purple blotches appeard on the head, which eventually started to bleed. The skin is so sensitive I cannot wear anything without pain. I cannot get an erection without serious pain and sex is out of the question. I have taken photos which tell the whole story and have no trouble allowing them to be published if it helps get this horrible drug exposed and off the market . . . I hope I return to normal. I am seeing my urologist tomorrow. Wish me luck

Lou C


TRIMETH: 21 November

I’ve taken a lot of Sulfa/Trimeth after my liver transplant three years ago. I haven’t had any problems with it as opposed to the prednisone/tacrolimus I’ve taken. I was never been given any special precautions regarding this drug. I found your article interesting.

John D


BACTRIM: 23 November

Hello, Brian I am so glad to have come across your wed site for this situation. My 24 year old sister was prescribed Bactrim for a staph infection. The infection cleared up very quickly. Her doctor put her in the hospital for IV antibiotics. She was told to go home and continue to take the Bactrim. She became so ill for the last four weeks we have had to bring her to the ER several times and today she is still in the hospital. All blood work shows no sign of the staph infection which started out on the lower part of stomach area. When it started three weeks ago she begin with severe pain through out her body and feeling very sick.

She had the shakes she is still numb from her neck up and can not taste anything.

Her blood pressure when she stands up is 60 that is why she is still in the hospital. A cardiologist is seeing and treating her for that. She is not in as much pain as before but still very exhausted just to sit up in bed is hard for her. They have ran so many test MRI, EKG, blood work, urinalysis every test has come up nothing. They do not see any reason why she is still so ill and we have mentioned the medication to them and no one seems to think this is still the reaction causing the problem. Could you please let me know if people are this ill for this long with reactions to this nightmare of a medication that needs to be taken off of the market so no one else or their family has to go through this. She was a perfectly healthy 24 year old with no known health issues. She is getting very depressed and has anxiety quite often. Please share any info you have on how long this could take. Also if you know of any one that had trouble with extremely low blood pressure and very fast pulse rate… Everyday we wake up and say maybe today will be the turning point for her but this has not happened yet. She now has seizure type shakes in the morning that she can not control…this maybe be due to the blood pressure meds he is giving her to bring her pressure up. Please help us maybe understand this better and it this will go away..

Thank you

Dawn


CO-TRIMOXAZOLE: 28 November

Dear Brian

I had my first experience with this antibiotic in July this year. The day after finishing a 7 day course I awoke about 4am with a grumbling stomach. That was July 24th 2005. It is now November 28th and my stomach still grumbles but I have also had fatigue, and trembling legs something like RLS. I am 59 year old and was prescribed these for bronchitis. Some days in August and September my brain didnt function properly and it did not feel like I was real. I have always been quite a fit fellow and tramp the hills and mountains but find now I dont have the energy I manage about 5 hours at work until I get fatigued and my stomach growls and legs tremble.

Kindest regards

Glen G, Christchurch, NZ


SEPTRA: 29 November

Brian –

I have read many of the e-mails on your website…I can empathize with Denise from Manhattan, as my wife was prescribed Septra, by a nurse practitioner, for a supposed urinary tract infection. We have since discovered by a regular visit to the OBGYN, because my wife is 8 months pregnant, that the lab results actually didn’t show a UTI – and that the OBGYN says the hospitals sometimes do this – prescribe something just to get you out of there (we went to the ER, because we thought it was premature labor). The thought of a UTI came about because my wife was urinating about every 30 mins. Well, needless to say, the OBGYN has taken my wife off the Septra, after having taken it for 8 days, 2x per day) and God willing, we won’t be faced with severe side affects to my wife or our unborn son (we haven’t had any problems yet, only minor nausea). I am nevertheless frustrated at the hospital, and regret not speaking up when my gut told me to do so. The nurse didn’t give good enough evidence to us that the UTI really existed – she was vague in telling us that my wife had a UTI, and quickly told us she was prescribing us Septra to cure it. Now, unfortunately, I again have to go back to not being able to trust yet another group of people (nurses / hospitals), as I had hoped to get away from…

Patrick, Sacramento, CA



BACTRIM: 29 November

Hi there Brian

I had the worst experience of my life when I was prescribed Bactrim for a sinus infection. Twenty minutes after taking this I felt my arms going numb and drove myself to the local emergency room. By the time I arrived there I could barely get out of my car and had to be taken inside in a wheelchair. I was unable to even hold onto a phone! I was admitted and had to be given potassium by IV since my levels had dropped so low. I spent 3 days in the hospital from only ONE dose of this stuff. The doctor could not believe that this drug could do THAT to me………..I was one of the RARE few that this drug affects neurologically. I not only lost strength in my hands and legs but my heart at a resting state was racing and my pulse was over 138 beats a minute……(it normally is 64) After being released I went to the local chiropractor and did not tell him what happened but told him of pains I was experiencing through out my body ….I told him I had pain even across my face………..he said the only thing that would cause the pain in my face was from a toxic substance I must have ingested!!!! Imagine that! I then told him what had taken place…..I fear that if I EVER had this drug again ..it would indeed kill me!

One thing I must add is that I am a very physically fit individual and not overweight etc. so for this to happen to me really scared me. I hope anyone that is given this, is aware of just how bad things can get in a very short amount of time……….I wish I had known!!!!!!!!!

Angel R


BACTRIM: 29 November

I took Bactrim for bad skin infection on my arm. The doctor said it was cellulitus. I was told to take one tablet every 12 hours for 10 days even the condition is all better. My skin condition was all better by about 5 days later, but I kept taking the medication. Through out the course of medication, I started to have vertigo and fatigue. I also felt nauseous, too. On the 7th day in the morning, I saw a hullucination as I saw my landscaper in my yard. I saw him with four arms! I blinked my eyes hard and shook my head but my vision took more than a few seconds to normalize. I went right back to bed.

Suddently on the 8th day in the morning as I was eating a bowl of cereal, my right thigh started to get very itchy. I looked at my thigh and there were red and purple hives all over my thigh. I panicked and within a couple of hours the hives spread all over my body. I went to an emergency room and they told me to stop taking it. That night, I had chills and fever over 101. My joints were in pain and I thought I was going to die.

Next day, I went to my family doctor and she took blood for a test. My white blood cell count was very low. To treat the condition, I was told to stop taking the drug. Also, I was prescribed to take METHYLPREDNISOLONE tablets (4mg). I took them as I was told and I took a lot of rest and ate a lot of vegitables, white meat, garlic, and euchanatia tea. I got all better in 2 – 3 days.

I will never take this drug again. If you have ANY concern is, if you think you feel any of the symptom I described, stop taking it and GO SEE A DOCTOR immediately.

Anon


BACTRIM: 5 December

Dear Brian:

Thank you for this website. My 66 year old sister took a low dose course of Bactrim for a UTI while traveling last month. She had no apparent problems but the UTI returned once she was back home in the UK. She was then prescribed a high dose of Trimethoprim alone. Within 2 hours of taking the first dose, she started getting the acute nausea, weakness and headache associated with the Bactrim reaction. She stopped taking the Trimethorpim immediately, but it’s now 4 days later and the headache has worsened, the nausea is still bad, she’s had the fever and chills and is now so weak she can’t get out of bed. Doctor is coming today. When she called the surgery two days ago, they prescribed a cephalosporin instead, but I’ve had an anaphylactic reaction to those, so she doesn’t want to start on something that may cause more problems. I’m the other side of the world and, having read through your site, I am really worried about her.

C W


BACTRIM: 14 December

Hello Brian! Congrats on not only your articulate and effective article, but also on the courage you’ve shown by producing it. I’d like to share a story about Bactrim. I was diagnosed with a UTI a week ago roughly, and was prescribed Bactrim. The first day, I felt great, but strange. This sounds weird, but it was like I was in my own little world, and I was extremely giggly. Well that ended quickly. The second day, I noticed I felt extremely tired and not in pain, but stiff. My coordination was off and I noticed right away, because I waitress in the mornings, and I dropped things all shift, and couldn’t hold my focus.

I was forgetting everything, and that’s very unusual. On the third day I woke up and noticed my skin hurt. Nothing was red, but it felt like a sunburn. I actually couldn’t sit on the toilet to urinate because the seat hurt my skin. I basically had to hover over it. I felt like one big walking sore bruise. I don’t know why, but I never made anykind of connection. You usually take what your doctor gives you and you’re good to go. That, and I had never had any kind of reaction to antibiotics in the past. Well on both the 4th and 5th days of my dosage, (2 tablets/day for 5 days) I started getting shooting pains in my left leg.

I have a follow up appointment today, and I am definitely planning on telling my doctor about this. I have been freezing (walking around w/ literally 3 pairs of socks on) and my appitite was gone for the whole time. I am getting that back now. I don’t understand why this drug is still given, or why there hasn’t been more done about it. I commend you for your efforts.

Sherry, PA

RELATED:

Bactrim-Septra: a secret epidemic

Chronology of a newspaper campaign

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