Mail to this site on Bactrim - Septra - trimethoprim - Septrin side effects (35)

BACTRIM: 17 June 2009

I took Bactrim when I had Celulitous on my face. It has been two months since I finished taking the drug, and I am still suffering the side effects. Two days into my ten day prescription I noticed that my legs had gotten stiff and sore, but didn't really connect that to Bactrim until I only had two doses left. Not wanting the Celulitous to return, I finished my doses. Now I am in so much pain I cannot sleep at night even with a sleep aid, a heating pad and a cold pack. I can hardly walk, my energy level is very low and getting up and down is a chore in itself. (I do day care in my home, so I need to move around a lot.) If I had any idea that this side effect was a possibility, I would never have taken it. It was not listed on the paper work from the pharmacy because 'they need more than 10% of the people taking it to report this side effect.'

My daughter took this same drug three years ago when she was 16 for her acne. She had this same side effect, plus a terrible rash from head to toe. After numerous doctor visits and blood tests, they determined that she had Mono and there was nothing they could. They also recommended she see an arthritis specialist, but when I called to make the appointment, and described her symptoms and gave the results from some of her blood tests, they didn't think she had arthritis. It took her almost six months to feel well again. She did manage to go to school almost every day (she only missed three days), but she would come home, drag herself upstairs and spend the rest of the night in bed. It was a very scary time for us.

I wish I had made the connection between her symptoms and Bactrim before I started taking this drug. I did some research and found she had taken the same drug when she had gotten sick. I only hope and pray there is no permanent damage. I have paper work from the FDA to finish filing out, and I will finish that today.

Something needs to be done to get this drug off the market. I would hate to have anyone else experience the effects both my daughter and myself have had.

Barbara Mathes
Avondale, AZ

SEPTRA: 19 June 2009

Thanks for your site, I was on septra for 10 days and thought I was going to die. I stopped taking this meds and 2 days later I fee a hell of a lot better. I couldn t figure out how to post in your forum but would like to share my experience with others.

Regards,

Mark D. Heger

BACTRIM: 25 June 2009

all of you people out there who have been suffering, i know how you feel. I'm 38, and have aggressive HIV/AIDS. Recently my GP prescribed BACTRIM to prevent me from contracting PCP ( a fatal strain of pnuemonia). Within 3 days on bactrim i had a total siezure, a frightening experience! I have a never had a seizure b4 in my life. 'So on GP's advice I had a brainscan, got the all clear and resided myself in the fact that my increasing headaches had to do with lifestyle and HIV status.

But... last sunday, after being on BACTRIM for almost three weeks i felt my head practically explode within my skull. I couldnt eat, sleep, or even look into daylight. I was hallucinating, vomiting, you name it.

My face had become red, dry and blotchy, my pee was dark orange. It was fucking horrrible. I had trouble speaking, forgetting words, stuttering and unable to sleep. I stopped 3 days ago 22/06/09, and was curious if anywone else had had long term side effects....? I hear of people still in hospital a year after taking their dose.

SMZ/TMP DS: 30 June 2009

Hi Brian,

I was given a prescription for this drug last week for an ear infection. After taking four (4) pills in two (2) days, I began to experience terrible aching in my neck, shoulders & lower back. I thought I was getting the flu.

During the night, my knees felt like they were swollen which reminded me of an allergy to penicillin back in the 1960s. I decided my aches & discomfort must be coming from an adverse reaction to the drug (SMZ/TMP DS).

I haven't taken any of these pills since Sunday. Today is Tuesday & I still feel awful. Do you know how long it takes to rid the body of this medication?

Thanks for your help.

Jean Keener

SULFA: 1 July 2009

Brian,

You really should do better research before you start such scare campaigns about medications that are beased in fear tactics. Sulfa-based drugs were our first antibiotics and saved untold numbers of lives during WWII. Many other drugs, including cholesterol medications, diuretics and GI meds have been derived from sulfa-based compounds. The incidence of Stevens-Johnson abd Lyell Syndromes is so low that banning an effective and ordinarily safe drug based on the numbers whodo contract SJ and L syndromes is absurd at best. It's nice to hav a cause, but you should pick one that is reality based, not fear and scare mongering.

John, Nurse Practitioner

BACTRIM: 10 July 2009

Mr. Deer,

I am slowly starting to recover from what my doctor believes to be drug induced hepatitis a 10-day course of Bactrim. It s been a life-changing experience for me and even though I m anticipating a full recovery, I m now dealing with the emotional and physical fall-out.

Lana Poole

SEPTRA DS: 13 July 2009

I am so glad I came across your website. It is good to know that I am not the only one suffering from this medicine that was supposed to help me. I was prescribed Septra DS for an infection on the back of my leg for 10 days. After the first day of taking it I got ill. I was shaky, dizzy, horrible headache, neck stiffness, and my heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest. I kept taking it thinking that it was just going to go away but the following days were worse. I felt flu like and was extremely tired. My heart was beating so fast that I called my doctor and was told to go to the ER. I went there and they did blood tests and blood work for possible blood infection. They kept me there for a while and treated me with other antibiotics and narcotics. They told me to continue the Septra so of course I did because I trusted them. I still was feeling ill and then on about the 7th day my hands and feet went tingly and numb. I quit taking them of course because I asked my doctor about that and he told me it would go away. It still has not gone away and now I am suffering low blood pressure intermittently, dizziness, and tingly hands/feet. I will never go on this medication again.

BACTRIM: 20 July 2009

I went to the emergency room with a spreading infection from the cut on one finger. The ER prescribed BACTRIM. Starting on the 6th day red spots showed up on arms and legs. By the 8th day my entire body had red spots. On that day I went to ER and the gave me a "steroid" shot and recommended BENEDRIL as the anti-histamine.. This is the 10th day and it is still covered with red spots and many have lumps. It took 68 years to discover that I have an allergy.. I do not recommend BACTRIM.

Louis J. Finkle, Ph.D.

SULFA: 3 August 2009

Hi Brian...don't know if you are still receiving emails for your website but I want to thank you for your wonderful project. Thanks to your website I now realize what has happenned to me. Here's my story. I am a forty six year old woman in outstanding health, other than frequent sinus infection flare ups, which occasionally progress to an ear infection. . Last week, I experienced one such flare up, and called the physician on call for my regular doctor. He asked me if I had ever taken a sulfa drug. I replied that I had taken one sometime back, but had discontinued using it when I broke out in a rash while on vacation. He chalked the rash up to sun exposure (although the info I gave him really didn't warrant that conclusion) and went on to Rx a ten day course of bactrim. I took it for a couple days, then started to develop sores on the corners of my mouth. I felt very strange and flu-like, and wondered if I might just have a virus. I actually stopped taking the bactrim for two days. After two days, I was feeling worse, and kicked myself for foolishly going off the bactrim and took another pill. Within an hour my pulse began to race and my skin felt like someone had lit a match to it. Red patches began to form on my stomach, back, and right side. I immediately called my doctor, who phoned me in a medrol dose pack (it was a sunday morning) and told me to take benadryl. I drove myself to the local CVS pharmacy and while standing in line to pay for the medrol dose pack I blacked out and fainted. The pharmacist called for EMS who transported me to the hospital while administering oxygen to me. My heart rate was 130 which is extremely high for me. By the time I arrived at the ER a tiny pin prickly red rash was spreading up my left ankle and up to my leg. The spots on my stomach felt like someone was ironing my skin from the inside. I was given a steroid shot, told to take benadryl, and treated very blase blase by the ER staff.

Clearly doctors have seen this reaction many times! Clearly my own doctor, even after being TOLD that I had already had a prior reaction felt cavalier enough to prescribe it for me again?!?! I am flabbergasted. What occurs to me, as a former pharmaceutical industry executive myself is that the healthcare industry REEKS. Physicians are being pressured to prescribe "cost effective" medications as they are under increasing pressure from managed care HMO's, PPO's etc as physicians get penalized for exceeding drug costs. Same goes for hospital formularies. The drug companies are at fault too. The reason i am no longer in the industry is because I was a whistleblower. My message is this: do NOT TRUST that the nedication you are given is always in your best interests. Many times the doctor has his/her OWN interests ahead of yours. Be an informed patient. You have to be.

I was one of the luckier ones and am experiencing some relief after a few days off the drug and taking my steroids and benadryl. I still get shaking spells and this rash flares up all the time. I feel like I shouldn't complain after all the horrific tales I have read tonight. Take care and God bless.

Shelley Lauterbach

BACTRIM: 9 August 2009 19:26:04 -0700 (PDT)

Mr. Brian Deer,

I am amazed at this website I have stumbled upon. I'm more amazed that I was recently prescribed Bactrim DS for a urinary tract infection. A minor one at that. After the second pill of Bactrim I felt my skin turn hot in temperature. Especially my face. It turned red to match. I assumed it could have been my reaction with sun sensitivity but I couldn't have known any better. The third pill did me in. I stopped taking them immediately after that one. My heart was racing faster than I could keep up with. I got a red rash on my chest and arms to match my face. Worst of all, I got these red, painful bumps on my behind which seem to have turned into open sores. The pain from these sores is indescribable. I can hardly sit down and going to the bathroom is not in my agenda anytime soon because of the pain. I am terrified to eat because of how painful it was to go to the bathroom.

I found your site that very night and the next day as soon as I had the opportunity, I dragged myself back into the free clinic as I can not afford a private doctor and I have no insurance what-so-ever. I told the doctor I had an allergic reaction. He laughed and told me that many people do. I asked him how he could laugh at me or at an anti-biotic he apparently knew nothing about but freely wrote perscriptions for. He must have been taken by surprise because he left the room for a few minutes and came back with a 1-800 number for me to call so I could go on a wild goose chase for a free gynecologist, insisting the side effects were not from Bactrim but because I must have an STD.. What a doctor.

I don't have any money. I'm not able to go to the doctor. All I can do is hope for this to go away while I attempt to mend myself. It's been days without Bactrim and the sores are thriving. Shots of lightning-like pain run through my back every now and then as a random reminder that I was foolish enough to take Bactrim.

I just thought this would be the best way for me to share. I am terribly, horribly shy.

Jess Grz

BACTRIM: 19 August 2009

Dear Brian and Readers,

I wish I would have found this website before I started taking Bactrim! I guess doctors really don't know what kind of side effects a patient may have with the medications prescribed, by I now know that Bactrim is not for me.

I have recurrent UTI's, usually three to four times a year, and most often and unfortunately, they end up occurring over the weekend. I end up at Urgent Care since my doctor's office is not open on the weekends, desperate for some help. This time the on-call doctor prescribed Bactrim DS twice daily for 10 days. I had had a bad reaction to an antibiotic called Biaxin a few years ago, but that was the only medication I have ever had a bad experience with ... until now.

Within an hour of taking my first dose of Bactrim, the nausea and headache started, and I thought that maybe I had not eaten enough when I took the pill. After my second dose I headed off to bed, where I continued to have the nausea/headaches, but then I started having racing thoughts and had terrible nightmares. Needless to say, I continued with the medicine the second day, thinking that my UTI was just a really bad one and that I was more sick than usual. The side effects were still there, but at an increased level. By the third day, I woke up with a swollen face, stiff neck, dizziness, anxiety, nausea, loss of appetite, horrible headache, hot spells like I had fever, and I started seeing things that weren't there (e.g., spiders, images of people, etc.). I really thought I was going crazy!

I immediately called the doctor's office, who in turn advised that I not take any more Sulfa drugs. I am now taking Cipro with no side effects. I would advise not to wait three days like I did and to discontinue any medication with such ill side effects.

Thanks for letting me vent!

Girl from Arkansas

BACTRIM: 22 August 2009

Hello,

I am writing to you to explain my HORRIBLE REACTION to Bactrim. I came across your site because as the days went on that I was taking the pill I noticed how my body was changing. I was perscribed it because i had a UTI that just wouldnt go away. 1st i was put on Cipro but i had a very bad allergic reaction to it, so they put me on Bactrim. Yes it slowly worked to make the uti pain go away but i still have some pain when i urinate so.....

but my effects were.. I started off with a really soar tongue, the back of my mouth was throbbing. It felt like I had bitten it. Then I started getting sharp pains in the back of my head and neck, along with my arm and shoulder. If that wasnt enough my chest was always always tight. I thought it was just my asthma but it started getting worse and worse, now i just have constant shortness of breath. I was having pains in my kidney aswell. This was all within the first two days. After the 2nd I started becoming OVERLY depressed, to the point where I could not leave my house let alone my bed because I was constantly tired or upset. I am not usually like that, so i know its because of the medication. Now its day 6, i am not taking the medication for the last day because i cannot BREATHE and i am always shaking. i am dizzy and nauseous most of the day aswell. bactrim is a HORRIBLE DRUG AND SHOULD BE BANNED

Jess Cast

SULFAMETH/TRIMETHOPRIM: 25 August 2009

Hi Brian,

I was prescribed Sulfameth/trimethoprim 9/08 for a UTI. I have never had a allergic reaction to any medication. After two day I had severe cramping in my legs and chills, i asked my doctor and she said she has never heard of this and seemed to not be interested in hearing about it. I asked my pharmacist and they told me no, it has nothing to do with this medication! It has been almost a year and I still get cramping in my legs periodically. I am wondering if it is a lingering side effect? I will never take this again and had it put on my medical records to never give it to me. I am wondering? This needs to be changed! Taken off the market!

Amy
Minnesota

BACTRIM: 29 August 2009

Brian,

I have come across your website in search of answers and confirmation on my sister's condition.

This last week, Aug 24-2009 we almost lost her. She went to the ER on Aug 14 of this year with symptoms ranging from fever to fatigue, she just didn't have any energy. She had been taking Bactrim for about 3 1/2 weeks at this point. They diagnosed her with Mono and sent her home. On Aug 18th we called an ambulance to her home because she was pretty much comatose and unresponsive. A man she had known for 20+ years was one of the first responders, but she did not know who he was.

The Hospital admitted her as inpatient that night, and started testing her for several things. They drew massive amounts of blood but could not tell us what was wrong.

In the meantime she is covered in a rash that looks more like a burn, she is in and out of consciousness and is suffering from itching and burning .

They took her to ICU and there she started oozing green stuff from her face. It was caked in this green scab like substance and they are telling us nothing.. Her mouth and throat is also covered in this rash and is so sore she cannot eat.

There was mention of Steven-Johnson Syndrome. We look this up and find horrendous pictures of people who look just as she does. Their bodies are solid red from this 'rash' and some are blinded by this syndrome as the rash sometimes goes into the eyes.

In the meantime the doctor is still saying she is "stable" and giving her antibiotics and fluid through an IV drip. After a week of this, a young Dr comes in and actually gives us a plan of action to treat her. He thinks he knows what is wrong but is being cautious in his diagnosis.

Her liver has failed, her white cell count is near 60,000, she no longer has control of her body functions and still hasn't had any nourishment in a week.

We were told her liver was not processing the ammonia into urine for flushing thru the kidneys, and was running rampant through her body. Her brain was drowning in ammonia, she was delirious for a couple of days. Did not know where she was or that she was dying, as she was at that point.

We finally found a facility that could take her and she was immediately diagnosed correctly and is being treated but is still in a lot of danger.

She was as close to dying as she could get and not cross over. They tell us she is responding but that she will be inpatient for many months.

She is still in severe pain and is being given Morphine to help with that and an antihistamine for the itching she still continues to experience.

All of this was caused by the drug Bactrim that she had been taking to reduce the infection from a boil she had lanced and drained.

This is the most horrible thing I have had to witness, knowing there is nothing I can do except give her ice chips to cool the mouth and sooth the throat.

I am still researching this drug to see what long term effects it might have on her. This is how I came upon your website. I cannot translate through words what she looked like and what she has been through. If we can get the word out on this drug and have it pulled from the market, as well as all variations of it then her suffering will not be in vain.

From all the info I have read, this is a genetic trait. If someone in your family is allergic to sulfonamides you may be at risk as well.. In my family there are 4 people I have recently been made aware of that are allergic to these drugs. If we had only known this we could have prevented all of my sister's pain.

I will certainly tell any and all doctors from this point on that I am allergic to 'sulfa' drugs.

Thank you for all you are doing in getting the word out on this. I will help you in any way I can.

I do wish to remain anonymous as there may be a lawsuit pending on this case.

BACTRIM: 3 September 2009

Thank you, Brian, for your efforts to inform us about this drug's side effects and hopefully change prescription practices. I feel so fortunate that my reactions have been nowhere as severe as most I've read.

I'm a 58 female with general good health, but mild reactions to penicillin and 70s -mycins (itchy palms and soles). My story starts with an atypical sty (no pain, no grit, no head). I went to the local clinic, where, instead of telling me to try hot compress and come back if that didn't work, I was prescribed generic Bactrim because I'm allergic to erythromicin. I was also told to start taking Calcium/D for my bones - which caused constipation. I had the standard not-so-bad reactions: vomiting, dizziness, insomnia, loss of appetite, bad taste, blurry vision, incessant yawning. But knowing how important it is to finish the course, I kept taking the pills until on day 9 of 10. Shortly after taking the 18th pill, my skin started itching,, it felt like someone was grabbing my upper arms tight, I developed little muscle spasms, like fibromyalgia or little cramps, extreme lethargy, tickle cough, had some chest pains, with BP elevated 35% (and high pulse, but I have benign palpitations). Stopped the pills, but after 24 hrs. & no change, went to ER (clinic closed for weekend), where they charged me $500 to tell me I hadn't waited long enough - that it takes 36 hours for side effects to dissipate. Since I didn't have a recognizable allergic reaction, I went home untreated.

So I went home and waited. A week later, I hadn't slept in 3 days, itched constantly, and my right hip (previous suture separation) was totally discomfitted (I thought from spending too much time in my slightly uncomfortable easy chair), with occasional pain radiating down the outside from hip to ankle. Failed by clinic and ER, I went to a natural healer, who combined accupuncture - mostly to ease the stress the reactions created - with Chinese herbal (for the itches). I knew that accupuncture can have a delayed response, but in a few days, all symptoms had reduced so I could sleep for more than 1.5 hrs. at a time, appetite improved, taste returned, energy level improved. I did develop a salty aftertaste (even water), but that seems to be passing. I still itch, tho. Soon as my next $$ comes in, I'll go back for more accupuncture.

Here's my advice:

1. Listen to tha pharmacist - here in the states, they know more about drug interaction and side effects than the doctors.

2. Don't try to finish the course if you have what to you is an adverse reaction to a drug.

3. If you have a drug reaction, immediately contact your doctor and tell them to put it in your chart to NOT prescribe it again.

4. Try accupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine - they've been doing it for a few thousand years as opposed to Bactrim's 50 yr life.

5. Don't give up - Since Roche seems uninterested in protecting us from its unnecessary and apparently dangerous drug, it's up to us to do what we can to make it unavailable.

My cousin works for Glaxo-Wellcome, wonder what she knows about this ...Perhaps we need to copy our stories to both Roche and Wellcome.

Thanks for listening, and Bless you all, that you may find some relief.

Candia M.

BACTRIM: 11 September 2009

Subject: Bactrim

Treated for a staph infection, I was 12 days into my 14 of 2X 500mg/day on Bactrim and Cephalexen I started having chills, nausea, migraine-level headaches, fever, swollen lymph nodes and disorientation. I went to the doctor on the 12th day expecting that I had the flu (Swine/A and influenza B are here)...both were negative. My doctor prescribed Tamiflu (thankfully I chose not to take it) hoping this would ease the flu symptoms. Three days later I'm still battling these symptoms and frankly concerned about damage to my liver, kidneys, etc. as a result of the Bactrim. The doctor said that I likely am having a reaction to the Bactrim - thanks for telling me two days after the fact.

I run a small business, have two products launching and missed 4 days of work as a result. I'm hopeful that two more days off of Bactrim will get my body back to normal but I feel like I was poisoned by this drug that shouldn't be on the market.

Oliver

SEPTRA: 13 September 2009

Hi Brian,

On Thursday 9/10/2009 I was prescribed Septra for an ingrown toe nail. I took the first pill and within 10 minutes I started to feel a burning sensation all over my body. Before the hour, my skin felt and looked like it was on fire. My eyes were blood shot and my vision was gone. I could only see shapes and colors. I took Benadryl and went to bed. That night, I was not able to sleep. I had 102 fever all night, uncontrollable chills that hurt to the bone My hips, legs, and arms hurt so bad. At around 5am my husband got be out of bed to take me to the ER. My eyes, eyeballs, lips, throat and entire face was swollen. As soon as I got to the ER, they transferred me to ICU and had me there for three days. The Dr's did all kinds of test and finally came to the conclusion that I was having an allergic reaction to Septra. They switched my antibiotics to Vancomycin (same family) and I had a reaction to that as well. My taste buds were burned and my hearing was off. The world around me sounded like robots. I was just released from the hospital today and decided to do some research on the drugs and came across your site. I'm home, but I'm still having a hard time breathing, my vision is still blurry and I have a crazy gray halo ring around the iris of my eye now. To anyone reading all these letters, DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG. Another family to this drug is Clindmycin, which I had a reaction to as well.

Does anyone know how we can report this drug so that they remove them ?

Thanks and I hope this helps someone make up there mind not to take it.

Sujey Montanez, Corona, California

BACTRIM: 15 September 2009

My 15 year old daughter was prescribed the antibiotic for an insect bite. Within three hours after taking the medication she began to feel jittery. Within minutes after the jittery feeling she began to feel strong heart palpitations. By the time we got her to the hospital she could not control the shaking. It's been three weeks since she discontinued the medication and she is still experiencing the chest discomfort and heart palpitations. Recently as she was experiencing the symptoms she became really flushed. She has gone through all types of blood tests, EKG's, and chest x-rays. They have even recently done a stress test, eco, and monitoring her heart with a 48 hour holster. I am very concerned. The doctors tell me that the medications does not have to do with any of her symptoms. They want to blame it on anxiety. My daughter was just fine prior to taking this medication and now these symptoms are disrupting our lives. One of the comments I read from Rebbecca in Surry, BC, Canada sounded just like what I'm experiencing with my daughter. This is horrible and I don't know what to do. I feel like I have my hands are tied. I'm currently seeking psychiatric help for my daughter just in case, but I'm almost positive the Bactrim is what did this to her. Brian, by being so involved with others with similar problems, is there any advice you can give me on what to do? Do you know how long these symptoms can last or what the causes may be? <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Rachel, Miami Florida

SEPTRA: 16 Sep 2009

Hi Brian, I was given a perscription for Septra for a UTI, twice a day, 500mg. I got a headache and some shakiness at first, but I took some aspirin and the shakiness caused by low blood suger also went away. But I did start to feel joint aches, and now five days later, I am getting chills with the aches. I just called my doctor.

I would like to warn elderly people with UTIs that the infection can cause hallucinations and panic attacks (happened to my mother), which may not be caused by Septra. But whatever you do, don't let them prescribe a benzo family med to calm you down, like Xanax, Valium, Kalonapin, Lorazapan etc. My 89 yr old mother became paranoid and manic depressive when they gave her Xanax for the panic attack and missed the fact she had the UTI. Benzosl make elderly people really bounce off the wall nuts. The best medicine is cleaning out the infection. Mom was so crazy it is hard to believe she is perfectly fine and back to normal.

Madeleine Dunn

BACTRIM: 17 September 2009

I noticed your rejection of Bactrim on a google search. My wife was prescribed Bactrim today and I wanted to do some research. I was prescribed Bactrim in 2002. Along with it was a prescription for a codeine-base cough syrup. After a couple weeks on it I rose up from my chair one evening only to take a few steps and went to the floor, drove myself to the hospital to find that my heart was beating irregularly. Believe the term was I "was throwing pvc's". As a result there is some heart damage.

Prior to that incident I had no heart problems. Whether it was Bactrim or a combination of Bactrim and codeine, I could not say. I do know that my physician has pushed Bactrim on me on at least several occasions and I refused it. Additionally, I was going through a divorce and there was some stress involved. In any case, I've had some concerns about Bactrim now for the past seven years.

John Wright

BACTRIM: 25 September 2009

Hi Brian,

I took this poison in 2008. November for a week for UTI. It nearly killed me but i was able to get over it. Somehow after a year when i already felt better i had some teeth for done with oral surgery where i was described to some more antibiotics. I was concerned that i will never take this poison again so they gave me amoxicillin which is quite safe in general. As soon as i took it i had the same poisoning effect that i had on bactrim. I never had side effects to any medicines before but since bactrim i cant take a single pill of anything without horrible side effects. Even easiest medicines. Hows it possible after almost a year that it completely ruined my system not being able to take anything? Is there any cure or solution for this?

Thanks in advance,

Viktor, Europe

BACTRIM: 3 October 2009

Dear Mr. Deer:

I'm very sorry to hear of the suffering, death and pain caused by this drug. I recently was prescribed this drug in the U.S. and was immediately bedridden for two days due to insanely high fevers, chills, body pains, and later on joint pains that would make walking extremely difficult. Amidst the swine flu craze, I feared what I thought was the worst- that I had swine flu. If I hadn't read the list of side effects that came with the prescription and if it hadn't been for the excruciating joint pain I may have continued taking the drug.

I called my doctor who took the entire day to get back to me, and he recommended that I stop taking the drug. Now I realize that the swine flu may have been the lesser of the two evils as my joints are swollen and have left me in utter pain. I am fatigued from either the pain or as a side effect of the drug. I feel like I have arthritis. This is horrible as I am only 28 years old and was very physically active.

Best regards,

Antonio