Septra Bactrim Co-trimoxazole TMP/SMZ side effects
Page 21 of mail to investigative reporter Brian Deer recounting sometimes serious side effects of the antibiotic often known as Bactrim DS, Septra or co-trimoxazole
BACTRIM: 8 March
Greetings Brian,
Two days ago my wife went to the doctors for Mastitis, a breast infection. The doctor prescribed Bactrim and assured my wife that it was okay to take while nursing. When my wife when to get the prescription filled, the pharmacist directed my wife to absolutely NOT take this drug while nursing.
I am thankful that we found your site and others that expose the true hidden side affects of Bactrim.
Kind regards,
Greg C.
BACTRIM: 8 March
Dear Brian,
I was diagnosed with a UTI three days ago and was prescribed Bactrim 2x per day for 5 days by a physicians assistant. After taking the first dose, I started to get a headache and feel feverish. I thought that this may be due to the infection. That night, I woke up with horrendous watery diarrhea and vomiting. This is now my third day on the medication and I have been extremely nauseated, depressed, and fatigued, and I have not been able to get rid of the headache. In addition, I’m experiencing severe heartburn. I began searching the internet for information about the side effects of this medication and was surprised and dismayed by the frightening stories I have found here and at other sites. I had no idea about the risks that I was taking with this medication. I have never had any type of allergic reaction to a medication before. I have decided to stop taking the medication and I hope that I have not sustained any permanent injury. Thank you for making this information available to those of us who had no idea of how dangerous this drug can be.
Nora, Virginia
BACTRIM: 11 March
Hi I have been reading your site and wow I’m so glad I came across all the others with the same symptoms. I was put on Bactrim DS..taking it twice a day for acne and it did its job in about 2 weeks..with no symptoms. After about 2 1/2 weeks I was waking up in the middle of the night with a pounding heart, nausea, chest tightness, dizziness, anxiety, etc. I actually went to the ER on the first episode. I thought I was having a heart attack. It only happens at night. I haven’t slept without waking up my parents for about 2 weeks. Obviously I stopped taking it the night I went to the ER, but how long can these symptoms last?? I’m about to go crazy! Any thoughts or information you have would be helpful!! Thanks so much for the helpful site!
Alex C, Ohio
SMZ/TMP: 12 March
his brian. i am a 42 year old white male living in the state of tennessee in the u.s.a. i just pulled up your website after i took my last smz/tmp double-str tablet for a boil i had on my neck. i have been experiencing skin itching,nightmares ,anxiety attacks,painand tingling in left arm, and welts on my body. i could not fugure out waht was going on but now that i read the side effects on your website i now know that it was caused by the smz/tmp anitbiotic i was prescribed. thank you so much for all the information.
Troy T
BACTRIM: 16 March
I have a case of diverticulitus that at times, flares up and has to be treated with antibiotics. I have taken generic Bactrim in the past with seemingly no side effects. But this round of Bactrim has felt like it has nearly killed me. I had a prescription for 10 days, 2 x’s a day, 500mg. I started taking it on Monday, March 6, 2006 and by Sunday, March 12, 2006 I felt I was dying. (And to tell the truth, dying would have been a blessing I was in so much pain.) I went to the doctor on Monday, March 13, 2006 with symptoms of pain in my left chest, my back, I could not get my breath, I was sweating profusely and was very weak. The pain was excruciating. The doctor ran the usual tests, chest x-rays, EKG, and blood work. I asked him at the time, could this be an allergic reaction to my antibiotic? He advised it was not. I have a lot of trust in my doctor as he has a great reputation of being a great diagnostician. After suffering for 3 more days I finally got up the stamina to go to the computer and check out the internet about Bactirm. That is when I found your web site and so many of the side effects were what I was experiencing! I hope that my symptoms will leave but at the moment, I feel they will last forever, especially the panic attacks. Thank you so much for the information that I will definitely pass this on to my doctor.
Michele P
BACTRIM DS: 16 March
Hello!
My name is Jackie Natali and I live in Streamwod, IL. On Monday March 6, 2006 I began taking Bactrim 2x a day for a UTI infection and hour after I took it and for the next three days I experienced dizziness, nausea and a lack of appetite. By the fourth day I developed a fever of 101.3 and a severe headache. After 3 days of the fever and headache I went to the hosptial because I had also recently (3weeks ago) had surgery and thinking it could be an infection wanted the fever checked out. The hospital told me that no infection at surgical site was noted and the fever and general not feeling well was probably just the UTI and continue the medication. By that night I had severe diarrhea still a high fever no appetite and general malaise. Next morning my fever spiked higher and I took my blood pressure it was 90/60. I normally have high blood pressure usually 150/90. I went to the Dr. who said it still sounds like the UTI just continue the meds for the remaining 2 days. By that night which is now day 8 I starting shaking uncontrollably my hands, feet, lips around my nose and even under my fingernails were turning blue. I was terrified, then my entire body starting to tingle and I got very hot and my whole body turned red. I immediately went to the ER I had trouble walking. I brought the bottle of Bactrim with me, and as soon as the Dr. saw it he said stop taking it immediately. I told him what had been happening all along and he said that those were signs that my body was being poisioned. They prescribed Benadryl and said if that didn’t help I should come back. The recovery has been slow. The next two days it was an effort to walk, chew, swallow. My teeth even hurt. The rash is slowly disappearing, the fever is gone, but I still have diarrhea. It has now been three full days off the meds. Thank you for allowing me to tell my story. That drug should be banned or more warnings should be told about it. I’m one of the lucky ones, but if I continued for the last 2 days of treatment I might not have been.
Thank you.
Jackie N.
SULFAMETHOXAZOLE: 16 March
Dear Brian,
Thank you so much for your website. It contains so much pain and sorrow and yet gives so much hope to others. My heart goes out to all those who suffered much much more than I from this sulfa drug.
I was prescribed sulfamethoxazole for a UTI by a clinic nurse four days ago. Two hours after taking the first pill, my throat began to hurt and my eyes flet irritated. I felt exhausted so I lay down for a nap. When I woke up nearly hours later I had a low fever (101), and I could barely read the text I was preparing to teach the next day. When I looked in the bathroom mirror, I could see why: my eyes were totally inflamed – I have never seen eyes so red. My throat and mouth hurt more. I read the drug insert and immediately suspected the drug, but I wasn’t sure, since it didn’t mention inflamed eyes, and it talked about persistent fever and sore throat — did 4 to 6 hours count? Reluctantly, I took a second pill that evening, and went to bed with chills and fever. In the morning the fever was down somewhat but my eyes and throat were still bad so I decided not to take another pill.
I fortunately had an appt with my doctor that morning for my yearly checkup, and when she heard and saw what I was experiencing she said I should stop taking the sulfamethoxazole because I might be having a reaction to it and she didn’t want to take any chances — she immediately gave me a presciption for Cipro and told me to take an antihistamine. She’s a great doctor.
My eyes remained bad that day, but very slowly got better and by the next morning the inflammation was gone. My throat and mouth, on the other hand have got worse to the point that yesterday and today I could eat only soups and smoothies. Until I found your website I was worried that these symptoms were still persisting, and I was beginning to think that they might be something other than an allergic reaction. However, after reading some other postings about this symptom persisting for up to a week, I now have hope that they will clear up in a couple of days. I will write again to let you know how long it takes.
I am 63 years old and have never had an allergic reaction before. This is one drug I will never take again. Thank you again for this website.
Katherine K.
CO-TRIMOXAZOLE: 17 MarchI have just read your website and thought I would add my own experience.
In November 1993, I was prescribed Co-Trimoxazole for a severe form of cystitis. Within hours of taking the medication, I turned bright red. I took 10 tablets in all. This was to cause me to get severe pains in both my arms, effectively paralysing them. I also had what looked like large burns and weals on my back and side.
As it was a long time ago, my memory does allow me to be totally precise with my details but, after 5 days of severe pain and paralysis, my doctors proceeded to prescribe me pain killers and prednisilone in order to alleviate the symptoms.
I was then diagnosed with Steven Johnson Syndrome and told never to take Co-Trimoxazole or any related drug again.
The side effects of the drug resulted in me being off work for 5 weeks and then succumbing frequently to severe illness for the best part of the next 4 years including 2 bouts of pleurisy. I also intermittently had severe pains in my arms for the best part of 6 years.
It was an extremely frightening and traumatic experience, one I would prefer to forget but, for my own safety have to remember as, if I am ever admitted to hospital, I have to advise them not to prescribe anything like Co-Trimoxazole.
Jane L, Torquay, Devon
SMZ/TMP DS: 17 March
Dear Brian,
I am 75 years old and my Dr. prescribed SMZ/TMP DS for uninary tract infection, one ,twice a day. My first dose was late evening. I didn’t sleep that night and my blood pressure was high, altho I do take medication for that. The next day I only took 1/2 pill twice a day. I had to lie down all day because of weakness, nausea, ringing in my ears, palpitations and loss of appetite and dizzy also bad taste. I thought I would check the Internet for side effects and found your web site. Glad I did!!!!!!!
PRP, Ky.
BACTRIM: 17 March
Dear Brian,
Firsthand, I want to thank you so much for having this site, you may, and all share their stories, have helped my baby from long-term damage! After reading the information on your website I realize how important this drugs side effects really are. I am a 28 year old mother of 4 beautiful children. My first 3 are just fine. However, my youngest was diagnosed with 2nd grade VUR at 4 months. We were told how rare it is for a baby boy to have this so much that, with MUCH hesitation, we put him on the Bactrim. He seemed OK until he started crawling at 5 1/2mos. At that time he began collapsing, ALOT! So at some point (i think about 71/2mos.) He saw a neurologist who agreed. He had an MRI, which was unremarkable, and an EEG, which did show abnormal brain activity. Now he is on Trileptal for seizures. We are now wondering if the collapsing (which he is still doing, hes 1 now) has been a cause of the “Seizure activity” or the Bactrim. He has also had minor breathing problems off and on and that sunburn/windburn looking rash they all talk about. I am calling his Doctor on Monday!
Thank you so much,
Chase’s mommy
BACTRIM: 17 March
I have a friend who has all of the symptoms that others have described fever, fainting, blood pressure dropping every time she gets up, she has been in and out the hospital for the last five and a half months, pain in the joints, burning in the feet and head, lost of taste, swollen tongue, etc.. She is miserable she doesn t have any strength to fight anymore. She is only 24 years old and was perfectly healthy before she took this medicine. No doctor yet has been able to help her. Right now she is back in the hospital because she hasn t been able to hold anything down and has been vomiting for days. When does she get her life back and can anyone do anything to help her. Her parents have moved in with her to take care of her because she can not live by herself. Please help!!! No one else seems to be able to help her.
Jennifer , Louisiana
SEPTRIN IV: 21 March
dear brian my wife jean died 12 months ago in m/c royal imfirmary after she was given 2.8 grams of septrin ( I V ) per day for 9 days she was 66 years old her wieght was 42 KG and she was on dialysis her face and lips swelled up after 1 day but the docters refused to stop the drug she died unable to speak blind and screaming in agony i have tried to get a pathologist to do an autopsy without success. jean has not been put to rest yet and i have had 3 soliciters over the past 12 months none or which has been able to aquire the services of a pathologist
Jeff H, UK
SMZ/TMP Double strength: 21 March
Hi. after reading the postings on your website, I am not going to ask for a refill. This was for my wife and she was given this medicine for acne issue by the dermitologist. I can now remember and relate to her issues while taking this tablet. She had complained of stomach cramps, pain in her legs, and uneasiness which I easily brushed it off. Now I realize how wrong I was and I am going to discuss this with her in detail to see if we can stop taking this medicine altogether.
Thanks a lot for everything.
SK.
BACTRIM: 21 March
Dear Brian,
I am so confused and scared ; I’m so glad that I found your site. I am desperately hoping that you can help me. This is my problem – I recently started taking Bactrim and Compazine as of last Thursday am now experiencing very strange effects. I’m restless, I’m constantly itching and burning, I cannot sit still, I have to keep pacing the floor, and I find it very hard to focus and concentrate. My stomach cramps, I’m endlessly tired and exausted, I have diarrea, my mouth is constantly dry, and I cannot sleep at night. I was beginning to feel very strange last Thursday because of a burning sensation in my arms and chest and discomfort when I went to the bathroom so I decided to take myself to the Emergency Room thinking that I was still experiencing previous flu-like symptoms and possibly a bladder infection. I was going to go to the doctor but everything was closed due to Spring Break. That is when they prescribed me Bactrim and Compazine due to a kidney infection and an UTI. The day after, I couldn’t sleep and I found myself staring off into space and couldn’t stop myself. I felt very anxious and scared but didn’t know what to do. My mother later admitted me to the ER again and they gave me an IV drip and a shot of ‘epheniferin’ (i don’t know the correct spelling) that is supposed to speed up your heart rate, and another shot of something else that was supposed to counterreact the drug. I remember laying in the bed, staring off into space and feeling very out of sorts, not being able to stop clenching and unclenching my jaw. I don’t know what’s wrong with me but I really do not feel like myself! I went through many tests, from a spinal tap to a CT, urine tests to blood tests but none of them have been conclusive ; they’ve all come back normal or negative. That is why i’m wondering why they gave me a drug when supposedly nothing is wrong with me! I am now having these symptoms that I listed above and I’m so lost as to what to do. I just want to sleep and know for sure that I’m NOT crazy!
Thank you SO MUCH for listening to all of my whacky problems! 🙂
Karen
BACTRIM: 23 March
i realize that you’re article is from a few tears ago, but i just stumbled upon it as i was trying to look up adverse reactions to drugs containing sulfur.a couple of weeks ago i went to my doctor due to some pains i’ve been experiencig in my hip and back off and on.during the visit they found i also had an uti.i was prescribed an antibiotic-the generic form of bactrim-and an anti-inflammatory for my hip.after taking the meds for a couple of days, i had a horrifyig experience.after arriving for work i began to feel naseauos and my head started hurting.i NEVER miss work, but this day i decided i needed to leave.not long after getting home and climbing into bed, istarted to run a fever and had chills and hot flashes.my head ached worse and worse and soon every bone in my body is rivetted by SEVERE pain.somehow,though i don’t know how, i made through the excruciatingly painful night and called in to work again the next day. my fever was still going and i still felt pretty rotten,but not quite as bad as the night before.i called the doctor,s office and expressed my concerns because something just told me it had to do with one of the medications since i was pretty much fine before i started taking them.everyone wanted to dismiss it as the flu,though i had no sore throat,no runny nose,no cough,or things of that nature.they gave me an antibiotic shot and prescribed a different nsaid.that was a couple of weeks ago.two days ago i decided that it didn’t seem as though my uti was completely cleared up. and since they seemed to strongly believe i had the flu or something like it and it wasn’t the medicine i was taking before, i decided to finish off that antibiotic.MISTAKE!!!!!it didn’t take a couple of days for things to go to hell this time.a few short hours after taking the bactrum and really feeling perfectly fine iwas beginning to feel naseaus and my head was starting to ache. then i noticed when i breathed in very deeply it felt as though my diaphragm was hurting. or kind of like the feeling when you’ve done way too many crunches when you’re way out of shape. the naseau and headache quickly worsened and i had to leave work in a hurry.by the time i got to the house i was throwing up every few minutes.eventually this took place from the bed whereas i could not find it in myself to get up.just as before my body was racked with pain and spasms.i was freezing though i was lying under 2 comforters,a sheet, a sleeping bag and had a heating pad on me turned up on high, and a heater pointed directly on me.i was crying and calling out in pain. i called my husband and told him i needed him to come home.when he got there he just couldn’t believe how red i was and hot i was.we called the pharmacist who said call the doctor where i spoke with anurse who said all they could do is prescribe another antibiotic for the uti. are you kidding me?is anyone listening to any of the words that are coming out of my mouth?twice i’ve taken this medicine in the last two weeks and twice i’ve experienced this same thing.i don’t really care about an uti at this pointand sure don’t want another antibiotic.i want to know if this is going to kill me and if not can someone get me out of the hell i’m going through.um, we can prescribe you another antibiotic. so we call my sister to come assess the situation.she said i was burning up with fever, my skin looked as though i had a sunburn, and my face looked kind of welped up.she then called the e.r.the nurse agreed it sounded like a reaction.i should take 2 benadryl and wait an hour and see how i felt.i did.a couple of hours later i wasn’t feeling much better so husband insisted that i go to the e.r. i told him they weren’t going to listen to me.and guess what.after relaying what i was going through and had gone through 2 weeks prior the e.r. physician ordered a flu swab.i couldn’t believe it!they didn’t really have to even figure out what was wrong with me,i’m pretty much telling you what the problem is.twice i’m fine,twice i take this medicine, and twice i have this same reaction to it.i think a monkey could have put those things together.i tested negative for the flu.SURPRISE!i did get a pain shot though that made my night a lot more easy.and oh,yeah,they told me to get some claritin for my allergies.i’m starting to think the medical professionals are overpaid.the next was quite a lot better besides sore from head to toe and a bad headache. today i went back to work,but my shoulders and knees seem still alittle stiff and sore.and my limbs seem really weak and when i stand after sitting the muscles in my thighs and calves semm to be constricting like they want to cramp up.i am wondering if this will have any long term effects on my body or will it just fade away with time.at any rate, i am going to print out these letters i’ve read or tell my doctors to go to this site and read for themselves what i knew all along.i don’t understand why they wouldn’t listen to me.and i don’t know if i could’ve actually died from this or not but i told my husband as we were leaving the e.r. and i was clutching my aching chest that if i didn’t make it through this he better sue the hell out of them for not listening to me.if you recieve this and you know about any long term problems to anyone who has experienced this i would greatly appreciate you letting me know.
sincerely,
Tammy C
BACTRIM: 5 April
Hi. Not sure if you are still posting emails for this article but here’s my story. I was recently prescribed Bactrim for a sinus infection. I had never taken the drug before. I took the drug for 7 days without any side effects. On the eighth day a short while after taking my morning dose I began to feel ill. By that afternoon I was running 102 fever. The next day (which was on Saturday) I began to develop a rash on my stomach and legs and still ran the fever. By the next day, the rash covered my entire body. I visited my doctor (general practice) on Monday and he diagnosed me with Fifth’s Disease even though I told him exactly which antibiotic I was on. So, I went home fever and all and still continued to take the Bactrim. My legs started aching and my chest and upper back looked like I had been sunburned and I told my husband I felt like I was on fire. I went to bed and have not been able to sleep a wink because of the itching and pins & needles feeling, ( I am still running fever) something kept telling me to get up & do some Internet research on this drug which is why I am sitting here at 4:00 in the morning typing away. I am convinced that these are symptoms from the Bactrim and last night will be the last time I ever take it again. I will be calling my ENT as soon as their office opens up!! I am very grateful for this site to provide all these emails with personal experiences because you can read about all the side effects of Bactrim but when individuals tell their own experiences while taking this drug helps out more than you’ll ever know.
Loretta
BACTRIM: 5 April
Dear Sir,
Please, please send my niece anything you can regarding Bactrim to my niece Shery Calkin, 123 Webster Road, Sandston, VA 23150 U.S.A. We honestly believe her daughter, Candice, my great niece died from taking Bactrim. She was treated for bladder infection and her mother found her in her bed dead.
All the reactions I have read on your website from different people are saying the same things. Do you have any information where death has occured in the U.S. and who we may contact. We will not rest in peace until we find out this is what caused her death. She turned 17 years old March 1st and on March 11th we buried her. I beg of you to help us.
Sincerely,
Janet M, Highland Springs, VA
BACTRIM: 6 April
Hi Brian:
My name is Brenda and I am 35 years old. I suffer from a very weak immune system and was prescribed a generic form of Bactrim to prevent pneumonia six years ago and it resulted in a red rash on my skin. My doctor had warned to stop the med if such a reaction occurred. Two months ago, with a T-Cell count of 60 (healthy persons should be 1500) I was prescribed Bactrim DS for the same reason, to prevent pneumonia, but at the time, I could not remember the name of the previous medicine that caused the rash six years earlier. I told my doctor (nurse practitioner) that I remembered having a rash from an antibiotic but could not remember the name of the drug. He decided to try the Bactrim anyway because it was a very effective drug. I took 1 tablet. Within 30 minutes I broke out in hives all over, my eyes turned beet red and felt like they were going to pop out. I developed a fever of 103 and my skin was covered in a red rash. Within 30 more minutes my muscles felt like I had been beaten all over. My muscles were sore to the touch and I was unable to support myself to walk or lift my arms. My throat became sore like strep-throat. Within another hour I loss feeling in my fingers and developed a large blood spot in my right eye. After another 2 weeks I started to suffer temporary distorted vision in my right eye lasting 1-2 hours per day and constant drainage from both my left and right eye. My right eye would swell closed when I slept on my right side. The hives stopped with 12 hours of starting Bendryl. It took 1 week for the redness in my eyes to clear up, 3 weeks for the blood spot in my right eye to go away, 5 weeks for the muscle soreness to stop and a full 7-8 weeks to get feeling back in my fingers. My doctors have performed a CT scan, spinal tap and numerous blood test and eye exams, all yielding nothing to explain what is causing the loss of vision. I am now experience blurring in my left eye as well as distorted vision in my right, but only 1-2 hours per day. I am seeing a specialist in two weeks to further examine the temporary vision loss.
Best Regards,
Brenda R
SEPTRA: 9 April
I was prescribed Septra 2 weeks ago when I went to my doctor complaining about a menstral cycle that just wouldn’t end. She prescribed SEPTRA to take “just in case” i was to get an UTI because I was also suppose to take a weeks worth of birth control pills to get the cycle back on track. About a week later on my way home from work, my eyes were sensitive to the sunlight, I couldn’t see without squinting and by the time I got home I looked in the mirror and they didn’t even appear to be open. I couldn’t even have any of the lights on in the entire house. The next morning I woke up and it was gone. I didn’t think much of it because I also have Rheumatoid Arthritist and my doc told me I would be sensitive to light from time to time. On Saturday (yesterday) I woke up freezing cold. My temp. was 104.2, my face was swollen and red, my lips were swollen with bumps, my arms were red with patches, I had no appetite, I was tired all day, I couldn’t get out of bed, I felt my throat trying to close, and all I could do was drink water. No matter how many covers I put on myself I just wouldn’t stop shivering. That had to be one of the worse days in my entire life. I decided not to go to the doctor, so I took a benadryl to reduce the symptoms of the reaction. It worked. I was able to at least get up and move around. Today is Sunday and although my temp has gone down to 99 I now have this constant body itch that just wont go away. Even my ear lobes itch. Monday morning just can not come soon enough. Going to see my doctor is first on my list…..thank you Brian for letting me know im not the only one going through this horrible ordeal.
Jamie C.W.
BACTRIM: 13 April
Dear sir,
I was prescribed bactrim in 1976 while on holiday for a chest infection. Within 6 hours I was barely conscious and suffered hallucinations and incredible sickness and diarheoa i couldn’t even keep water down. My urine turned almost black and there was blood in my stools. After 4 days I stopped taking the medicine. I am convinced that had I continued I would have died. It took me six months to recover. The doctor advised me to continue the treatment. The pain in my chest was indescribable i still cannot sleep on my left hand side. I lost 3 stone in weight. when eventually I got home my own doctor did not recognise me. At the time i was a young very fit man had i been younger or old i would not have survived.
John L
RELATED:
Bactrim-Septra: a secret epidemic
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