Septra Sulfatrim Bactrim Septrin TMP/SMZ side effects
Page 4 of mail to investigative reporter Brian Deer recounting sometimes serious side effects of the antibiotic often known as Septra, Bactrim, Sulfatrim or TMP/SMX
BACTRIM: 9 September
Mr. Deer,
My daughter, Sarah, was prescribed Bactrim last week, Sept 2, 2003, for a recurrent sinus infection. Day before yesterday, she started complaining of her ears hurting again and started running fever. Today, after running fever with chills yesterday, I took her to the dr. He said that she probably had the flu. Tonight as she went to bed, her fever was going up again, and I noticed a raised rash on her face and her ears were burning. I am almost positively sure that she is having an allergic reaction to this drug since reading this website. As the dr. was prescribing the meds last week, I told him that I was allergic to sulfa, but he assured me that it couldn’t be hereditary. I really wish that I knew then what I know now! I didn’t know years ago that this reaction was so common, or I would never allow it to be prescribed to my children. Sarah is already, at age 16, allergic to many penicillin drugs and the options for treatment are getting fewer! I will keep you updated on her progress!
Rebecca.
BACTRIM: 10 September
Brian,
I recently took Bactrim for a bladder infection. I can’t stress to you the shock I have over the controversy of this drug. My father is a doctor and prescribed it for me. At first I fished one dose and my infection hadn’t gone away.I suffered from “trench mouth” for 1 week and felt absolutely terrible.I assumed this was because I felt ill and weak from stress.
I then tried a second course of a generic bactrim. I am currently experiencing very bad “trench mouth” and have stopped the drug.I have read your article and many other and realised that I have an allergic reaction to “sufur-watsis-names”. The reason I am writing you this email is to ask if education through email is a viable form of communicating this evil drugs abuses. I always use the internet for research and it has always provided me with copious amounts of help. I believe that anti-advertisements placed on popular sites will really help make people aware of Roche’s nightmarish drug.
Rory P, 24 year old male, Johannesburg, South Africa.
BACTRIM: 16 September
Dear Brian,
My Daughter wrote Dec 2002 part story. But I have been ill 30 years and no explanation,s for them. In 1973,I had septrin for the first time for an infection, I was ill for weeks, my body was in pains all over,my heartbeat was not right,beta blockers did not help I could not breath, my chest was tight I could hardly stand I felt exhausted all day. A heart specialist had tests,he explained my heartbeat went 160 beats a minute on standing, but drops within seconds to 30 beats a minute when I sit and have arrhymias too, when standing again my heartbeat goes up to 160 this happens all day long,he could not tell me why this was happening.I still have this 30 years on.I have just seen a Doctor at hospital, he said has there been any reports of the heartbeat being affected while taking septrin. If so could you please write to Brian. I had septrin many times after that, each time I was ill, in 1982 I became very weak and tired, started to collapse outside, I saw my GP, I had tests done, he said I was very anaemic. I had emergency injection,s that same day.
I became very ill and weak over the next few months,in the end I had to havea Hyterectomy in 1984. Then in 1989 had a water infection,was prescribed septrin, within hours of taking septrin was in server pains in the pit of my stomach, I thought it may be a tummy bug,but when I took the drug the day after I was in sheer agony, I could not breath I could not eat even water was burning my throat and stomach. I saw my GP that day, he took me off septrin and gave me another antibiotic. After that I was never away from the Doctor,s. He gave me chalky medison for about 7 week,s, getting no better,he sent me to see a stomach specelist.He gave me Tagamet,after 6 week,s I had an endoscopy this reveled 3 duedenal ulser,s and inflammation of my stomach.
I was also feeling very very sick while I was eating, but I thought this was the ulser,s. Test after test were clear for the sickness, these were to take over 2 year,s 6 month,s I was losing weight fast, I was down to 6 stone 6 and still losing but test,s were still clear. I saw a Professor for a second opinion,I had a test on my stomach a scan called a gamma camera,I had to drink soup and wait while my stomach emptied. The test showed exactly what was happening in my stomach.The test takes 4 hours. Theperistaltic wave,s and contractions in my stomach are working from bottom to top and splashes from side to side, there is one hour delay on emptying, there was a lot of pain and bloating and I felt as if I was going to be sick, this lasted 2 hours the soup was trying to come up,I felt realy ill. Then after 2 hours into the test I felt unwell with something elsa, the soup had suddenly left my stomach into my intestine I felt very weak,instant headache, shaking,hungry,and sweating,I felt realy unwell again.Thay call this dumping syndrome.This is still happening today, every day every meal,its like tortuer every meal time. I have not had a normal meal since 1989.The specialist explained he was dealing with the unknown, apparently I am the only one in the world to have this happen without surgery..I never had an operation on my stomach at that time.
Doctors say this is a very rare side affect of all or half your stomach removed ar an operation on your intestine, if a nerve has been severed in your stomach after an operation, to this day it is still a mystery to the medical profession as to why I have it. The only thing I can think of now is septrin, my stomach was perfect for 43 years till that day I took septrin in 1989. Thay saw I had a small hiatus hernia, with the enderscopy, but I never had indigestion or heartburn so never new I hade one. The Professor thought by repareing the hernia it may encourage my stomach to empty sooner, unfortunately it did not, but the operation itself was a success.The operation was very traumatic for me as I was at the time 6 stone and very weak they had to operate in front of my stomach, it took me over a year to get over I was so weak. I still could not eat normal.
When you are very ill like I was you will try any operation that may help. Food and medication are very painful I have now a very sensitive stomach this happend the same day I took septrin, I now have to drink bottled water tap water is too painful on my stomach,I have lived on baby food and fresubin drinks in the past. I am still trying to cope eating other foods today. I was told I will have this for the rest of my life, theres no medication no cure for this, I am trying to cope the best I can on my own whitch is the hardest part. My are also affected,I get pains in my head when I lean forward ,I go red and hot then start sweating and have blurred vision, I also have hypertension.I have had all the tests for hormones MRI,CAT SCAN on my back, all clear test have gone on for 6 years, like all the other unexplained illnesses I have, this looks like another mystery. In December I saw septrin injury,s for the first time on internet,I am still very shocked and angry, I dont know were to go from here as I,ve been ill without a cause for 30 years, Till now. It is too much of a coincidence for it not to be septrin,I am scared now as I do not know what the future holds for me, as I seem to be getting worse all the time. Looking back now at my illnesses and septrin, I have had operations I my not have needed, especialy the hiatus hernia. I am sorry for the long letter, but I had to get it all off my chest, All of 30 years T hank you for being here for us Brian
God bless,
Betty, UK.
BACTRIM: 17 September
Dear Brian,
I cannot believe I randomly found you on Google! Thank goodness! After I took my first pill this morning for a UTI I began to feel a little nauseaus..though “ok, that’s normal, happens sometimes, just have to deal with it” , but as the day progressed I began to feel horrible. I felt like vomitting, my head was killing me, my throat hurt all of a sudden, and the joints in my shoulders were hurting. Unfortunately I was looking for some advice on the internet for a long time and in the meantime took my second pill. I am feeling a little better now and wish that I had not taken the second one as I know what I am in for tonight. I feel dizzy and weirdly enough, a little hyper. I notice that urinating isn’t as painful but now I have all these other symptoms, including blurriness and dry mouth as well. I have not develped a rash or blisters as of yet and hope not to. To be honest, it feels I am coming down with the flu. I called my doctor and she told me that it is not an allergic reaction, just that Bactrim can be tough on the body. After reading your article, I am not too sure about that. I am so grateful for you because I would have kept taking these pills and after seeing what can happen, thank God you wrote this article.
If Bactrim does indeed cause so many adverse reactions in so many people, why in the world are Doctor’s prescribing? And why are the mighty powerful drug companies able to continue producing?
Thank you again and please feel free to email me back with any helpful sites or such
God Bless
Bethany G.
TRIMETH/SULFA DS: 20 September
Hello, I’m a college student and when i got a bladder infection 4 days ago, our college’s doctor prescribed “TRIMETH/SULFA DS” to me for a week. about 2 hours after i took the first pill i became very dizzy, i have hot/cold flashed, i have no appetite, and I can’t sleep for more than 4 hours every night.
I was wondering if these are typical symptoms of this drug or it I just have a cold that hit me.
Amanda.
BACTRIM: 21 September
Brian, I was prescribed Bactrim for a chest infection around 1989, this was the 3rd time i had been prescribed the medication, i did have an adverse reaction after just one day, on contacting my doctor i was told not to use it anymore, i had a high fever and came out in a skin rash all over my chest and torso, i havent used it since, on speaking to my GP yesterday, he told me that i would never be able to use this drug again. I have a recuring chest infection, maybe caused by exposure to asbestos many years ago, as i worked in the building industry.
Keep up the good work,
Arch G, Australia.
BACTRIM: 22 September 2003
After reading information posted to other sites, I just wanted to add my experiences, for whatever it’s worth. I have suffered from very frequent UTI’s (about every 3-4 weeks) for more than 4 years. Each time, a physician orders the lab work and then, as a first choice, prescribes Bactrim. In over 4 years, it has never worked to clear up the infection (even though susceptibility testing reportedly states Bactrim should be effective). Cipro and Amoxicillin have both been highly successful treatment modalities. Although I luckily didn’t suffer from any of the side-effects, as posted in internet stories, Bactrim has just not been as effective as reported in the pharmacological studies. I can’t speak for respiratory-related infections (maybe Bactrim is better for those), but I can definitely state from repeated personal experiences – why take the risk when I am proof of a case where it is just, plain, ineffective? Although I can’t find any pharmaceutical companies that will respond to my questions, I continue to wonder about the reason for my experiences. Lab results and ongoing infections continue to disprove many of the claims about this particular antibiotic. Two of my physicians are also aware of my problem with the med and also don’t know how to respond.
I hope this helps anyone who is considering treatment with Bactrim.
Sharon S.
BACTRIM: 25 September
I went into your website looking up different things about Bactrim. Let me tell you my experience.
I was told that I had a bladder infection, my doctor prescribed BACTRIM. I took one pill at night, after supper, and with plenty of water. When I woke up the next morning, before I stepped out of my bed, I felt like someone had beat me to death. My legs were killing me. Its two days later right now. I am still hurting but today I am broke out all over my legs along with the pain in my legs. I have never had this kind of a pain before nor have I ever broke out before. I called my doctor and they told me to stop the medicine now. Gladly. She is putting me on something new. My legs feel like they are getting no circulation at all!!!!!!!! If there is such a problem with this medicine, why don’t they take it off the market????
Virgina W.
SEPTRIN FORTE: 29 September 2003
Dear Brian,
I have this morning read with great interest, your article on Septrin and have also been reading through the various letters and emails sent to you following your article. It has truly opened my eyes to the fact that I had a very very lucky escape from a near death experience. In September 1990 I was on holiday in Barbados. I had the symptoms of a urine infection and went to the chemist to speak to the pharmacist in the hope of getting one of those powder drinks you can take to cure such a problem. She asked if I had taken Septrin before, and I had, so she sold me, over the counter a few days supply of Septrin Forte. I took one tablet immediately and went to the supermarket next door.
About 5 minutes later my head started to itch terribly but the more I scratched it the more it itched and started to burn. I started to feel very lightheaded, but thought it was probably too much Caribbean sunshine. My face started to itch and burn and I looked at my arms and my skin was turning purple and white raised lumps were appearing. I touched my lips and they felt very swollen. My whole body was turning purple and the white lumps were appearing all over. I caught sight of myself in a piece of reflective metal and saw that my lips had swollen up and were purple. I was of course, quite frightened by this time, some 10 minutes after taking one pill. I realised I was unable to swallow and breathing was becoming difficult. I was with my then partner and another couple with whom we’d made friends.
The guy of that couple was a firefighter and the lady was a nurse. I asked them if my lips had swollen up. I was by this time feeling very faint. Fortunately for me they remained very calm. About 12 minutes after taking the pill, I couldn’t walk. The guy picked me up, calmly carried me back to the hotel and the lady, unbeknown to me, went back to the chemist and asked for a doctor. The guy took me into the room, filled the bath with cold water and put towels in it, removed my clothes and covered me in the cold towels. I was delirious and hysterical all at the same time. He kept talking to me very calmly and covering me in the cold wet towels. My body was swollen, purple and covered in spots. I struggled to breath and was slipping in and out of consciousness. The doctor appeared with the lady. He took one look at me and put a needle straight into my arm. He sat with me and talked to me. He was a lovely man – very calm with a very kind face.
He was reassuring me that I would be fine. I came back to full consciousness and the purpleness, the spots and the swelling started going down straight away. The doctor stayed with me for about an hour as I was very very scared and very upset by the whole event. He was clearly waiting to ensure that my allergic reaction did not get any worse. He left me with some piriton and some cream for my body which was very sore. He called me that night and came back to see me the next morning, when he told me I was a very very lucky lady and that had another couple of minutes passed, then he would have had to perform a tracheotomy. I feel I owe my life to the couple I befriended and the Bajan doctor. I am just sorry I don’t know their names and have never had the chance to see them again. I feel I had a very close shave with death.
I don’t think I have any side effects from this one off incident but I do, from time to time, find myself allergic to alcohol and my face, neck and chest go very very red. My face actually looks as though I have scratched it. I don’t know if this is linked at all. I am allergic to penicillin and I am allergic to moules. The moules allergy is most bizarre. I only have to be in a room where they are being cooked and my stomach starts to turn, I go white and my legs go to jelly and if I don’t leave immediately I vomit and pass out. I don’t know if this is linked to the septrin allergy.
Thank you for your article and my heart goes out to all those who have been less fortunate than myself.
With kindest regards
Hilary D, UK.
BACTRIM: 29 September
Brian,
I have found your site to be especially helpful in enlightening me about the effects of using this drug. My wife at the time 26 years old ( May 2002 ) was prescribed this drug by her dermatologist for treating acne, or shall i say, to prevent acne ( my wife had no visible acne on her face ).One week or so later (maybe a couple of days ) she started to feel very ill, she had 104 degree fever, rash, difficulty breathing, sore throat, a stiff pain in her back ( almost as if she had a board of some sort jammed in her back )about a day and a half later we took her to her medical doctor, she immediately thought my wife had meningitus, and ordered us to the hospital.
( i should also say my wifes heart beat was very irregular and very fast, to the point where my wife was afraid she was having a heart attack ). When we got to the hospital it was tests after tests, they discovered my wifes heartbeat to be 125-130. A couple days later they told us she had a small heart attack. They did a spinal tap, tested her for lupus, EKG, even a Catherization to her heart. Eventually they said it was some sort of viral infection. We find out today from reading your site it was most definitely from the drug Bactrim.
Please give if possible any advice you can on what we should do…also any information you feel may be of value to us. I find your site to be a GOD’s send to us…as we have never even gave thought to the fact that it might be a drug side effect, when i asked the dermatolgist if he thought it might be a bad reaction to the drug, he said that was nonsense, and that she should “maybe” stop taking it but he didnt see that as a necessary step. Please help, as i see that you may have all the information we may need.
Thank you for your time, I hope this email reaches you in good health, and spirit.
Best wishes, and regards,
Ray and Brenda V.
APO-SULFATRIM DS: 29 September
Dear Brian,
Having just endured two of the worst days of my life, I am so glad to have found your website.
I too was recently diagnosed with a UTI and prescribed Apo-Sulfatrim DS, two a day for 10 days. On the morning of the seventh day, I awoke and was sicker than I’ve ever been in my life. I felt like I was going to faint, my temperature spiked, my whole body was so tender I couldn’t even lie in bed, I felt nauseous and dizzy, and a rash developed on my upper back and upper chest. This was Saturday, Sept. 27. On Sunday my husband took me to the ER as I was still too weak to do anything, although I believe I wasn’t feeling quite as ill as I had the day before. My temperature was still spiked, the rash was more prominent, and when blood work was ordered it showed that my white blood cell count was rather low. I had to have the bloodwork repeated this morning, and the results were the same. So now I have to go and have more blood work done tomorrow. No one at the hospital made any connection between the UTI medication and my symptoms, but I haven’t taken any since my Friday night pill. I will tell my doctor about your website in the hopes that she will rethink prescribing this medication in the future.
And hopefully my white blood count will return to normal, but who knows what the future holds?
Betty K.
SMZ/TMP: 1 October
My Vet gave my Collie SMZTMP, a sulfur based antibiotic, for an abcess they drained at the office. The next morning my dog was dead. His blood tests were normal, no cancer etc.
Susan, Terre Haute, IN.
SEPTRA: 3 October
Hello Brian,
I’m not sure if your still wanting reports on side effects caused by Septra. If you are I just wanted to let you know I’ve been taking Septra for about two weeks. I developed a rash on my tongue and blisters on the inside of my lips. The back of my neck feels like it does when I’m coming down with the flu and it settles in my neck. Needless to say, I called my Doctor today and told him I’m not taking it any more. He’s supposed to call me back and let me know if it’s the drug causing these problems. I know it is, so I’ll never take this septra again. I’m very dissappointed in my Doctor for even prescribing this horrible drug.
Thanks for your research.
Tonya L, California.
BACTRIM: 7 October
After reading your site while looking for information on side affect on this drug I am appaled that the a doctor would even consider prescibing this to anyone but expecaily a small child. My 5 year old son has been taking this medication as precribed by and after hour medical doctor for a UTI for about a week when he started complaining about his legs hurting last night. This morning he awoke with a rash that covers his torso and face. I did not give him any further doses of the Bactrim I took him to his regular pedatric doctor who looked for signs of joint damage and prescribed benadril every six hours for the next 24 hours.. If these are problem that are know about this drug why is it still being sold?
Lynda F, Minnesota.
SEPTRA: 10 October
3 weeks ago, I was prescribed septra for an infected injury I had on my arm. A week later I broke out in a head to toe rash with fever. I went to the emergency room and was given benedril and prednizone. Those symptoms resolved themselves in about a week. Now I am experiencing symtoms that I’m fairly sure are early SJS. This drug is not safe. It needs to be taken off of the market. Everyone reading this – please let this be a lesson to you to research any prescribtion you have been given. Allergic reactions to drugs are the number 4 cause of deaths in the U.S. I wish I’d known that before.
MM.
SEPTRA: 18 October
Hi Brian,
Thank you for posting my letter on Oct 10. I was the person who reported “fairly certain” they were experiencing early SJS. I would ask that you please print this follow up as a kindness to those people going through the same thing that may have experienced anxiety because of my letter. I was on prednisone and benedryl for 10 days. These drugs (along with the Septra reaction) all did bad things to me. The blisters in my mouth have cleared up. My “eye ulcers” were enlarged tear ducts, and my eyes were irritatated because my immune system was suppressed.
These symptoms have all resolved. My “inside out” hot skin (although terrifying) has ceased as quickly as it started. I feel as healthy now as I did before this all started.I have experienced no rash since the initial drug reaction. Folks, the serum sickness from the Septra and the other drugs you take to keep your immune system down after a drug reaction will do bad things to you. If you don’t believe me – look up the side effects of Prednisone and benedryl. Don’t always assume the worst. I still know that the Septra could have caused me lasting damage, but I have every reason (now) to be hopeful that it didn’t. Good health to all and god bless.
MM.
RELATED:
Bactrim-Septra: a secret epidemic
Chronology of a newspaper campaign
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