Clarithromycin and Anxiety: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 6, 2019

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "Very strong medicine. Before I was diagnosed with H. pylori, my symptoms were bloating, belching, and acid reflux at night. I took this because of slight H. pylori with slight erosion on my stomach found while having an endoscopy. 500 mg clarithromycin (Klaz) tablet, 500 mg amoxicillin (Himox) capsule, and 20 mg omeprazole (Omepron) capsule. Taken before meals, 1-0-1 omeprazole, 2-0-2 clarithromycin, and 1-0-1 amoxicillin for 14 days. From the 1st day, with the 1st dose, effects not that much, just a metallic taste, stomach cramps, feeling slightly bloated when I took it. From that night, the metallic taste turned bitter. On the second day of medication, I got anxiety in the early morning, bitter taste, still bloated and belching. On the 3rd day, my stomach kept growling, bitter taste, and I developed insomnia and minor brain fog, still bloated. I'm on my 4th day now, insomnia is hitting hard, bitter taste, slight bloating, and keeps belching. All I can say is every day you will experience different symptoms. I will update soon about my condition."

• Bex...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 22, 2013

For Sinusitis "Wrote on here yesterday. Just updating. Doc advised me to stop taking clarithromycin after I took only one 500mg last night. My experience- awful taste in mouth, vomiting, lower back pain, aching all over, severe stomach pain, couldn't sleep, dizziness, severe anxiety, dull heavy headache (similar to a hangover) and very dry mouth. All this after only ONE tablet. This medication is EVIL! Take with extreme caution people. Good luck x"

• Fia...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 7, 2021

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I feel so much better having read the posts both good and bad. I had a nasty bout of campylobacter, and when the stool sample was analyzed, up popped H. pylori. So, 500 mg clarithromycin 2 a day, along with 500 mg of amoxicillin and 20 mg of omeprazole. Within hours of the first tablet, I started to feel off. My heart was bouncy all over the place, it seems to settle during the day when I'm busy, so I’m distracted unless it goes completely Tom and Jerry. But night is awful, I can’t sleep for all the skipped beats, anxiety obviously making the whole thing worse, fear of death and a bitter grapefruit taste again worse at night. I’m on a 7-day course and have 5 doses left. And I cannot wait until it’s finished. I’m terrified, but thank goodness I’m not alone, and that has calmed me more than I can express. Good luck, guys, it’s just a moment in time. Stay strong and dig in. xxx PS I’ve given an average rating as I don’t know if I’m cured, but I’ve found this deeply horrid."

• Bea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 6, 2021

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I am currently dealing with gastritis and just found out I am positive for H. Pylori. I was prescribed omeprazole, two 500 mg amoxicillin, and 500 mg clarithromycin. My 1st dose was yesterday at noon. I got bad nausea that didn't go away even with medication, a metallic taste, and severe stomach cramps that did not go away. I ended up at the E.R. at 2:30 a.m. During all this, I felt a racing heart, shaking, and I was so anxious! NOTHING was helping! After the exhausting day of physical and emotional symptoms, I couldn't sleep at all! I only slept 3.5 hours, now round 2 for the medications again! I tried to just take the amoxicillin, wait to see if anything, then took the clarithromycin, and right after that, everything is coming back from the day before! I can't handle this medication. I was prescribed it for 2 weeks, 2 times a day, and I can't with these overpowering side effects! I was completely debilitated all day after the 1st doses! I feel so hopeless right now."

• Ord...
• December 1, 2015

For Sinusitis "This medicine is awful. First night, awful taste in mouth, couldn't get to sleep and woke up with a racing heart. Day 4, woke up at 1 in the morning, extreme anxiety, pounding heart, sweats, shaking, couldn't think straight. GP has told me to stop taking it, and it should be out of my system in 27 hours."

• Tal...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 8, 2021

For Helicobacter Pylori Infection "I was diagnosed with Pylori through a stool test and put on Triple Therapy. I tried this for 4 days, had terrible side effects: insomnia, feeling awful, disorientation, high anxiety, and feeling terrible. I gave up, then tried again for 3 days, then had the same side effects. I then tried again, not wanting to give up, but on the third night, had horrific side effects: insomnia, frequent urination, high anxiety, pains in the stomach, and rapid heartbeat, and thought I was going completely mad. The next day was so bad, I had to go to the hospital ER, was checked over, was declared okay, but concerned that this medication therapy has done some damage to my kidneys. I guess some people are just sensitive to Triple Therapy, as it's very overpowering. Well done to anybody who gets through this treatment and is H Pylori negative."

• Anonymous
• November 18, 2014

For Bronchitis "I recently started on Biaxin. My doctor prescribed it for my bronchitis and sinus infection. The antibiotic works great, after about a day of taking it, I felt a million times better. It's a really strong antibiotic, though, which has caused some awful side effects, including a bad taste in my mouth, nervousness, and upset stomach/nausea. If you have to take this, I suggest eating before taking it and carrying around mints for the taste in my mouth. Good luck!"

• Bil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 6, 2020

For Middle Ear Infections "I might as well have been prescribed POISON!☠️ than clarithromycin. On day two, my earache got worse, and by day three, I couldn’t sleep a wink. Moreover, I experienced stomach cramps, anxiety, panic attacks, groin pain, nausea, a metallic zinc taste in the mouth, nightmares, and finally, suicidal ideation. My doctor then prescribed me flucloxacillin, and only after one day, it kicked in and my earache started to ease off. After reading the other reviews on clarithromycin, I realize I am not alone in my experience. I think this ‘medication’ should have its license withdrawn and be banned in the UK."

• blj...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 11, 2015

For Sinusitis "I have been on this med for 5 days for a sinus infection. I am so close to calling it quits. I have been having bad anxiety, heart palpitations, clammy sweats, and feel shaky and weak on it. It makes food taste like crap and leaves a nasty battery acid taste in your mouth. I start to feel better in the couple of hours coming up to my next dose (every 12 hours), and then BAM within an hour after taking the dose, it all hits. It is definitely helping my sinus infection, but this drug is hell. A pharmacist told me that this is in the top two antibiotics that are reported to have the worst side effects. Boooo. I also took a Zopiclone so I could sleep and woke up with a nasty reaction! Felt so high and dizzy, drugged out of my mind...terrifying."

• Anonymous
• November 24, 2009

For Sinusitis "I have been on clarithromycin for about 4 days now. It gives me a terrible taste in my mouth. I'm constantly thirsty, which leads to frequent bathroom breaks, and the second night I was up most of the night, sleeping very lightly and having anxiety. I haven't slept well at all in the 4 days that I have taken it, and I notice it's causing my heart to palpitate. I have a terrible sinus infection and do want to stop the medicine, but I feel like a zombie, and I'm looking quite pale."

• Mel...
• November 4, 2019

For Bronchitis "Have been taking this med, clarithromycin, for bronchitis. The metallic taste for me is bearable. However, I am experiencing a heart rate that fluctuates and continues to be higher than normal. I know this because of my Fitbit. This med gives me anxiety and makes me agitated. Can't wait to finish it."

• F77...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 12, 2015

For Upper Respiratory Tract Infection "Worked well as an antibiotic, however, the side effects were very distressing. Nausea, heart palpitations, severe anxiety, and feelings of impending doom. Unsteadiness. The worse side effects were the awful feelings of fear, which were out of proportion. I felt as if I was about to faint because of the anxiety. I felt very upset and tearful about half an hour after taking them, and the mental symptoms just escalated for a few hours. I will report these side effects to the GP, and hopefully, there is an alternative if I ever need antibiotics again for a severe chest infection."

• F77...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 12, 2015

For Upper Respiratory Tract Infection "Worked well as an antibiotic, however, the side effects were very distressing. Nausea, heart palpitations, severe anxiety, and feelings of impending doom. Unsteadiness. The worse side effects were the awful feelings of fear, which were out of proportion. I felt as if I was about to faint because of the anxiety. I felt very upset and tearful about half an hour after taking them, and the mental symptoms just escalated for a few hours. I will report these side effects to the GP, and hopefully, there is an alternative if I ever need antibiotics again for a severe chest infection."

• ana...
• July 23, 2016

For Sinusitis "I just wanted to thank everyone who has posted on this site about clarithromycin and the side effects they've had, as I thought I was losing my mind from the hallucinations and crazy dreams this antibiotic has caused me. It's a relief to know it's not just me, although obviously I don't want others to suffer! After two days on this antibiotic for sinusitis and an inner ear infection, I have literally felt like I was dying: fever, chills, anxiety, and then at night hallucinating, which is really scary, especially when you don't know what's causing it. So thank God I found this site and now can link the clarithromycin to the side effects of the last two days. I have now stopped taking it and am going to ask for a different type of antibiotic."

• Fea...
• October 2, 2019

For Upper Respiratory Tract Infection "From day one on clarithromycin, the taste in my mouth was vile. Other problems were horrific night terrors, which one night gave me hallucinations! I started trying to stay awake because I was so scared of falling asleep. Extreme anxiety and brain fog. I was constantly forgetting what I was saying and doing! Never again! Still got the chest infection!"

• She...
• October 10, 2015

For Sinusitis "Was prescribed this for URI/Sinus infection. Took a total of 2.5 days then experienced extreme anxiety, but not the 'heart pounding out of your chest, can't breathe, think I'm going to die' kind of anxiety, but the 'I'M LOSING MY MIND, CAN'T TELL REALITY FROM REALITY, WANT TO CURL UP IN THE CORNER & DIE' kind of anxiety. Went to ER, given a shot to calm me down. TERRIBLE medicine, side effect, you couldn't pay me to take it again."

• Bir...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 17, 2015

For Sinusitis "I was actually given this for a bad ear infection, which I think now has gone. But I feel anxiety, cannot sleep, my eyes are blurry, it made the noise in my ears worse, and my muscles felt strange, jelly-like. As much as it is good to feel no pain, the feeling that you could put a knife through you and you would not feel it makes you feel crazy. My stomach is in pain from time to time and running to the loo. My throat feels like I need to constantly clear it, gritty in the back. My mouth is so dry and has a metallic taste. Thank goodness I have one more day of this drug that is driving me crazy."

• Sal...
• May 5, 2020

For Bronchitis "Throwing these clarithromycin in the garbage! Got extremely hungry, sweating, and anxiety like I have never felt before. Felt really weak and like I was going insane. Lasted about 7 minutes and was so relieved when it was over. You couldn't pay me a million dollars to take another pill again."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 31, 2018

For Pneumonia "This drug has definitely helped to clear up my pneumonia, but not without some terrible side effects. Most of which I didn't realize were common until I saw this thread! Day 1 hit me hard. Felt suddenly extremely unwell and tired. Nausea and no appetite. Sense of taste altered. Also, extremely anxious, night sweats, shakes, heart racing, difficulty sleeping. Every time I would almost fall asleep, I would snap back awake, heart sped up. Horrible taste in mouth. Had I realized it was the meds, I would have switched earlier! Have pressed through and am now on Day 5 of 7. I have slowly adjusted, each day I have a little more energy. I was so close to dropping this medication, but being so close to the end now, going to try and push through."

• Han...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 8, 2021

For Upper Respiratory Tract Infection "Be careful with this antibiotic. I know it's all very individual, but I have never had such strong side effects from an antibiotic (I avoid taking such in general). It seems to be working, though very slowly, and perhaps I would have improved without taking it. However, I have terrible insomnia, waves of nasty feelings of despair, anxiety, dizziness, constant fatigue, and needles in my limbs. I think the side effects of this drug are worse than the infection it is supposed to cure. Perhaps it's just me, I don't know."

• Joa...
• January 20, 2016

For Upper Respiratory Tract Infection "Been given clarithromycin 500 mg for a chest infection. Been on meds 2 days. The aftertaste at the back of your mouth is extremely vile. I can taste it a few hours after taking it. It's that vile, the taste wakes me up. I try to swish it away with water, but it's still there. The last tablet I took was 10 hours ago, the taste in my mouth is still dreadful. Not sure whether this medication is helping, as I am still coughing like a trooper. I was less anxious when I read on this thread that it wasn't me going crazy, and others suffered from heart palpitations, shortness of breath, tight chest, and anxiety (I can't break thoughts). It's a dreadful feeling, have to finish the course but will never be taking this med again - 5 more days to go :-/"

• Hap...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 20, 2019

For Dental Abscess "I took half of 1 pill and waited one hour and took the other half. One hour later, my heart was racing, I had extreme nausea, I developed a disgusting taste in my mouth that tasted like copper! I use this reference because, as a kid, I once put money (a coin) in my mouth, and that is what it tasted like. I developed some anxiety (I've taken meds for this for 25+ years). This by far is the worst antibiotic I have ever taken and will never again. I've never experienced this from an antibiotic! I will put it on my allergies list. I noticed after writing this, another person had a very similar experience."

• Jac...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 17, 2018

For Pneumonia "This medication was prescribed to treat my pneumonia. I felt the side effects from day one. Weird metallic and bitter taste in my mouth, dry mouth and lips even after drinking fluids, anxiety, fear, palpitations, weakness, very strong headaches, hallucinations, nightmares, sweating, fast heart rates. On the other hand, I can breathe again and the terrible back and chest pain are gone. If there is a future need for me to have antibiotics, I would really avoid this one. Side effects are way too much to take when you already feel poor and weary."

• Jac...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 17, 2018

For Pneumonia "This medication was prescribed to treat my pneumonia. I felt the side effects from day one. Weird metallic and bitter taste in my mouth, dry mouth and lips even after drinking fluids, anxiety, fear, palpitations, weakness, very strong headaches, hallucinations, nightmares, sweating, fast heart rates. On the other hand, I can breathe again and the terrible back and chest pain are gone. If there is a future need for me to have antibiotics, I would really avoid this one. Side effects are way too much to take when you already feel poor and weary."

• Ne1...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 6, 2018

For Pneumonia "The side effects from Clarithromycin were dreadful: shakes, palpitations, and anxiety. I didn't sleep for six nights; each time I was just dropping off to sleep, my heart suddenly leapt and shook me awake. It was my third course of antibiotics after amoxicillin and Cefalexin didn't work. I had three different courses of antibiotics, four ECGs, blood tests including a D-dimer blood test as they thought I had a pulmonary embolism, three X-rays, steroid tablets, tablets for my heart, sleeping tablets, fluids as I was dehydrated, and antihistamine tablets. The Clarithromycin did get rid of the infection, but I absolutely hated the side effects. Originally diagnosed with bronchitis, which apparently turned into pneumonia. Best wishes from London."