Bactrim and Headaches: What Users Say (Page 3)

• ind...
• February 7, 2011

For Urinary Tract Infection "Today was the first day I took this medication. Two hours after, I experienced joint pain, blurred vision, back pain, a headache, chills, fever, nausea, cough, and sore throat. This was in addition to my already severe urinary tract infection symptoms, which I was sent to the ER for the night before, including severe pain in the pelvis, achy back (kidneys). Although symptoms of a severe UTI can also be fever, pain in the flank (pain that runs along the back at about waist level), chills, and nausea, I believe the medication gave me the additional symptoms. I was fine all day long until around two hours after taking the pill. After about 3 hours, symptoms increasingly went away. I am not sure if the pills are working or if they wore off."

• Sav...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 30, 2019

For Urinary Tract Infection "I’m a 20-year-old female with a history of gastrointestinal issues. I was worried about taking this drug because of all the negative reviews, but I had no problem with it. Took it for three days, experienced mild nausea and headaches, but my UTI symptoms were gone by day two. I also take 10 mg of amitriptyline daily and was worried about using them together, but the side effects didn’t disrupt my schedule at all. Every time I took a pill, I drank a whole bottle of water (16 oz) and ate a full meal. I think that is the most important part, because when I had a light meal, I did experience some stomach pain, but nothing severe. Also, I was very gassy, but that wasn’t really an issue, LOL. I’d recommend Bactrim."

• Sav...
• December 18, 2016

For Urinary Tract Infection "This is an awful medication, and I recommend it to anyone. Went to the ER for stomach pain to find out I had a bad UTI. Took 1 pill that the doc gave me and was completely fine. Took the next pill 12 hours later, with some saltine crackers and a bottle of water. 4 hours later, I was shaky, nauseated, thought I was going to throw up, my heart rate sped up, I had a fever (did go down with ibuprofen), had a minor rash on my cheeks, headache. Now marks 6 hours after taking it, laying down with a towel over my head, took Benadryl to help with the rash. Nausea has eased some, heating pad helps, the rash is not as red. Going back to the ER tomorrow for a different medicine. I'd rather take Amoxicillin, never have any reactions with that."

• Sto...
• January 23, 2017

For Bacterial Infection "First time I got MRSA, it started as a small pimple under my arm and quickly became a massive abscess overnight. I went to the ER, and the doctor told me it was MRSA and prescribed me 10 days' worth of Bactrim. Within four days, the infection stopped, and the wound started to heal. It was completely healed before the ten days, but I took all the Bactrim as directed by the doctor. Then about 7 days ago, I noticed a large pimple and got it checked, and it was MRSA again, but my whole leg was swollen. They lanced it and gave me another ten days of Bactrim. I'm about five days in, and the swelling has subsided, and the pain is much less. No side effects other than a constant headache and abdominal cramps. Seems to work well for MRSA and staph infection."

• Nor...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 2, 2020

For Urinary Tract Infection "I often suffer from UTI. And Bactrim Forte is the antibiotic that I usually use to treat them. The only side effect that I have noticed is headache, with a little nausea and dizziness. I also take Ultra Levure with antibiotics to avoid a yeast infection."

• Ros...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 1, 2019

For Urinary Tract Infection "Not a good option for me. I will never take it again. I was prescribed Bactrim for a recurring UTI. I think I may have taken it before and done fine, but not this time. I took my first pill in the evening and vomited. I didn’t really think much about it. I have the lap band, so that’s not all that unusual. I took my second dose the next morning and started going about my day. I started feeling body aches in all of my joints within four hours, with a slight headache. By the afternoon, I couldn’t tolerate light. I had a high fever and was short of breath. I was itchy, and some of my skin tags had become swollen and irritated. Every cell in my body hurt like I had been beaten with a bat. It was miserable, and I felt like death. Those symptoms lasted all night. The headache was the most debilitating part for me. Kind of afraid to take the new RX after that experience."

• jok...
• September 16, 2015

For Urinary Tract Infection "Bactrim was the worst antibiotics I have taken. I was prescribed this medicine for a UTI from the Dr, and I took one pill before I went to bed and felt fine. It was like 4 am when I got hit with a massive headache from hell. I could not sleep, and then about 2 hours later, around 6 am, I started vomiting until all I could vomit out was my stomach acid. Horrible! That day, I still had a bad headache and was nauseous all day. I discontinued the pill and flushed them all down the toilet!"

• Anonymous
• June 6, 2015

For Kidney Infections "Rushed to the ER because of unbearable flank pain. Doctor noticed a large amount of white blood cells in the urine and prescribed Bactrim. The first two days I felt okay, nothing really improved. By the fifth day, the back pain disappeared, but the urge to pee was still present. On the sixth day, I got a high fever, headaches, body aches, and a rash. Felt like crap! Stopped taking it and side effects subsided. I'm severely allergic to Bactrim. Was prescribed Cipro, it works great!"

• Nog...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 29, 2018

For Middle Ear Infections "Nasty side effects, but very, very slowly relieved symptoms. Took many days to get used to side effects. Better than the other antibiotic I seem to be allergic to, though. Nausea, chest pains/anxiety, insomnia, night sweats, headache, dehydration."

• Jam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 25, 2018

For Urinary Tract Infection "So glad I visited and read all these reviews. I thought I was going mad! I'm halfway through a 5-day x 2 a day script and feel just awful - fevers, then freezing cold, aches, pains, and dull headache, and the nausea and reflux is like being pregnant (except I'm menopausal!). Hopefully, the UTI is ebbing and, like others, I can't wait to stop taking it in a couple of days."

• gel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 10, 2022

For Diverticulitis "Have been on Bactrim now for 9 days with the 10th day almost completed, for an intestinal infection. Around day 7, I started feeling achy with a mild fever and chills. I’ve also had some gastrointestinal uneasiness, headaches, and insomnia. Basically, the intestinal issue is resolved, so Bactrim did its job. But others should be aware of the side effects. I have to admit I had not fully informed myself about them. Side effects can be very uncomfortable, and I suppose that if they were much worse, they even could be dangerous."

• kan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 23, 2015

For Bacterial Infection "I have a small either cyst or some type of mass on the back of my neck under the skin. Doctor said it could be due to some type of staph. He prescribed me Bactrim, aka sulfameth. trimethoprim. He said two weeks to take this, and if it does not go away, we will need to lance it. Which in a way, I'm glad, it bothers me. Anyways, I went to the pharmacy to get my medicine and went home. I actually started the same day taking my pill. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday I felt okay. But come Monday, about 3 a.m., I got up and had diarrhea. Multiple times I felt nauseous and achy. At 7 a.m., I felt it in my throat, I vomited, and after that, I had a horrible headache. Can't eat, I feel as though my joints are stiff. Doc is changing my meds. No sulfa again!"

• Jes...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 15, 2022

For Urinary Tract Infection "This medicine is rough. I was prescribed it for UTI. I had never read about it until now. I’m pretty sure my UTI is gone, thankfully. But I have felt absolutely awful the whole time. I thought it was due to the UTI, but after reading, I think this antibiotic is actually causing my symptoms. I’ve had severe fatigue, terrible headaches, and brain fog. I just feel so bad. I can’t stay out of bed for too long. I took my last pill yesterday, so hopefully these side effects go away soon now. In the future, I will ask for a different antibiotic just in case. I give this medication a 6 because it did seem to clear up my infection. But the side effects are terrible."

• Bja...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 31, 2019

For Urinary Tract Infection "Had a severe UTI, was prescribed Bactrim, seemed to help quickly. Then I started having horrific headaches and heartburn. I try not to Google meds because it’s scary. But the headaches were so bad I Googled and saw this drug has a high rate of headaches. Shocked and concerned because I have a brain aneurysm. Only have one dose left to take. NOPE, not taking it. On my way to my vascular neurologist in Portland."

• Lou...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 27, 2022

For Urinary Tract Infection "I've been taking Bactrim since Friday, it's now Sunday. My doctor told me it's a urinary tract infection, but the only symptoms I'm having are the urge to pee with little urine. Vaginal itching that comes and goes with discharge. I'm ready to stop the medicine, but I know I can't. I've missed two doses because the side effects are me feeling dizzy, feeling nauseous, a bad headache, and loss of appetite. I don't know what to do. I feel like if I stop taking it for a possible UTI, it won't go away. But I don't feel it's a UTI 'cause I'm not having burning when I pee, only after I pee, I have an itchy feeling that I want to scratch with tissue, but I know I can't do that either. I really need help, and I hope someone sees this who can give me honest answers. I've been to the health unit and two hospitals, they've all given different results."

• Lee...
• January 16, 2021

For Urinary Tract Infection "I was given a 7-day, 2x a day treatment. My UTI symptoms almost immediately improved after the first dose. I am now on day 3 and considering stopping early because of the throbbing headache I've had for two days now. I've been chugging water and taken Tylenol, and it hasn't dented the pain I feel. I don't mind tolerating pain if it's harmless, but I'm worried that I'm causing harm to myself, and I keep reading that headaches are one of the more serious side effects. I also feel weak and run down, like holding my arm up for a few seconds tires the muscles. I'm giving 3 stars because I think it's treating my UTI due to my symptoms lessening, but UGH, this doesn't feel worth it."

• Ban...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 12, 2021

For Urinary Tract Infection "I was prescribed Bactrim for 3 days, 2x a day. The first two pills were fine, except I felt like I had taken NyQuil or pain relievers, I was delirious. The second day, I felt horrible with throbbing headaches and almost unbearable nausea and body aches, as well as a slight fever. Today is day 3, and I don’t even want to take them because I feel so horrible, and my mouth is dry, and I’m still so, so nauseated I can hardly move, and the pain is still there, as well as my fever. The last time I took it (May 2020), I only had a headache, so IDK why I feel absolutely like death this time. I don’t recommend Bactrim for anyone unless it’s the only option you have left because it’s horrible, and I haven’t felt this sick in my life, but my UTI is gone."

• Lil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 26, 2021

For Bacterial Skin Infection "I had a facial abscess lanced at urgent care and prescribed Bactrim in case it was MRSA. I took it for about 8 days twice daily and lost my appetite, got headaches, and felt anxious and depressed. I continued to get cystic acne behind my ears, mostly the ear by the abscess that was drained, so the dermatologist PA told me to take Bactrim for another month, once a day. I took it another 12 days until I began having knee joint pain and achiness in my legs like I've got the flu. Oh, I was also getting the chills. I've been off it 3 days and still having very bad leg pain that's caused me to have a panic attack and extreme mood swings and depression. I know it's from this antibiotic... I'm praying that the pain goes away as it is debilitating and I was a healthy 30-year-old prior to this."

• Den...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 8, 2022

For Bacterial Infection "Do not take Bactrim, the side effects are awful. My side effects were that I was dizzy, my mouth was so sore I could hardly eat. Had bad leg pains, no appetite, nausea, headaches, I would break out into a sweat. I stopped taking this, been off of it 3 days, and still feel terrible. Never take this again!!!!"

• Sla...
• August 17, 2018

For Urinary Tract Infection "This stuff worked really well but kicked my ass. I was on 1 pill 2x a day for 3 days. I was borderline concerned I was having a bad reaction, I am also allergic to penicillin. Fever, aches, sweating, headache. I had a fever and body ache before I started taking these meds, but it definitely exacerbated my symptoms. Had a bladder infection, which is why I was prescribed Bactrim. I missed 3 days of work, but my bladder was fine when I woke up day 2, I was just left over with the fever and headaches. The ‘sulfa’ aspect of it, OMG, it’s all I can smell and taste. I feel gross even after taking multiple showers. I feel like I have green smoke piping out of every pore. Also, side note: I’ve had psoriasis on both my elbows for about 8 years now, and after my shower on day 2, I noticed it was completely gone! Holy moly! Amazing. I’d still be hesitant to take again, it was pretty terrible. I’d do it if I really had to."

• lyn...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 15, 2018

For Urinary Tract Infection "I have never had such a bad experience taking medicine. Within the first time taking it, 2 hours later, I was having shakiness, rapid heart rate, tight chest, my heart rate would drop weirdly low, headaches, and weakness. I thought maybe it was in my head, so I continued to take it. On the second day, the same thing happened but with more severe chest tightness. Everyone reacts differently, but if you have those side effects, do yourself a favor and stop taking the medicine! The doctors will always switch you to something better suited."

• Va0...
• October 5, 2017

For Urinary Tract Infection "Everyone reacts to drugs in different ways, however, I will never again take Bactrim. I started feeling tired and got a bad headache the second day after taking it. That same night was even worse... I felt nauseous, my head hurt even worse, and all I could do was cry. I felt like I wasn't even in my own body. The medicine definitely messed with my head. It was the worst feeling ever. Now I know to never take Bactrim or any other sulfur drugs!"

• DPR...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 15, 2023

For Bacterial Infection "I have not had a good experience using Bactrim. The first day's dosage caused no side effects, however, by day 6, I had headaches, severe heartburn, nausea, chills, severe muscle weakness, depression, anxiety, and generally felt unwell. I took each dose with a full glass of water and a full stomach, as recommended. I am supposed to take this for 4 more days, but I will call my doctor for an alternative treatment."

• NYG...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 29, 2017

For Bacterial Infection "For a few days, I had what I thought was a pimple in the opening of my right nostril. Finally, I softened it with warm water, and it popped. BIG MISTAKE! DON'T DO IT! Within a day, the right nostril was reddish-purple and swollen, my cheekbones hurt, my upper gums were inflamed, and even my teeth hurt. There were now three more in my nose. I went to urgent care, and the doctor said it was cellulitis/staph infection, put me on Bactrim (2x a day/10 days) and topical (Mupirocin 2%) that can be used in the nose even though it says not for internal use: mouth, nose, ears. This is my fifth dose, between day 2 and 3. Still in a lot of pain, but the original 'pimple' seems to have a brownish coloring, possibly on the way to scabbing. Definitely headache provoking, taking with Tylenol."

• mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 10, 2017

For Kidney Infections "I got sick the day after Christmas. Thought I was just having nausea, but it progressed to a very painful tummy and back, so I went to the ER with my husband a few days later. I had a kidney infection, so they put me on the generic for Bactrim for 10 days. I felt no different till a few days in, and that's when I got some relief, but also side effects such as persistent and constant nausea and headaches. Wasn't too bad. Then I felt excited on my last day because I truly felt better (minus stomach cramps that I didn't think were serious at the time). But then, less than 24 hours later, I started feeling bad again with my back and tummy, so we went to the ER, and they put me on the generic for Macrobid. This is day one of that. We'll see how it goes."