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Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection User Reviews (Page 4)

Brand names: Bactrim, Bactrim DS, Septra, Co-trimoxazole, SMZ-TMP DS, Septra DS, Bactrim Pediatric, Sulfatrim Pediatric, Bactrim IV Bethaprim Bethaprim Pediatric …show all brand names

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim has an average rating of 4.4 out of 10 from a total of 708 reviews for the treatment of Urinary Tract Infection. 29% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 53% reported a negative experience.

Reviews for Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim

  • Lyn
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • May 12, 2019

Bactrim DS (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim) "Have taken Bactrim for frequent UTIs in the past with no side effects. Last night I took the first dose of Bactrim DS for yet another UTI; within 10 min. my vaginal area & lips were itching. Took antihistamine & went to bed. This morning my lower lip is very swollen/red, eyes are bloodshot, & have a round red rash on my upper arm. As the morning continued I felt major flu-like symptoms: chills, fatique, muscle/joint pain, headache - like death warmed over. Took aspirin for the pain and went to bed until the intense cold feeling left. The symptoms have abated except for the swollen lip, itchy eyes, and red rash. No idea why I had a reaction this time but will discuss it with my Dr. UTIs are bad enough without then getting very ill from the med."

2 / 10
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  • JDK
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • January 7, 2021

Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim) "Okay here is my story..... I’m 3 days in and after the first dose I felt amazing. Next day even better. Today not so good, I have had sweats at least thrice and stomach pains with burping constantly. My tongue is actually peeling. I have had no appetite throughout the course of 3 days thus far!!! I’m stopping it in fear of something even worse happening!! I can not take my daily runs on this medication. Anxiety is high and my mouth hurts!!! I had sepsis 21 months ago which started with a UTI and several antibiotics do not agree with me!!! I will update as time goes on. Right now I want my mouth to stop hurting!!! I would be very cautious if you are prescribed this medication!!"

2 / 10
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  • Ana
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • July 17, 2019

Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim) "This is my first and last time I will ever take it. Now firstly some people have good experiences with this med so it's all up to your body. My body said No. The headaches are bad the rapid heart beat scared me and the restlessness was awful and it made me jittery/nervous I took the whole dose .You will not know how your body will react to this med until you try it I have a friend that took it and she was fine and swore by it her body make up is different then mine."

1 / 10
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Frequently asked questions

  • Kathy...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • October 3, 2014

SMZ-TMP DS (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim) "Based on results of a urine culture, I was put on this medication. I have taken 4 pills. While at work today, my tongue was feeling like I just took a big bite of piping hot pizza. The burning feeling was quite intense and I had not eaten anything that might have caused this. I also had numbness of my lips. The last pill I took was at 7:30 am and I still have intense burning and a bit of numbness. I was puzzled and decided to look up side effects of this new medication because it was the only thing newly exposed to my body. Since these problems were listed in your side effects listing, I will immediately discontinue using it."

1 / 10
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  • Bek
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • October 27, 2019

Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim) "Cured my UTI but gave me insomnia, anxiety, swollen lymph nodes, headache, muscle and joint pain all over my body, and pins/needles feeling all over my body. Ended up going to the hospital for the side effects. So I would not in any circumstance recommend this antibiotic"

1 / 10
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Are you taking this medicine?

  • Anonymous
  • September 17, 2010

Bactrim DS (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim) "Took this for 3 days. 2nd day got severe itching on palms and soles of feet. Day three had uncontrollable shakes, heart racing, felt like it was going to come out of my chest, facial numbness, dizzy, very elevated (for me) blood pressure of 145/90, whole body tingling, dizziness, light headed, extremely intense nervousness, ringing in my ears. "

1 / 10
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  • Imacble
  • July 9, 2017

Bactrim DS (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim) "Bactrim has always worked for my UTI. I do see a pattern in the complaints about. The bottle doesn't say not to consume. If you mix bactrim with the smallest sip of wine you will get those side effects that I see mentioned. If you take bactrim do not consume any wine, beer, or hard liquor."

10 / 10
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  • not...
  • February 20, 2016

Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim) "Bactrim doesn't seem to help, have a UTI and Dr put me on Bactrim, even after I told him it didn't work for me in the past. Been on it for a week and I can barely urinate. (Cipro has worked well for me). Now the Dr. wants me to make another office visit, because he gave me an antibiotic that I told him has not worked for me in the past. I asked him to call in a script for Cipro, he won't. He is convinced that if Bactrim didn't work, I need another visit. So now I have to pay for another visit. I almost always test negative for UTI, which makes me wonder how inclusive their culture test is. Anyway, ask for Cipro if Bactrim doesn't work."

1 / 10
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  • brea
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • June 13, 2023

Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim) "Bactrim is a very good antibiotic in my experience. at first i was so scared to take it because of all these negative reviews, my uti was antibiotic resistant and bactrim cleared it up within 3 days. don’t let these reviews scare you, the people who have bad reactions usually don’t follow the instructions, stay out of the sun, drink tons of water, eat a full meal before taking your dose! :)"

10 / 10
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  • Msale...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • September 29, 2020

Bactrim DS (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim) "I was authorized to take Bactrim 2 pills a day for 5 days, to cure my UTI . This by far has been the worst side effects I’ve ever experienced while taking antibiotics. I did eat right before taking the pills and I got terrible nausea, light headed spells and muscle cramps. I drank plenty of water to help dissolve the meds that was all that seemed to subside if for a little while."

2 / 10
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  • MMano
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • October 10, 2019

Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim) "Got UTI after my first sexual intercourse. My first UTI as well. Peeing was so painful the doctor prescribed me Bactrim to take it 2 times a day for 3 days. I was so scared reading all the reviews here I was expecting horrible side effects but here i am on my 4th pill and the only side effect I noticed was minor tightness in the chest, which made me breathe heavily around 30 minutes after swallowing the pill. It lasted for like 5 minutes. The painful urination disappeared gradually after taking the first pill. I took it at 12 pm and by night I could urinate without any problems. I took the pill with a full glass of water and I drank a lot of water too to flush out the bacteria. To anyone who needs to take this pill, don't worry too much reading the scary reviews here it works well to clear the infection. Well it depends on your body too I guess. Glad mine works just fine"

10 / 10
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  • Mr Ha...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • September 22, 2014

Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim) "I ended up with a urinary tract infection due to my diabetes. My PA prescribed Bactrim and I have not experienced any side effects. The burning and urge to urinate, but even after 2 days still feel like the bladder was not emptied. It is day 5 and I noticed some discoloration in urine in the morning hours. I take it that is due to some bleeding. It went back to clear yellow tonight. I am carefully completing the course of this medication and hope it works for others like it has for me. I feel great!"

10 / 10
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  • Lynn
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • November 21, 2019

Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim) "Started taking Bactrim on a Saturday night for a UTI. I expected to feel better by the morning (I’ve had two other UTI's and I’ve felt better after the first pill). I woke up Sunday morning feeling almost exactly the same. I started to get the worst headaches of my life. Constant throbbing and feeling nauseous. My husband said just keep taking it and let the drugs run their course. Fast forward to Tuesday night, 7 pills in, I’m still feeling awful, still getting headaches. While reading reviews, I was shocked at all the horrible side effects. Like I said, I’ve taken two different antibiotics for two other UTI's and didn’t feel as awful as I did while taking Bactrim. I’m on a different antibiotic now so we’ll see."

1 / 10
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  • LizG
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • August 6, 2019

SMZ-TMP DS (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim) "I have been prescribed this medication many times over the last 40 years for urinary tract infections and it always works for me with no side effects. Just into my second day of this round for the latest UTI and it is already working. The burning sensation when urinating and the blood in urine has almost stopped. I will take the remaining pills — two a day for seven days — and I’m sure I will be right as rain until I get the next UTI. I seem to get these once or twice a year, but this drug seems to work best for me...better than Macrobid."

10 / 10
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  • Zoe
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • November 18, 2017

Bactrim DS (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim) "Loved it! It did its job. On it for 10 days. This drug has been around a long time - Nurses use it all the time for "older" patients. You MUST take it properly with a disciplined regimen. 1) Take some multi-strain probiotics to add back in more good fighter bacteria. 2) Strains should include yeast to prevent yeast infection. 3) Flush (drown) your system with water - shoot for 12 8oz glasses a day. Add lemon to some of the water for kidney health. 4) Take psylliym fiber, prune juice when necessary. Your gut will be very unbalanced while the army of good and army of bad are fighting and you won't know how many "soldiers" you have on each side at any given time."

10 / 10
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  • jro
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • September 22, 2018

Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim) "Never again!!!!!!!!!! I was put on this for 3 days-2 pills a day for a UTI. I was laid up in bed for 4 days. I was extremely nauseous, chills, sweats, headache, dizzy, couldn’t eat a single thing, and after day 2 I got a SEVERE yeast infection. The pain was unlike anything that has ever happened to me. Took 2 trips to the doctor and over a week to feel somewhat normal again down there. This was way to strong and unnecessary for a simple UTI infection. Never will I ever take this again. I wish I could give it a zero, I am still having nightmares about this drug"

1 / 10
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  • Anonymous
  • January 24, 2012

Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim) "I took Bactrim for 3 days for a urinary tract infections. I found relief only hours after taking the antibiotics but experienced severe nausea that continued to get worse no matter how much water I drank or how much I ate. Needless to say, I will be calling my family doctor to try something else."

4 / 10
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  • Breezy
  • August 16, 2016

Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim) "I called the doctors due to weird symptoms after my 5th day of taking this medication this concludes (chills, naseous, diareah, headache, and even numbness throughout my entire face , lips and mouth, and the shakes) the pain I get from my uti's (burning sensation, hard to pee and hurts) I felt like bactrim made my pains worse the burning was 100x worse ! I felt as If I was dying!!!! I even had severe insomnia up until 6-7 am! Called the doctors and they said I should have called when the headaches and shakes came a long! Cut me off it immediately and prescribed me macrobid instead, hope it helps !!"

1 / 10
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  • Jtano
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • January 29, 2020

Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim) "I took the first dose of Bactrim and developed a headache which I treated with Ibuprofen. I took pill #2 at bedtime. I woke during the night with an excruciating headache from my face to the back of my head. I made my way to the bathroom and took a couple more ibuprofen but had extreme nausea. The left side of my neck began to hurt and spread down to my upper back and shoulder. The pain was so severe I couldn’t stand to touch my neck or head. My temperature was 99.2 after taking ibuprofen. The pain began to let up the next day after stopping the Bactrim, but my abdomen became bloated and painful. Now, two weeks later, I’m still suffering with bloating, gas pain, rumbling, and discomfort. I texted my dr and asked her to write in my chart that I will never take Bactrim again."

1 / 10
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  • Capyb...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • October 15, 2019

Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim) "Horrible, horrible mediation. I was put on a 7 day course of Bactrim for a fairly mild UTI by local urgent care and the day after starting my dosage I experience SEVERE heightened anxiety, panic attacks, low fever, back tension and pain, uncontrollable shaking, and insomnia. Some hallucinations and nausea as well. After day three I couldn’t take it any longer and stopped taking it— most of the severe symptoms went away within 24 hours but it’s been almost 3 since quitting and my muscle pain and anxiety are still far worse than they were before taking Bactrim."

1 / 10
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  • Nora
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • October 15, 2019

Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim) "This has been so scary I went to doctors for a routine check-up it turns out I have a UTI which they prescribe Bactrim. 3 days into the Bactrim I was not feeling good, light headed, sick to my stomach, my head and face were burning up on fire unbearable headache. Day 4 run a fever of 102.9 all day. Day 5 and 6 got worst couldn't even stand, couldn't sleep the pain was unbearable from the tip of my head to the bottom of my feet. Day 7 I made it early in the morning to the doctors to see what was going on turns out (as the doc called it a really DRASTIC allergic REACTION to this Bactrim doctor said one more day and I would have ended up in the ICU today is day 8 and I'm still sitting here in excruciating pain called the doctor back and waiting for an answer. I'm having trouble using my hands and very painful to walk. So my suggestion is if you feel ill after taking Bactrim see your doctor soon"

1 / 10
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  • Anonymous
  • June 8, 2016

Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim) "My experience was horrible!!!!!! Perscribed 2 pills a day for 3 days. After the last pill, I started feeling strange and had servere headaches from the time I started taking it until a week later. I didn't think much of it until I went home from work and didn't leave the couch. I had no appetite, constipated, sweating and chills, I wanted to puke, my eyes hurt so bad. Couldn't shake whatever was going on and drank as much water as possible. My body was sore I slept almost an entire weekend away. I can't tell if my UTi is completely gone or not because I'm still constipated and it hurts! I've never had an antibiotic like this and I never want it again! All my doc told me was to keep pushing fluids and eat yogurt. Good luck people."

3 / 10
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  • Renee...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • January 28, 2022

Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim) "While I understand that people who do not have many side effects from meds may think it's a mind over matter thing... some people do experience adverse effects that are seemingly unbearable. I am now myself on Bactrim. Fatigued, depressed, irritable and having nightmares. These side effects haven't gone away even with the best probiotics. I still have another week to go and so I basically have to just suck it up and do the best I can. However, to those of you who can't relate to those of us who have side effects that aren't related to the infection ... please try to be more understanding! Thank you."

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  • DD7086
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • August 9, 2019

"I wanted to share my experience because I get medication anxiety so I hope this helps someone. I had a bad UTI & previously had a horrible reaction to macrobid (I think that’s how it’s spelled) so my doctor prescribed me the Bactrim. Reading the reviews I was terrified; so many bad reactions but I read one review that gave an excellent tip & it worked for me. Before taking my medicine, I made sure I drink a full bottle of water & ate a heavy meal. Then took the medicine with another full bottle of water & tried to drink plenty of water during the day. I was literally drowning in water! But, it helped. The only side effects that I experienced was a slight upset stomach & would have to go to the bathroom after taking it but nothing excessive. And since I drunk so much water I had to pee all the time, but it’s what helped me. Again, I have terrible medication anxiety, just reading the reviews made my anxiety start up. I hope this helps."

8 / 10
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  • Mega
  • September 2, 2017

Bactrim DS (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim) "No health insurance. Went to the ER for UTI and was prescribed Bactrim. UTI symptoms quickly subsided (didn't disappear completely but like 90% better) so that was nice. Then the Bactrim symptoms started. Oh man. I had a different set of symptoms every day. First it was tingly hands and severe fatigue. Then I had a full blown panic attack (depression and anxiety can be made worse by Bactrim apparently so I tried to keep reminding myself of that). Last couple of days I've had headaches and bad nausea. I'm on day 6 of my 7 day course now-- gonna try my best to make it through the whole course but wowww it's tough. I just hope these symptoms clear up once my pills are gone. It got its job done but made me miserable in the process!"

6 / 10
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24 Report

Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or to remove inappropriate language and content. Reviews that appear to be created by parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any particular medication. While these reviews may be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, knowledge, and judgement of healthcare professionals.