Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim and Headaches: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Mic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 12, 2018

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Bacterial Skin Infection "I'm thinking some of the side effects commented were possibly results of the condition and not the medication. I have MRSA. Of course, I have chills because the abscess is a massive infection. One person mentioned organ failure. MRSA entering the bloodstream would do that too. So far, so good here - still early on. I was on clindamycin for a tooth abscess. I must have been unknowingly treating a mild staph infection. When the clindamycin stopped, the bacteria became aggressive. Now here I am on Bactrim. One sore has lightened in color and pressure within 24 hours. The other sores still hurt, so I took ibuprofen. You won't get headaches if taken with a pain/fever reducer. The clindamycin wrecked my gut, but I actually haven't had a hard time with the Bactrim. I've been sure to eat something or drink a glass of milk before taking it."

• Mas...
• January 14, 2013

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Bacterial Skin Infection "Cellulitis or staph infection on index finger. Went to doc, he prescribed this. It's making the infection (large boil) go down and kind of scab over. Having bad heartburn, though, and having headaches."

• Lot...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 16, 2020

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "I took this medicine for a UTI because I was told it kills the bacteria that showed up on my labs, and other antibiotics may be resistant to it. The medicine made me go to the bathroom even more, especially at night, and caused headaches and muscle cramps. I've been switched now to Cipro. We will see how this goes."

• Ckr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 6, 2018

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Kidney Infections "I went to the ER and was diagnosed with a severe kidney infection. I was prescribed Bactrim, 2 a day for 10 days. I’m on day 6, and I’ve felt some nausea, headaches, and mild body aches, and I’ve been very sleepy. BUT as far as the pain from my kidney and chills, etc., I feel A LOT better!! I didn’t have any allergic reactions."

• Wat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 22, 2020

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Bacterial Skin Infection "Was prescribed Bactrim for a 'possible' infection in my leg from varicose veins. 2 pills a day for 10 days. Worst medication. Felt fine with the first pill, after the second pill, I started to have bladder issues. Was peeing constantly, bladder felt heavy. Felt like I had to go after I just went. Was checked for a UTI, don't have one. Only took 2 pills and stopped. It has also caused headaches, my abdominal muscles feel weaker, loss of appetite. I must have been allergic or something. Won't ever take this again."

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 26, 2018

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "I was prescribed this for a UTI. Worst experience ever! Got up to day 4 of taking it and started to feel weak, confused, had really bad back and neck pain, pain when I walked. I also had watery, itchy, burning eyes, a massive headache, sleepy and fatigue, and like a tight chest. At night, I couldn't sleep, had the chills and a cold sweat. I have lost my appetite and have lost 6 pounds in just 4 days! I have stopped taking them but now I am developing a rash on my body that really itches. Please, people beware of this. My advice is to ask for something else, or at the first sign of a symptom, stop taking."

• Anonymous
• December 23, 2009

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "I've just taken my 3rd pill, and every time I take it, I feel extremely lousy. Terrible headaches, dizziness, blurry vision, shaky nervousness, some difficulty breathing, beginning to itch. I don't like this at all the way I feel. Just before I need to take the next dose, I'm feeling my old normal self, and then I take the Bactrim and, boom, I go downhill again. Told my doctor I quit, it's ruining the quality of my life."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 13, 2012

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "I have been on Bactrim DS for 7 days. After day 3, I began to notice a severe headache about 4 hours after taking the Bactrim. Now on day 7, I have not only had a headache, but light-headedness/nausea. With only 3 days left, I am going to continue the medicine. My urinary tract infection symptoms have improved finally after 5 days."

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

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "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 and lips were itching. Took antihistamine and went to bed. This morning my lower lip is very swollen/red, eyes are bloodshot, and have a round red rash on my upper arm. As the morning continued, I felt major flu-like symptoms: chills, fatigue, 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 doctor. UTIs are bad enough without then getting very ill from the medication."

• Ana...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 17, 2019

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "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 heartbeat 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 makeup is different than mine."

• BDa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 10, 2019

For Bacterial Infection "I was put on Bactrim for a MRSA flare-up about a month ago. It was working, and having taken it before with no issues, I didn't question it when I started having numerous ailments, physical and mental. - Racing heartbeat - Swollen, painful esophagus, hard to swallow - Uncontrollable coughing/gagging at times - Upper abdomen pain - Headaches - Random sweating, tingling, and itching skin - Rash flare-ups - Trembling body (hands especially) - Numbness/tingling in feet and hands - Red/stinging eyes and blurred vision - Dizziness/lightheaded - Feeling of being out of body at times - Noticeable fatigue - Feeling that I was dying (not suicidal thoughts) I was admitted to the ER for atrial fibrillation (heart rate 122 bpm). Blood work/x-rays came back fine and I was sent home after being given an anti-anxiety pill. It came right back after that wore off. Thank God for forums like this, I was able to solve the problem. Bactrim is a scary drug."

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

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "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."

• Bre...
• August 16, 2016

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "I called the doctors due to weird symptoms after my 5th day of taking this medication. This concludes (chills, nauseous, diarrhea, headache, and even numbness throughout my entire face, lips, and mouth, and the shakes). The pain I get from my UTIs (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 along! Cut me off it immediately and prescribed me Macrobid instead. Hope it helps!!"

• Poo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 13, 2020

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "Took Bactrim for a UTI for 7 days. On the 6th day, had chills and body aches. Literally could not get off the couch. Went to the doctor and was negative for the flu, and the UTI was gone. Got worse (headache, severe body aches, nausea, diarrhea, no appetite-honestly the worst I've EVER felt) and ended up in the ER for fluids. Stopped taking it 2 days ago and am still feeling effects. Be careful-wished I had stopped taking it at the first sign of stomach discomfort. Glad it's a reliable drug for some, but for me, it was horrid."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 13, 2014

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "It's currently 12:30 am, and I'm wide awake on a school night typing this. I didn't exactly have all the symptoms of a urinary tract infection, but I always have the urgency to pee. I went to urgent care, and the doctor prescribed me Bactrim. I've been on it for 3 days (today will be my 4th), and I have yet to see results. According to some of you, it doesn't start working until the 5th day, which still gives me hope since the doctor told me it would work within 2 days. What I have been seeing is nausea, diarrhea, shakiness, insomnia, extreme headaches, and loss of appetite. I really hope this works. The constant urge to pee pretty much ruins what little social life I have. Having to make constant trips to the bathroom doesn't fit well with football games."

• Suz...
• September 15, 2020

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "I went to urgent care for unbearable pain from a UTI, and they put me on Bactrim. This made me feel awful. Lots of anxiety and panic attacks, and constantly feeling dizzy like the room was spinning and like I was going to fall down and pass out. Felt very shaky on day 5. Also experienced neck pain and pain in my lower back. Also experienced headaches. It cleared up the UTI but had horrible side effects. I’m someone who also has neurological Lyme disease, so the left side of my jaw just goes into spasm when I have a flare-up, which is another painful condition I live with, and I’ve taken many other antibiotics for Lyme and for sinus issues, but I’ve never experienced symptoms like this."

• tdu...
• July 3, 2017

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Kidney Infections "I will not ever take this medication again (generic form of Bactrim DS). I landed in the ER with a severe kidney infection... was given antibiotics, nausea medication, and pain medication through an IV. Went home six hours later and started the Bactrim that night. I woke up at 2 am absolutely drenched head to toe in sweat, with chills... couldn't fall back asleep. The next day I had the worst headache... terrible, terrible pain in the base of my skull, and a horribly stiff and sore neck. Any time I stood up I could feel my blood pressure in my head sore, just throbbing. I had zero appetite. I stopped the Rx after 2.5 days. I felt worse after I started the Rx than before it. Never, ever again."

• Bat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 27, 2020

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Bacterial Skin Infection "I have MRSA from a piercing and was put on Bactrim (2 in the morning, 2 in the evening) 4 days ago. After 2 days on it, I took myself to the hospital. I have never felt this horrible, I swear I feel like it's going to be the end of me. It started out with a bad headache, no appetite, a little dizzy. Right now, I'm sitting on the bathroom floor waiting to throw up, I didn't sleep for even a minute last night even though I was exhausted. I can't stop shivering and shaking, I'm so hot but not running a fever-unbelievable headache. My doctor said this is the only medicine that will help MRSA, and I'm dumbfounded. Is this medication even worth it? I don't know if these feelings are the medication working or not."

• Meg...
• September 2, 2017

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "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 wow, 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!"

• Dan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 16, 2020

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Kidney Infections "I was prescribed this after having kidney surgery. I took one pill and felt fine. But the next day, I took a second dose, and within an hour, I had the worst vertigo that I have ever experienced. Everything was spinning. Even when I lay down, if I moved even a little, I felt like the pillow was falling. It's been 24 hours, the vertigo passed, but I am very tired and have a headache."

• Vin...
• July 31, 2016

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "I've just finished my treatment for a urinary tract infection. I no longer have any symptoms from the infection. The first 8 days of a 15-day treatment were fine with no side effects. Beginning the 9th day, I began experiencing a mild rash and itching, which seemed to begin on my chest and neck and migrated to my back. A bit of a nuisance but tolerable. Around the 11th day, I began to experience mild joint and muscle aches and a tender scalp around the base of the skull. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen have helped to overcome this, but by the 14th and 15th day, I felt like I had the flu, with no nausea but a loss of appetite. I took the last pill this morning, and by 1 PM, had to lay down with chills, aches and pains, headache, and a slight fever."

• Nat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 17, 2019

For Bacterial Infection "I took Bactrim for 1.5 days and stopped when the pain in my hips and lower back started. Then later, fever and chills, weakness, jaw stiffness, minor headache and neck ache, then overnight, severe diarrhea and nerve jolts shooting up from my hips. The next morning, my thighs ached, like it was moving down from my hips, minor head and neck ache, ribs felt sore. I still had hip pain and lower backache. I felt like this drug was killing me, not knowing what the heck was happening to my body, my organs. All this after only 3 pills in a super healthy, 57-year-old female body. It has been 2 weeks since I stopped this awful med and still have some hip pain but no stiffness. It is okay if I sit still usually and worse if I exercise. These and other symptoms are not the allergic reactions or side effects listed for this med, they are far more severe. Why is this drug on the market???!!!!"

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

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "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. I took 2 trips to the doctor and over a week to feel somewhat normal again down there. This was way too 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."

• Bac...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 22, 2020

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Bacterial Skin Infection "Prescribe Bactrim 2 days for 10 days for a stye. On the 7th day, I had my allergic reaction. All-over body rash, fever, chills, severe leg pain, chemical burns/ulcers in all soft tissue areas (nose, eyes, mouth, and 'down below'...), abdominal pain, diarrhea, zero appetite, headache, nausea, elevated kidney function test. Bactrim is known and has a long history of hurting more than helping. Stay away!!"

• Joe...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 28, 2016

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "Started taking Cipro for a bladder infection but had some bad side effects in the tendon in my right hand. Went back to the Dr. and he gave me Bactrim (Septra). I took it for 3 days in total before I had to stop. The symptoms literally made me feel like I was dying. I had a really foggy head, headaches, dizziness, I almost passed out one day. I got zero sleep the whole time I was on it. My joints hurt in the night, my skin got really itchy and developed a rash, I also developed extreme anxiety and I felt like I was having a heart attack with the palpitations. I was close to panic attack, that's when I said enough is enough. I've never had a reaction like that and I have trouble remembering those days. It was a blur of pain and confusion."