Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim and Headaches: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Anonymous
• February 17, 2012

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Bacterial Skin Infection "I stepped on a rusty nail and had a lot of pain, and my foot started to swell. I started taking Bactrim, and the pain went away within the first two pills, which was 24 hours. The only problem is that I can't function with the nausea, dizziness, loss of appetite, and headache. I think it's because of a sensitive stomach."

• Tri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 15, 2020

For Bacterial Infection "I have a lot of medical issues and take a lot of medications, and feel I have a stomach of steel because nothing really bothers me. Anyway, my doctor prescribed this antibiotic to me for a UTI...twice a day for 3 days. Doesn’t say the mg on the bottle, so I have no idea. Anyway, the first day I did okay, the second, not so much. I woke up feeling very antsy and anxious, like I needed my next “fix,” and I am one who has never smoked even a cigarette in my entire life, let alone any type of pot or illegal drugs to get high, so this feeling was very unsettling for me. My head hurt horribly and felt very fuzzy and dizzy. I was sure I must have contracted the Coronavirus, but no temperature and otherwise fine. I roughed it out the 3 days but felt like rubbish the whole time, only today, 5 days after my last dose, did I wake up without the fuzzy, needing my next fix feeling. I still have a headache, but thank God the other side effects are wearing off. I will never take this medication again :("

• Anonymous
• June 8, 2016

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "My experience was horrible! Prescribed 2 pills a day for 3 days. After the last pill, I started feeling strange and had severe 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."

• Red...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 21, 2015

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "I am in my second UTI this month. I went to the doctor the first time and was prescribed Macrobid, and my UTI came back in two weeks. Now I'm on Bactrim, and it seems to work really well minus the headaches. I like it a lot better, and I feel like it's actually gone now."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 28, 2017

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "Worst medicine ever! I got this to get rid of my UTI, and while taking it, I had the worst side effects: itching, rash, headaches. And I am off the medication, finally, it's been a week now, and I am still getting headaches. I don't know what to do. I wish I never took it."

• Lyn...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 21, 2019

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "Started taking Bactrim on a Saturday night for a UTI. I expected to feel better by the morning (I’ve had two other UTIs 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 UTIs and didn’t feel as awful as I did while taking Bactrim. I’m on a different antibiotic now, so we’ll see."

• Anonymous
• August 29, 2020

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Bacterial Skin Infection "Took Bactrim for folliculitis. First 7 days I only had vomiting and nausea, but on Day 8 I started getting fevers, intense shaking, throbbing headache, sweating, vomiting, insomnia, depression. I never felt this sick ever. It took me a while to realize it was the antibiotic. Once I stopped taking it, I broke out in a rash. Ended up having a sulfa allergy. Please be cautious when taking this. There was one point where I just wanted to call 911, I was in so much agony... It did help clear up much of the infection."

• Sic...
• March 25, 2020

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Kidney Infections "Wow, I should have looked at reviews prior to taking this SMZ-TMP DS medication. I had this prescribed for a UTI/possible kidney infection. I only had a 3-day course. On day 2, I woke up extremely sick, horrid headache that turned into nausea and vomiting. That caused the headache to be even worse. I felt so weak and dehydrated, like the worst hangover of my life, except there was no alcohol involved!! :( I had to drink water all day, or else I felt I was gonna pass out and did nothing but lay on the couch under the blankets. Moving in any way made me out of breath. I finished the dose as I was scared to not finish since the internet says it’s bad to not complete antibiotics. On the night of day 2, I was finally recuperating, but surely after taking the morning dose of day 3, I went back to feeling super crappy!!! I’m hoping my infection is gone, but my back is still hurting, so I guess we’ll have to wait and see. Anyone taking this, beware!! Make sure to eat a lot and drink a lot, a lot of fluids."

• Pic...
• August 8, 2011

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Bacterial Skin Infection "I have been prescribed Bactrim for a skin infection in the form of 2 boils, 1 on my arm and 1 on my leg. I have been prescribed Bactrim 800/160 2x per day for 10 days. I started feeling horrible after the first dose. Extreme dizziness, stomach issues, headache by day 3, feeling dehydrated with weakness and joint pain and jaw pain, loss of appetite, insomnia. I am on day 5 and the dizziness is really bad, I had to miss work. I only took half a dose this morning and am considering stopping. Thinking I may be allergic to the sulfonamide as my grandmother is allergic, and this is the first time I have ever taken this. Glad to see others have had a good experience."

• Jta...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 29, 2020

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "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 doctor and asked her to write in my chart that I will never take Bactrim again."

• Rx ...
• November 21, 2016

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Bacterial Skin Infection "Side effects: Extreme exhaustion, extreme irritability, inability to concentrate, nausea, itching and skin peeling at the site of finger infection, vaginal spotting, body aches, severe headaches. Rx was for 2 times a day for 10 days for severe infection on the end of the finger with red streaks. Completed medicine because infection was healing, but side effects were substantial!"

• ann...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 22, 2020

For Bacterial Infection "I got diagnosed with a UTI and was prescribed this medication. I usually don't experience any side effects or mild side effects with antibiotics. The first 3 days were pretty normal. Fast forward to the fourth day, I was feeling feverish. Had really bad headaches and nausea. I'm on my 6th day, and I haven't been able to get good sleep for 2 days for some reason. Also have no appetite, and my stomach feels terrible. This is probably the worst I've felt with any antibiotics. Not even sure if it cleared up the UTI."

• Lil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 20, 2019

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Bacterial Infection "I have dysuria, furuncle of the groin, cellulitis at the same time. I was given sulfamethoxazole plus TMP/DS 800 every 12 hours. I also have Hashimoto's disease and took my levothyroxine a while after taking Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole plus TMP). The first day I started having cramps on the left side of my stomach, thinking it was normal. I took the second pill after 12 hours, and I was worse than before: light headache, nausea, full and heavy stomach feeling. Then I took the third pill in the morning, and soon I was having chest pain, nausea, tired irregular heartbeat, fatigue, tight chest, pain in my teeth, lips, and muscle pain. The symptoms are not improving. I called the pharmacy, and they wanted me to call my doctor, but I will stop this medication, as per my primary doctor. I will have a long talk with them tomorrow, as according to my medical records, I shouldn’t have been on this medication."

• Anonymous
• April 18, 2011

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Bacterial Skin Infection "I found that within a day of taking Bactrim, the infection got better, which was GREAT because I had had it for a while. I experienced a few side effects: dizziness, lack of energy, insomnia if I took the pill a few hours before bed (I found to overcome this, I took the pill just before going to sleep), and headaches, but they seemed to dissipate after 2-3 days."

• Anonymous
• September 14, 2011

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "I'm taking Bactrim twice a day for ten days. I was taking a five-day course of Cipro and had a migraine headache, which wouldn't go away. Cipro didn't even help me, I still had white blood cells and blood in my urine, which makes for a bad urinary tract infection. The PA gave me Bactrim. I still have a slight headache, but the UTI was so bad, I can deal with these side effects. The pressure in my bladder area has subsided, and five more days to go. I can handle Bactrim."

• Pis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 8, 2018

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "Worst thing ever. I feel like I’m anchored to the floor, headache, feel as though my face is on fire, and it’s not helping the UTI. The kicker? Called the doctor and was told these are normal side effects and not an allergy. Never again."

• Jen...
• January 12, 2013

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "This medication makes me extremely tired and causes headaches, but it seems to be working where other antibiotic treatments have failed to cure my infection. If you are able to tolerate the side effects, it's been a pretty good therapy for me."

• Man...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 27, 2012

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Acne "I have been taking this medicine for a week, and my pimples are significantly smaller, which is a plus because I've had severe acne for 3 years now. The only problem is that it gives me insomnia, sweats, headaches in the mornings, stomach sickness, and nausea. The side effects are brutal, and I'm considering finding another solution. This is the third acne medicine I've tried and has helped the most, but also affected me the most negatively."

• y12...
• March 17, 2015

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "It's my 4th day on Bactrim, and it has not been great. I feel better from the overall symptoms, but I've been fatigued and super groggy, and for the first day, I had a horrible headache. I keep feeling my heart pounding in my head and ears, but I agree with pretty much everyone else on here, the symptoms from the cure are better than the symptoms of my bladder/kidney infection. I've got 6 more days... Is it effective? Yes. Is it an enjoyable experience? No."

• Cli...
• January 13, 2018

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Bacterial Skin Infection "Had a very hot and painful boil right on my belt line from shaving my pubic area. Went to the doc, and he looked at it and said the abscess was way too deep to lance it, put me on Bactroban ointment and a high dose of Bactrim. After 2 days, the infection started to clear up. As far as Bactrim side effects, not as bad as when I take penicillin, mainly a really bad headache, extreme thirst, frequent urination. Take probiotics at lunch to help with diarrhea."

• ano...
• July 31, 2014

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "Seemed to clear up my infection, but started feeling nauseous the next day. Steadily got worse each day. On the fourth day, developed a severe headache, but slept it off. Doctor instructed me to stop taking it. Experienced severely high blood pressure. Also made my abdominal muscles feel weak."

• Dra...
• March 31, 2018

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Prostatitis "Bad side effects to the extent that I had to stop after 2 days. Flu-like symptoms, bad headache, pain in muscles and joints, low fever, no energy, could not eat, nausea - you name it, I had it. Too bad as I think it was starting to knock down my bacterial prostatitis. The flu-like symptoms were so convincing that I stopped for a few days, felt better, then started again just to make certain I didn't have the flu."

• Mag...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 26, 2020

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "I was prescribed this drug for a bladder infection. Took it Thursday night. I was fine all day Friday. I have an Apple Watch, so I did notice my heart rate was higher, but I was busy at work, so I didn’t really pay attention until day 3. I felt better as far as the bladder infection. But I had the worst headache and anxiety, and my pulse was 134, normally like 84. I was very anxious, called my doctor, and was told to stop taking it. I stopped, and today, the next day, my pulse is back to normal, and the headache is gone. It helped clear up my infection... I mean, besides the heart racing, it did its job."

• Hea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 10, 2019

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "I was put on Bactrim for a UTI. This did not work for me after 5 doses, 800 mg. I felt like I had just had a baby, I was so very sore. Nauseous, tired, headache (possibly from not sleeping well on it). Amoxicillin always worked for me, I wish my doctor would listen to me. I know my body."

• Bir...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 14, 2015

Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "I got my first UTI 5 days ago but thought it was just a yeast infection. So I used yeast infection medicine until my lower abdomen hurt so bad and it was impossible to urinate, even though I had the constant urge to go. I was miserable. Went to ER Sunday evening around 6 and was sent home with Bactrim DS and Pyridium. Within hours I could urinate better and within 12 hours I had no abdominal pain and could urinate just fine and completely empty my bladder. And that was after just 1 dose. I'm so grateful for this antibiotic and think it's wonderful. I did get a slight headache, but it was definitely worth it."