Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim and Vomiting: What Users Say
Brand names: Bactrim, Bactrim DS, SMZ-TMP DS, Septra, Co-trimoxazole, Septra DS, Bactrim Pediatric, Bactrim IV Sulfatrim Pediatric Bethaprim Bethaprim Pediatric …show all brand names
Reviews for Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim
- Lay...
- Taken for 5 to 10 years
- August 9, 2020
For Bacterial Infection "Started taking this sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim antibiotic for a cyst. About two days in, I became very ill with fever and extreme fatigue, horrible headaches, vomiting, and crippling anxiety and panic attacks. I have never had such a traumatic episode of fear and panic as the 6 days it took me to realize it may be the Bactrim making me sick. I thought I was going actually insane until I read these reviews. I took one earlier before I found this and honestly am considering going to the hospital to see if they can help me in any way. I feel so bad."
- Dai...
- February 24, 2020
Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Bacterial Infection "I read the reviews, but I really wished I would’ve listened. It seems like it’s helping cure my staph infection, but the side effects aren’t worth it. Maybe the medication was too strong of a dose, but I had to take 800 mg/160 mg 2x a day for 10 days. I’m writing my review as I’m taking this medication, it’s making my heart race, it’s making me dizzy and lightheaded, jittery, messing with my stomach, confused, and headaches are off the wall. I’m drinking plenty of water and eating plenty of food. I’m also breastfeeding, and it seems like it’s making my son sick. He was fine until I started taking it, and now he’s vomiting, very fussy, has low fevers, and is sleeping on and off all day. We’re not around people too much, so it’s highly unlikely he got sick from somewhere else. I stopped taking it after the third day. I had to call an ambulance because I was home alone with my baby and I felt so off, and my heart was racing all day."
Frequently asked questions
- What drugs should be avoided with a sulfa allergy?
- Does Bactrim cause headaches?
- Can I drink alcohol when taking sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim DS?
- What dose of co-trimoxazole is used in a patient with a UTI?
- Anonymous
- October 9, 2009
Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "I never had an allergic reaction until I took this medication. Now I learned the hard way I'm allergic to sulfa drugs. After one dose, I had a lot of serious side effects: high fever, intense stomach pain, insomnia, hallucinations, anxiety, non-stop chills/shaking, vomiting, and rash. Needless to say, I ended up in the hospital for 3 days. I think that you need to be careful when taking the drug and be aware of all the serious side effects."
- Anonymous
- Taken for less than 1 month
- March 13, 2020
Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "This drug is terrible! Run if the doctor prescribes this. Day 1, I had a headache and aches to my kidneys. Like I could literally feel the pain in my kidneys! I felt bloated, vomiting, fever of 101, pain in my kidneys, jittery, and chills. Please, please don't take it. The ratio of the ones that had no symptoms to the ones who did is a big difference! I took it for 2 days, then threw the rest down the toilet. The ONLY good thing was I took 1 dose, and the next day felt relief... but still... eff this stuff!"
Are you taking this medicine?
Your review helps others make informed decisions.- Sar...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- November 30, 2015
Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Kidney Infections "Really effective, but really terrible side effects. UTI and kidney infection both cleared up quickly, which I'm grateful for, and ultimately that's the point. But I had nausea and vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, joint aches, itchy skin, sore throat, loss of appetite... I felt way better with the infection than I did on the medication. But it's all temporary."
- Diz...
- August 3, 2016
Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Bacterial Infection "Took it twice like I was supposed to, in the morning and at night, and my head feels like I was drunk, kind of like I kept getting dizzy and feeling weird. I don't know, but I still don't feel right. I feel like puking and being sick. I went to the doctor and got amoxicillin instead, and I don't feel any better. I have a zoo trip tomorrow, and it made me feel awful and even worse. I still feel kind of drunk and dizzy, and like I may pass out, and I'm scared to fall asleep because I may die."
- Bri...
- March 21, 2017
Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "The ONLY side effect I had from this medicine so far is very slight fatigue right after I take it. Had a pretty bad UTI, took the first dose (2 a day every 12 hours), and within a short amount of time there was no more burning, fullness feeling, or pain. I take this for 10 days and I am on day 7. And no dizziness, nausea, vomiting, or anything. Don't be afraid to take this medicine BUT! EAT BEFORE YOU TAKE IT!! Like a full meal! I think many people aren't doing this, and you should."
- 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."
- Anonymous
- November 8, 2015
Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Bacterial Skin Infection "I was prescribed Bactrim for a skin infection and took one pill. Within less than an hour, I was vomiting, shaking, sweating, and had severe diarrhea. I was literally unable to do anything but lay in bed with frequent bathroom trips for the next 24 hours. It was horrible. Never again."
- 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."
- Anonymous
- May 5, 2011
Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "I get frequent urinary tract infections and was prescribed Bactrim by a doctor at an urgent care center because Macrobid made me pretty nauseous and really tired. It seemed to clear up the infection well but made me extremely sick. I vomited constantly while on Bactrim. I ended up missing four days of school before deciding I couldn't keep taking it and called urgent care for a new prescription. The doctor I talked to when I called said I should never have been prescribed Bactrim because people who don't tolerate Macrobid well usually have even worse side effects while on Bactrim. Since then, I have been prescribed Keflex when I get a UTI and have had no side effects at all."
- Anonymous
- February 4, 2010
Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Sinusitis "I was given the generic Bactrim for a sinus infection. After 4 days, I couldn't stop vomiting and having diarrhea for 3 days. Almost went to the hospital. It seemed to be making me feel better until the side effects kicked in. I had to stop the medication."
- KCa...
- December 12, 2019
Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "Took one dose of Bactrim for my UTI. Within 20 minutes, I felt really itchy. About an hour later, my chest became really tight, so I went to urgent care. I felt so sick, I couldn’t walk. I fell down on the sidewalk, throwing up on my way into the building. It caused severe vomiting and diarrhea. My heart rate was 120, and I had a fever. I ended up having to get an IV and finally felt okay enough after many hours at the hospital. I will absolutely never take this medication again."
- Kar...
- May 11, 2017
Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "After taking the 2nd dose, I began having a very bad burning feeling in my stomach. Then my back muscles hurt. There was no getting comfortable. I also could only urinate once in 10 hours when I had been going about every 2 hours prior. About 10 hours after I took that dose, I finally and unexpectedly vomited. I fell asleep for a few hours, and when I woke, my backache was gone, and I wasn't doubled over in pain from my stomach. I immediately decided that I wasn't even going to try another dose and called to be put on something different. It's now been 5 days since I took this medicine, and my stomach still feels like it has a hole eaten through it."
- Car...
- November 10, 2020
Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Kidney Infections "If you are someone with any sort of stomach sensitivities, food sensitivities, IBS, etc., I strongly recommend you DO NOT use this antibiotic. I am someone with a very sensitive digestive system and am prone to stomach bugs. I had a really bad UTI that led to a kidney infection. My first course of antibiotics was gentle, but the infection returned after finishing the course. My doctor recommended Bactrim to get the infection off completely. I suppose it worked, because my urine sample came back normal. However, I could not finish the course because of extreme side effects: complete loss of appetite, constant vomiting, diarrhea, chills, shaking, panic attacks, the works. I will never take this antibiotic again. Now, almost a week later, I still can hardly eat and have constant abdominal pain."
- Ick...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- September 22, 2016
Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "Just got prescribed this drug yesterday. 2 a day for 3 days. Took my first dose in the morning and the second at night, I fell asleep soon after. A few hours later, I was woken up with terrible stomach pain and serious nausea. I ended up vomiting several times. After, it felt a little better, but then the pains came right back and nausea persists. Can't sleep, don't think I want to deal with another night of this, hate this medication."
- Sar...
- February 14, 2014
Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "I tried taking Septra, and by the second day, I was vomiting all day long. Couldn't take it long enough to cure the bladder infection, and because of changing antibiotics partway through, ended up in a trip to the hospital with a kidney infection."
- Jac...
- July 13, 2019
Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Bacterial Infection "After 2 days, my fever rose to 102.8. I had severe kidney pain and a burning sensation under my skin. Diarrhea soon followed, and then I began throwing up. I went to a different doctor, and she did a blood test and urine test. My red blood count was very high, but my white count was perfect. She told me to stop Bactrim immediately and to never take it again. I felt like I had been poisoned."
- Sba...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- January 18, 2019
Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Kidney Infections "Horrible medication. Vomiting, skin rash, headache, joint pain. Can barely get off toilet, knees hurt so bad. Sore throat. I was okay until I took 1 pill. I'm worse from taking it. Should be classified as poison, not medication."
- Ell...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- October 28, 2019
Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "Took 3 days of Cipro - UTI symptoms continued. Put on Bactrim, and initially, the symptoms started improving. But by the 3rd day, I could no longer eat - the nausea was terrible. Chills. Exhausted but couldn’t sleep due to heart palpitations. Finally, started vomiting. Decided that the side effects far outweighed the benefits of this particular drug."
- No...
- October 13, 2016
Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "Was prescribed this for a UTI. Spent 6 hours in the emergency room for dehydration after 3 1/2 hours of extreme abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, and vomiting. This, after only 1 pill. Worse than my experience with Augmentin by far."
- Are...
- March 8, 2017
Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Kidney Infections "I had a UTI that went into a kidney infection. They put me on Bactrim. Didn't notice any side effects until a few days later. I started feeling depressed out of nowhere, and it got worse from there. I ended up in the hospital with the worst headache of my life. I was shaking and throwing up. I didn't even think it had anything to do with the Bactrim. The depression got so bad I ended up at the psychiatric hospital. I had no idea why I was feeling like this, it was by far the worst feeling in the world. When I came home and went to see my therapist and told her what was going on, she immediately asked me what medicine they put me on, and when I told her, she said to look up the side effects to that, and sure enough, everything was listed."
- Hal...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- January 14, 2021
Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Urinary Tract Infection "I was prescribed this medication for a UTI. After 1 pill, I woke up feeling nauseous, nonstop vomiting, bloating, diarrhea, headaches, insomnia, dizziness, weakness, loss of appetite, fever, chills. I am currently on day 3 and will not be taking this anymore. I have zero improvements, which is to be expected after only 3 days. I was told to take 2 pills daily for 10 days. I can’t take the extreme side effects, and I don’t see why a doctor would prescribe this, with this many horrible side effects. I thought I had a stomach bug or food poisoning until I decided to look up the side effects and realized it’s the medicine. My kind was 800/160MG TB. I don’t recommend."
Are you taking this medicine?
Your review helps others make informed decisions.More about sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim
- sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim consumer information
- Check interactions
- Compare alternatives
- Pricing & coupons
- Reviews (1,720)
- Drug images
- Side effects
- Dosage information
- Patient tips
- During pregnancy
- Support group
- Drug class: sulfonamides
- En español
Sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim for Bacterial Infection "3 days into the course, and I am experiencing: 1. Very bad dizzy spells. 2. Feelings of great weakness. 3. Feelings of great anxiety. 4. Feelings like I am dying. 5. My head & stomach are aching up a storm. 6. I am nauseated & vomiting. 7. Vagina burning, that started on the second day. I HAVE had Bactrim before for UTIs but have NEVER experienced what I am with this darn one. My question is what have they put/added into the drug to make me react in such a horrid nasty way?"