Trimethoprim and Anxiety: What Users Say

• Sta...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 30, 2020

For Urinary Tract Infection "First of all, I have had a stressful time recently but was coming out of it. Suspected UTI, so GP prescribed 7 days' worth of Trimethoprim. After 2 doses, the panic started. Thought nothing of it. By the evening of Day 2, I thought I had the flu. Body aches, headache, hot flashes alternating with shivering, then every pulse in my body was thumping as well as my heart, and that led to a panic attack as my pulse was going way too fast. I feel awful today, general weakness, body aches, and my head is thumping. I actually feel like stopping these tonight after 3 days as I feel awful, anxious, and tonight depressed and hopeless. Yes, the burning when peeing has stopped, but now I'm peeing loads because of the anxiety and panic. Honestly, can't 100% say Trimethoprim has caused all of it, but I'm pretty sure it's caused a lot of it. Just putting this here in case anyone else is suffering the same, you aren't alone. I see others have suffered similar."

• San...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 5, 2021

For Urinary Tract Infection "Presented to Doctors for UTI. Was prescribed trimethoprim for 5 days. 300mg, one per day. I have never had such a horrible reaction to an antibiotic. I did think it was odd that the dose was so low and only 1 per day, and now I know why. Any higher and I probably would have been hospitalized! I had the worst, worst stomach cramps, nausea, wobbly legs, zero energy, couldn’t sleep at night, sweating on and off, horrible jaw clenching, tense body muscles (especially in the back of my neck) and very, very anxious. It’s easy to second guess yourself and think that these side effects are just in conjunction with the UTI but me, personally, know my body very, very well and these tablets just made me so sick and in my opinion the UTI was easier than taking these. Now that I’m 2 days off these pills I am creeping back to normality. My advice is don’t take them unless you want to risk the side effects."

• Lyn...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 14, 2020

For Urinary Tract Infection "I got this antibiotic, trimethoprim, and have been taking it for two days, but have stopped taking it now. I thought I was seriously ill until reading these reviews. The side effects symptoms it caused were constant nausea, blinding headaches, flashes, all wrapped up in excessive anxiety. NEVER AGAIN!"

• Eni...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 24, 2021

For Urinary Tract Infection "GP put me on Trimethoprim 300 twice daily for UTI caused by enlarged prostate and a huge bladder stone. Had the first dose on the day one. Day two took the second dose, symptoms seemed to be elevating. By the third dose, I started to feel strange in my thoughts. I knew something wasn't right but didn't think of the antibiotic. Started getting dizzy like car sickness, trembling everywhere in my body, then suddenly threw up. It caused many physical symptoms as well as anxiety, depression, disassociation, and suicidal thoughts. Long story short, attempted suicide, police were called, and I've been admitted to the hospital three times for physical and mental assessment. Please accept my best wishes if you have used this medicine with adverse effects. I wish you a speedy recovery."

• MAR...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 27, 2021

For Urinary Tract Infection "Got prescribed a 7-day course of Trimethoprim 200mg twice daily after symptoms returned after a course of Nitrofurantoin. Started it in the evening after a meal and immediately felt very tired (figured it could be a UTI). Continued with the course till day 3, getting progressively more tired, could not stay awake. Felt very weak and shaky and had a stiff neck. Had nausea but continued to eat. When I was awake, I had a sense of anxiety, clenching fists, raised shoulders up to the neck, palpitations, clenched jaw. Not usually something I struggle with. General feeling of being very unwell. Strange sharp aches and pains randomly on my body, abdomen, back, inner thighs, etc. Very thirsty as well, waking to drink but not to pee. Decided to stop the antibiotic and felt better the next day, 24 hours after the last med was taken. Would never touch this again."

• Sus...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 2, 2020

For Urinary Tract Infection "On this trimethoprim medication for 3 days for UTI, and OMG, the side effects are horrendous. How can they give out medication to people that is supposed to make you well but ends up a total nightmare? I couldn't sleep due to burning up and feeling really nauseous all night. No appetite, feeling weak, dry mouth, headache, anxiety, painful back. Have stopped taking them as there are a lot better medications out there. I think doctors should really read up about some of the stuff they hand out so easily to people. Hoping these horrible feelings pass soon."

• Cre...
• June 17, 2021

For Urinary Tract Infection "I have just completed 7 days of trimethoprim. I do suffer from some anxiety, but when I took these, my anxiety was really, really awful, and I feel really low. This is my second time having a UTI in six months. But now I am scared of getting a UTI back because of the tablet. They tried one before trimethoprim, but that made me feel very sick. I was exhausted, couldn’t concentrate, just so, so anxious. I really don't like antibiotics, and I know they save lives, but I always have a reaction mentally when I need them."

• dis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 11, 2020

For Urinary Tract Infection "I went into emergency for lower back pain last week, told me I had a UTI. The hospital prescribed me trimethoprim for 3 days, but my GP increased it to 7 days. I'm on my 5th day (I stopped), and it has been HORRIBLE. The side effects from trimethoprim are nausea, body aches, diarrhea, runny nose, high anxiety, EVERYTHING that has been described on this thread. I thought it was just me until I found this forum. I will be seeing my GP tomorrow. I can't deal with these side effects. Never again am I touching these antibiotics ..."

• KGa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 9, 2020

For Urinary Tract Infection "I've taken Alprim previously in a small course, but was put on a 7-day course, and it has taken the life out of me. I don't want to eat, the thought of it makes my stomach turn. I feel like vomiting every second, tired, sweating, anxiety."

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

For Urinary Tract Infection "Was prescribed 7 days (one a day) script of Alprim. 300 mg of trimethoprim in it. I got onto my urinary tract infection early, so the drug worked wonders within 24 hours, but by the third day, my anxiety was extremely heightened, and I was having panic attacks, and usually my anxiety never does that. I couldn’t figure out why I was so on edge, then I realized this script was the only new thing. I have two more days to go, and I cannot wait to get off the stuff. I feel so anxious and like I’m gonna cry at the drop of a hat."

• Fen...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 8, 2020

For Urinary Tract Infection "I took trimethoprim for 4 days before switching to a better antibiotic, as trimethoprim didn't clear my UTI. While on it, I would wake up during the nights with terrible anxiety and couldn't get back to sleep. As soon as I switched to another medication, the sleeping/anxiety issues disappeared."

• Kit...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 18, 2022

For Urinary Tract Infection "I wish I had read the damning reviews on here prior to taking this. Was given 200 mg twice a day for 10 days. After the first tablet, I felt a little numb, I took my second at bedtime, and that’s where the complete unraveling of my physical and mental well-being started. I woke up literally unable to move, my body was so weak, I had severe kidney pain and shooting pains up my spine. I felt really weird and very, very scared. I tried to get up and collapsed, I shook uncontrollably and started to burn up. The anxiety and panic attacks were so debilitating I thought I had had a mental breakdown. I lay in pain, rocking and muttering for hours in complete panic, not knowing what to do or how to make it stop. A friend came over and looked after me for hours while I just cried uncontrollably and apparently talked about some really strange things! Scary doesn’t even come close to it, I actually thought my life was over. I will never take this again, not if someone paid me a lot of money to do so. Ban it!"

• 123...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 4, 2022

For Urinary Tract Infection "Was prescribed 200 mg twice a day for UTI & possible kidney infection for 5 days. Not even an hour after the 1st pill hit my system, I was throwing up, shaking, agitated, having horrific thoughts, anxiety, couldn't stand, and had such bad fatigue I could hardly lift my head off the pillow. Also had facial bone pain along my jaw and cheekbones. After my 3rd day (today, 4th March 22), my doctor advised to stop & switch to a different antibiotic as I am just not coping on these. I'd rather sit in the bath for hours on end drinking cranberry juice and water to flush out the UTI than ever take these again!"

• Stu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 1, 2020

For Urinary Tract Infection "Given 200 mg twice a day for 2 weeks. The UTI cleared up okay, but I had severe anxiety and intrusive thoughts after 2 days. It was one of the worst 2 weeks of my life. I will NEVER take this medication again. (3 days after the 2-week course of medication was completed, my thinking returned to normal, and my anxiety disappeared.)"

• Ker...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 23, 2023

For Urinary Tract Infection "OMG, I have never experienced an antibiotic so awful in my life than trimethoprim 200 mg twice a day for seven days. Pains, anxiety, migraine, shortness of breath, and tearful. Hot flashes. I nearly fainted, I felt so ill. Stopped them Sunday and hoping I feel myself again soon."

• Jaz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 5, 2018

For Urinary Tract Infection "I was given 4 days of trimethoprim for a UTI. After the first tablet, it brought on intense anxiety and panic attacks, and I couldn’t sleep. I stopped it after the second day, and it went away. It was awful, will never touch it again!!!"

• Lee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 16, 2019

For Bladder Infection "Cystitis infection and prescribed these trimethoprim tablets. Took the full course and feel totally exhausted, difficulty sleeping, anxious. Infection still hasn't totally cleared up! Will NEVER take these pills again. SHOCKING."

• Ale...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 24, 2018

"I was prescribed 300 ng of trimethoprim 6 weeks ago for acne by a dermatologist who told me I should go on Accutane for 6 months and that will cure it, but she wanted me to go to all these check-ups first (family planning, psychiatrists, and come back to her every month, all expenses paid cash as I have no insurance, so I couldn't afford it. She gave me trimethoprim for 4 months probably just to get rid of me. This is the typical medical care in Ireland. 10 days into the treatment, I got a rash. At the time, I thought it was an allergic reaction from a burger, it went after a few days. Then I got major depression and anxiety. It became so bad that I couldn’t sleep, I was wide awake for over a week. Recently, I noticed my hair is thinning. It's falling out a lot, and I put 2 and 2 together and I stopped taking this drug. I wish I had realized sooner."

• Fem...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 21, 2022

For Urinary Tract Infection "This antibiotic has left me really unwell. I was prescribed 200 mg 2x daily for 3 days. I only took 3 tablets (1 a day). Firstly, felt like my kidneys had been battered, followed by severe stomach pain, extreme shivers and anxiety, also bad insomnia! Getting sharp shooting pains (like an electric shock all through my body)! Bad muscle aches as well. Warning! If you suffer mental illness, please avoid, as these pills really heighten everything. No more for me, it is an awful drug. Not forgetting headaches, facial pain, and horrendous nausea. I feel for all the patients experiencing these unwanted side effects. It's been 1 and a 1/2 days since stopping them, praying this will all pass real soon. In my opinion, they should be taken off the market pronto. Hope doctors realize what toxicity they cause. I never will take these again, not worth the suffering."

• mdd...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 25, 2023

For Urinary Tract Infection "I can see that I'm not alone in having a bad experience with this medication. While I can't say for sure whether it caused it, I have unfortunately suffered from some of the side effects listed, particularly those in the rare section. It's bizarre that these reactions are classified as rare, as many others seem to have suffered similar reactions, which clearly means they are not rare. My GP said that this was the most common reaction, yet there are all these reviews, which is confusing. After taking only two tablets, I had to call a medic because I thought I was seriously ill and was on the verge of collapsing due to some weird and freaky heart issues that seemed to be caused by the medication. It turned out that everything was mostly fine, and there was no damage, but I still felt anxious and had some freaky thoughts, like I had delirium or something. It's frustrating when you have a bad reaction, and they say it's anxiety when it's clearly something else or something more severe. It's been about a month or two since stopping, and these effects are no longer apparent, yet I still don't feel one hundred percent, it's hardly acceptable, and I had a bad reaction."

• Ala...
• December 11, 2020

For Bladder Infection "I wish I had seen these comments before I took Trimethoprim, which was several years ago now. It affected me really quickly too, and within about an hour, I also experienced negative effects from this drug. Never again! High anxiety and random thoughts. Had to keep the light on all night as I was so afraid. Extremely fatigued and depressed too. Senses heightened greatly, and at times had sudden surges of energy doing bizarre things. Thought I was having some sort of breakdown. Took it for a few days and then stopped. It left me feeling awful for several days. Put on another drug which worked well on the infection without such negative side effects."

• Hel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 30, 2021

For Urinary Tract Infection "Got 200 mg to be taken twice daily for a UTI. Night one, I started to vomit and had zero energy with an indescribable migraine, I put it down to the UTI making me poorly. Over the next few days, I started to have my muscles cramp up massively, my arms and legs would not move, and the energy to move them was too much. It also caused unbelievable acid reflux, I could not eat for a week, literally zero appetite. Lost a lot of weight. The last two days, the anxiety, insomnia, and panic attacks set in. This is when I checked on here for reviews and realized I wasn't the only one. It cleared the infection, but boy, what I put down over the week was something else, please find an alternative if you can."

• Kri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 25, 2023

For Urinary Tract Infection "Since taking this drug, I've been having the worst anxiety and insomnia in my life. Had to start sleeping pills, that's how bad my insomnia became. Body shakes, numb limbs, panic attacks, and of course, diarrhea. Be careful taking this!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 24, 2022

For Urinary Tract Infection "Prescribed a 7-day course of 300 mg twice a day. Felt OK on day 1 and 2, but day 3 was bad. Woke up jittery and shaky, bloated stomach, and no appetite. Took the morning tablet, and two hours later, I was having a panic attack, shaking with chills—nausea and bloating continued, as well as the jittery and shaky feelings. My neck is stiff and uncomfortable also. It's now the evening on day 3, and I'm still shaky and have no appetite. I do take antidepressants and feel this has definitely not helped with my anxiety. I can't take many antibiotics either, as I am sensitive, this is clearly another one to add to the list."

• Reb...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 31, 2023

For Bladder Infection "I was prescribed this drug for a bladder infection. Within an hour of taking it, I had one of the worst headaches I've had since my last migraine. It was the intensity of a migraine, I tried paracetamol and ibuprofen, but nothing touched it. I've got horrible anxiety, I feel shaky, and my stomach feels truly awful. I feel sick and have no appetite. I also feel exhausted, I didn't sleep well last night due to racing thoughts. Much of what others have described has been my experience. I'm currently waiting for a call from my GP surgery for a different antibiotic. Take the advice on here: don't take it, it's a truly awful drug. It should be taken off the market!"