Bactrim DS has officially kicked my arse harder than the other 3 abx I've had.
I truly feel like I am dying. I started out with 1/2 pill for 3 days, then today at 2 o'clock I took a whole pill.
It's been hell on earth ever since.
And I am supposed to take 2 a day. There is no way.
I know they say to be on the lookout for allergic reactions with sulfa drugs. What am I looking for?
I have no rashes, no shortness of breath. I just feel like I'm dying. Every cell burns and my brain is melting.
I feel so absolutely defeated Posted by Hambone (Member # 29535) on :
My 19 year old 93 pound daughter just took this same drug for 10 days for a UTI...twice a day.
She never even flinched. Not one side effect.
I have 50 pounds on her and she can handle more than twice the amount I can.
I am sooooo having a pity party right now. I feel like I can't win this.
Posted by seekhelp (Member # 15067) on :
I struggled horribly on it for 3-4 days. Had to stop. Throat was getting really tight, horrendous anxiety, and much more.
Posted by stillwater (Member # 30312) on :
I struggled with that one too. I got horribly depressed and had incapacitating fatigue. Had exactly the same reaction to Rifampin.
Guess what? Same exact reaction to way too much A-Bart.
LLMD says in a way this is actually encouraging because all three of these drugs target Bartonnella.
He believes what I was suffering from was a Bart die off.
Somehow I think I'll be trying the Bactrim/Septra again in the future after the A-Bart reduces the load.
I really thought this was an allergic reaction to the medication, don't think so now.
Good luck, I know just how you feel.
Posted by Hambone (Member # 29535) on :
I just don't feel like it was die-off. I started going downhill 30 minutes after I took it.
If I knew for a fact it was from die-off, I could endure it better. But it just felt like pure drug poisoning and just way way too strong.
I think allergic reactions are either anaphlactic or include rashes.
What I had was just pure torture...like my insides are soaked in battery acid.
Posted by stillwater (Member # 30312) on :
Yeah, I think you're right.
This stuff made me feel like crap, but it took a while. First day wasn't too bad, but it got worse everyday.
Lasted 4 days on Bactrim/Septra. Also only lasted on Rifampin the same amount of time.
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
hambone - so sorry you are having so much difficulty with bactrim.
I had what my doctor thought was serum sickness after a spider bite and I felt sick all over for a long time. It's hard to tell from your brief description of symptoms but it seems *possible* that you might be experiencing something like that. Serum sickness like syndrome is listed as a side effect of bactrim.
If it were me, I would stop taking it immediately and call my LLMD. Allergic reactions can be much more than anaphylactic shock or rashes.
The most common adverse effects are gastrointestinal disturbances (nausea, vomiting, anorexia) and allergic skin reactions (such as rash and urticaria). FATALITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE ADMINISTRATION OF SULFONAMIDES, ALTHOUGH RARE, HAVE OCCURRED DUE TO SEVERE REACTIONS, INCLUDING STEVENS-JOHNSON SYNDROME, TOXIC EPIDERMAL NECROLYSIS, FULMINANT HEPATIC NECROSIS, AGRANULOCYTOSIS, APLASTIC ANEMIA AND OTHER BLOOD DYSCRASIAS.
Allergic Reactions: Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, anaphylaxis, allergic myocarditis, erythema multiforme, exfoliative dermatitis, angioedema, drug fever, chills, Henoch-Schoenlein purpura, serum sickness-like syndrome, generalized allergic reactions, generalized skin eruptions, photosensitivity, conjunctival and scleral injection, pruritus, urticaria and rash. In addition, periarteritis nodosa and systemic lupus erythematosus have been reported.
Gastrointestinal: Hepatitis (including cholestatic jaundice and hepatic necrosis), elevation of serum transaminase and bilirubin, pseudomembranous enterocolitis, pancreatitis, stomatitis, glossitis, nausea, emesis, abdominal pain, diarrhea, anorexia.
Genitourinary: Renal failure, interstitial nephritis, BUN and serum creatinine elevation, toxic nephrosis with oliguria and anuria, crystalluria and nephrotoxicity in association with cyclosporine.
Endocrine: The sulfonamides bear certain chemical similarities to some goitrogens, diuretics (acetazolamide and the thiazides) and oral hypoglycemic agents. Cross-sensitivity may exist with these agents. Diuresis and hypoglycemia have occurred rarely in patients receiving sulfonamides.
Musculoskeletal: Arthralgia and myalgia. Isolated cases of rhabdomyolysis have been reported with BACTRIM, mainly in AIDS patients.
Respiratory: Cough, shortness of breath and pulmonary infiltrates.
Miscellaneous: Weakness, fatigue, insomnia.
Terry I'm not a doctor
[ 02-01-2011, 01:12 PM: Message edited by: TerryK ]
Posted by hadlyme (Member # 6364) on :
Sounds like time to switch to another drug.
Listen to your body. Lots of choices out there to kill the disease and not you.
I went through treatment my first time like you're doing, taking what I'm told.
Now I speak up if something doesn't set right with me... Kill the disease.. not you.
best wishes in your decisions.
Posted by Hambone (Member # 29535) on :
Holy crap, TerryK....that's scary!
My LLMD did tell me about Stevens-Johnson and to stop taking it if any rash appears, but I had no idea about all the other stuff.
I stopped reading side effect labels or I get every single one and/or I won't take the drug out of fear.
![[Frown]](frown.gif)