Bactrim and rash

Oh my God, where to start. The past few months I have gone through some crazy things from prostitis to having 2 cystoscopy's performed. This past weekend the scab came off the biopsy location in my bladder and blad pretty badly. It caused a large clot to block off my bladder and I could not urinate. In the ER they found a lot of bacteria in my urine and prescribed Bactrim.

Let me just say the past few months have been NOTHING last the past few days on Bactrim. First it was the crazy dreaming. Dreams that were so outlandish, yet so real it was quite frightening.

On day 2 of taking Bactrim I started to itch. It has been quite cold here in Jersey so I chalked it up to the usual dry winter skin. On day 3 I woke up (after minimal sleep) with a sore throat and chest congestion. I then found that the itching grew immensely in intensity and now was adorned with red bumps.

This rash was mainly on my upper arms and lower legs. I scratched at it so badly I drew blood, I have never felt itchy like this. This is ITCHY....EVIL ITCHY!

I woke up on day 4 the same, took another dose of Bactrim (dose #8). As I swallowed the pill something told me "Hey, I bet this pill is causing all your problems." After some research, viola! I found information online that pretty much assured me I was correct.

I went to the doc today and he advised me to take 1 Zyrtec a day and prescribed me Prednisone. I just hope this itching stops soon because I am making a mess of myself with all this scratching.

How could a pill like this be on the market and be utilized as much as it is. The testaments on this site are amazing and stunningly all similar.

Bactrim is undoubtedly the worst prescription I have ever taken or have read up on. To whoever reads this, if you are prescribed Bactrim use one of the rubber test gloves in your doctors office and slap him/her across the face with it. Dealing with the pending lawsuit would be better on you than dealing with the side effects of this drug.

I don't wish this on anyone, but it's comforting to know I am not the only one. On Day 3 of taking Bactrim, developed a slight headache. The next morning, it was throbbing, especially when I bent down. The headache persisted, and was joined by body aches, sweating, and shivering. My doctor wants me to keep taking the drug, but after reading these postings, I'd much rather let the infection clear up on it own. Not sure if this is relevant, but I had an allergic reaction once to Amoxicillin (hives, rash). I cannot wait until this leaves my system.

I was prescribed this for a UTI. Dosing was one pill twice a day for 3 days. I took one dose of this medication & the side effects were awful. I am not allergic to anything & was shocked that I had a reaction to Bactrim.

I took my first dose at 1pm and actually started to feel pretty decent (better than I had in days) but by 7pm the side effects started. I had pins & needles feelings all over my body that are still present (almost 48 hours after taking med) side pain, joint pain, rash, fatigue. No headache thank goodness!

I didn't stay on this medication because to be honest the side effects and all of the things I am reading on the internet have scared me. My UTI appears to be better - however after just one pill - Im certain its not cleared up.

My husband had a cyst on his face. His primary doctor gave him Bactrim. The first week was fine, but then he got really sick and had to to go the ER. He was doubled over in agony, screaming, nausea. He was admitted. They scoped his stomach, CAT scan, X-rays. He got better ('cause he stopped it while in the hospital). They discharged him with a script for MORE Bactrim. He took it and ended up back in the hospital!

He has thrown it all out. He had chills, aches, he moved like a 90 year old man. He was very sick to his stomach with agonizing stomach and abdominal pain. He's still moving really slow and feels terrible. He says he can't taste anything sweet, either. We hope that resolves soon.

I got an infection on my leg from an bite and went to the er to get it checked out and they opened my abscess and prescribed me Bactrim. I made sure i was talking it to get rid of the infection and didn't want to go through that pain again. Then 4 days later I started running a high fever and nothing I did could get it to stop. It would go away for an hour or so then come back. I assumed I was getting the flu cause I had a fever, bad body aches, and I had nausea and stomach ache. But I could not figure our why I had chest and back pain. Well then the next morning I woke up with a major rash all over my body. From my head to my toes, I went straight to the emergency room and they told me to stop taking the bactrim and gave me Prednisone and Benadryl. This has been the worst experience of my life. I don't think they should use this drug at all. It has the corst side effects and they take a long time to recover from.

My 10 year old daughter was given Bactrim at an ER for infected bites. Within a couple days she was running a 104.8 temp that would not go away and from her knees up she had a rash with whelps that was driving her crazy. She was pale under the rash and every bone in her body hurt. We rushed her to the hospital and she was admitted. They said her blood palates were low and her white blood count was low...then her potassium also dropped. We spent 3 days and 4 nights there. Today we go back for a check up with her doctor...and I will express my concerns about the kidney problems I have read about today. I am now warning everyone I talk to about this drug. Seems the more I share her story the more people I found out this has happened to ..I feel like I should of been warned of the side effects of the medication

Hi Gang,
I have a problem of my own with bactrim, but I want to start this post by saying I am an emergency room physician assistant and I prescribe bactrim all the time due to a number of reasons - one, it does, according to state guidelines, cover MRSA (people misunderstand that MRSA is a PENICILLIN resistant staph - but USUALLY responds to bactrim, levaquin, or cipro (ciprofloxacin). And two, traditionally bactrim is the cheapest and I personally try my best to keep my patients costs down (I have 6 kids and even I cannot afford the $800 a month cost just for insurance so we put money in a health savings account and pay cash for everything - though we rarely go for just "colds" like so many do). But I developed a UTI which tend to be real bad in men as we do not get them as much as women do - this is due to the urinary tract and anatomy differences. Almost ALWAYS a UTI is from E. COLI 80-90% of the time - don't let that scare you as it is a normal digestive enzyme - but outside of the digestive tract or if exposed to an outside source like bad meat - it cause infection), why that matters is some antibiotics, like zithromax, do not cover that bacteria.

Well, to the point. I started on it for my UTI, normal dose, 2 times a day. I noticed I was having some weird dizziness and even slurred speech - no rash. I noted in this blog that people worry SO MUCH about the rash, but the rash is usually not any big deal. We see it, but unfortunately what we see scares us more than what may be going on silently inside of us!

So I have these symptoms and now I have a lump under my jaw that I can hardly open my mouth and still slurred speech. The Mrs thinks I am taking something else or who knows what, but I almost felt like a stroke. No headache, some nausea at times, but no rash. The jaw pain and I guess a left side neck pain are pretty intense today. I am stopping the bactrim and I promise I will be a bit more sensitive to others who I prescribe it to! I was looking for side effects and came across this blog.

Jamie B. PA-C******

Hello all,
I'm in the same boat but near the end.... I was given Bactrim for a UTI. I woke up after 2 days with horrible aches in my joints and muscles. I was immediately taken off the Bactrim and put on Doxycycline. I was then put on Prednisone for the aches (which helped). I developed blisters and a rash after a few days. My aches went away after about two weeks but now I have itchy, sore and peeling feet, buttocks, mouth, and genitals. Stomach upset as well. I have been tested for everything (STDs, Lyme Disease, West Nile, etc, etc) and everything has come back negative. I was diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome from the allergic reaction I had to the Bactrim. It has been 3 weeks since the first dose and I am finally starting to feel better (except for the insane itching). Good luck to everyone. Never again!

Hi everyone! I am a 20yr old female who went to the ER with a seriously infected bug bite that had a red streak leaving the bite. The ER doctor told me it was a staph infection and I was very lucky to have come in when I did. He gave me Bactrim for 10days, twice a day. First things first BACTRIM DID heal my staph infection beautifully! BUT On day 8 around my P.M. pill I realized that my thighs were COVERED in a red rash that didn't itch and did not have any kind of bump to it.. In panic because of what I had just gone through with having a staph infection I ran to my mother who looked online and we found this site.. I agree with ALL of you who say this drug should be taken off the market and also before I take any drug ever again I will be looking at this site and to people like you who apparently care more than the doctors do. On day 8 I NOT ONLY had the rash (which by day 9.. today has spread everywhere but my face and hands pretty much, developed some bump and itch) I have the worst stiff neck and swollen glands!!! Behind my eyes KILLS to look in any direction or strong light.. I am always tired and have weak arms and legs... Tomorrow is my last day on the pill and Wed I will be seeing my regular doc for a routine check up... Note as well that yes I have been able to sleep but since the very first night on Bactrim I have been having very weird and very realistic dreams!.. I'm sorry if this is scattered in thought but I just want to put out there what I have as well to help just like most of you helped me.. and saved me from a complete panic attack.. also watch for signs of depression.. I used to take pills for depression and scary enough my mother since I have been on Bactrim has been saying shes seeing signs of my depression returning.... DRINK TONS OF WATER & SLEEP AS MUCH AS YOU CAN... If you are on the last few days of the medicine stick it out and bitch like hell to your doctors.. maybe if enough of us to we can get this crazp off the market

Other what seems to be common side effects: Along with the rash, swollen glands, stiff neck (mostly on the right side), fever, chills, always tired and weak, EXTENDED period.. sorry ladies!, funny stomach feeling where it doesn't hurt but it does not feel good, starving or nauseated by the idea of food, gass (gross), and the funny dreams. This stuff is HORRIBLE and I cannot wait for day 10 to be over and done with so I can get back to normal.. Good luck to everyone else!... Also I have to pee a ton!!!

I'm very very VERY sorry to all of those who lost loved ones because of a medicine.. that should never happen and I truly am so sorry.

I was prescribed Bactrim for 10 days. On about the 7th/8th days, I noticed my lymph nodes under my jaw were becoming very painful and swollen. By the next night my lymph nodes continued to become more swollen and painful under my jaw and spread all along under my jaw and in my neck (I looked like I had two chins!). I also then developed a fever of 102, chills, severe headache and ached all over (oh yeah, my heart was racing for days). The fever and chills made me absolutely miserable! I could barely get out of bed or off the couch for almost 4 days. The next morning after fever, chills, headache, I woke up with a red, splotchy, sunburn-like rash from my neck to my ankles, which got itchier and more painful in the next two days. My MD said the rash was a reaction to Bactrim but did not seem to know what the other symptoms were from so ordered blood tests and told me he was "concerned" for me (I was freaking out)! The bloodwork came back negative (thank God). He still didn't seem to put the other symptoms with the rash and Bactrim. I then started to research Bactrim allergies/side effects online and found this website. I found that others had experienced some of the same horrible side effects as I had. It was pretty scary until I realized this was all apparently related to Bactrim, as my MD apparently had no clue. Other's experiences helped validate what I was experiencing so thanks to you all who shared your Bactrim horror stories! I started feeling a little better 48 hours after the last Bactrim dose and at about 72 hours, I pretty much felt back to normal. No more Sulfa for me!

Recently I was prescribed bactrim for a staph infection. On the fourth day I developed a severe rash all over my body. Swelling of my feet and hands. By the time I got to the Dr. my blood pressure had dropped dangerously low and I nearly fainted. The Dr. gave me three shots, cortisone, prednisone and one other I cant remember. By that time my breathing was weak. So the Doctor sent me by ambulance to ER.During the five minute ride my pressure dropped really low again. The EMT started an IV. SInce Primary care Dr. had already taken steps to treat me, ER did very little other than keep watch of vital sighns and let IV finish. ER Dr. concluded it was do to bactrim. He prescribed prednisone and over the counter benadryl and sent me home. After taking prednisone rash seemed to get worse, noticed new rash behind ears and on the top of my head were lumps. Blood pressure has been spuradic at best, but not dangerous. It has been 24 hours now and no changes. My side effects include headache, backache, swelling of feet and hands, rash all over body, itching, raised welps on legs,arms,behind ears and on top of head. The swelling of my feet has went down but my hands are still swollen and sore to the touch. One question. There seems not to be much medicine to help this. I just have to let it run its course how long could the recovery take.

Can I swear on this site??!!! My gosh..I thought I was dying!!! I had been given this med for uti...never had one before, started taking it...then came the fun....fever, chills sweating,swollen everywhere,red rash,splitting headache,throwing up, literary feel like you will die!!!!! PLease always check on the side effects of these meds...it will save you from feeling like you are at your death bed!!!!!

I was given Bactrim at the ER where I was diagnosed with a staph infection. They gave me 800 mg twice a day for 7 days. On day 8 I returned to my regular GP because another boil had appeared. He said the dosage the ER had me on was not high enough. He doubled me to 3200 mg a day. After 4 days on this high dose I began to feel terrible, flu like symptoms, all of my lymph nodes were swollen and painful to the touch, especially the ones at the base of your neck/head. That night my eyes started itching like crazy and began to swell. I went back to the doctor she said it was allergies in my eyes and prescribed some expensive drops, told me I had a virus causing my body aches and fever, and lanced my other boil, she then put me on Doxycycline. That night I broke out in a terrible rash from head to toe that was itchy, then became more like a very painful sunburn. I thought I was allergic to the Doxycycline, so I called the doctor who switched me to Levaquin, wow,,,I sure have spent a lot of money on medicines to discover tonight on this forum that all of this was due to Bactrim. I will NEVER take it again as long as I live.

After 8 days I got very hot, had a headache, woke up with hives on elbows, arms and discovered my face, arms, chest, knees, legs COVERED in red rash like a sunburn that morning. Then it became itchy. Stopped using Bactrim and it started clearing in 2 days, drank lots of water, ate garlic to cleanse system and heard eating live culture yogurt also helps. Hope this helps others recover also. I'm all about holistic stuff.

I began taking bactrim for a UTI and by the first night I had diarrhea, persistent chills, fever (as high as 102.8), headache, severe lower back and mid back pain, everything pretty much described here. When I called the doctor they said it was related to my uti and that i needed to come back in to be re-evaluated. However I don't have insurance and I didn't have the money to come in. I ended up spending most of the afternoon in the hospital for them to tell me there was nothing wrong with me and all they could give me was percocet to ease the pain and "cruddy" feeling. The day after I stopped taking bactrim, I woke up with small red patches on my arms. The day after that I woke up with a sunburn like rash all over my arms and knees. I pray that this goes away soon!

I had been taking bactrim for a week when one morning i woke up feeling achy, tired, and light-headed. I noticed a slight rash forming on my arms but didn't think much of it bc i had been on the Bactrim for a week already. Then the symptoms got wayyyyy worse. I started to form lesion like sores on my vagina, and I immediately saw a doctor to get tested for STD's. The gyno examined the area, and she said it did not look like herpes but that she would test for it just in case. She put me on augmentin bc she said I definitely had some sort of infection down there. After taking 4 doses of augmentin almost all the lesions went away. The STD tests (blood, culture, and urine) all came up negative, as I expected they would. Has anyone else had genital reactions to bactrim???? Because as of right now the doctors are unsure what caused this outbreak/infection.

Back in Novemeber 2007 my wife was prescribed Bactrim for Ance. About 6 days into taking the drug a rash broke out all over her body.

A lymph node in the back of her head on the right side swelled. She had stiffness in neck, nausea, cold sweats, irregular bleeding. Just horrible! I researched the side affects and found sites like this on with people having similar reactions. I immediately told my wife to get off Bactrim.

1 to 2 days later her lymph node was normal. It took weeks for the rash to completely go away. Since this
happened it seems as though my wife's immune system has not been the same. She had severe sinusitis, She's has a cold now. Still has fatigue. Bouts with headaches. Strange stuff. Not sure if it is related.

I don't recommend this drug to anyone. Whatever your ailment is there are alternatives.

My healthy sixteen year old daughter was prescribed Bactrim twice daily for acne on the 7th and began a full course on the 8th of April. Agressively preparing for a solo competition on clarinet, we did not get too concerned when she complained of some shortness of breath and neck stiffness and tightness at the base of her skull on the 13th. On the 14th she had some difficulty with hand and finger coordination. By late evening of the 16th she had developed an oral temp. of 101.3 F, was complaing of severe fatigue, had swollen and painful lymph glands at the base of her skull and under her jaw. When she awoke on the 17th after a fitful night, she had a red, raised, itchy rash from head to toe, swelling of the face, neck, and hands and a sensation of burning everywhere her clothing touched her skin. Her eyes were glazed and red. The Bactrim was discontinued. While some of the symptoms now are very slowly dissapating, she continues to complain or lethargy and dizziness, sleeping more than awake. Perhaps, needless to say, she bombed at her competition on the 15th. Sad, since she had been preparing for months. Thanks so much, Bactrim. We pray there are no lasting side effects that others have experienced.

Used to get very frequent UTIs. A few years ago I was given Bactrim for the first time and developed a red spot on my side below my rib. It itched, otherwise I wouldn't have noticed it, it was like a rash. I brought it up to the doctor and they said it's probably not from Bactrim.

THAT SPOT NEVER WENT AWAY. INSTEAD IT TURNED A TAN COLOR/BROWN and has remained the same for years now. It might sound little right now, but it definitely hurts my confidence on a regular level.

Eventually after taking Bactrim again years later and having that same tan/brown spot turn red again and itchy i realized I was allergic to it. A different doctor again saying they've never heard of such reactions to bactrim. Well, I'm sorry to say but it does cause people to develop dark patches on their skin that are permanent!

I started bactrim for a mild UTI. It was a 7 day dose, twice a day. I've never had any problems with any medication before. I finished all the pills on Tuesday, and woke up with a rash all over my face, neck, arms, stomach, back, and thighs on Thursday. All day I was feeling weak and near fainting when I stood up. I had chills, itched, and yet was hot at the same time. I believe I had some palpitations. Also a fever and swollen lymph nodes all over my neck and upper back. As the day went on the rash spread all the way to my feet and it went from blotchy to solid red. we currently don't have insurance so I'm pretty much currently stuck this way. My whole body itches, tingles, and I can't sleep.

DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG ! ! ! I would not even risk it ! I would much rather have a UTI !

I was prescribed augmentin for an infected cut on my ankle. I took it for 5 days before I started getting some seasonal rhinitis pain. Doctor said I had a sinus infection and switched me from augmentin to bactrim, and also prescribed me flonase for the non-allergic rhinitis. I took 2 bactrim before I noticed drug allergy symptoms. I developed a very itchy rash on hands and feet (worst on wrists and back of ankles). The rash appeared on itching, puffed up for a bit and dissipated to pink/red marks (slightly less itchy).
I also noticed welts (skin bumps) in the soft tissue of the web of each hand and on the inside of each foot above the arch. These are slightly tender. I called the a consulting nurse as soon as the rash started and she said to immediately take a benedryl to keep things from getting worse. It helped a little that night. Went to the doctor and was prescibed hydroxyzine which is like benedryl but stronger and helps with itching. Rash lasted almost 3 days, was worst second day, then dissipated. Welts on hands and feet have persisted for the last few days. Having general aches and phantom prickles in hands and feet, must be healing from the rash.

Doctor thinks this was all delayed reaction to augmentin. I think this was immediate reaction to bactrim. Pharmacists seem to think bactrim too.

Whichever caused it, I have stopped both and only continue on the flonase which seems to help with the sinus issues.

I haven't heard of anyone having the same kind of soft tissue welting/swelling between the thumb and forefinger. Has anyone experienced this with a rash caused by allegic reaction to antibiotics?

I was given Bactrim after a laser procedure to my face. For the first seven days, my only symptom was a very red face which I unknowingly attributed to the laser procedure. On the eighth day, my face was very much improved in colour which I later realised was because I had accidently missed two doses of Bactrim. When I recommenced with the Bactrim the next morning, within a few hours my face was intensely itchy and red and I broke out in a rash all over my torso. At this point I became concerned and did some internet research, only to realise my symptoms were all Bactrim related. Apparently sulfite allergies are relatively common amongst the population, and I now know why I get a flushed face when I drink beer or wine.