Generic Name: Bactrim for Urinary Tract Infection (sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim)
Bactrim for Urinary Tract Infection Reviews
"I prayed long and hard. I want to pay it forward so someone else doesn’t experience the anxiety that came with looking at these reviews. Know that you’re taking this because you have an infection, and that in itself can make you feel miserable. A lot of these side effects mentioned are parallel with symptoms of a significant infection. So there’s that. Take AFTER you eat. Not a “bite of banana.” Eat a good meal. Take with a full bottle of water. I took mine with Benadryl due to the fact my skin gets itchy (not a rash). I also took a GOOD probiotic to counter any gut microbiome disruption. Eat bananas, simple foods, not greasy meals. Avoid extra sun exposure or anything that will zap you. Yes, it can make your stomach a little off, but it was tolerable and I was on it twice a day for 5 days, 800mg. I was scared, and I will add have FAITH. Let it go. You’re taking it to heal, it’s not always a happy walk in the park process. Every single person reacts differently. Hope this helps someone."
"Let me tell you, I was so nervous to start Bactrim after reading these reviews. I thought for sure I was going to have terrible side effects. Turns out, I’m completely fine. The most I’ve had is some nausea/lack of appetite but I get that with almost all antibiotics. Make sure you eat a meal ahead of taking each pill and drink lots of water. As long as you’re not allergic to sulfa drugs, I can almost guarantee that you’re going to be ok :). Remember, temporary side effects are better than a kidney infection!!"
"I have an intense phobia of taking meds due to a life-threatening experience with another antibiotic, so I've been tuned into any possible side effect forming within my body after reading all the warnings for this med. I was diagnosed with a severe UTI that was starting to affect my kidneys, so my doc said it was imperative I take medication and prescribed Bactrim DS for 7 days, twice a day. I have had 2 full doses, and 24 hours, about 70% of my UTI symptoms have disappeared and I have had virtually no negative side effects. Within 48 hours, almost completely gone. I do have some very mild itching with no rash or redness that comes and goes. And heartburn (potentially from a combo of taking the med plus cranberry juice that already gives me heartburn sometimes). That's it! Energy is fine, no weird pains, no tummy-specific issues, etc. I am only on day 2, so if anything scary happens, I will update that info. So far, I have had a good experience with Bactrim!"
"I had a burning bad UTI and was started on Bactrim. After reading the reviews, I was terrified! Being someone who already suffers from anxiety, the reviews had me incredibly anxious!! I get so anxious about taking medicine, and I should know better than to read reviews. I ended up taking the full course, and I was fine, and it fixed my UTI. I experienced unnecessary anxiety because I got myself so anxious reading the reviews and worrying over it!! I also had a little bit of issues with swallowing them because they are so big, but I ended up cutting them in half with a pill cutter and taking the two halves instead, and that solved that issue. All in all, I wish I wouldn't have read all of the bad reviews and made myself so anxious. I understand everyone is different, so medicine works and affects each of us differently. However, I thought I would come back and leave this review to possibly ease the mind of someone like myself who needs the Bactrim but feels so scared because of the reviews."
"Gave me severe anxiety. I felt like I was psychotic. Panic attack where I could barely even talk, eyes were bugging out. I am not a mentally ill person in any way and I have never felt this way before in my life the way this pill made me feel. I almost didn’t know it was the drug until I checked this website and read that everyone and their mothers have experienced severe anxiety caused by this pill. Doctor told me it doesn’t cause anxiety to continue taking it today, so it looks like I won’t be listening to them after reading a webpage full of people with complaints of severe anxiety and panic. I also definitely felt like I was losing myself/my mind without knowing why, as someone has mentioned here before. It’s tricky because physically I have not had issues with this pill. I was not sick from it, so I thought everything was going well, but it really messed with my brain. Do not take this."
"I was on this drug for only 2 days until I had the worst stomach pains ever, like it knocked the wind out of me. I had severe diarrhea with mucus and blood that lasted for weeks after discontinued use. It has been a month and I still have nausea with severe abdominal pains, headaches, anxiety, light sensitivity, white bumps on my gums. I’m scared that my organs are damaged, which I am currently being tested for. I have never had any of these symptoms before and was perfectly healthy! I am young too. This drug RUINED my life. I would rate this drug in the negatives if I could. Should not be allowed to be prescribed!"
"After a week of experiencing painful and uncomfortably annoying UTI symptoms, I went to the doctor and was prescribed Bactrim for 7 days. I have no insurance, but I was able to get 14 pills for $7.00 with a coupon. 30 minutes after taking the first pill, the feeling of urgency left. When I went to the restroom, there was almost no pain. I am on my third day, and I am feeling close to normal. The urgency is gone, and the pain while urinating is gone. The only side effects I can say I am experiencing are a slight loss in appetite and a little neck pain and joint pain in my hands. But on a scale of 1 to 10, I would say that those symptoms are at a 3. I see that many of the reviews on this medicine are scary. But just know that everyone's body is different, even to the point of pain tolerance. So what might be okay for one person might not be so for another. Either way, the benefit of being relieved of my UTI symptoms far outweighs the other risks of side effects."
"Was given Bactrim for my UTI. Read online reviews and was terrified of taking it, especially since I had a severe allergic reaction to Cipro years ago. Literally nothing happened. Some mild stomach issues, a small headache here and there, and tons of anxiety (my own doing) but it went pretty well. Symptoms of UTI went away in a day or less. Don't read reviews...you don't know other people's bodies and what conditions they have that contribute to their side effects."
"I was prescribed Bactrim for a UTI. I felt fine the first day. By day 2, I experienced horrible symptoms or side effects. I was having severe anxiety, nausea, increased heart rate, and shaking in my body. I called my doctor, and she said to continue taking it, but after reading all of these reviews, I've decided to stop taking the antibiotics. It's so scary to see so many other women going through the same thing!"
"Honestly, not terrible. I was prescribed Bactrim, 2 doses/day for 7 days after they prescribed Keflex (which didn’t work). A little nausea after the first couple of doses, some indigestion, some lower back pain. As long as you drink lots of water with the pill and throughout the day, the side effects are pretty mild. I had ginger chews and Pepto for stomach issues that worked well. Eat a big meal before you take the pill too. Kombucha, yogurt, and probiotics during and after the course will help your stomach heal. I would much prefer this over a kidney infection. If you’re having major side effects from day one, perhaps try something different. Everyone reacts differently!"
"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!"
"I am the type of person who is sensitive to chemicals, smells, sounds, etc. I rarely need meds and recently had to take Bactrim DS for five days due to a UTI. I was sooo nervous about taking it. I was convinced I would be allergic to it, or at least have side effects. Well, all that worrying was for nothing. I took it as prescribed for five days with no problem at all! I hope you do well on it too if you need it!"
"Had not read side effects, so did not realize what I felt was caused by the med. My first day on Bactrim, I had side effects of feeling achy and depressed. By day 3, I was shaking, shivering, anxious, and insomnia. By day 5, nausea, dizziness, 100 heart rate, very low blood pressure, extreme anxiety. Pain everywhere, pain in my kidneys, very dehydrated, painful muscle spasms. Day 6, was going to go to the emergency room when I realized it could be the Bactrim and read side effects. Find it difficult to believe a doctor would give this to anyone. It was horrible."
"After reading about possible side effects and reading all of the negative reviews for Bactrim, I was scared to take it after the Macrobid failed to cure my UTI. After 7 days of taking Augmentin, which also failed to work and gave me diarrhea, I braced myself and took the Bactrim. I want to report that I had no side effects at all, and it cleared up my infection. I would advise anyone prescribed this drug for a UTI to go ahead and take it, and don’t drive yourself crazy with worry like I did."
"Just like everyone else, I was scared to take the antibiotic Bactrim because of reviews. I took it with a light snack and a lot of water and was fine. I had a slight headache, but I was also stressing about the UTI, especially since Valentine's Day is coming. I was prescribed 2 pills a day for 3 days. I went last night for a urine sample, and all is clear. Love that I only had to take this for 3 days. I also didn't get a yeast infection, but took Good Belly along with it."
"Something really bad happened to me 14 years ago that caused trauma to the urinary tract. Ever since I have used Bactrim on a regular basis to flush out my bladder and urethra of bacteria because my body does not do a sufficient job through urination. If you take it on an empty stomach, it will make you feel really sick, but the medicine is awesome and I highly recommend it."
"I was prescribed Bactrim DS 2x a day for 10 days to clear a urinary tract infection. I was having nausea, acid reflux, and intestinal/digestive issues that felt like irritable bowel syndrome or stomach flu by the 3rd day. After the 5th day, I decided to stop taking it, and the infection is gone along with all side effects. I am glad I decided to stop taking it, it seems Bactrim DS 2x a day was a bit too much for me."
"My anxiety and mental health was under control until I got a mild UTI and was prescribed Bactrim. My heart rate skyrocketed for days, it induced panic attacks, I had no idea what was happening to me until I looked up the reviews and realized I was reacting to the bactrim. My heart rate reached 130 bpm at one point and I went to the doctor to have my heart checked. I took 4 doses and will never take this again. It ruined my life. 2 weeks later I’m still recovering from the anxiety it caused. I am angry this medication was prescribed to me."
"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."
"I was prescribed Bactrim DS for a UTI. I drank a full glass of water with every dose and continued to drink large amounts of water throughout the day. I also made sure to take this on a full stomach. I’m a healthy 26-year-old female and this is my first UTI. After taking Bactrim for 24 hours, I experienced severe side effects. I had debilitating kidney pain and lower back pain, severe gas, foamy explosive diarrhea, bloating, racing heart rate, severe anxiety (almost to the point of paranoia), and brain fog. I could not even hold a simple conversation. I felt like I was dying. After reading many reviews online, I discovered these same side effects have affected so many others while taking Bactrim. Once the drug was out of my system and I discontinued use, these side effects subsided. This antibiotic may work for some, but be aware of the possible severe side effects when you are assessing the risk of taking Bactrim."
"I used to get UTIs every month or two until I finally started my daily dose of raw organic apple cider vinegar with “mother” mixed with honey water. It has been the only thing that has helped. I am now on my 8th month of no UTIs! It really surprised me as I’m not big into homeopathic remedies."
"This is definitely my favorite medicine to treat urinary tract infections. I have a longstanding history with UTIs, one even sent me to the ER. The best part about this medicine is that it works quickly, and I feel relief within the first dose, which is great. I tried nitrofurantoin once and absolutely hated it because of the side effects and will stick with this. Luckily I've never experienced any negative side effects, and I've taken it with and without food. No nausea, nothing! It's definitely a hefty-sized pill, though."
"I was prescribed Bactrim and felt worse right away. After reading the side effects, I told myself that what I was feeling was normal. I took the prescribed dosage (2 per day) for 5 days, feeling even worse on the 5th day - shaky, diarrhea, headache, nervousness, unable to sleep. Then, after some research, I discovered that there also were interaction side effects with my blood pressure medications."
"I'm currently on Bactrim, first day taking the medication and I saw an immediate difference. My UTIs are horrible, I'm normally awakened from my sleep, as they hurt that bad. I'm up for hours on hours sitting on the toilet due to the urge. Bactrim is helping this a lot. Also, I see a lot of people are feeling sick while taking this medicine, my doctor recommends that I take the medicine with food. Hope this helps you guys in the future if you're experiencing sickness."
"I've taken my fair share of medications for UTIs, and so far, this one seemed to be the most effective as far as relieving symptoms quickly. My doctor prescribed me to take two pills a day for 10 days. I felt relief from UTI symptoms as soon as the 2nd or 3rd day. That being said, it has some nasty side effects. They say you can take it with or without food, and I'm guessing that because it makes your stomach feel horrible either way. I've experienced diarrhea, painful gas and bloating, and nausea since the first day of taking it. From my experience, this can usually be expected with strong antibiotics. My advice would be to take a probiotic to help counterbalance! I've done it before, and it helps me."
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