Generic Name: Septra DS (sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim)
Septra DS Reviews
For Urinary Tract Infection "I feel like it saved my life. I got my first UTI, and it was the most painful thing I've ever experienced. I didn't sleep for two days and was not only peeing blood but peeing clots of blood. My back ached, my hips ached, and I was completely exhausted. The morning after I took my first pill, all symptoms were gone. ALL SYMPTOMS WERE GONE. I, of course, was still exhausted, but that was from little sleep the previous days. I had zero side effects. Now I'm back to normal, loving life."
For Urinary Tract Infection "I have been having urinary tract infections for a while and have had them more than once. I have been given different kinds of medications to treat the infection- even ones that made my urine turn orange and stained my underwear. I have to honestly say that the Septra DS is the best I have ever taken (I asked for the generic brand from my doctor). I know it's huge-like horse pills, but after the first dose, I felt relieved. The first thing I noticed was that I didn't have to urinate that often and the pain associated with urinating subsided. I never had any side effects with this medication."
For Kidney Infections "Had ache in back/side under rib, remembered that it was a symptom of kidney infection, left urine sample at the doctor's office immediately, test was positive for infection, doctor (who knows me well) called in this antibiotic, and I began making immediate progress within 24 hours. I was careful to take the full course of the medicine without stopping."
For Urinary Tract Infection "After my first dose of Septra, my urinary tract infection symptoms disappeared, and my urinary system began functioning normally again. So, as far as being effective against UTIs, Septra seems to do a good job. I've been on it for 9 days, and I have one more day to go. However, there might be some side effects. In my case, they were mildly unpleasant. The first night of Septra, I felt extremely tired, and I fell into a light sleep with the weirdest dreams of my life. They were more like hallucinations than dreams. However, they seemed to pass, and the only other side effects were mainly gastrointestinal, i.e., mild diarrhea, bloating, belching, and a transient sense of mild nausea."
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."
For Urinary Tract Infection "Septra DS is excellent for UTI. I have been on it for three days with absolutely no side effects. My UTI has cleared up rapidly. My only criticism is that the pills are rather large and very dry that is probably why it is recommended that it be taken with lots of water."
For Urinary Tract Infection "Septra DS worked wonderful this time I am only on day 2 with 5 more days to go. I have however taken this and Bactrim DS before. I am quite sensitive to antibiotics but tolerate these well. I usually ask for Bactrim DS due to tolerating it well so that is what MD prescribed. i also take metformin and lotensin and they seem to work fine with this med though i take them at least 3 hours from each other"
For Upper Respiratory Tract Infection "After 3 months fighting off Pneumonia followed by Bronchitis and then Sinusitis with a Middle Ear Infection, I am almost back to normal. 7 days of 1000mg a day of Amoxicillin did nothing. Next Levaquin got the pneumonia off the X-ray but I was still sick. Clavulin made things a bit better for my cough. Septra worked from the start and I have been taking it for 14 days."
For Urinary Tract Infection "I am always nervous about taking new medications, especially antibiotics because they usually give me many side effects. However, Septra DS was very well tolerated! I don't do well with large pills, so I split them in two (since they're scored for that purpose) and found them much easier to swallow. I took each half about 30 minutes apart and never had any side effects other than a funny taste in my mouth, which may have been from the pyridium (stuff that turns pee orange) for the pain, which I stopped after the first day."
For Bacterial Skin Infection "Today is my fourth day on Spectra DS, 6 more to go. The first 2 days were the worst. My symptoms included nausea, headaches, lightheadedness/dizziness and kind of shortness of breath. I was about ready to call my Dr or Pharmacist to ask if I should stop the medication, but decided to give it a chance since I really need to get rid of my skin infection. Today, I have not felt those symptoms, so far. Hopefully it was my body reacting to the new medication. I find Septra DS to be a powerful/strong antibiotic, I’ve never had symptoms like this with any other. After my complete course, I will re-post to inform if it worked on my MRSA."
For Bacterial Infection "First 2 1/2 days this seemed to be working for me. 3rd day developed a major headache and nausea, by day 4 I felt a bit feverish, but nothing major, by day 5 my entire body ached and I just wanted to sleep. The fever although not high continued to go up and down. By day 6 I felt just as bad, no headache, but nausea, feverish, chills, etc. Day 7 enlarged lymph nodes, stopped taking it, day 8-9 severe rash all over body. Seeing now poss signs of Steven-Johnson Syndrome."
For Prostatitis "I've been having some discomfort that my doctor felt could be prostatitis. So, until I could get in for a CT Scan and also see a urologist, he put me on Septra DS. Everything was going fine until day 6. I was on my 23 anniversary weekend and I got up that morning to take a nice hot bath in the hot tub in our room. When I got out of the hot tub and started to dry off I noticed hives on my inner thighs. Looking in the mirror, I noticed that I was also covered in hives from my armpit to my waist on both sides. The culprit? Septra DS. Within the next few hours I was covered on my back, stomach, legs, arms, and a few on my lips. Allergic reaction."
For Bacterial Skin Infection "As far as I'm concerned, this works great. I've been on this for three days and my staph infection has considerably been reduced but the side effects are bad. I've actually taken the drug for the same purpose a month before with no side effects, so I don't know what the deal is. The first night I had at least half of the listed side effects and was probably the worst night of my life. I still haven't had any sleep and I've been on Septra DS for three days. "
For Bacterial Infection "Was prescribed this drug about three years ago for an infection around the cuticle of my forefinger. It was prescribed by a PA, no doctor ever looked at it. I remember thinking "why such a powerful antibiotic for a small infection in my finger". I recently went in to the same office with an abcess in my rear end. This time a doctor looked at it, drained it, put me on doxycycline for 10 days that took care of the abcess. Later while on a follow up visit to have it repacked, the same girl who gave me Septra DS three years earlier let it slip that they usually just assume these things are MRSA. So they prescribe something they think will work while they wait for the lab results to come back. Three years earlier no mention of MRSA! Bad reaction"
For Sinusitis "I was diagnosed with a sinus infection and prescribed Septa. Instructions stated to take the medication for 14 days. On the 12th day, I noticed a rash on my ankle. By that evening I was running fever. At 3:30 am I woke up with blood on my face - my lips had swollen so much that they had split. My eyes, feet, hands, gums and roof of my mouth were also swollen. My temperature went to 105 and I was hospitalized. The diagnosis was that I am allergic to sulfa drugs. I was in hospital for a week and it took me over six weeks before I was near normal."
For Kidney Infections "Prescribed Septra DS for kidney Infection. I didn't have any side effects until the 4th day in, vomiting orange liquid, stomach upset & pains, lower back pain, side pains (both sides), super weak, super dizzy, light headed..I am so tired and I keep having stomach spasms..insomnia..I was almost wanting to go to the hospital..but I hate hospitals so that's not happening. I nearly also passed out well walking. My pet dog is looking at me funny. Like I made a mistake taking the pills, he's right I did..smart dog. Septra is horrible! I keep telling docs to prescribe Ciprofloxacin because of 0 side effects but no one listens..so they give me this SEPTRA DS stuff..ugh.."
For Upper Respiratory Tract Infection "Went to the doctor for an upper respiratory tract infection that would not relent. The Septra DS had me feeling much better in just a couple of days. Remember to finish the entire prescription!"
For Urinary Tract Infection "I have a severe allergic reaction. I had extreme rash, with blisters all over my body, including the inside of my mouth. This happened after taking it for three days. It wasn't a positive experience."
For Urinary Tract Infection "After the first day I felt kind of better, the second--a little rash, and at the third -- changes of the mouth mucosa/lining. "
For Kidney Infections "Allergic reaction, hives."
For Bacterial Skin Infection "The side effects were pretty brutal as I was taking this and Clindamycin. Constant pain in the liver area, along with nausea...I am hoping it worked to be rid of the infection. "
For Middle Ear Infections "My son has IGA deficiency. This was the second antibiotic given for his ear infection. His fever did not return but the infection continued."
For Urinary Tract Infection "Diarrhea...enough said."
For Kidney Infections "I had many negative side effects. Back pain, dizzy, puking, sore mouth. It didn’t work for me"
For Bacterial Infection "It causes loss of appetite , full stomach , nausea , feeling of vomiting . Please help"
More about Septra DS (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim)
- Check interactions
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- Drug images
- Side effects
- Dosage information
- During pregnancy
- Generic availability
- Drug class: sulfonamides
Patient resources
- Septra DS advanced reading
Other brands
Bactrim, SMZ-TMP DS, Cotrim, Sulfatrim, Sulfatrim Pediatric
Professional resources
- Sulfamethoxazole and Trimethoprim Suspension prescribing information
Other brands
Bactrim, Co-trimoxazole, Sulfatrim
Other formulations
- Septra
Related treatment guides
- Bronchitis
- Bacterial Skin Infection
- Bacterial Infection
- Diverticulitis
