Bactrim and acne

I feel compelled to share my daughter's horrendous experience, which we (and some of our docs) believe was a reaction to Bactrim. Her chills, high, high fever, night sweats, itching and majorly swollen lymph nodes mimicked lymphoma. She had a biopsy of one of the swollen lymph nodes and it revealed Kikuchi' s Disease or Kikuchi-Fujimoto's Disease. Google it. Thankfully, it was benign and self-limited, but it made her very very sick and it was scary and most probably triggered by her allergic reaction to Bactrim - taken for acne. We will never take this drug again.

I was prescribed Bactrim DS for mild acne. I was told to take it once daily for two weeks and then twice daily thereafter if I didn't have an adverse reaction, as my dermatologist indicated that it sometimes takes a long time for side effects to become evident using this medication. I am still in the one pill a day phase of my treatment and I am going to stop taking this medicine.

When I first started taking it, my lymph nodes in my neck became swollen, yet I did not have a cold or anything else that could immediately explain this symptom. My right lymph node in particular became very, very swollen and tender and was rock-hard to the touch. You could literally see it bulging out of my neck. It hurt to move my neck the wrong way and I could hardly turn my head because of all the pressure and soreness of my lymph node.

I stopped taking it for a few days and the size of the lymph node decreased, but it remained very full feeling and firm / rock-hard to the touch.

In addition, I have experienced persistent headaches and joint pain during the time I have taken this medicine. (I'm 21 years old, so joint pain is a symptom almost definitely linked to the Bactrim.)

I took ONE PILL last night, foolishly thinking it would be okay, and not long after I showered and got in bed, I began to feel a prickly sensation primarily from my groin up. It was a prickling, itchy sensation on my face, scalp, neck, arms, back, and even in my groin area. It was absolutely maddening and I couldn't get to sleep. At the suggestion of my fiance, I tried a second shower and that temporarily soothed it very slightly.

It is the day after that and I haven't taken it again, but I am still prickly / tingly / itchy all over and I believe I am beginning to develop a rash. I have also had a headache since last night, which began about 40 minutes after taking the pill. My lymph nodes are also inflamed yet again, so I have isolated the problem to be a result of the Bactrim. I will not continue to use this medication and I intend to contact my physician to request another course of prescription therapy.

Keep in mind that everyone's reaction to any medication is unique and some of the stories people have written on this site are extreme and unusual cases. Don't rush yourself to the emergency room just because you're taking Bactrim and you read about someone else's serious side effects -- all medicines affect people differently and you might experience minor side effects, if any at all. Call your doctor with any questions and get a second opinion if needed.

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.