Bactrim and heart attack

About 3 years ago I had severe chest pains and thought I was having a heart attack so I went to the ER and they couldn't find anything wrong. I had these chest pains over time but my doctor checked my heart out with every test and they were all normal. Last year when I took bactrim the bottom part of my tongue got a white film and it hurt very bad, I also had the severe chest pains again but I still did not connect it with bactrim. I started taking bactrim on July 7th-Monday and by Thursday I had the white painful film under my tongue again, and I actually started to connect it with bactrim use so I quit taking it but by Saturday night I began itching and getting hives. Sunday night I started having the severe chest pains again and went to the doctor on Monday, he has scheduled a cat scan for me, I have already had the endoscopy and chest x-rays but nothing. I sat down and began thinking and every time I take bactrim I have the severe chest pains. It is Saturday July 19 and I still have the chest pains and itching.

Prescribed for UTI, 1 pill 2x day, actually Bactrim DS, which is 800/160 tabs. After 1 dose, next morning severe migraine with vomiting, nausea, chills, (I didn't take temp, but probably had a fever), loss of appetite, finally went to sleep for a few hours and was jarred awake by a bad dream (unusual for me) and couldn't go back to sleep thought I had drank to much caffeine. Had tight chest, but thought that was linked to my 130/90 BP...I thought I was having a heart attack. Followed by sleeplessness last night. Today, after 3 doses, I woke with a stiff neck and had a headache this morning which was made better by 2 Tylenol. Went to my GP to get on some BP meds. He must've thought I was crazy, but I wasn't leaving until I got something to make my chest feel better and theoretically lower my BP. I thought all these side effects were just me, but apparently not. I wish everyone the best in finding a better, safer treatment than this one.

I am so glad to have found this site. I took 3 Bactrim pills for a urinary tract infection. After the 2nd pill I should have stopped, because I thought I was feeling oddly and wondered if it was from the drug. I talked to my mother and sister who have frequent UTI's and who take Bactrim, and they said they had no side effects from it whatsoever. I figured it was in my head then that I was feeling bad, and decided to take another dose (My 3rd). I experienced tingly, crawling feelings in my legs. Cramps and pain in my stomach, major gas and acid reflux, lower ab pain, right side pain, and low back pain. In addition, I felt out of my own body, everything seemed very bright to my eyes in an unusual way, I saw stars when I looked to the left or right and shadows, I also felt sick to my stomach or starved depending. I noticed a slightly sore throat and last night a terrible headache at the base of my neck and up the back of my head. Today I have a very sore and swollen tendon in my right side. My stomach remains bubbly and gassy and I still have some headache pain and leg pain. I also experienced rapid heartbeat to the point of just about hyperventilating. I stopped the drug immediately. It's been 2 days since I've taken any Bactrim and I still feel horrible. I can't wait until this crap is out of my system!! I am drinking tons of water and resting as much as I can. I will take Cranberry Tablets Supplements every day from now on to ward off UTI in the future, and NEVER EVER take Bactrim again. I would NOT recommend this drug to ANYONE. The side effects are horrible and all this from just 3 pills! I cannot imagine having taken more.

Good luck and good health to all who have been in this position! It stinks.

Wierd. I have taken Bactrim before and had no incicent - that I can recall. Well, today I was diagnosed with Bladder infection - took 1st dose of bactrim and about twenty minutes later (as i'm walking into a restaurant), everything starts going haywire. First wicked itching, flushing of the skin - then eyes turn BLOOD red, face swells, tongue starts feeling fat and hurts - heart is pounding. I freak out - and throw some money on the table for a glass of tea - that I didn't drink - Husband rushes me back to clinic - as we both think I am having aniphilactic reaction. Terrified. Never experienced anything like it - my face swole up on the way - horrible. Wanted to scratch my skin off. Palms of hands, feet everything feels like its "asleep" and has needle like sensations. They ask if my airway is tightening (!) not yet? They give me a "steroid" shot (generic term I guess), and a Zyrtec. I start calming down on the way home - itching subsides and then chest pains begin - now I think i'm having a heart attack. I don't know if the trembling is from Bactrim or terror. I crawl into bed and start bawling - cuz I feel like I almost died. It scared the shit out of me. Husband paces and wrings hands. Now, hours later - I have sweats, fatigue (dramatic day), and heartrate is still elevated. Left tonsil hurts when I swallow. Yikes.

Aug, 22th, 2007

on Aug 4th I was diagnosed with a chronic sinusitis. My doctor wasn't available, so I went to an urgent care facility (what someone might call a doctor in a box), who prescribed Bactrim, telling me that "this will clear up any infection". (12 days worth, or 25 pills).

After living with the side effects, I can understand why!

The first few days on the medication I was a bit out of it. My mental acuity was off and I was feeling sluggish and constantly tired. half way though my first week I would break out in cold sweats and my face would go pale, I would feel as if I just swam the english channel, under water. Out of breath, muscle aches, and just plain tired. by day 6 I was not only feeling tired, but was feeling an uncomfortable tingle under my skin, and by day 10 was experiencing a heavy pain in my chest, and sharp abdominal spasms.

At one point I thought I might be having a heart attack.

I ran an internet search for side effects of the Bactrim, (and possibly if it reacted badly with pseudoephedrin), and found your site. I guess I'm lucky I didn't have as bad a side effect as others. (I'm setting up a visit to my doctor to have tests run on my internal organs, just to make sure).

After reading how the sulfates are used, the nearest thing I can think of is that the sulfates get into the blood, and then irritates everything the blood "touches", which gives you the skin on fire / crawling effect, and why my chest hurt so much. All that blood uses the heart as it's central local. Anything effecting the blood, would also effect that muscle.

It's been days since taking my last Bactrim (SMZ/TMP DS 800-160), and the pain in my chest hasn't gotten any better. My energy levels are returning but I'm still not able to concentrate on anything for very long, my skin still crawls, and I have reoccurring cold sweats.

Sometimes the cure is worse then the illness. I would much rather have had the sinus infection, then be leveled in this manner.