Bactrim and hives

I haven't finished taking the medicine yet because I'm only on day 4, but I must say that it's clearing up the staph in my right armpit. My left armpit is still swollen and hurts like hell. My mother is an RN, and she's been trying to drain the pus and blood from the wound. It hurts so bad that I'm ready to just drive up to the local ER and have them lance it. How long does it usually take for Bactrim to clear up the infection? I'm taking 2 pills once a day for 10 days.

And another thing, I think why people are having nasty side effects to the medicine is because it's not mixing well with their body chemistry. My sister took Bactrim last year for MRSA, and she cleared up beautifully without any horrible side effects.

Thanks guys!

Out of courtesy, are you guys taking generic or brand, assuming there is a brand form? My husband has taken bactrim before but this time he broken out in hives and major rash, itching, and swollen lips. Absolutely miserable!

Have had a horrible reaction to Bactrim. Started with loss of appetite, body aches and headaches within a week of taking Bactrim. Progressed into fever and the chills by a week and a half but just thought I had the flu. After taking Bactrim for 13 days I started breaking out with hives on my face, neck and chest which later spread to my arms and legs. I was diagnosed with an allergic reaction to Bactrim, pumped full of iv fluids, steroids and anti-histamines once they figured out what was going on. I had a fever of 101-102 for over 4 days. I was dehydrated and had a low white blood cell count. I'll be taking oral steroids and anti-histamines for 5-6 days. Such a horrible experience, I'll be glad when I won't be on any more of these medications!

Was prescribed DS (Double strength) 800-160 Sulfameth/Trimeth for 7 days/ 2 pills per day to treat a staph infection from a cut. On the last day, I woke up with a swollen gland under my left ear and a red, itchy rash all over my face and arms. Small hives also began to appear. Today is the next day and the hives are spreading but don't last very long. Very itchy, though, and that's unrelenting. Hoping it will decrease quickly since the first symptoms didn't appear till the dose of Bactrim was almost over.

I forgot to mention that I also had dry, flaky skin patches and the palms of my hands & sides of my fingers itched like crazy for days and days. They would have large red patches, and wearing jewelry would make it worse. Sometimes the patches would have some hives, sometimes they didn't. But the one thing that stands out in my mind is the itchy hands- it was really strange but I noticed some other people had the same symptom.

I have been having recurring UTIs and I had taken Cipro which did not clear up the first infection. My doctor prescribed Bactrim and wanted me on it for two weeks.

During the first week, I would feel dizzy for 2-3 hours after taking a dose. I had body aches as well, but thought I was getting the flu.

At the beginning of the second week, I broke out in hives. I have very sensitive skin and figured I had touched something that irritated my skin. I took benadryl and the symptoms went away.

The next day I broke out again, this time worse, and I noticed I had hives all over my body including on my feet and on my head- (which alarmed me, because I now realized it was coming from something inside). I thought it was something I ate. I took benadryl when I got home from work and they went away.

The day after that, I broke out again, and a co-worker mentioned that she had an allergic reaction from Bactrim and I should check online. Her reaction was dizziness and feeling sick to her stomach, but I looked anyway. When I saw that hives a side effect I called my doctor. They told me to stop taking the Bactrim and that I was allergic to it.

It will be a week tomorrow that I stopped taking Bactrim, and I still have hives everywhere. Last night, my entire back was covered with a red sunburn-looking rash with long snake-like hives. My boyfriend says the hives look like worms under my skin.

I would suggest to anyone that has any kind of reaction (dizziness, headache, body ache, rash, hives, etc.) to call their doctor ASAP. I should have know to call when they were making me dizzy in the first week, but sometimes you don't realize what is going on until you have severe symptoms. Doctors should tell people about the possible side effects when they prescribe this stuff.

After 8 days of taking bactrim I woke up to bad hives all over my body! The itching was soooooo bad. I was scratching myself bloody. I took benadryl and it did not help. My doc gave me prescription antihistamines and it took about 4-5 days.

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.

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 started taking generic Bactrim about 3 weeks ago for an ear infection. The first two weeks I had no problems, the third week I woke up one morning with one side of my neck sore. I thought I just slept on it wrong and didn't think it could be associated with Bactrim then over the next two days my neck became more stiff and sore it even hurt to touch. I could not move my neck at all without experiencing pain. Also I would get servere headaches when I moved my eyes to look up or to the sides. The sharp headaches would only last about a minute or so after moving my eyes. My arms and legs started to feel achy like when I have a fever. The third day after the first sign of neck pain I broke out in hives on my arms and hands. I stopped taking the Bactrim (because I found this site and similar ones) and two days later most of my hives were gone and my neck pain was noticeably less. Four days off of Bactrim and my neck is almost completely better and my hives gone. I will never take a sulfa drug again

I started Bactrim for a UTI and felt horrible the whole time. Sick to my stomach, trouble breathing, headaches, loss of appetite. Once I asked my husband to call 911 because I almost passed out. But then I said, wait, let me settle down. I did that and continue with the medication thinking it was the UTI. Then I went to urgent care because I was suffering from a yeast infection from the Bactrim too. The 9th day on Bactrim I got worse, I started to break out in hives. By the 10th day I rush to urgent care covered head to toe in hives with trouble breathing and bumps on my tongue and mouth and throat. The doctor said, you're are having an allergic reaction to the Bactrim. He gave me a shot of cortisone and Prednisone l for the inflammation. My stomach is swollen, my body aches, I still have a terrible yeast infection and read that if you have fungal and are taking Prednisone, that's not good either. So I am at odds because my breathing is labored and I am hoping the Prednisone works and I can make it another day or else, I will go to the emergency tonight. This is no fun....I sent this list of complaints to the FDA's attention today. I hope they listen and look at this page seriously and all those who continue to write.

Hives within 24 hours of taking it. Large red warm slightly raised areas 2x3 inches, plus many smaller. Was taking it for traveler's diarrhea

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.

I was prescribed Bactrim for a bad sinus infection. I took it along with a pain reliever and decongestant for eight days before I had any severe side effects. First I noticed that my glands were swollen, and by that eighth day my left gland was the size of my thumb. I was getting extremely tired and kept spacing out, perhaps from being sick and taking the decongestant, and I had no appetite. At night my leg started uncontrollably kicking out for about half an hour as I was trying to sleep. I called for an appointment with my doctor, and on the way there I realized I was getting a rash on my stomach and chest and it was rapidly spreading. That night my face was scarlet colored and my whole body was covered in itchy hives. My doctor told me to immediately stop taking the Bactrim, but since so much was in my system, it took a few days for my body to return to somewhat normal.

After taking several doses of Bactrim for Montezuma's Revenge, I have devoloped skin irritations; and on one occasion, my hands, face, arms and parts of my legs broke out with hives (atleast I think they were hives). The second time I ingested only one tablet of Bactrim for the same purpose, the back of my left ear grew warm, and the next day some skin wiped off of it, and I have noticed that parts of my face feels like tiny threads of string are draping across it, even though there aren't any.