Bactrim and mental acuity

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.