Biaxin side effects

I have been taking this for 5 days for Bronchial infection, and i started losing where i was going.. I mean am at the age to forget, I forget where i put stuff, can't sleep, just getting more and more depressed.. and the taste is driving me nuts, am eating just to be rid of taste as long as has food in mouth and chewing i can't taste.not going to take it till see my Dr.. and the headakes, i don't have many till now

4 weeks ago my aunt was prescribed Biaxin for a sinus infection. After finishing the meds she developed musical ear syndrome. She now hears music, wind and ringing in her ears. It never stops. She can't sleep because the music never stops. Has anyone heard of this?

Same thing here. I have a sinus infection and pharyngitis that just wouldn't go away for 3 weeks. I was prescribed the generic version (Clarithromycin) 500Mg twice daily. The antibiotic does seem to work. I have had a bitter taste from it almost from the beginning. I took the fourth dose on an empty stomach in the morning with little fluid and 10 minutes later started to eat. 20 minutes after taking the antibiotic I had experienced an uncharacteristically severe panic attack. My heart just instantly started racing, confusion set in. The whole time while I am taking it I have difficulty breathing which eases off as dose wears out. Luckily for me I had some lorazepam laying around which I took to suppress this reaction. I skipped my 5th dose in the evening but my infection is still an issue. Now I am unsure whether to continue taking it or not. I am about to see my ENT today so I think I will not be taking it until I see him.

Began taking Biaxin 500mg 1x a day recently for acne...have had a history in the past of migraines, but couldn't figure out why all of a sudden I was getting migraines EVERY day. I also had some stomach problems, but knew from looking up side effects that this was to be expected - but couldn't find anything about headaches/migraines being a side effect. I had also noticed that things weren't tasting quiet right, most especially my diet Pepsi, but couldn't figure out how that was a side effect - but am guessing that is the "abnormal taste" other's have described. I have called my doctor to asked about changing prescriptions, because I don't think I can handle a month of daily migraines - just to deal with acne!

My son was prescribed Biaxin XL for bronchitis. After the first day taking it he began feeling very moody. Crying all the time, not sleeping. Then the paranoia set in. Feelings of wanting to hurt himself. Kept saying he felt like he was losing his mind. Not in touch with reality anymore. Saying he felt like something was eating him from the inside out. Finally after looking up on the computer was able to discover it was this horrible medicine. Had he taken his ten day dosage I am very afraid he would not be here with me today. STAY AWAY FROM THIS HORRIBLE DRUG! IT SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE MARKET, AND THE DOCTORS PRESCRIBING IT SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL HAZARDS THAT COULD HAPPEN BY PRESCRIBING IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OMG I have never felt so bad on a drug as I have on Biaxin. I have taken it for 6 days now and am going to stop taking it because I just can't stand the headaches anymore. My cough has gotten worse instead of better, I have the bad taste in my mouth too but the worst is the debilitating headaches. I can't do anything because my head hurts so bad. Feels like a migraine, with the light sensitivity etc.

I hate this drug and will NEVER go on it again!! Just hope the side effects go away reasonable quick.

My first day on Biaxin wasn't so good because it made me light-headed. But then I felt wonderful and slightly elated. I guess the "may cause mood swings" warning affected me in a good way because I was extra cheery and energetic. The bad side to that was that I had insomnia and felt a little more scatterbrained.

Right off, my main suggestion is if you are experience these symptoms, just simply tell your doctor you don't like the side effects and to prescribe something else. I just finished taking Prevpac which contains Biaxin. I never did get diarrhea or stomach cramps. Day 1 and 2, I did not much of any problem. Day 3 I had a headache all day and then at night my hands and feet were freezing, I couldn't get warm. In the morning, I felt nauseous and my heart was racing. I made it to work, but then got the shakes and had a trouble concentrating. I ate extra food which helped a little. But I think it was on night 4 when I went to the ER in the middle of the night because I woke up with a strange taste in my mouth, then my heart started racing. I felt sick, wide awake, dizzy, faint and generally didn't feel well, so I panicked. I stuck with the medicine because the doctors told me that the side effects were not from the medicine. My general doctor gave me generic Xanax which calmed my nerves (I only took it a few times throughout) and sleeping pills, which I did not take take. All my doctors (the ER doctor, my general doctor and my gastroenterologist) told me that these drugs are not causing my symptoms: anxiety, nervousness, shaky hands, cold hands & feet, racing heart, etc. I resorted to Reiki and Meditation, which helped somewhat. Every day at some point, I get the shakes, jitters and anxious and still some problems at night. On my twelve day, my daughter suggested drinking a large mug of warm milk with honey and cinnamon in it (I added a little carob powder too) about 45 minutes before going to bed. She said it would help with nausea and I would sleep better. It was the first night that I had a good night's sleep. My daughter told me she also had a similar side effect and went to her doctor the next day and asked for something else. I just finished the 14 day therapy. We'll see how long it takes now for me to get back to normal. I'm going to print out these posts and hand them in to my doctors.

I have many of the same symptoms as everyone else... miserable stomach pain, diarrhea, terrible headache and heartburn. this drug is awful. I've never had this sort of reaction to an antibiotic before. Today is only day 4 and i'm afraid to take the pills. Has anyone heard that the side effects get better as your body gets used to the drugs?? I'm in the middle of taking exams and I was worried about this throat and ear infection interfering with my studying. I think I could have managed the infection better than these drugs.

I am on biaxin xl...2-500mg once a day. started it today and have nasty taste in my mouth, feel like my heart is pounding, mild headache, anxiety, increased salivation, increased urination....this sucks

I am on Biaxin for Laryngitis and an upper respiratory infection. I went to the ER because I felt I couldn't clear my chest congestion and I was miserable. He prescribed me 500mg of Biaxin twice daily. I have just taken my 4th pill. Day 2 over. I have the stomach aches like everyone talks about. They feel like im starving, but I know im not because I just ate. Strange. The taste in my mouth is disgusting no doubt. It's a metallic taste, but not too bad. I keep drinking flavored waters and sucking on candies and that helps with the taste. I have had mild diarrhea today, twice. I actually have, previous to taking this medicine, a heart racing condition known as PSVT. I take medication for it to slow my heart down and lower my blood pressure. So far, thankfully, I have had no reaction in my heart to this medication but I am worried. I will keep this updated as it seems that most people started having more problems in days 3 and 4. hmmm. I have taken the Z-pack several times, (im always sick it seems like) and have never had any problems with it. I used to take amoxicillin, but it never seems to work on me. I think my body is now resistant do to taking it so often. I also take Zoloft for anxiety, so im pretty worried, ha ha, that I might have this severe depression or anxiety attack problem a lot of people seem to be having. Ill wait and see. I called the pharmacist tonight to tell him about my stomach problems and he said (Walgreens Pharmacy) that it was not an allergic reaction and would probably be fine, but to consult my doctor just in case. I will call tomorrow and update this if I end up having any other reactions or if he prescribes me something different.

I have REALLY extreme metallic taste in my mouth..

I took Biaxin when it first came out on US market in the early 90's - never linked it to nightmares then as it was my first time to take the medication. I was prescribed Biaxin this past Tuesday and ended up with the generic (same difference). After 60 hours - five 12 hours doses, last night I had a 'recurring' nightmare that I have not had since I took the product 15+ years ago. Anyone else find this effect?

I've been taking Biaxin XL 500 mg. 2 pills together once a day for a sinus infection. Today would be day 4. The infection is improving but since I've started this drug I've been feeling totally crappy. I've had a headache and haven't been able to sleep at all for 3 nights. I lie there with pressure on my chest. The pharmacist said that is a very potent antibiotic, hard on the body but they said it's best antibiotic - but at what cost? I certainly don't want to feel like this for another 7 days. After reading all these postings I'm definitely calling my doctor to chance medications. Thanks for all the postings.

I have been on Biaxin XL 500 mg - 2 pills taken at the same time once a day. Today would be the 4th dose. I was sure to take the pills on a full stomach. My sinus infection seems a little better but I'm feeling totally lousy. I've had a headache and I haven't been able to sleep at all for the last 3 nights. I lie there with a pressure in my chest. Even after missing only 1 night of sleep I felt horrible and I'm sure it wasn't only from missing the sleep. Biaxin is definitely affecting my whole body. I've been on antibiotics before and never had any kind of reaction like this. I had called the pharmacist and they said that this is a very potent antibiotic, hard on the body but best on the market. True it may clear up an infection but at what cost. After reading all these side effects I'm definitely calling my doctor today and asking for a different medication. Thanks for this website.

My time on Biaxin was one of the most TERRIFYING experiences of my life! (And I’m a cancer survivor, haha).
It all started when a doctor put me on Biaxin (500mg) for having Pneumonia. I was to take one pill at night and one pill in the morning for a week. The 1st day on the Biaxin was fine. Then the second night, I started to experience changes in my behavior. I began to cry and become extremely emotional to minor things.
The 3rd day I woke up and took my pill and started to feel extreme pressure pushing on my brain. I also got very agitated, grumpy, hyper, and over stimulated. That night I took my Biaxin pill and got 0 hrs of sleep. I was up all night paranoid, scared, hallucinating, crying, shaking, nervous energy, pacing back and forth, thinking in my head “what is happening to me!” The next morning, I took my Biaxin pill and then experienced the same horrific side effects. I was calling my family and telling them that something is going wrong in my head and I need help. It was as if I was having a panic attack. My stomach cramped up, my head hurt, and my heart was beating 10x its normal pace. I also felt hopelessness, couldn’t concentrate, shortness of breath, and worst of all the feeling of paranoia and the thought that my mind is being possessed.
Finally, I got on the internet and looked up “side effects of Biaxin”. Thank god I found this website and was able to see I wasn’t alone. I called my family and told them it’s the Biaxin making me crazy. That day I went and saw my doctor and he said, “Yes, Biaxin can cause emotional distress and all of those other horrible things you are going through." He says it is rare to get that many crazy side effects, but it is possible. He said to stop taking it, and go home and rest. I needed to allow my body to recover from what has happened the last 4 days.
I will never take Biaxin again for as long as I live. I literally thought I was going insane. The feelings and thoughts I was having was absolute torture and an emotional rollercoaster. I thank this website and all of you for your posts. This website truly helped me discover that Biaxin is a dangerous drug that is not intended for everybody. Especially not me!!!!!

I started Biaxin for a strep throat infection. I took it for a total of 20 days as I had back to back infections. The first time I took it I just had the metallic taste reaction. The second round which was just a couple of weeks later things were much worse. By day three I could not sleep and was having traveling pains all through my body. One day my neck hurt, the next day my back, my arm etc. The worst is the anxiety and inability to sleep. I called my doctor and she said to taken ambien for the sleep problems. I finished all ten days taking ambien the whole time because if I tried not to I would wake up feeling totally alert and activated and unable to get back to sleep. Those initial two hours I would get were filled with nightmares. It has been a week since I finished this medication and I still have severe anxiety and sleeplessness. I tried to wean myself from a half a 12 mg ambien to a 1/4 but with this I am still waking up with the same issues and having trouble getting back to sleep. I would like to know if anyone else has experienced this problem and how long it took to get this drug out of your system and back to a normal sleep pattern. I feel anxious during the day as well, but am managing. This drug is really terrible.

On day 8 of 500mg/2x day of Biaxin, yesterday, I woke up with large red patches in my mouth, along with that white cottage-cheesy stuff I always associate with thrush. Went to doc and she said, nope not thrush, another virus (I've been sick with one upper respiratory virus after another for 2 months). She gave me Nystatin, "just in case" it is thrush.

Now I'm reading this site and thinking perhaps my mouth sores are a reaction to Biaxin. I've also been experiencing the weird dreams, mild anxiety and been wondering about it, but hadn't associated it with Biaxin until reading the posts here. Hmmm.

Before being on the biaxin, I was on Levaquin and had an allergic reaction to it--hives all over my body.

I went to the doctor's office recently because I was pretty sure I had a sinus infection...and it turns out I did. My doctor prescribed me biaxin and told me that I should stay on this for at least 3 weeks until the infection clears up.. When I first started taking this medication, everything was fine....but now things seem to be worse.. I am on week two of this medicine, and my sinus infection has developed into a terrible cold.. I have a funny smell in my nose(I don't know if it's because of the cold or the medicine) I have an AWFUL metallic taste in my mouth, sometimes I have severe abdominal cramping, and for the last two weeks I've had difficulty sleeping.. I will fall asleep around 12:00 p.m but find myself awake by 4 am and then I have trouble falling asleep(when I do sleep I have terrible nightmares).. Almost every time I wake up in the middle of the night, I have this nasty taste in my mouth... I do find that when I eat certain foods it helps to stop the metallic taste.. I have adhd/ocd and I have noticed that this has gotten much WORSE since I started taking the medicine...I feel space out all the time and dizzy and my vision is blurry.. I have a funny smell in my nose right now and difficulty breathing sometimes.. I am about to call the doctor and find out if I should stop taking this, or just keep taking it for the next 5 days.. I just can't handle it anymore because I feel like I'm going insane.. I don't even know as of now if I still have a sinus infection.. Please do me a favor-if you are considering taking this medication please avoid it at all costs because it will make you feel like complete crap.. There are other medicines that you can take I am sure.. I don't even know why this is on the market....it's worse than the birth control pill!

I was prescribed Biaxin Extended Release, 500 mg/2x daily for 10 days, for a sinus infection. I am on the 5th day, and feel absolutely horrible. The nausea is CONSTANT, I am very tired, headaches, stomach cramping, bad gas, sleeplessness..the list goes on and on. Also, am very emotional. I have a history of depression, but this is a whole new ball game. I cry at almost anything. I called my doctor today to switch to a new antibiotic, and am waiting to hear back.

In Feb 2005 I was prescribed biaxin for an ear infection. It was a 14 day supply. I started to take it and with in 24 hrs I felt worst than I did before I went to the dr.
Over the next 14 days I called the Dr. 4 times and each time I was told that if I just take the biaxin I will get better. I did as I was told.
In 30 days I lost 31 pounds from vomiting. Over 60 days I lost 51 pounds. My Dr. finally did blood work and my triglycerides were at 7700. No that is not a miss print. My sugar went to 395. My blood pressure was off the scale.
My Dr. got the results of my blood test and told me I was a diabetic and put me on Metformin and set an appointment for 30 days later. This was the same day I was told my triglycerides were 7700. I was not hospitalized. I was not even to be seen again for 30 days.
I now know what that meant. I was within minutes of dying and my Dr. tried to hide it. He could not have cared wheither I died or got better as long as no one else found out what happened.
Now, after 3 yrs of living a life similar to what I think hell would be like and after seeing specialist and different Dr. they tell me I have pancreas damage and I will be on prescriptions for the rest of my life.
The Dr.'s know what Biaxin does to your body. They don't care! I was ignored for 2 weeks when I called them. Now I will pay for the rest of My life. THANK YOU FAMILY PRACTICE.

I was prescribed Biaxin XL 4 days ago for sinus infection ( 2 -500mg tablets taken together once per day). The side effects were worse than the infection for me. I became extremely anxious and panicky, nauseated, sweaty, tired but unable to sleep and I lost my sense of smell and had a terrible metallic taste in my mouth. By the third day, I could tell the infection seemed a little better, but then I took my third dose and within 30 minutes I got the shakes, suffered diarrhea with terrible stomach cramps, vision problems, loss of appetite and a terrible anxiety/panic attack where I felt that I was losing it. I had to leave work to get home quickly. My blood pressure kept going higher and higher and I started to get teary. This was one of the worst days of my life. I have stopped taking this medication and have replaced it with amoxicillin. Today I feel much better and blood pressure has gone down. I will never take Biaxin again. Continuing on this medication for 10 days could have led me to suicide. If you feel these things when taking any medication, stop taking it right away and speak with your doctor and pharmacist. When I contacted my doctor;s office they said it should not make me feel anxious. They should obviously do more research on the drugs that they prescribe. I hope no one else experiences these terrible side effects.

I was prescribed this medicine after having a cold/flu like symptom.Just to show you how powerful this medicine is all I took was my first dose (2 a day) and for the next 7days I have never been the same.I had to go to the ER 3 times, I vomited several times and passed out on one occasion, my blood pressure dropped, was given IV, could not sleep for several days thought I was going insane, did not feel safe by myself, sudden weakness, constant cold feet, diarrhea.Blood work showed nothing but I was given anti-anxiety medication to calm me down and make me sleep.Please take my advise NEVER EVER TAKE THIS MEDICATION IT SHOULD BE BANNED a good doctor should not prescribe this medicine

I was so glad to find this. Since insomnia is not listed as a usual side-effect, I had no idea why I could not sleep. When I saw the entries and called the pharmacist, she verified it for me. I have been on 500 mg twice a day for a week and I have another week to go. I originally had a bad cold for 2 weeks which developed into a seriuos sinus infection. Amoxicillan did not work and I cannot take sulfa antibiotics or Cipro so I think I am stuck with it for another week, but have called to ask the Doctor for something to help me sleep until then. I have been so tired and worn out probably due to lack of sleep. And I agree that taste in my mouth, especially in the morning, is awful. I am also still congested but it is better than before.

I had been with a cold for 2 months and could not see anything on the xray. I had chest pains in one lung and couldn't take in enough oxygen. My doctor after a third xray and seeing possible scaring on the right lung, couldn't identify pneumonia as the problem. Because it was the 24th of Dec., she prescribed Biaxin to try to get rid of the issue. It is now the 28th, I have been on the drug for 4 full days and can finally breath better. The pain is also decreasing. I can tough out the metal taste as this is the only side effect I have.

Wow, thank you for all these comments......... Ive been on Biaxin for 5 days now for bronchitis and sinus infection, but also taking loratadine and premarin and a decongestant. I couldn't figure what was making me so nauseated. And major indigestion... its unreal! I haven't slept in 2 days and last night I heard Christmas music, let it snow, let it snow over and over in my head. No music was playing. So as of today, I'm not taking it anymore. I'm still congested so I guess I have to cal the doctor again. This stuff isn't for me. No metal taste at least. Thanks everyone, at least I know I'm not going nuts.

So I just finished a 10 day supply (20 pills) of this stuff. I was prescribed Biaxin twice a day for 10 days to clear up a minor sinus infection. I had no idea that this stuff caused so many issues, but now I know first hand. This medicine gave me pretty bad insomnia. I could fall asleep but would wake up at 2am/3am in the morning and couldn't fall back asleep. Of course lack of sleep, then gave me anxiety and minor depression like I've never had before. I will never take this stuff again. Not to mention, the bad taste that's in your mouth constantly. In retrospect, I'll take a sinus infection anyday over the side effects of this medicine. Maybe it's okay for some people, but I'll never put Biaxin in my body every again. I took my last dose yesterday evening and I've been drinking tons of water ever since to try and get rid of this stuff as soon as possible.

This stuff is DISGUSTING. I hate the taste in my mouth and it seems like if i cough or breath in threw my mouth the taste intensifies. I'm only on day 2!!! I was wondering if the insomnia was from the pills and now I know it is. It's 3am and i don't even feel tired. Last night I took some Nytol to help ease my headache and body aches. Woke up in a major sweat, changed clothes, went back to bed an hour later and continued to sweat. Had crazy dreams about dating Tom Cruise and Nico, the winner of So you think you can dance Canada and spent the evening looking at pics of him on facebook and joining multiple groups for him, like a crazy stalker, lol. And to think, this is only day 2!!! I'm going to lose it. Had diarrhea also today. Oh, and last night had a major meltdown and cried into the bathroom towels when I felt like my boyfriend wasn't being sympathetic to my illness (respiratory infection) even though he has a cracked rib and is in major pain himself. Crying lasted for about 20 mins. I think I'm going to take more Nytol just to try and get to sleep, meeting family members for brunch that i haven't seen for about 20 years, this is going to be interesting... good luck to the rest of you! Oh and I'm super hungry all the time, but hate most of what I eat probably because of this damn taste in my mouth.

I'm on my seventh day out of 10 with BiaxinXL 500mg for pneumonia. I take 2 pills at supper time and so far so good: only 1 diarrhea 12 hours after the first dose. No metallic taste at all. I do drink a lot of water as is recommended when you have any infection to help your body eliminate it. I sleep well and after only 2 days of treatment my secretions were clearer. I took Advil for the first four days to help me with the side effects of the disease. I take medication exceptionally because,fortunately, I am rarely sick but I will take all of the pills prescribed by my doctor because I don't want to deal with some super resistant bacteria later on.

I'm on Biaxin for a respiratory infection as well, the worst side effect by far is the severe insomnia, and crazy dreams I get when I finally DO fall asleep - and the sleep I get isn't restful at all. I also have turned into a "bed tosser" - I toss and turn all night because I can't sleep comfortably in one position all night (I usually fall asleep and wake up in the same position, and maybe turn once a night.) Its like all of a sudden I get sore being in any one position for more than an hour. Drives me nuts.

I'm on Biaxin for a MRSA staph infection. And I have had the worst anxiety. Heavy breathing and insomnia. I wake up all the time in the middle of the night and in the morning my hands shake and I have so much anxiety related energy. I do not like this medication.

Been taking the generic Clarithromycin for a little over 4 months now. I have Lyme Disease and this drug along with Plaquenil, really helps. With Lyme you feel worse before you can feel any inkling of feeling better Sure it's got some side effects like metallic taste and a few others. I will tell you for me the Lyme symptoms far outweigh the side effects, so I really don't mind the side effects at all. It's all relative. The metallic taste is one of the worst ones.

Of course you have to keep your gut in line with any antibiotic. Probiotics, yogurt, kefir, kombucha all help to do that.

My most concerning side effect with this drug is the pretty much constant stabbing and sometimes achy crampy pain all over my body, mostly in my lower abdomen but in legs, arms, and neck. I haven't seen this side-effect so far with other people. I also have insomnia, stomach cramps and bad taste in mouth.

I'm on day 1.5, 500MG Biaxin. I've been prescribed this medication for Bronchitis and a sinus infection. I just took my 3rd pill and I feel just fine, I was having some heat type fever flashed just before taking the 3rd pill but it's gone away. I've had some pains in my stomach which turned out to be a my body getting rid of the infection....spent a few minutes on the toilet but seem to be better now. The taste in my mouth is very bad, I woke up in the middle of the night with a watering mouth as if i was going to throw up but seem to be good as of now. I'm feeling better thus far.

I had a great experience with Biaxin. I have chronic fatigue syndrome...took Biaxin for a skin infection...the skin cleared quickly. The only side effect was that I actually slept incredibly well for the first time in years!

I had been diagnosed with strep throat, i could see a lot of white spots covering my tonsils and it was hard to swallow. Doctor said rapid strep test came back weak positive but that he would still give me antibiotic. I've been on Biaxin for 3 days now. I never have heartburn, but i am experiencing it now. Diarrhea. Dry sore throat making it hard to swallow. A ton of pressure in my ears. Also, i woke up this morning and my heart was racing a mile a minute and it felt like someone was sitting on my chest making it hard to breathe. I thought i was just being stupid to look on the internet to see if an antibiotic could cause these kind of side effects. This is ridiculous!! You feel bad and have an infection, go to the doctor to get an antibiotic and then you end up feeling even crappier!!!

To start off i'm a 16 year old male, I had a very bad sinus infection that crept up on me. I left school at 10:00 AM and went to the doctor, she prescribed Biaxin 10 days 500mg a day I took the pill around 12:30 after eating some soup. The first day I took this medication was not "horrible" I was still feverish from the sinus infection and was just generally not feeling well...

By day 2 I was starting to feel not as great about it, I experienced for the first time the "horrible taste" that everyone else seems to experience, and quite frankly it sucked. All day any food I ate would burn through me within a half an hour of eating, I had to use the bathroom constantly and my stomach would hurt between trips. My sinus infection was beginning to clear up at this point, but I just didn't feel like myself, I attributed it to being sick. I went to bed and woke up several times throughout the night, in between I had very vivid dreams, fortunately they were not nightmares.

Day 3 I began to get all teary eyed for no reason, I don't remember the last time I cried so this was kind of confusing to me, I woke up very dehydrated and realized my bed was soaked through with sweat, I still didn't feel like myself and began to research the side effects of Biaxin. My stomach settled for the most part but I had those other symptoms to deal with.

Day 4 I felt normal for the most part, at points in the day I would get extreme vertigo, nausea, stomach pain, intense sweating at odd periods and once again the tearing eyes came back. Got a bad nosebleed during the day, but that was because I was blowing my nose so much. I told my mom that I wanted to stop taking it and she said I still had to (I was on a 10 day pack)

Day 5 Nausea, more extreme sense of vertigo, did not feel like myself, felt dazed and confused, sinus infection has degenerated into a cold, but the cold isn't budging. Stress of life is getting to me a lot more than usual

Day 6 I am really stressed, I keep getting nauseous, cant think straight, constant headaches, dehydration no matter how much water I drink, food goes right through me, overall it's a bad scene, tearing eyes have stopped however, more depressed than usual, later that evening (I took the meds on a full stomach) after I ate dinner I was sitting in bed finishing a paper for school when I was hit by a bout of vertigo and nausea so bad that I couldn't even get to the toilet before I began throwing up, this throwing up opened my nose bleed again so it became difficult to clean up... I told my mom I was done taking the medication at this point.

In review, my taste is severely altered, food doesn't taste as it should, I'm still dizzy (on day 8 now but not taking it anymore) still headache and the vertigo is finally starting to fade. I lost almost an entire week of work at school because I was unable to retain the information in class (im normally a good student).... totally screwed totally stressed and the Biaxin is just making the stress harder to handle... I'd give it a 0 out of 5...

Any questions shoot me an email at - ******

I was prescribed both Biaxin XL and Tussionex for acute bronchitis. At fist, the side effects were quite mild...drowsiness, "medicine head", some dizziness, however, as the treatment progressed, the side effects became much more severe...heavy sweating at night, insomnia, increased anxiety, depression. I thought I was losing my mind! I have a history of mild anxiety (one anxiety attack in my life due to being sleep deprived for 48 hours), however, during the course of this treatment, it seemed that I had experienced at least 4 or 5 panic/anxiety attacks at precisely the same time every day??? I have never been exposed to either hydrocodone nor a macrolide antibiotic, and have never experienced "mental" side effects from meds in my life.

Has anyone had further testing...allergy testing, blood work? I am going to be talking to my family physician soon, and really want answers. This experience scared the life out of me! Please let me know if anyone has had any viable answers for their ordeals.

my son took biaxin for five days starting about 10 days ago we thought he was schizophrenic till we read about this stuff he seems to be getting better but we will have to see he was hearing voices by his head and scared him he babbles about very weird thoughts all night cant sleep 17 years old his face looks different during episodes he was typing very weird stuff on messenger said he cant stop they make him type very scary drug if your doctor prescribes it run sceaming to another doctor

I was recently on Biaxin for Bronchial infection. I have never felt so bad in my life. I was taking a med to get better and began to feel worse. My Whole body was severely sore to the touch. It hurt to even be hugged. I felt upset all the time and extremely irritable. I honestly thought something was seriously wrong with me. I called the Dr. and she said to stop meds it was a side effect, and she told me to drink as much water as possible to flush meds out of system. Was told in 24 hours I should feel better. Horrible experience do not recommend Biaxin.

I was glad to read this, I thought I was crazy. Been taking Biaxin for 3 days for a bad sinus/throat infection, BP today went up to 130/100, took my blood pressure meds (which I had been able to stop taking several months ago) but it just went up on the top to 150/98. My heart is racing and I'm so tired but can't sleep. Severe metallic taste in my mouth. Skin is burning, temperature is 100 and profuse sweating as mentioned above...I'm calling the Dr. now to get something else. Does anyone know how long it takes to get this out of your system?

I went to an on-campus health center and was prescribed Biaxin for a sinus infection. I had never taken it before, but the doctor said that it was the best thing because I might be immune to other antibiotics. That made no sense to me, but I didn't really question it. I just wanted the infection cleared, so I ran to the pharmacy as soon as possible and got the medicine.

First day: Took Biaxin at 9 in the morning. In a hurry, I read the directions wrong and only took one pill. I did fine until 3 pm, when I read the directions and took another pill. I didn't notice any side effects, and nothing really happened. My boyfriend was complaining that I was being irritable though, which I hardly ever am, but I didn't really pay attention to him. I had some stomach pains, which really hurt, but I didn't mark them off as being caused by Biaxin.

Second day (yesterday): Took Biaxin at 9 am, 2 pills this time. I was unable to concentrate all day, but I thought it was probably just the congested head and stuffiness. I went to bed around 12, and could not fall asleep. I was having racing thoughts about stuff that wasn't even real... I felt like I was in another world, like I was a different person. I finally fell asleep around 1, but I kept waking up. I woke up at 3:30 am today, and that's when the real ridiculousness started. I seriously just started crying my eyes out for no reason at all. I am not at all an emotional person. I rarely cry, even when something typically cry-worthy happens. This spell went on for over an hour. I had no idea what was going on, so I looked up "Biaxin depression" on Google, and sure enough there are tons of cases of this happening. How is this drug still on the market?!?!

I was feeling totally out of it, but I had enough coherence to head to the emergency room. I was crying my brains out while walking across campus to my car. For some reason I called my boyfriend, thinking that was smart. I couldn't even talk to him because I was crying so much. He was really confused I'm sure. I got to the ER around 5 am. I couldn't even talk to the receptionist without crying. I don't think I was even understandable. She felt really bad for me though, and when I couldn't find my health insurance card, she said not to worry about it. I only had to pay a ten dollar copay. I was the only patient there, so I got in right away. The doctor was really surprised when I told him about the Biaxin/depression ordeal, so he randomly pulled out his iPhone and looked it up. Weird, but hey... whatever. So he started talking all of this medical stuff, and was really amazed when I knew the name of the bacteria that Biaxin was supposed to kill that I had (plus of looking things up online). He didn't really question anything, probably because I was sobbing randomly... He gave me a prescription for my Augmentin, so maybe that won't be as horrible as this awful Biaxin. Doctors need to know about these very serious side effects. I went to Walgreen's to get my prescription filled, but the system was down, and they couldn't do anything. So, of course I started crying again. I didn't lash out on anyone. I just started flowing randomly. I am still crying at strange intervals...

So, I hope this was long enough to get my point across. Anyone who is prescribed Biaxin, please be aware of the depression you may face, and the severe stomach aches. I have never had any reaction to an antibiotic before, and I have definitely taken my fair share of them. Nothing like this has ever happened. Please take with caution.

Also, google Biaxin Heart Attack, Biaxin Anxiety. You will see the countless others who are having the same reactions that we have all had. I was unfortunate enough to have practically every reaction on the insert. My body has never been the same and I still worry about my heart, but the mental effects were debilitating. Here I am two years later and I can't believe how this drug nearly destroyed my life. The countless medical bills - we also had to relocate and lost everything so my husband could move me next to family to help in my recovery. I wish someone would take my case...

I saw an elderly ENT who prescribed Biaxin XL 1000mg/once per day for a severe sinus infection of the ethmoid, maxillay and frontal sinuses. I was not getting any better, in fact I was getting worse. I decided to go for a second opinion and learned that Biaxin is not as wide spectrum of an antibiotic as Augmentin is for sinus infections. The key strains of bacteria are not being obliterated from the Biaxin. MDs who prescribe Biaxin are not staying on top of current literature as Biaxin was commonly prescribed in the 1980s and 1990s.

My incredible side effects to Biaxin XL (including not wiping out the bacteria) include: lingering bad bitter taste, night sweats, insomnia, extreme stomach cramping, constant stomach churning (which kept me up at night), terrible diarrhea, nausea. The only plus side is that was more mentally alert.

If your doctor prescribes Biaxin for sinusitis, leave that doctor immediately and seek help from another practitioner who is more current on medications of choice for treatment.

This is my second day on Biaxin for pneumonia. It is horrible. I hate taking it. The taste in my mouth is horrible. The worst thing is not being able to sleep. I feel like I have taken an upper or something. My eyes won't shut and I watch the hours pass by. I don't feel tired at all and I know my body needs to rest to get better. The other thing that was really bad was the for about two hours after taking it I will sweat and feel hot and then I get the chills. It has happened with all four pills I have taken.

I took biaxin for 10 days in early June for a sinus infection. The side effects I noticed at the time were the yucky taste in my mouth and extreme fatigue. However, I also lost my sense of smell. It's been almost two months, and now I can smell some things, like ground coffee or ammonia, but not the more subtle scents, like flowers, light cologne, etc. At the time I was taking the drug, I discovered I couldn't smell vinegar; now I can smell it faintly. I visited my nurse practitioner yesterday, and she thought it might be a residual effect of the biaxin, but didn't find anything about loss of smell as a side effect. She advised me to wait one more month, and if the sense of smell hasn't returned by then she'll refer me to an ENT specialist. I'm just wondering if anybody else has noticed a loss or change in their sense of smell. (Smell and taste are closely related, so it's logical that it could be a result of the biaxin, since I experienced the yucky taste that so many people complain about.)

I have had a chronic dry cough for the past 5 years. Now they are saying I have whooping cough. I have been taking Clarithromyn ER TB 500 mg. the generic for Biaxin XL 500 mg. Last night I had to go to the ER. I felt like I was having a heart attack. I could not catch my breath, my left arm was tingling, kind of going numb. Also felt like I might pass out. On the way to the ER I was trembling, and very jittery. I felt very STRANGE!!!!!! The ER said it was just a panic attack. I have never had panic attacks!!! The past few day I have been telling my co-workers how I felt like my throat was closing up. I am calling the doctor today to see about not finishing my last 4 days of the medicine. I am glad I found this site to see that other people have experienced the same symptoms and I am not going crazy.

Soon after going on Biaxin for an upper respiratory infection, along with Sudafed, I was having SEVERE dreams (normally don't know about my dreams), bordering on Halucinations, then even waking state effects of seemingly startling consequences impending doom or distorted reality... never happened with Sudafed... so either combination or Biaxin

Augmentin caused severe retching, vomiting, not being able to swallow the Augmentin, feeling it was stuck half way down my throat, and then after five days vomiting up the Augmentin plus food taken with it. Have finished course 3 days ago but still feeling nauseous, with a bitter taste in my mouth.

Have pneumonia currently and given generic Biaxin for 10 days. I am only on the second day, but I do currently have a headache (rarely ever get headaches normally). Also, this taste in my mouth is awful, but I can tolerate that alright. I do already feel a measurable difference in the infection in my lungs already so that is good. I am not depressed or anything else (yet). I had a nightmare about an oversize centipede on my bedroom wall. I was convinced it was there. I turned the light on, looking for this thing that in reality, was not there at all. My stomach is fine as I take 4 or 5 probiotics every time I have take a Biaxin tablet. I am also on Prednisone.