Biaxin and bronchitis

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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.

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 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.

I was prescribed Biaxin 500 mg, for bronchitis, to be taken twice a day on 2/26/08. It is now 2/29/08 and I have not had relief from a massive headache which occurred within 2 hours of taking my first dose of Biaxin. And even worse, I still do not have any relief from my original illness. I have had bronchitis many times before and have always been prescribed Azithromycin, which cleared up my infection and I started feeling at least a bit of improvement within 24 hours. Along with the severe headache I am experiencing a bad taste in my mouth that won't go away, as well as sleeplessness, tremors and numbness in my extremities.

I was on a ten day course of Biaxin for Bronchitis. I also take Wellbutrin (150mg a day). No side effects until the eighth day of my course. I was in class, in the morning, and squatting down talking to a friend. As I got up, I was extremely dizzy (like a drunken dizzy) and seeing double (over/under).
Walked myself to the hospital (across the street), doc suspected a middle ear infection, and shot me up with Gravol, put me to rest for 2 hours. When I got up, I was still seeing double, metallic taste was there also. Got a ride home, and rested more. CT scanned that night with no conclusive evidence of any abnormality. Doc performed a variety of tests...made me walk an imaginary line (Like DUI test) and I kept stumbling to the left side. Had 9 vials of blood taken the next day, they suspect might be something wrong with my blood. Going for an MRI soon. Took 9th day of course, then found this site. Flushed the last days dose. I sure hope it was the Biaxin making me dizzy! Other than that horror, no other side effects.

I've been on Biaxin for bronchitis for 5 days now, and I've been noticing this DISGUSTING taste in my mouth. It never crossed my mind until about 5 minutes ago that it could be from this antibiotic and now I see that I'm not the only one. This taste is horrible !

I've been on Biaxin for bronchitis for four days now, following a trip to the ER for breathing problems. I thought it was allergies. The first two days weren't too bad except for the extreme thirst and not being able to sleep (and the gas). If I happened to go to sleep I would have weird dreams and wake up again. I don't know if was the Biaxin or the hydrocodone cough syrup. With the third day, I couldn't think straight and I couldn't remember words. Could be lack of sleep, I guess. Conversations were difficult. I felt spacey. At the same time, I felt like I was on fast-forward: hurry up, hurry up, gotta go, gotta go, gotta get it done, faster, faster! This is the fourth day. I'm still on fast-forward and still dizzy and spacey. My blood pressure is up and my heart rate is down. My pulse is 55. It's time for another dose, but I'm not taking it. In fact, I'm going off all my meds except the blood pressure pills in case it's a drug interaction that's not mentioned. I'll call my own doctor in the morning and talk to him. I trust him more than the anonymous ER doc.

I was prescribed the XL 1000 mg for bronchitis and sinus infection. I immediately did searches on this medicine before taking it because I hate taking meds. Well I read some of these and IT FREAKED ME OUT. I needless to say still took it but instead of taking it all at one time. I take it once in the morning and once at night. It is giving me headaches I am pretty sure but it could be the sinus too. It messes my stomach up too. It makes my mouth really dry for a while after taking it too. I have noticed a few heart palpitations too, but I am very prone to having them. I am supposed to take it for 10 days but I might just hand in there for 5 days with it. Reading these messages SCARE ME TO DEATH. Then of course I think that we are a few out of thousands that probably do fine on this medicine. I bet every drug gives certain people side affects?? I HATE BEING SICK. I wanted him to give me the Z pak but he said biaxin works better and more for a sinus infection than z pak.

I am on my 7th day of 500mg/once a day clarithromycin, prescribed to me for a sinus infection. On the third day, I read all of the below comments and had a mild panic attack fueled by paranoia. Once I came back to reality, and in touch with my body, I realized which, in fact, of the common side effects I have been experiencing. The most notable is sleeplessnes. I have been having very intense dreams which have been waking me up every 30 to 45 minutes; upon waking my mind is charged and rearing to go. This side effect was attended to by a prescription of Ambien, made to me for this specific incidence. The Ambien has helped, I am now getting a solid 5 hours of sleep, still intense dreams, but sleep. For someone who typically requires 8 -10 hours a night, I find this 5 hour deal amusing. I don't feel particularly tired as a result, although I admit it has only been a week - it could catch up with me. This brings me to the other most obvious side effect, which I can only describe as mania - ready to go go go, constantly up, alert, ambitious (for what, I am not sure). Again, for a groggy girl like me these are actually welcome side effects! Other than that, I am experiencing a small amount of gas, and a slight spacieness (lack of sleep? or just an effect?). For these I have found lots of yougurt, fresh foods, and fluids, all in small servings and at regular intervals, ie: every 1 1/2 - 2 hours, to be allievating. My infection seems to have cleared up, I have a small amount of clear drainage in the morning, no more facial tenderness, headaches, and obviously my sense of fatigue is gone. All in all, I must say I would take this antibiotic again, which is not how I usually feel after most antibiotics I have, as an adult, taken.

The most striking side-effect has been a VERY bitter taste in my mouth day and night (worst at night). It is exactly like bile (I know from morning sickness days!). I had a headache for the first 3 days on Biaxin, esp bad at night. I experienced hand tremors for the first few days as well for which I have no other explanation. I have had considerable intestinal gas and discomfort and on the 7th day of treatment acute stomach pain for a couple hours. But there has NOT been excessive diarrhea nor any obvious yeast infections. This was my greatest dread.
I am glad to say good-bye to this drug after 7 days of treatment. It did seem to take care of the low-grade fever associated with bronchitis. And my coughing is reduced though not gone yet. My throat/voice box area feel swollen at present. Not sure if this is the drug or the coughing.
Having said all that, I would cosider using Biaxin again, if only to avoid yeast infections!

I took a 7-day course of Biaxin and didn't notice anything during that time. Had bronchitis and got better. After the seven days my taste buds disappeared and I cannot taste. My entire mouth is sore, including tongue. My mouth and tongue feel like a very bad tongue burn. I have a lot of metal in my mouth because I have a partial plate and made mostly of metal in the roof of my mouth. So maybe the taste everyone talks about is a metallic taste. But I tell you this, it hurts. I'm just wondering if my taste will return. Has been like this from 7/01 and it is now 13 days later.

I am so glad that I looked at this site I was prescribed Biaxin XL for Bronchitis and only took it two days when I started experiencing stomache cramps, restlessness, and profuse sweating. I too had no interest in food and got really down in the dumps attitude wise. I have never had any reaction to any medication and so when I called my doctor after seeing this online he said that it was highly unlikley that it was the Biaxin causing this side effect and that he assumed my Bronchitis was just getting worse-I DO NOT THINK SO!!! I am now on a Z-Pack and am feeling much better but will now write this med down in all my medical documents that I am highly allergic to it since my own doctor didn't beleive that I could have those side effects. Thanks to everyone who posted.

Stomach discomfort (bloating), indigestion even after taking it with food, Heart racing, irritable, nervousness, headache, Thank god you all have written in. I found myself a little short of breath but come to find out that it is the biaxin. I think the bronchitis by itself would have gone away faster without the biaxin.

Vomiting, diarrhea, headache, bad taste in mouth, fatigue and dizzy. All of that after taking Biaxin XL for one day..... Hope it gets rid of my Bronchitis.

began talking biaxin for bronchitis. 500mg 2 times daily. 1st day pains in my stomach. 2nd day extreme fatigue walking across the room seemed overwhelming. by eve. very depressed.confused mind. night sweats, nightmares never felt this bad in my life. stopped taking on the 3rd day.after 24hrs still felt horrible. so I took activated chacoal 2 caps 2 times a day. By day 3 my mind felt like mine again and my energy is back.only problem is I'm not over the resp. infection but i will never take biaxin again.