Sulfamethoxazole and acne

I have struggled with very resistant acne for about four years and was prescribed sulfamethoxazole about 5 months ago. I couldn't be happier with the results. The sulfameth combined with Differin (a topical cream) have made my face clearer than it has ever been. I haven't even found that I am more sensitive to sunburn, although my skin is darker and I never usually burn to begin with.

Was prescribed Sulfameth/Trimethoprim for acne when erythromycin and doxycycline were not enough. Dermatologist simply asked "Is there anything that are you allergic to?" I said, "Not that I know of." Took it well for first six days. Looking back, I felt probably the most lethargic during this time, at a job that I loved the most. On the 7th day, after having a great time with the new love in my life, I noticed a heaviness, tingling, and warmness affecting my legs. Went into work feeling too warm. Left about 20 mins in. Had incredibly bad fever this night. Went home, took another Sulfa/Trimeth pill (hadn't linked the problem). Woke up about two hours later, worse than ever. Flu like symptoms, blurred vision, couldn't sleep, and red rash developing over body. Took next night off of work. Went into emergency room with a panic attack and left side of body numb. Docs didn't know what it was. Blood pressure: 159/100 Temperature: 104 F Rapid heart beat. Completely dehydrated. Fever continued ... released same day and told to take Tylenol for fever. Stayed off sulfa/trimeth for two days. Got much better. Just took it tonight (foolishly) then found this page. Now realized that my body has been rejecting this drug. Currently itchy and cannot sleep. Took vicodin and ibuprofen - no effect to counter this drug. Must wait for it to leave the system. Will contact dermatologist in the morning about my allergic reaction to sulfa. Also experienced severe depression on this medication.

I was given this for acne and about one week into it I started having body aches. I read that it is a side effect so I thought I'd just Motrin it up. I was not sleeping, but I thought it was because of my body aches so I took some Tylenol pm for a couple nights. I ended up with itchy hives because I'm allergic to benadryl and I did not know that Tylenol pm contained benadryl. So my doctor told me it was the allergic reaction to the benadryl and to keep taking the sulfameth. I feel worse today and I will not take another sulfer pill. Everything on my body hurts! I'm shakey and disoriented. Tomorrow is thanksgiving, my husband is away in the service, and it's up to me to make it a great holiday for my kids. I will NOT be taking this medication (or Tylenol pm) again.

My daughter was prescribed Bactrim for acne, after taking it for a3 month
period, she experienced changes that I can only describe as life changing.
From an A student at school who has always been so happy and vibrant,
to someone I didn't know. She suffered from depression, anxiety, irrational thoughts, sleeplessness, loss of appetite, headaches, the list goes on and on. Since stopping the medication she has had good days and bad days, I pray for the day she will return to her beautiful self and not be tormented by this horrible drug. If just one person reads this and thinks twice about taking
this drug, it will have been worth it.

I have been on Sulfameth for years. I took it for acne for about 3 years with out a single side effect other than being slightly more sensitive to light. My dermatologist switched me to a different acne medicine (accutane) after the three years but I went on Sulfameth again a few years later for a bladder infection and it cleared it right up with out any problems. I am back on Sulfameth again for acne and it has worked wonderfully for me with out any problems! I think it's a very helpful drug.

I have had a horrible reaction to Sulfameth. At first, it was effective in treating my acne, but on the 5th day, I began to get severe headaches, stomach pain (which I now realize was the pain caused by water retention), and a rash began to develop. I lowered to dose to 800 mg/day at the suggestion of my dermatologist, and now the rash covers my body and my face is bright red and itches like crazy (I want to reach for some sandpaper). I don't know why this drug is on the market, because I have heard from friends people often react to Sulfameth and similar drugs.

I've had similar reactions to the medications as the people below. Sulfameth 800/160 was prescribed to me because of a cyst (acne) the of a nickel appeared on my cheek. Although the bacteria is slowly dieing, I've been extremely exhausted, unable to fully focus, light headed, some dizzy spells, some lost of appetite, but I make sure to eat before taking the medication. Ive also been feeling some back pain and tension.

I was put on sulfameth for two weeks due to my acne; one pill twice a day. Yesterday, my 13th day, I woke up with sore joints. I didn't think anything about it, though I'd had a soreness in my joints for a while now, because I work out a lot. This morning though, I woke up with all my joints SCREAMING! Ankles, knees (especially), wrists, elbows, and neck. My knees, elbows, and wrists were the worst though. It eventually fades as the day progresses, but never goes completely away.

I started taking sulfameth/trimethoprim for my acne nearly two weeks ago twice a day. Two days ago I started feeling what I thought were growing pains in both my legs. The pain slowly made its way both down and back up the legs. The next day I looked down at noon and these red dots had appeared all over my body. I've had a loss of appetite and the red dots have a mild iche to them. I also had a very very bad migrane for the rest of that day. Today I woke up and I am complety covered in red dots. My face is red, but not really dots, it feels more like a mild sunburn.

I was perscribed Sulfameth for my acne, but for weeks I kept getting heartburn and didnt know why. Yesterday, my heartburn got so bad it didnt go away, in fact i am still in a lot of pain and my back hurts terribly. My face is also swollen, as are my lips and my eyes. It honestly has helped my acne, but it is not worth this much pain.

I took this for about three weeks for acne. On the day the side effects started, it started with a back ache. Then the next day my hands and feet started itching like CRAZY. I didn't connect this with the sulfameth though. I started taking Benedryl to get relief from the itching. Two days after going mad from itching my hands and feet, I started getting chills and nausea, and I started itching all over my body. This got worse throughout the day, until at night I went to an urgent care clinic. The doctor there immediately said it was from the sulfameth. He gave me a shot to help with the symptoms. That did help with the nausea and chills, but the itching stayed with me for THREE WEEKS. My dermatologist gave me a prescription-strength antihistimine, but even though the sulfameth was no longer in my system, she said I could continue to react for weeks! I'm better now but am completely horrified by this drug.

I took this for about three weeks for acne. I didn't have any problems for THREE weeks, then one day my back started aching. Then the next my hands and feet started itching. I didn't connect this with the sulfameth, until day four when, along with the muscle aches and itching, I had nausea and chills so bad I went to an urgent care clinic scared out of my mind. The doctor there said it was the sulfameth, and gave me a shot of something to stop the nausea and chills. That was a week and a half ago, and I still have the itching reaction. There's no visible rash--just insane itching. The urgent care doctor told me to take Benedryl, which I did to no avail. After a week, when it was clear the itching wasn't going to go away, I finally called my dermatologist who prescribed a prescription-strength anti-histimine. That helps to some degree, but the itching is still there, and my derm. said I could expect it to last for "a few weeks" despite the sulfameth not being in my system anymore!! I felt better after finding this site, knowing that I wasn't crazy, but I'm still angry about being prescribed this. Also-I had no appetite, but that is starting to come back slowly.

i have had no side effects like the previous mentioned. I take it for acne and it has helped. I also don't drink and smoke and excercise regularly, not that this makes a difference. I have only had light sensitivity.

both my brother and i have been taking sulfameth for almost a year for our acne. it works great and the only side effects we experince are slight fatigue and dry mouth.

My 16 yr old started taking Sulfameth for acne, by the 2nd day she was extremly nervous, sick to her stomach, had a slight fever, headache, and was very shaky. By the 4th day she had gained almost 8lbs and started hallucinating!! on top of all the other problems. When we put two and two together and realized it might be the medication and not the flu we took her off it immediately. She is now back to normal after being off it about 5 days.

This is scary stuff!!!

I was using it for acne. I'd been on it about two weeks when I started having sudden high fever and extreme lethary. (Like if I didn't lay down, I'd fall down). I'd hit the bed for several hours, and wake up feeling improved. Then I'd go through the same thing later that night; fever back up and horrific fatigue. I kept thinking I was coming down with something and even remarked that I was glad I was "already on an antibiotic." Then realized my fevers were shortly after my dose. Nurse said "no, that wouldn't do it. I took one more dose to "see" and in addition to the fever going up, that time my lips swelled and itched. Spoke with the Dr. and he said NEVER to use a sulfa med again, as the next reaction could be quite dangerous.

Was perscribed this by a dermitoligist for minor acne, and have had more self doubt and uneasiness with daily tasks like coping with small discrepincies at work. It's almost a depressing feeling that has come over me, with very much inability to deal with stress. Not sure if I will continue this med

I took this drug for severe UTI's when I was a child and it seemed to be the only thing that worked. I was having trouble again and told my urologist this so he gave me the RX. It is a bit slower to get rid of the infection, but it works. I had the pleasant side effect of a reduction in acne.

I was prescribed Sulfameth/Trimethoprim 800/160 Tabs a little over a year ago for acne. Not long afterwards started getting bad headaches and dizziness spells, occasionally strong enough to cause vomiting and be temporarily debilitating, resembling vertigo-like symptoms. Began having very vivid dreams/nightmares and waking up exhausted from not getting any rest because of it. Then I started having major post-nasal drip and getting bad sinus/throat infections, a few of which were positively diagnosed as strep. One of the throat infections was bad enough to cause an abscess on my left tonsil which ruptured, causing me to have to go to the ER and get 5 stiches in my throat. At 3 am. Throughout this entire time I kept asking my doctors (dermatologist AND primary physician) if this drug could be causing any of this, they told me basically that it was impossible and even the suggestion of such a thing was ridiculous. I finally took it upon myself and discontinued the use of the drug when I started getting yet another sinus infection, and it cleared up on its own within a day or two, at which time I went back on the meds just for argument's sake if nothing else. Of course, the same symptoms eventually returned and I again stopped taking the meds, and again everything cleared right up. I repeated this process probably 4 or 5 times just to verify and every time was pretty much the exact same sequence of events. I began taking 1/2 the original dosage by breaking the big horse tabs in half and have been doing so ever since with no probs but great results as far as no acne.

Sorry for the long post but felt this could help a lot of people out there with similar situations. The moral of the story? Never doubt yourself and NEVER completely trust your doctors- they are just tools of the drug industry.