Bactrim for UTI... side effects?

ergvepeog · 05-02-2006, 04:21 PM

OK here's the scoop...

My hubby has had a recent UTI (with blood in urine). His PCP started him on Levaquin before the culture and sensitivity was back. Now they want to switch him to Bactrim...

Anybody have any experience taking Bactrim? The urine is pretty darn clear on the Levaquin but the doc says Bactrim is more sensitive to the organism. What organisms does Bactrim treat?

Any help would be appreciated.

Sieg
wife/caregiver to Don T11 complete

Broknwing · 05-02-2006, 04:26 PM

Sieg-
Bactrum is what I usually take for my UTIs, it works well and I rarely have any side effects. I wouldn't worry, it's a common drug for UTIs.
As a matter of fact, my Uro has given me a standing script for it so that I don't have to call him every time I start to get one. I believe it's a broad spectrum anti-biotic. If the Bactrum DOESN'T kill the bug, then I get a C&S for a different/stronger anti-biotic, but the Bactrum usually does the job...

noryn · 05-02-2006, 05:01 PM

I dont know of any specific side effects that would differentiate Bactrim and other antibiotics. I would say nausea and vomiting would be the most common side effects along with diarrhea or overgrowth of yeast, etc.

Bactrim treats a wide variety of infections but the most common I think is Staph.

carbar · 05-02-2006, 05:13 PM

I have taken Bactrim for a UTI - I think for the E-Coli bacteria. Didn't have any side effects apart from it making me feel a bit more tired than usual, and perhaps less of an appetite.

SCI-Nurse · 05-02-2006, 06:11 PM

Bactrim (Septra) is one of the most commonly used drugs for uncomplicated UTI. It sounds like your physician did just the right thing....collect a urine for C&S, start an antibiotic (levaquin) for UTI based on symptoms, but then change to the correct medication once the results of the C&S were received (48-72 hours). Only the C&S results can tell you if any given antibiotic is best for the bugs in your urine.

You can read about Bactrim here:

http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/trisulf.htm

(KLD)

ButtMonkey · 05-02-2006, 06:49 PM

Make sure he's not allergic to sulfa. When I was in the hospital my Dr gave me Bactrim because I didn't know that I was allergic to sulfa.... it nearly freakin killed me; it made me break out in hives everywhere inculding my sinuses which caused them to hemmorage and I was bleeding thru my nose and mouth and throwing up huge blood clots for about 4 hours. The dr.s were ready to give me a blood transfusion when I finally stopped.
So make sure hes not allergic to sulfa first.... not to scare you or anything!

SCI-Nurse · 05-02-2006, 07:14 PM

Allergy to sulfa is definately a contraindication for taking this medication. If you have any allegies, you need to be sure that both your physician and pharmacist are aware of what they are prior to taking any new medications. Of course you can develop an allergy later or be unaware that you are allergic to any medication until you have a bad reaction.

(KLD)

ergvepeog · 05-02-2006, 08:25 PM

Don is not allergic to sulfa as far as I know. Thanks to everybody for all your replies... it is greatly appreciated!

Sieg

JGNI · 05-02-2006, 09:10 PM

People will more often develop skin reactions on old sulfa antibiotics like Bactrim, but it is mostly well tolerated. Sometimes doctors will unnecessarily switch to another antibiotic because of sensitivity results of culture forgetting that those results don't reflect the level that an antibiotic will reach in the bladder if it tends to concentrate itself in the urine when eliminated (could be the case with your husband since urine was clearing on Levaquin). By the way, it is the organism that is sensitive or not to the antibiotic and not the reverse. There is no such thing as a "strong" antibiotic compared to "weak" antibiotics, there are only antibiotics that can or cannot do the job according to the type of bacteria and the possible resistance.

jennb32404 · 05-03-2006, 01:48 AM

Photosensitivity is also a common side effect of Bactrim/Septra.

05-02-2006, 04:21 PM	#1
ergvepeog Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 426	Bactrim for UTI... side effects? OK here's the scoop... My hubby has had a recent UTI (with blood in urine). His PCP started him on Levaquin before the culture and sensitivity was back. Now they want to switch him to Bactrim... Anybody have any experience taking Bactrim? The urine is pretty darn clear on the Levaquin but the doc says Bactrim is more sensitive to the organism. What organisms does Bactrim treat? Any help would be appreciated. Sieg wife/caregiver to Don T11 complete

05-02-2006, 04:26 PM	#2
Broknwing Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Central Florida Posts: 4,603	Sieg- Bactrum is what I usually take for my UTIs, it works well and I rarely have any side effects. I wouldn't worry, it's a common drug for UTIs. As a matter of fact, my Uro has given me a standing script for it so that I don't have to call him every time I start to get one. I believe it's a broad spectrum anti-biotic. If the Bactrum DOESN'T kill the bug, then I get a C&S for a different/stronger anti-biotic, but the Bactrum usually does the job... __________________ 'Chelle L-1 inc 11/24/03 "My Give-a-Damn's Busted"......

05-02-2006, 06:49 PM	#6
ButtMonkey Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: California Posts: 472	Make sure he's not allergic to sulfa. When I was in the hospital my Dr gave me Bactrim because I didn't know that I was allergic to sulfa.... it nearly freakin killed me; it made me break out in hives everywhere inculding my sinuses which caused them to hemmorage and I was bleeding thru my nose and mouth and throwing up huge blood clots for about 4 hours. The dr.s were ready to give me a blood transfusion when I finally stopped. So make sure hes not allergic to sulfa first.... not to scare you or anything! __________________ Don't think of yourself as an ugly person, just a beautiful monkey. Always remember: if the world didn't suck, we'd all fall off.

05-02-2006, 09:10 PM	#9
JGNI Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 835	People will more often develop skin reactions on old sulfa antibiotics like Bactrim, but it is mostly well tolerated. Sometimes doctors will unnecessarily switch to another antibiotic because of sensitivity results of culture forgetting that those results don't reflect the level that an antibiotic will reach in the bladder if it tends to concentrate itself in the urine when eliminated (could be the case with your husband since urine was clearing on Levaquin). By the way, it is the organism that is sensitive or not to the antibiotic and not the reverse. There is no such thing as a "strong" antibiotic compared to "weak" antibiotics, there are only antibiotics that can or cannot do the job according to the type of bacteria and the possible resistance. __________________ C6 Pharmacist

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05-02-2006, 05:01 PM	#3
noryn Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 307	I dont know of any specific side effects that would differentiate Bactrim and other antibiotics. I would say nausea and vomiting would be the most common side effects along with diarrhea or overgrowth of yeast, etc. Bactrim treats a wide variety of infections but the most common I think is Staph.

05-02-2006, 05:13 PM	#4
carbar Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: France Posts: 2,302	I have taken Bactrim for a UTI - I think for the E-Coli bacteria. Didn't have any side effects apart from it making me feel a bit more tired than usual, and perhaps less of an appetite.

05-02-2006, 06:11 PM	#5
SCI-Nurse Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: USA Posts: 29,453	Bactrim (Septra) is one of the most commonly used drugs for uncomplicated UTI. It sounds like your physician did just the right thing....collect a urine for C&S, start an antibiotic (levaquin) for UTI based on symptoms, but then change to the correct medication once the results of the C&S were received (48-72 hours). Only the C&S results can tell you if any given antibiotic is best for the bugs in your urine. You can read about Bactrim here: http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/trisulf.htm (KLD)

05-02-2006, 07:14 PM	#7
SCI-Nurse Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: USA Posts: 29,453	Allergy to sulfa is definately a contraindication for taking this medication. If you have any allegies, you need to be sure that both your physician and pharmacist are aware of what they are prior to taking any new medications. Of course you can develop an allergy later or be unaware that you are allergic to any medication until you have a bad reaction. (KLD)

05-02-2006, 08:25 PM	#8
ergvepeog Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 426	Don is not allergic to sulfa as far as I know. Thanks to everybody for all your replies... it is greatly appreciated! Sieg

05-03-2006, 01:48 AM	#10
jennb32404 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: NC Posts: 1	Photosensitivity is also a common side effect of Bactrim/Septra.

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