AVOID Trimethoprim - Causing Nausea, Burning Skin, Sleeplessness

My wife ( in her 60's) went to the NHS GP with cystitis and after a urine test, was prescribed Trimethoprim. Less than twenty four hours later she started to experience abdominal and back pain. She persisted with the Trimethoprim but the pain intensified.She said she had never felt so ill in her life and her skin was fiercely hot.We called NHS Direct and they questioned whether my wife had been to the gym, advised to drink plenty of water and to drink a particular fruit juice. She drank the juice and was almost immediately sick. Then, to help matters,the battery failed on my newly purchased thermometer.Later on Sunday night she felt really bad, couldn't sleep, couldn't drink , her body felt it was on fire and felt sick all the time. We then read the Trimethoprim leaflet that said these tablets should not be taken if there is a kidney complaint.I was on the verge of taking her diet to A&E at three o'clock in the morning.

First thing on Monday morning I got her to the surgery again and in spite of telling he receptionist how urgent the situation had become, we had to wait one and a half hours before having a consultation with ( another) doctor. By now the full urine analysis indicated a kidney disease against which Trimethoprim was ineffective and was given an alternative antibiotic - which (five days later) has now cleared the signs of the kidney problem. She has been ill for about two weeks, lost half a stone and can only eat small quantities of food - but at least she is eating again in small quantities.

After all this, I suggest the kidney infection developed very rapidly shortly after the first consultation and :cry: Trimethoprim failed to tackle that problem. Now the side effects of the Trimethoprim have only just subsided we realise that the constant nausea, burning skin, sleeplessness,

body aches were due to the Trimethoprim. Coupled with the kidney pain, it explains why she has never felt so ill in her life. We would never entertain taking Trimethoprim ever again.

Should you suffer the symptoms of cystitis, I would recommend the full nature and extent of the problem is diagnosed without a four day delay,

the correct antibiotic is taken, don't take the advice of NHS direct without a second opinion and avoid Trimethoprim.