Brand Name: Bactrim

Precautions while taking BACTRIM?

• Prescribing BACTRIM in the absence of a proven or strongly suspected bacterial infection or a prophylactic indication is unlikely to provide benefit to the patient and increases the risk of the development of drug-resistant bacteria.
• The possibility of infections with mycotic or bacterial pathogens should be kept in mind during therapy of BACTRIM. If infections occur, BACTRIM should be discontinued and appropriate therapy instituted.
• BACTRIM should be given with special care to the elderly patients. Lower doses of BACTRIM are advised to the elderly patients.
• Please don’t take BACTRIM if you are suffering from the anemia caused by folic acid deficiency.
• Avoid BACTRIM if you have ever had an allergic reaction to BACTRIM or any other antibiotics like penicillin, oxacillin, or dicloxacillin. Please take the doctor’s advice regarding the intake of BACTRIM, if you have faced some allergic reactions of Trimethoprim and Sulfamethoxazole in past.
• Please tell to your doctor before starting the dosage of BACTRIM if you have a glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD deficiency).
• Please consult your doctor regarding the dosage of BACTRIM, if you are suffering or previously had suffered from a bleeding or blood clotting disorder, asthma, diarrhea caused by taking antibiotics, kidney disease, AIDS, or liver disease.
• BACTRIM is the FDA pregnancy category C. It means that if pregnant women take BACTRIM, it will harm to the unborn baby. Intake of BACTRIM should be strictly avoided during the last 3 months of pregnancy because intake of BACTRIM may result into birth defects. BACTRIM can be taken during the pregnancy if and only if doctor prescribes it for you.
• Breast-feeding women should avoid the intake of BACTRIM because it can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. The choice should be made by the mother whether to stop the dosage of BACTRIM or to continue breast feeding the child.
• BACTRIM should not be given to the child below the age of 2 months.
• BACTRIM may cause diarrhea that is the sign of new infection. Please inform your doctor if you get bloody or tarry stools after taking BACTRIM.
• BACTRIM may make your skin more sensitive to sun burns. Use protective sunscreen lotions and wear protective clothing when you go out in sun.

Do need to avoid anything while consuming BACTRIM?

• When taking BACTRIM avoid driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardous activities. BACTRIM may cause dizziness or drowsiness.
• If you experience dizziness or drowsiness due to BACTRIM, avoid these activities.
• Avoid the intake of alcohol while taking BACTRIM because it can increase the side effects like drowsiness and dizziness.

How BACTRIM is supplied?

• BACTRIM is available in the form of tablets in the market.
• One tablet of BACTRIM contains the 80 mg Trimethoprim and 400 mg Sulfamethoxazole.
• BACTRIM is also available in the form of double strength tablets that contain 160 mg Trimethoprim and 800 mg Sulfamethoxazole.

Storage of BACTRIM:

• Store BACTRIM at room temperature between 59 and 86 degrees F (between 15 and 30 degrees C).
• Dust-free environment is necessary fro the storage of BACTRIM.
• Keep BACTRIM away from light and moisture.
• Do not store BACTRIM neat the kitchen sinks and in the bathroom.
• Store BACTRIM in the air-tight container.
• Do not refrigerate the BACTRIM tablets or syrup.
• Keep BACTRIM away from children

Warnings:

• If the symptoms do not get better within a few days or if they become worse after taking BACTRIM for long period, check with your doctor.
• BACTRIM has not been approved for use by children younger than 2 months.
• Pregnant and breast-feeding women should avoid the intake of BACTRIM.
• Don’t take BACTRIM for the more duration than the period given by the doctor because it may cause severe health problems.

BACTRIM side effects:
If you go through any of following serious side effects of BACTRIM, stop taking BACTRIM and seek emergency medical attention:

• Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath after taking BACTRIM
• Dizziness may result due to BACTRIM
• Your heartbeat might get fatter due to BACTRIM.
• Convulsions or hives are caused by BACTRIM
• You may have difficulty in urinating due to BACTRIM

Other side effects of BACTRIM, but less serious, may be more likely to occur. Continue to take BACTRIM and talk to your doctor if you experience

• BACTRIM may cause nausea, stomach pain, loss of appetite, itching, dark urine, clay-colored stools, or jaundice.
• Headache problems
• Your throat may get sore due to BACTRIM.
• Muscle aches is experienced some times due to BACTRIM
• You would get tired, may be because of BACTRIM.
• Ringing in your ears and sleep problems because of BACTRIM.
• And some time you might feel your stomach is worse due to BACTRIM

These BACTRIM side effects are seen during the initial dosage and were temporary. BACTRIM side effects other than those listed here may also occur.

Drugs that will affect BACTRIM:

• BACTRIM when taken in combination with seizure medication such as phenytoin (Dilantin) may decrease the effect of the medicine and you may face the problem of seizures.
• BACTRIM when taken with diuretic (water pill) may reduce the effect of the BACTRIM and you may found the infecting bacteria growing again.
• Avoid the intake of a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin) or methotrexate (Trexall, Rheumatrex) with BACTRIM because it can lead to severe health hazards.
• An ACE inhibitor such as benazepril (Lotensin), trandolapril (Mavik), captopril (Capoten), moexipril (Univasc),fosinopril (Monopril), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), or perindopril (Aceon) when taken while on dosage of BACTRIM can lead to the delay in the treatment of bacterial infections