Bactrim

International and World-Wide Usage of Bactrim

Bactrim is a drug that contains two antibiotics: sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim. When combined, these antibiotics serve as an effective treatment for bacterial infections on ear, bronchial tubes and urinary tract. It can also be used to treat traveler’s diarrhea.

The Bactrim is available in liquid suspension and tablet. Each tablet has 800 mg of sulfamethoxazole and 160 mg of trimethoprim. How many tablets you need to take will depend on your condition. It is best not to take the drug without a physician’s prescription.

For traveler’s diarrhea, the usual prescription is two tablets to be taken every 12 hours for only five days. You will need to take two tablets twice a day for a span of 10 days when trying to treat sinusitis. The prescribed period for treating bronchitis may be up to 14 days. The drug can also be used for mild urinary tract infections. The international usage is a tablet to be taken twice a day for only five days. The drug in tablet form is not to be prescribed to children. The liquid suspension is to be used instead.

The drug is most likely not to be prescribed to expectant mothers and even to those who are currently breastfeeding since it can be passed on to the child through the breast milk. In addition, it is best to tell your doctor of any plans to get pregnant. Your doctor should also be aware of your kidney disease, liver disease, high blood pressure, allergy to sulfa products, and other medicines that you are taking. Note that there are many drugs that could interact with Bactrim.

The drug is approved by Food and Drug Administration in most countries. However, the manufacturers are required to inform the public for possible side effects including diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. Itching and rashes may also occur especially to people who are allergic to sulfa products.

As a rule, you need to follow the prescription labels but some problems are inevitable such as missing the dose. For missing a dose, it is recommended that you take the drug as soon as possible, except when the time for the next dose is coming up. It is best to take the drug with a full glass of water. Stopping taking the drug earlier than prescribed is also discouraged even if the symptoms will usually subside two to three days after the first dose.

There are also many things that you should avoid when taking this drug. First, you should avoid driving as this drug can make you dizzy and drowsy. Second, you should also avoid operating machineries for the same reason you should avoid driving. Third, you must stay away from sun and artificial tanning equipment (i.e. tanning booth or tanning bed). If you are going out during the day, make sure to use sun protection to avoid sunburns. Lastly, you should avoid dehydration. Drink a lot of fluids especially when you experience diarrhea. Water would also lessen the chances of developing kidney problems due to this strong antibiotic

Is Buying Bactrim from Online Pharmacy Safe and Secure?

Generally, buying a drug like Bactrim online is safe and secure as long as you are dealing with a licensed pharmacy. It becomes unsafe if you are buying online to bypass a doctor’s prescription. You also put yourself to danger when choosing to buy because of an extremely low price. While drugs sold online are usually cheaper, you may want to wonder why a drug is extremely cheaper than others are.

The Online Pharmacy

A way to ensure your safety when buying drugs online is check if the online pharmacy has license, permit or certificate. You can check the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy or the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Site. The NABP lets you search for licensed online pharmacies by state.  They even have a “Not Recommended” list of online pharmacies.

In addition, the NABP discourages buying drugs from pharmacies that are based in other countries. It is best to buy from a pharmacy in your own country. You can rest assured that the drugs you will receive are regulated. Most cases of counterfeit drugs are also the ones that came from other countries.

Another way to know if the pharmacy is legit is if they publish a street address and landline. However, some fraudsters may have figured this out and copied details from other companies. You can do a background check. You can also enter the address or phone number in a search engine to find out whether it is a duplicate or not.

The Drugs

When you find licensed online pharmacies, you will find that the drugs they sell are the same as the local pharmacies have. They can also provide generic and branded medicines. There should be no problem with the quality unless you are in an illegal pharmacy website.

One of the benefits of online pharmacies is that you can buy the drug for a lower price. Most online pharmacies can save on operations costs and the savings are passed on to customers. However, do not be tempted by overly cheap drugs. A 10 to 20 percent decrease in price is acceptable but a Bactrim sold online that costs half the price of the one in traditional drug stores should make you wonder why.

However, it is recommended that you do not buy online if you are to take the drug for the first time. It sums up most of the safety precautions on buying drugs online. You will have a basis of comparison in terms of price, quality, etc. You can easily know when to be suspicious because you know how much the drug really costs.

Bactrim – The Best Solution for Bronchitis’ Flare Up

Bronchitis is the inflammation of the bronchial tubes where the air passes from the trachea to the lungs when you inhale. Inflammation of these bronchial tubes can cause a difficulty in breathing as the air passage is blocked due to the swelling of the tubes’ linings and the production of inflammatory fluid. The condition is caused by virus that may or may not be accompanied by bacteria. If bronchitis is caused by both virus and bacteria, the patient will need to take an antibiotic to ease the condition. The best option is Bactrim, which is one of the strong antibiotics that are approved by the FDA for treating bronchitis.

Sulfamethoxazole and Trimethoprim

This drug contains two antibiotics namely sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim. A capsule contains 800 mg of sulfamethoxazole and 160 mg trimethoprim. Other brands are also a mixture of the two antibiotics but in a lower quantity.

In the United States, the drug is approved by the FDA in treating bacterial infections including respiratory conditions like bronchitis and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP).

Treating Bronchitis

Bronchitis can be treated using antibiotics if it is caused by virus (i.e. rhinovirus and influenza virus) and bacteria. You can consult your doctor if you have cough, colds, runny nose, sore throat and hoarse voice.

The home remedies for bronchitis include drinking more fluids than usual. You should also do treatments for fever. It is best to consult a doctor for drug prescriptions especially if the patient suffers other conditions like high blood pressure and asthma. Most doctors prescribe Bactrim for bronchitis due to bacteria and virus. Among the brands that have these antibiotics, it is said to be the best choice in terms of effectiveness and price. The sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim are a good choice for treating flare up that are caused by irritants like bacteria and chemicals. Other drugs may be necessary if the patient suffers asthma and other conditions.

For treating bronchitis flare up, the doctor may recommend a tablet or two twice a day for 14 days. Make sure to follow the prescribed dosage, period of treatment and frequency of intake even if the flare up seems to diminish. Continue taking the drug throughout the prescribed period to completely kill the bacteria. Otherwise, the bacteria may rest for a while and develop resistance to the antibiotics.

Side Effects and Risks

Like any other drugs, this drug also has side effects that may include diarrhea and vomiting. It can also trigger allergies. To ensure your safety, it is important that you consult a doctor before taking the drug.

What Are the Advantages of Buying Bactrim Online?

Bactrim is an antibiotic drug. It contains trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole that are used to treat Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, urinary tract infection and other bacterial infections. Some side effects may occur including diarrhea and increased chances of sunburn. It is one of the strong antibiotics out there but it is safe as long as you follow the doctor’s prescribed length of treatment, dosage, etc. You can buy this drug online and there are several advantages.

Lower Price

Most drugs are sold online for a lower price. It is not because of inferior quality but because the online pharmacies get to save on operation costs. Most offline drug stores spend a lot of money for renting space, electricity and salary of staffs and they take it back from small amount they add to the drug’s retail price.

The online drug stores get to save because they do not need to lease an expensive commercial space. In fact, any place will do. They do not need to be in the town center or any place where lease rates are high. Electric costs are reduced, too. Plus, online pharmacies do not need a lot of staffs so the budget for salary is significantly low.  The savings are passed on to the customers through lower priced drugs.

No Lines

One of the problems in buying drugs at local pharmacies is that you may find a long line when you get there. There are days when there are many people buying drugs. With long lines, you may need to wait for minutes or even an hour to get what you need.

You can avoid having to stand in long lines to the cashier if you will buy Bactrim online. The downside is that you do not get the drug immediately. The delivery of online pharmacies takes one to seven days but there are some that could deliver on the same day as long as you place an order before the cutoff. You will need to wait but at least you are not standing in line while you wait.

No Prescription

Being able to buy drugs with no prescription is controversial. Would it be safe to trust online pharmacies that let you buy drugs even if you do not have a prescription?

Most online pharmacies attract customers because they do not require prescription even on drugs that need one. Some of them are legit. Others are not. Some of them can sell prescription drugs without you providing a prescription because they have an in-house doctor that could perform a consultation via phone or live chat and provide a prescription afterwards. You just need to choose the pharmacy you will trust. There are some conditions where you do not need lab tests to know what is wrong with your health.

How Bactrim Helped Me With Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia – Personal User Experience

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) is a type of pneumonia that affects people with poor immune system. Among the symptoms are cough, fever, breathing problems, hypoxemia and bilateral interstitial infiltrates. This pneumonia is likely to occur to people with acute lymphocytic leukemia or HIV infection, too. It is even the cause of AIDS in most cases. PCP can be treated using drugs like a mixture of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole such as Bactrim.

Trimethoprim and Sulfamethoxazole

Bactrim is available in tablets as well as liquid suspension. The trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole are antibiotics. Aside from PCP, they can also cure other bacterial infections such as bronchitis, traveler’s diarrhea, urinary tract infection and ear infection. It cannot be used to treat viral infections.

Drug for PCP

The drug helped many individuals with PCP. However, it is not for everyone. It is best if you would consult a doctor to know if you are allergic to trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole. It is also not recommended for pregnant women although there is no proof that it could harm the baby. You should avoid the drug if you are breast feeding and planning to conceive. You cannot also take the drug if you have folic acid deficiency that causes one of the following: the lack of red blood cells or anemia, liver disease, kidney disease. While PCP usually defines AIDS, you should consult your doctor if you are planning to use the drug.

Proper Drug Intake

If your doctor allows you to use the drug, make sure that you will continue taking it throughout the prescribed time (i.e. 7 days). Most people stop using antibiotics once the symptoms stop. However, keep in mind that it takes a week to completely kill the bacteria. With days of treatment, they may be weakened thus the stop of symptoms. If you stop taking the drug while the bacteria are still alive, they may attack again eventually with a developed immunity from the trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole drug. You will need a stronger antibiotic if this happens.

Take the drug as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the dosage, frequency and period. If you are prescribed with the liquid suspension, use proper measuring tools like spoon or cup. Most people would settle using the same spoon used for dining, which is wrong.

Sometimes, you may miss a dose. Take one immediately as soon as you remember unless the next dose is due within an hour or less.

Risks and Side Effects

Like other antibiotics, this drug can also cause diarrhea and other side effects. It is best to consult the doctor if stool comes with blood. Do not take medicines for diarrhea unless you have consulted your doctor, too.

In addition, trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole can heighten your susceptibility to sunburn. Avoid natural and artificial tanning and apply sunscreen even if you will go out for a short period.

Bactrim Precautions: Side Effects of Bactrim

Patients who want to remain informed should learn about the various side effects of Bactrim. Much like any other drug or antibiotic, Bactrim has a host of side effects that patients will encounter in the course of the antibiotic treatment. There are mild side effects and there may be some potentially serious adverse effects.

Patients taking the same drug or antibiotic will experience similar side effects only to a degree. This is because different individuals react differently to different drugs. There are a lot of variables that are in play in the creation of a response. There are also many conditions that may leave patients more susceptible to specific side effects. These conditions will also alter and influence the severity of the said side effects.

The side effects of Bactrim are also dose related. This means that patients receiving Bactrim treatment at lower doses for shorter periods of time are less likely to experience side effects than those patients receiving long term treatment at higher doses. One way to lessen the severity of side effects or to prevent side effects altogether is through desensitization. Desensitization to Bactrim is achieved through a gradual slow increase of dosage.

Common Side Effects

Gastrointestinal disturbances such as vomiting, nausea and loss of appetite are common. Urticaria or rashes are also commonly seen Bactrim side effects.

Adverse Effects

Hematologic

Because of Bactrim’s action to hinder the production and synthesis of folic acid, patients are prone to develop anemia and leukopenia. Those with known anemias and leukopenia will also experience exacerbations of their symptoms during treatment with Bactrim.

Skin

Pruritis, rash and urticaria have been reported as Bactrim side effects. Patients will also experience photosensitivity, so they are advised to stay out of the sun. If sun exposure can’t be avoided, patients are told to wear sunscreen. Sunscreen should also be applied every 15-20 minutes with continued sun exposure.

Gastrointestinal System

Incidences of Hepatitis have been reported during Bactrim therapy. This would manifest as abdominal pain and jaundice.

Genitourinary System

The patient’s kidneys can also be affected. There are reported cases of nephritis and renal failure during Bactrim therapy. This is the reason why kidney function needs to be assessed first prior to the administration of Bactrim.

Neurologic

There have been reports of vertigo, convulsions, headache and tinnitus (ringing in the ears) during Bactrim therapy.

Psychiatric

Hallucinations, nervousness and depression have also been reported as adverse effects of Bactrim.

Insomnia has also been reported.

Bactrim and Hypersensitivity

Individuals who are hypersensitive to any of the components found in Bactrim will develop some form of adverse reaction. The most common hypersensitivity reaction is anaphylaxis. There have also been reports of renal failure following administration of Bactrim to hypersensitive patients.

When it comes to side effects and adverse effects, Bactrim is just like any other drug. Bactrim is highly beneficial to most taking it but there are still few who experience some side effects and some rare adverse effects. Doctors and patients should therefore be vigilant of the side effects of Bactrim.

All About Bactrim: the Essentials

Patients prescribed TMP-SMX should know all about Bactrim. It is after all the most popular brand for the combination antibiotic drug TMP-SMX.

What is TMP-SMX?

TMP-SMX is the generic name for Bactrim. TMP-SMX stands for Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole.

The Sum is Greater than Its Parts

An antibiotic drug combination is several folds more effective than each of its components alone. Combination antibiotic preparations prevent bacteria from developing resistance to each of the drug components. These combination drugs also bypass resistance that is already present in susceptible bacteria. This means that the antibiotic drug preparation combining Trimethoprim with Sulfonamide is more effective when it comes to treating infections due to susceptible bacterial strains and other invading organisms.

First Choice Antibiotics

When learning all about Bactrim, it is good to know that it is currently the first choice medication used against PCP. PCP stands for Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia. This type of pneumonia is usually common in AIDS patients or those patients with conditions resulting in compromised immunity.

Bactrim— Conditions Treated with Bactrim

Bactrim is effective against Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia, Toxoplasmosis, Salmonella infection, E-coli infection, Gonorrhea, Meningitis, Urinary Tract Infections, Otitis Media and Chronic Bronchitis in Adults.

Common Side Effects

Common Bactrim side effects experienced by patients taking Bactrim (TMP-SMX) include fever, diarrhea, nausea, skin rash, photosensitivity and neutropenia.

It is recommended that patients taking Bactrim wear sunscreen during therapy. This is to protect from possible sunburn due to resulting photosensitivity.

Patients should be informed that diarrhea is a common side effect when undergoing antibiotic therapy. It is recommended that a patient’s doctor be informed of the diarrhea as this may be a sign of a superinfection. Side effects usually stop when antibiotic therapy is discontinued.

In order to decrease the adverse reactions and side effects experienced by patients, the drug dosage should be slowly increased.

Mechanism of Action

Trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole are both bacteriostatic and bactericidal. Trimethoprim stops the synthesis of DNA and Thymidine in susceptible bacteria. Sulfamethoxazole stops the synthesis of dihydrofolic acid in susceptible bacteria

Half- Life

The half-life of Bactrim is 10-12 hours. This means that patients will need to take Bactrim a couple of times per day. This dosage is sustained for 12 to 14 days. 14 days is the usual duration for Bactrim antibiotic therapy.

Contraindications of Bactrim

Bactrim is contraindicated for pregnant patients due to its possible teratogenic effects. This antibiotic combination is also contraindicated for lactating and nursing mothers as it passes unchanged to breastmilk. Because Bactrim causes neutropenia, it is not particularly recommended for patients with megaloblastic anemia.

Patients with AIDS will be more likely to develop side effects and serious adverse reactions; but because they are also the patient group which is more susceptible to developing Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia, Bactrim is still highly recommended for AIDS patients.

Patients who are prescribed specific antibiotics should learn about their specific medications. This allows patients to know what they are taking. This also allows them to know what results to expect. Knowing all about Bactrim is important for those who are prescribed the antibiotic.

Know the Common Facts about Bactrim

It is important to know the common facts about Bactrim. Bactrim is usually prescribed for complicated and serious infections.

Generic Name of Bactrim

Bactrim is the brand name of TMP-SMX or Trimethoprim Sulfamethoxazole.

Drug Class and Drug Category

Bactrim is a combination preparation of two synthetic antibiotics— Trimethoprim and Sulfamethoxazole.

Sulfamethoxazole belongs to the Sulfonamides or the Sulfa Drugs category. Sulfonamides or Sulfa Drugs acts as both bacteriostatic and bactericidal. Its active ingredient acts as a potent competitive inhibitor in an essential biologic process within susceptible bacteria. This action inhibits the formation of folic acid or folate which prevents the bacteria from growing. This folate deficiency will quickly result in the death of the bacteria.

Trimethoprim is a dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor. Trimethoprim successfully inhibits the growth and replication of bacteria by hindering bacterial creation of folate. Folate is an essential catalyst in many vital processes and without it susceptible bacteria will cease to function.

Indications

When learning about the common facts about Bactrim, it is helpful to learn about its indications. The indications for Bactrim include a wide range of diseases affecting a variety of systems.

Bactrim is recommended for infections of the nervous system such as meningitis. It is recommended for the respiratory system such as Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia and Bronchitis. It is recommended for digestive tract and circulatory problems such as E.Coli and Salmonella poisoning. It is also prescribed to treat urinary tract infections, reproductive tract infections and bacterial Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Life threatening skin infections are also treated with a course of Bactrim.

Known Susceptible Bacteria

Streptococci strains— the cause of strep throat, pharyngitis and other upper respiratory tract infections

Staphylococci bacteria—  the cause of serious skin disorders and infections. Staph infections will result in hideous and painful boils or they may even lead to open sores and wounds that would penetrate deep layers of tissue (skin, fat, muscle).

Listeria monocytogenes— the cause of Listeriosis

Nocardia asteroids, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Pneumocystis Carinii Jiroveci, Mycobacterium fortuitum, Bordetella pertussis — the causes of serious respiratory infections in immune compromised individuals

Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella enteritidis, Enterobacter cloacae, Shigella dysenteriae— Food-borne infection agents that could lead to serious complications that may or may not be confined to digestive tract disorders. Many of these infections invade the blood and the nervous system, which leads to multiple potentially fatal organ failures.

Serratia marcescens, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Proteus mirabilis, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia,Brucella melitensis – causes of urinary tract infections which may lead to complications in the reproductive, digestive and respiratory tracts when not treated.

Pasteurella multocida, Neisseria meningitides – invading organisms which cause infections in the nervous system which causes catastrophic effects on the body which eventually lead to death when not treated.

Off label Use

Bactrim is also used to treat severe cases of acne vulgaris.

Dosage

Dosage strength will usually depend on the invading organism. The most common dosage timing for Bactrim is q12 (every twelve hours) or q6 (for severe and complicated cases). The antibiotic regimen will usually last 10 to 21 days.

Knowing all of these common facts about Bactrim would certainly help patients with their antibiotic therapy.