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Child Has Bladder Infection, Headache. Taking Bactrim. Done Allergy Test. Any Advice?
Question: My 9-year-old was seen at Stanford yesterday for what turned out to be a pretty bad bladder infection. She was prescribed Bactrim (specifically Sulfamethoxazole 15ml twice a day), and an hour after her first dose, she complained of an 8/10 headache, and by this morning it was down to a 5.
I called Stanford's on-call family practice nurse (turned out to be from a nurse bank in Ohio) and she said the headache is probably from the infection, and to keep taking the antibiotic. I gave her a third dose after hanging up, at about 9:30am. It's 1:45 pm and she said the headache went from 5 back up to an 8 instantly. I won't be able to reach her doctor until Monday morning. Any advice? Her only allergy is milk, and her doc said it could have been a false-positive blood test.
Thank you!
I called Stanford's on-call family practice nurse (turned out to be from a nurse bank in Ohio) and she said the headache is probably from the infection, and to keep taking the antibiotic. I gave her a third dose after hanging up, at about 9:30am. It's 1:45 pm and she said the headache went from 5 back up to an 8 instantly. I won't be able to reach her doctor until Monday morning. Any advice? Her only allergy is milk, and her doc said it could have been a false-positive blood test.
Thank you!
Hello ,
Thanks for posting your query.
Sulphamethoxazole definitely is known to cause sideeffects like headache, nausea, dizziness, seizures etc.But these are dose related sideeffects and may stop once the treatment is completed or discontinued.
I dont think a bladder infection can give her that severe a headache.
If trouble breathing or swelling of the face, mouth, or tongue occurs, one should discontinue the medicine and get emergency medical help. These are often symptoms of a severe allergic reaction.
I would advise she should get a urine culture and sensitivity done right away which wil report the other other alternative antibiotics which can control the infective organism if any.
.
If her headache persists or she gets any new symptom like rash, diarrhoea, bodyache, breathlessness please stop taking the medicine and contact your doctor.
Hope I have answered your query. Please do write back to me if you have any further queries.
Wishing your daughter a speedy recovery.
Regards,
Thanks for posting your query.
Sulphamethoxazole definitely is known to cause sideeffects like headache, nausea, dizziness, seizures etc.But these are dose related sideeffects and may stop once the treatment is completed or discontinued.
I dont think a bladder infection can give her that severe a headache.
If trouble breathing or swelling of the face, mouth, or tongue occurs, one should discontinue the medicine and get emergency medical help. These are often symptoms of a severe allergic reaction.
I would advise she should get a urine culture and sensitivity done right away which wil report the other other alternative antibiotics which can control the infective organism if any.
.
If her headache persists or she gets any new symptom like rash, diarrhoea, bodyache, breathlessness please stop taking the medicine and contact your doctor.
Hope I have answered your query. Please do write back to me if you have any further queries.
Wishing your daughter a speedy recovery.
Regards,
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Answered by
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