Bactrim Generic
Bactrim is a combinatory antibacterial drug created by mixing two chemical compounds that complement each other and work well together. One is Sulfamethoxazole, which essentially acts as a destructive agent in bacterial DNA building. The other is Trimethoprim, used to deprive bacteria of vital nutrients.
Bactrim was introduced in the 70s by the Swiss Roche company. The main components were known way before, but Roche was one of the first to successfully combine them as an antibacterial remedy. What came up is an incredibly effective and relatively safe solution against infections.
It can target a wide range of bacteria-borne infections, including many respiratory, genitourinary, gastrointestinal, skin infections, and a lot more. Taking Bactrim has unpleasant side effects, but it doesn’t weaken the immune system to the same extent other antibiotics do.
Bactrim is usually sold in tablets – sometimes as two distinct components, sometimes both included in one tab. Given that it’s an antibiotic, it’s not sold over the counter. Besides the regular brand Bactrim, there are plenty of generic Bactrim varieties, which are essentially brand-free, cheaper Sulfamethoxazole & Trimethoprim.
There is one other tablet variety sold for both generic and brand Bactrim. It’s called Bactrim DS (or Sulfamethoxazole and Trimethoprim DS), which stands for ‘double strength’. The same number of tablets has twice the usual dosage – which means 800mg/160mg.
What Does It Do?
The main feature of Bactrim is that it uses two distinct bactericides in its quest to kill infections. They work together very well, don’t create adverse reactions, and complement each other. This creates a strong punch against the infectious diseases that you just wouldn’t get if you’d used them separately.
It’s used particularly against severe cases of infections and in cases when the patient simply doesn’t have a strong enough immune system to help the drug in its job. It typically works as a long-term treatment, and the course of treatment with Bactrim can be as long as two weeks.
What it does exactly is it conducts a two-step hit. Sulfamethoxazole makes it a lot harder for bacteria to synthesize dihydrofolate, which is a vital component in DNA-building. Without it, the bacteria can’t reproduce with the same efficiency. Trimethoprim is used to kill tetrahydrofolate, which is used for a similar purpose, but it’s also important for processing nutrients.
Since the former component in the bacteria is used to synthesize the latter, Bactrim makes it a lot harder for microorganisms to sustain their DNA chains on all steps of their production. It’s not the usual approach to killing bacteria, so it often makes the treatment course a bit lengthier than with most antibiotics.
Effects of Bactrim
For some conditions, it’s one of the few effective remedies. For instance, Pneumocystis pneumonia is almost exclusively treated with Bactrim – both because of its efficiency against fungal infections and because it doesn’t weaken the immunity system in the process.
It can treat many diseases. Bronchitis, pneumonia, dysentery, cholera, diarrhea, typhus, pyelonephritis, as well as meningitis, and skin infections are just a few of them. It’s often used for treating bacterial and fungal infections in patients with a weakened immune system, in particular, due to HIV.
It’s not a steroid, and it can’t be used to treat viruses, but it is effective against many bacterial diseases and a surprising number of fungus-borne infections. It’s often chosen to treat several infections at once.
It isn’t very hard on the body, but there are several nasty side effects. It’s speculated that Bactrim can be the cause of increased death risks because of some of its adverse effects, but fatal cases of Bactrim overdoses are extremely scarce.
Side Effects
Bactrim can cause a wide variety of adverse effects, but some of the more common include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, general sickly feeling, appetite loss, rashes, stomach ache, diarrhea, and sores. There are more, but you’ll likely feel these a lot sooner than you’ll feel the rest.
The contraindications include the usual acute kidney and liver problems, pregnancy, and age below 2 months. Kids can take Bactrim, but it’s usually taken in smaller doses and under stricter medical observation. For this reason, it’s a lot more versatile than most other antibiotics.
It’s possible to overdose on Bactrim, and the consequences are not pleasant. Once again, a fatal outcome is not feasible. Even so, you’ll likely experience bouts of anorexia, nausea, dizziness, stomach aches, tiredness, and possibly even depression. You should seek help if you recognize any of these symptoms.
Taking Bactrim
The dosage of Bactrim differs based on many factors. The regular dosage is 960mg (800mg + 160mg) of Bactrim every 12 hours for at least 5 days. The maximum course can last up to 2 weeks. In this case, the dosage is often halved to 480mg. There are specific considerations for children and some infections.
A 2400mg dose is usually the maximum dose that you shouldn’t exceed. It can vary based on the factors mentioned above or based on personal parameters such as weight, height, age, gender, and so forth. In many cases, the main components are listed separately, and their usual ratio is roughly 5:1 (Sulfamethoxazole/ Trimethoprim).
It’s recommended to take it with water. As for food, it’s better to take these on an empty stomach, but there isn’t much difference. Without food, though, Bactrim can cause stomachache. If that’s the case, you can take these tablets after meals. It doesn’t make much difference in the end.