Diagnosing and treating infections is not always easy, but fortunately, healthcare providers now have a wide range of antibiotics to choose from. Bactrim and Suprax are two popular choices when it comes to addressing a rather wide range of infections, and in some cases, they are relatively interchangeable.
What Is Bactrim?
Bactrim combines the power of two antibiotics (trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole) to successfully treat many bacterial infections. Similarly to all other antibiotics, Bactrim is ineffective when used in patients suffering from viral infections, so it is always a good idea to check with your healthcare provider before you start taking an antibiotic. Otherwise you might be taking the medication for nothing and even helping the bacteria in your body adjust to the drug’s impact, so it is less effective when you really need it.
Bactrim is commonly prescribed to treat intestinal, middle ear, urine, and respiratory infections caused by harmful bacteria. It is also known to be quite effective in preventing and treating a number of pneumonia types.
When using Bactrim, you should follow the instructions on your prescription label carefully. Generally, Bactrim is to be taken orally with a full glass of water. You should try taking it on an empty stomach for quick absorption maximum efficiency, but if you experience an upset stomach or any other signs of stomach disorders, you may start taking Bactrim with food or milk. Patients are advised to increase their regular water intake while using Bactrim to lower the risk of kidney stones formation. It is a good idea to take Bactrim at evenly spaced periods of time so that the cumulative effect is maximized.
The exact Bactrim dosage tends to vary from patient to patient and can be determined by a medical practitioner. Do not change the dosage of your own accord and do not stop taking Bactrim even if you notice that your symptoms are gone. Some of the harmful bacteria could still be alive in your body, and as you cancel the antibiotic treatment, you allow them to further grow, becoming resistant to Bactrim. Should your symptoms come back, you will likely need to take another antibiotic because the bacteria in your body are no longer responding to Bactrim treatment.
The most common side effects of Bactrim are rather mild and include appetite loss, diarrhea, vomiting, and feeling nauseous. They should go away after several days of taking Bactrim as your body adjusts to the impact of the medication. However, if these side effects persist, you should consult your doctor about them because you might need to start using another antibiotic.
Rare adverse reactions to Bactrim include extreme fatigue and muscle weakness, mood swings, mental state changes, signs of low blood sugar (sweating, feeling dizzy, hunger, blurred vision, a tingling sensation in the limbs), and signs of kidney problems (small amounts of urine, dark urine, difficulty urinating).
What is Suprax? Bacterial Infections Treatment
Suprax is the brand name for an antibiotic called cephalosporin. Its effect is based on its ability to hinder bacterial growth. It will not kill any harmful bacteria, but by inhibiting their growth and multiplication, Suprax makes sure that there are progressively less dangerous bacteria in your body, until there are none left. Due to this method of action, it is important that you do not stop taking Suprax earlier than prescribed by your doctor. Otherwise some of the original bacteria are likely to survive the treatment and continue to multiply, producing offspring that is now resistant to Suprax.
If you are using Suprax in pill form, it should be taken with a glass of water on an empty stomach. The most common way of using Suprax is taking it once a day, but your healthcare provider might find that another schedule fits your particular case better. In younger patients, Suprax may be taken twice a day, preferably with 12 hour intervals between doses. Maintaining regular time intervals between doses makes sure that the active components of the medication have even time periods to accumulate in your body, which maximizes the medication’s efficiency. If you prefer to take Suprax in chewable tablet form, make sure that you chew it properly before you swallow the tablet. Otherwise, the coating of the tablet might not be damaged enough for fast and problem-free absorption.
Suprax is a rather safe medication which can even be used in younger children to address a variety of infections. According to reports found by Happy Family Store, Suprax can be successfully used in babies that are older than two months. In adults, the dosage is based on age, medical history, and any other factors that may be found relevant by the medical practitioner. In children, the appropriate dosage is often calculated based on weight.
A significant percentage of all Suprax users do not experience any side effects at all, while some patients develop mild adverse reactions, such as temporary digestive disorders, feeling nauseous or dizzy, moderate headaches, and possibly, vomiting. These side effects normally decline and disappear over the first few days of using Suprax because your body might need some time to adjust to the antibiotic. Should these side effects persist, contact your healthcare provider or pharmacist about them so that you can change the dosage or switch to another medication is that is necessary.
In some rare cases, more serious Suprax side effects may occur. They include: prolonged side effects from the paragraph above, severe stomach cramps, dark urine, yellow skin and/or eyes, fatigue, confusion, extreme dizziness, easy bruising of the skin, and signs of a new infection. If you find yourself experiencing one or more of these symptoms, seek professional help immediately to minimize the risk of dangerous consequences for your health.
Which One Do I Use: Bactrim or Suprax?
In some cases, both antibiotics can be used with equal success to treat urinary tract, respiratory, and middle ear infections. However, they are not completely identical, so there are particular usage scenarios in which one of these medications is clearly better suited for the job.
If the antibiotic is to be on a short-term basis, Suprax might be a better choice because it is generally better tolerated than Bactrim. Many users do not experience any side effects at all, which is a major advantage for any medication. However, using Suprax for prolonged periods of time may result in developing vaginal infections, a severe gastrointestinal condition (manifests itself in extreme diarrhea, severe stomach cramps, and bloody stool), or a number of oral infections.
Another side effect of Suprax that might make it unattractive for some users is its ability to temporarily influence male sexual function. According to numerous patient reports analyzed by Happy Family Store team, some men experience a decline in libido and mild symptoms of erectile dysfunction while using Suprax. For some patients that was a clear sign that they need to change to a different antibiotic, while others chose to tolerate this peculiar side effect. The decision is ultimately yours but remember that if your healthcare provider prescribed you Suprax, he or she must have judged its benefits for your health to be more important than potential negative side effects.
Bactrim is known to be harmless to male sexual health, but it is also reported to have rather high rates of one particular side effect – allergy. While most patients develop a relatively safe form of allergy which does not require urgent medical care and goes away on its own after Bactrim treatment course is over, in some rare cases the allergy might even be lethal.
Be sure to seek professional medical help as soon as possible if you experience one or more of the following symptoms:
- your skin peeling severely
- you are coughing and having trouble breathing
- your skin and/or eyes are yellow
- persistent symptoms of a flu-like infection
- joint pain
This is not the full list of Bactrim allergy symptoms, so be sure to watch out for any serious adverse reactions while you are taking Bactrim.
Both Bactrim and Suprax are not to be combined with alcohol due to an increased risk of developing side effects. Bactrim is available in two major forms: pills and injections, while Suprax can only be obtained as pills. This might make Bactrim a better solution for patients who have serious digestive problems or are unable to chew/swallow.
Bactrim is also reported to have a negative impact on pregnant and breastfeeding woman, as well as their babies. Thus, it is recommended that it is not used in this category of patients, as well as in geriatric and pediatric patients. It is unclear whether Bactrim interacts with birth control pills, but some patient reports suggest that it does, so if you are a sexually active woman using Bactrim, make sure that you use alternative other control methods in conjunction with oral ones.
Bottom Line
Altogether, Suprax is considered a safer medication, and it is also known to work remarkably well in treating UTIs and some STDs, such as chlamydia.
However, Bactrim might be a better choice for patients who are:
- unwilling to tolerate the impact of Suprax on male sexual function
- suffering from a serious infection that requires a potent antibiotic
Whether you need to take Bactrim or Suprax, make sure that you follow the instructions on the prescription label or in the drug information booklet to minimize possible negative outcomes for your health.