Anxiety and horrible side effects from Clarithromycin

Day 1 being off the AB's - horrific, probably felt worse than when i did whilst i was taking the bloody tablets! Laid in bed most of the day, considered ringing partner to take me to hospital i felt that poorly, nausea, burning sensations, dizzyness, anxiety, FAST heart rate. Slept slightly better than when i was on the tablets, but still woke up at 5am.

Day 2 - Woke up at 5am with raging anxiety. Haven't had any burning sensations today (yet)... I have incredibly dry mouth, anxiety all day, nausea, dizzyness still. But, i have managed to stay out of bed all day, get a bath and get dressed. I hope this means that these tablets are leaving me alone..

I will update when i remember because even in years to come someone might be in the same situation i am and want updates etc x

Day 3 - Felt terrible today. Anxiety and shaking ALL DAY. I have a constant tremor which is awful. I also have terrible nausea feeling, sometimes feeling like i will definitely throw up. Dry mouth is also horrible. Rang docs to tell him about the tablets and my symptoms, he's advised antihistamine, not sure it will help to be honest. I can barely eat, I only shove something down in the morning like a banana so that I can take my probiotics 😦

Cannot wait for these effects to be gone, it's ruining me completely. Yesterday was a fairly good day and today has been absolutely horrible.

x

day 4 - feeling slightly better today actually. I've managed to get some housework done, go for a short walk, eat much more. I haven't had the shakes today, but, i do still have anxiety and nausea, i think the 2 are linked to be honest. I also still feel like my head isn't right, a bit slow and unsteady almost? This morning i also felt exhausted again but that soon passed. I am sleeping well through the night, but i do wake up at approx 5am wide awake. I'm hoping the improvements keep coming but i'm not holding my breath as i had a better day on day 2 and then it went rubbish again the day after!

x

Day 5 (yesterday) - had a very up and down day. I had a stressful day due to car troubles but the anxiety was bad all day, my stomach is still in bits, nausea on and off and heartburn. I did have a cry because I felt very down by mid afternoon, I feel like taking these antibiotics has really messed me up, it's scary how bad they've made me feel actually. X

Day 6 - Had quite a bad day anxiety wise, felt anxious for most of the morning, I seem to feel much better on an evening for some reason. I'm always worst first thing on a morning when I wake up, I'm instantly shaking and getting hot and cold flushes. I am also still retching every morning when I wake up, fighting to keep my bile down. I'm presuming the retching is anxiety and my stomach lining being disturbed by the antibiotics.

I really hope this anxiety passes soon because it's unbearable at the moment.

x

Day 7, nausea hasn't been as intense today, but anxiety has been horrific in the morning. It tends to be really bad in the morning and settles down mid afternoon. Then for the rest of the day I'm fine. Hoping this means it's starting to clear. According to what some other people have said on here about clarithromycin and anxiety it can linger for 2-3 weeks afterwards. So I could be here a while longer yet....

Day 8- much of the same today, anxiety bad in the morning, it has started easing slightly now (2:30pm) the nausea is still here but its less compared to what it was. I'm not gagging as much. I still get the patches of feeling intensely sleepy and then it wears off. I've still been taking my probiotics and drinking kefir yogurt. Really praying this morning anxiety subsides because its horrific, as soon as i open my eyes i'm filled with dread and tremors.

x

day 9 - anxiety has still been severe on a morning. i called my GP today for advice and he disagreed that it could be the clarithromycin that caused me anxiety and panic symptoms, which i disagree with personally because i know my own body and i know that they have completely thrown me off. I was absolutely fine before the antibiotics. anyway, he said to increase my beta blockers dose for my anxiety and wait it out. he said he thinks its just anxiety in general and nothing to do with the clarithromycin. anyway, i wont be taking clarithromycin ever again regardless.

I think showing the amount of people on here that have anxiety and panic as side effects from numerous different antibiotics, and it also says it can cause anxiety in the booklet enclosed in the tablet packet that im not completely insane in thinking that it was the antibiotics! x

hallo,

i am experiencing the same situation. i stopped clarythromicin 9 days ago and still feeling very anxious and depressed. i went to the GP and a neurologist and both told me that this is not connected with the antibiotics which i do not believe . i really hope my body clears up at some point as i feel very down at the moment. how long should i wait to see the light at the end of the tunnel? thanks

Please tell me you guys are doing better. One day of Clarithromycin has ruined my life. I developed a lot of the symptoms described here and within 2 weeks I had spiralled so much that I ended up in a psych ward. 😦 It's almost been 2 months and I don't feel completely healed yet. How are you doing?