Anyone experienced severe anxiety/depression taking Clarithromycin?

Posted , 51 users are following.

I take Citalopram for anxiety/depression. This year I have had 2 chest infections that needed treating and was given Clarithromycin, 500mg twice a day. The latest chest infection was recently and I stopped taking the antibiotics 5 days ago. I have had some awful symptoms that I don't know what has caused. Shaking, increased anxiety and depression, loss of appetite, twitching muscles and weakness in legs. Balance problems. Heart Palpitations. Now I am having difficulty walking and it is really scaring me. I seem to remember having these side effects when I took these before but not so severe.

I would love to hear from anyone who has had a reaction like this and how long was it before you felt better.

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  • Posted

    I've just finished a five day course of clarithromycin 500mg for infected throat and tongue , its cleared up but I'm left feeling really anxious. Also I have terrible night sweats does anyone know if they are side effects thanks. Carl

  • Posted

    hi i know this thread is very old, but its the only thing that has brought me any comfort during this time, i took clarythromycin 250 mg for exactly 24 hours before having the most severe panic attack of my entire life, it scared me so much i discontinued use right away but it feels like it was too late, im on day four after stopping and none of my symptoms have subsided. i have plenty of physical symptoms loss of appetite, diarrhea, light headed etc but its the mental side effects that are really taking over my life, im having near constant panic attacks, severe anxiety feelings of doom and depression, weird disjointed thoughts, the worst insomnia ive ever had (sleep for 20 minutes then wake up in a full extreme panic attack) and heavy dissociation, it feels like theyre sort of coming in waves, like i will feel better and like its subsiding and then im smacked with the horrible feelings again, i went to the urgent care today and they told me to wait atleast ten days before coming back and that is was anxiety and just to wait it out, but i am so absolutely terrified, i just want to sleep until its over but my brain wont let me, the only thing thats brought me hope is reading this thread so i am praying someone still has there eye on this and can reply and tell me how long it took them to feel themselves again, or when it just got bareable, my husband has had to call out of work to take care of me and im feeling very hopeless, please please if someone could reply

  • Posted

    Hi i am on citalopram & was given clarithromycin 500mg to take & i can honestly say i feel exactly the same as you

    i really thought i was going crazy as i already have anxiety & now i know these tablets have made it worse I was getting the metalic taste in my mouth feeling panicky kept thinking mad thoughts of illnesses that i couid have odd twitchy feelings in my body & head to the point i got up in the night went to the A&E department as my anxiety had gone into over drive The doctor there said that they could cause my anxiety to get worse i had 3 days left but i knew i just couldn't finish them i had bloods done there that he was happy with i had already been on 10 days of other antibiotics before my doctor put me on clarithomycin so i decided i couldn't cope with finishing them

    i still feel panicky & the anxiety with the irrational thoughts & not feeling me is still there

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