vertigo and antibiotics

[Laz2]

hi, does anyone else get vertigo quite badly during a course of (penicillin) antibiotics for an eye infection. Was on day 5 of 7 and have felt faint, lightheaded, sick, exhausted, and spinning sensations, going up and down. How long does this take to pass once finishing? Was okay first 3/4 days. Feel toxic and worried.

[posthinking01]

What are the antibiotics you are on called please ? sorry you are feeling like this its awful - are you drinking enough water with the tablets and throughout the day. Surely you are being given drops - if so sometimes they contain an ingredient that can cause a lot of side effects - I can't remember the name of that now. Drops can also affect your blood pressure so this could be the problem if you could let us know. Take care.

[Laz2 in reply to posthinking01]

thank you xx I am having Flucloxacillin 500mg 4x per day capsules and Chloramphenicol 0.5% eye drops 4x per day also for 7 days both.

[posthinking01 in reply to Laz2]

That's the ingredient that causes lots of issues I couldn't remember the name - that is a heavy hitting dose for an eye infection ? The side effects of Chloro are not vertigo - it might be that your blood pressure is going down - do you have a BP monitor at home. Antibiotics can also affect thyroid causing instability. As a Lupus patient what other drugs are you on? Are you on thyroid medication by any chance?

[Laz2 in reply to posthinking01]

no I’m not, I do have it monitored and did have a thyroid ‘storm’ a few years ago. My mum also wonders if it’s thyroid (she is on medication). She suggests I call docs tomorrow for blood. Thank you x

[posthinking01 in reply to Laz2]

If you could put your results on here when you have the result be good.

[Poshcards in reply to Laz2]

It was Flucloxacillin that made me really ill, same dosage as you! had to stop taking them after day 2 x

[Laz2 in reply to Poshcards]

sorry to hear that 😔 I have stopped taking them the side effects became intolerable to the point I could not continue with my normal life in any way by day 5! Could not walk without needing to sit down every few steps as felt I was about to faint, couldn’t move my head without everything moving and swimming in front of my eyes, extremely loud throbbing and ringing in ears, extreme heartburn and indigestion. Thank goodness for them as they are lifesaving, of course, but what a shame side effects made us so ill and others take without effect… 😢

[Hidden]

I have mostly had antibiotics for a urine infection and have never been prescribed them for more than 3 days. No Gp has ever prescribed them for longer-it may be different for an eye infection but that dosage seems high.

[Laz2 in reply to Hidden]

that’s interesting as I was okay on them until the 4th day, and then just became really dizzy and unwell.

[posthinking01 in reply to Hidden]

Hi there - 3 days for a UTI is not right actually - it is why there is a problem with UTI's keep coming back as recurrent problem - the medication did not hit the bugs hard enough allowing them to become resistant - I know - having suffered for over 15 years with a recurrent UTI and getting Sepsis twice because of them. If you are getting the problem regularly you need a much longer dose.

[Hidden]

Maybe thats why they dont issue more than 3 days worth.I noticed you said you are going to call your Gp re bloods -why not tell him/her your reactions to the antibiotics.?

[Laz2 in reply to Hidden]

yes I will do my mum said the same! Thank you 😊

[Hidden in reply to Laz2]

hope he/she listens to you.

[Hidden]

from the internet:- Flucloxacillin,- also known as floxacillin, is an antibiotic used to treat skin infections, external ear infections, infections of leg ulcers, diabetic foot infections, and infection of bone.has this been incorrectly prescribed?does not mention eye infection?

[Laz2 in reply to Hidden]

it is my eyelid also so skin is being treated. Looked like I’d been in a fight it swelled up so much! Luckily the swelling has gone now but still so sore and itchy 😔 just feeling completely miserable and sorry for myself!

[Poshcards]

Having just been on 5 weeks of various anti b's, i had extreme reactions like that, so much so they say I must not have penicillin in future, it's a horrible feeling on top of reason you are taking them xx

[Laz2 in reply to Poshcards]

oh no I m sorry to hear that. Are you okay now? It’s taken me two days since stopping for most of the symptoms to subside - for 36 hours I could not even move my head without thinking I was going to faint/ be sick, and everything was moving around so much, ringing in ears so loud also. What will they give you on future? I need to see GP to come up with a plan also.

[Poshcards in reply to Laz2]

I am slowly getting there, I had blistering cellulitis creeping up my leg, eventually they put me on Erythromycin, still had nausea etc but not so bad x

[Laz2 in reply to Poshcards]

I hope it’s cleared now? What a worry. Thank you for the suggestion, I’m pleased to hear you were more settled on this. Sometimes it feels we don’t know what to do for the best. X