Amoxicillin and sudden anxiety

[SatsumaZoom]

I've been put on amoxicillin for a chest infection. I'm 5 tablets in and I've been feeling a bit better until today when I've been hit by a wall of anxiety out of nowhere. It's been years since I've felt like this and it's utterly horrible. Has anyone else had this as a side effect? Is there anything I can do to relieve it? I can just about cope with it as long as it doesn't get any worse but it feels really horrible and has come with heavy limbs and a very foggy head (which I didn't have before). Any advice welcome as the thought of feeling like this for 5 more days or in fact feeling worse with each dose is scaring me 😞

I’ve not had this with Amoxicillin. Your not on prednisolone or anything too? As that makes me feel like you describe.

I’ve just finished a course and no, nothing like that happened.

Anxiety can be a side effect of some antibiotics, I have had this with doxycycline and nitrofurantoin , it was a very severe sudden onset with doxycycline not as bad with the other one, it should resolve fairly quickly once you finish but I would let your GP know, I have attached an article about this. It’s supposed to be due to sudden changes in the gut microbiome

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35819136/

There is some suggestion that taking probiotics alongside may help

Thank you so much I will read the article. No I'm not taking prednisolone. It reminds me of how I reacted when I went on the pill I have an extreme sensitivity to hormonal changes. I didn't expect to feel like this on an antibiotic, I will get some probiotics thank you. It's a horrible feeling and of course it's the weekend so I can't speak to my GP until Monday which is a long time when feeling like this. Equally with hospitals full I don't want my chest infection back or to become worse. Sorry I am aware I am now spiralling a bit too.

I also really struggled taking the pill many years ago, I think some people are genetically more vulnerable to this sort of reaction, hope you feel better soon , I had to stop the doxycycline and was given a different medication

I get like this on antibiotics - nitrofurantoin and flucloxicillan were particularly bad. I’ve found that it improves with time as I adjust but need to be careful to space the doses as much as possible.
I’ve also experienced it with mini pill and mirena and couldn’t continue with either.
These sensitivities are very annoying. I do find it quite scary when going through it.

This is so interesting. I always follow a course of ABs with probiotics but in future will take the antibiotic safe ones alongside.

Thanks for sharing.

How are your other symptoms @SatsumaZoom? Temp - feverish or low, is your heart rate normal or elevated at all? I don't want to scare you but extreme anxiety/feeling of impending doom can be a symptom of sepsis. I'd at least call 111 for advice, especially with other symptoms. Hope I'm wrong but best to get checked imo.

@TheOliveFinch @watchingsmurfs I also had it on the mini pill and the merina it is just so annoying and exhausting and scary. I thought it was just hormonal fluctuations but turns out it's everything 😬 If you ever find the cure let me know!! Antihistamines help me a bit but didn't with this sadly.

@JoyeuxNarwhal thank you for your concern that did cross my mind earlier which then made me more panicky but I have to say this afternoon the feelings have eased and I'm left with a pressure type feeling in my head. No fever and the chest symptoms are all much better. I'm hoping it was my body adjusting and I might be through the worst 🤞🏼
I wasn't aware that anxiety/impending doom could be a symptom of sepsis though so I will keep that knowledge now thank you for sharing it.

Thank you everyone for responding to me as I was really struggling. Hopefully the worst is over now 🤞🏼🤞🏼