By Jessica Tyner  |  February 18, 2014

Category: Consumer News

Zithromax Z-Pak side effectsDisclaimer: These comments were posted to an online forum for those taking the antibiotic Zithromax. Find out if you qualify for a Z-Pak class action lawsuit today.

An anonymous poster from east Tennessee went online for help about Zithromax side effects. There, she found both empathy and compassion, not to mention a big dose of commiseration.

“Has anyone used Z-Pak and had side effects like insomnia, anxiety, and a jittery feeling inside? I took the first two pill dose about 12 hours ago and feel crazy!,” she says.

Zithromax, a popular antibiotic, has been linked to cardiac events including fatal heart attacks. Unlike other antibiotics, Zithromax must only be taken for five days instead of nine or ten. That’s quite appealing to many patients, such as children who struggle with taking pills. Even though Z-Pak is more expensive than many other antibiotics, it remains one of the most requested drugs.

The root of Z-Pak class action lawsuits is that victims claim they weren’t properly warned about the risks of the drug. When there are so many antibiotics on the market, patients claim that they should know the Zithromax risks so they can make an informed choice. An Ohio forum poster came forward to share the Zithromax side effects, which can include chest pain and uneven heart beats:

“I’m still feeling terrible, heart racing, jittery, and an awful night,” the original poster replied. “Just wanted to see if anyone else has had these reactions?”

Unfortunately, other users have had similar Zithromax complications. A different user responds with, “I’m taking the Z-Pak right now and hate it. It’s causing the jittery-ness, makes my heart race, makes me super hot and turns my face a bright tomato red. I was taking this in addition to a steroid pack which almost doubled the effects.”

While Zithromax has been shown in research to cause cardiac events, another issue is that things can become exacerbated when taken with other medications. However, antibiotics like Zithromax are prescribed for everything from an ear infection to bronchitis. Some patients don’t see their regular physician to get Z-Pak, and some don’t even have a regular physician at all. This means they may forget what other medications they’re taking, and the prescribing doctor may not have a strong grasp on the patient’s medical history.

Another user, Danny, shares his experience: “Last year I ended up with horrible side effects to Zithromax … I ended up in the emergency room twice. I ended up with my heart going totally irregular, panicky, and felt like I was bouncing out of my skin. I couldn’t function. In desperation, I went to a therapist thinking I was having anxiety/panic issues. She figured out I was having a reaction to the meds I was on. She warned me it could take a month for the drug to work itself out of my system and she was right. It was about six months before I was back to normal. Really watch the side effects, drugs affect people differently,” he warns.

Fortunately for Danny, Zithromax didn’t cause a permanent or deadly complication. However, it’s important to note that Z-Pak can be prescribed to vulnerable patients including toddlers and the elderly.

Understanding Danny’s experience, a different user relates what happened to her on the drug: “I hate this medicine. I was prescribed a Z-Pak by my doctor a couple of days ago. I got very little sleep the first night; got no sleep at all last night. Heart racing, itching, feeling like I wanted to jump out of my skin. When I got up to go to the bathroom at 3am, the lights seemed to be pulsating and ‘strobing.’ That was the final straw. I called my doctor today and told his nurse I can’t handle this medicine and am taking myself off it … never again with the Z-Pak.”

While it’s never recommended for a patient to take themselves off of a medication without the instructions of a doctor, especially an antibiotic, Danny’s forum posts encompass what others have said: Taking Z-Pak can sometimes lead to side effects that are too much to handle. The influx of Zithromax lawsuits showcase that some people experience harsh, cardiac-related complications while taking the drug. Also, heart attack symptoms are not the same for everyone. Sometimes the signs are bold and clear, but other times people may suffer a heart attack and not even realize anything serious has happened.

Do You Have a Z-Pak Story?

Were you or someone you love hurt by Zithromax? Were you prescribed this drug and soon after experienced a cardiac event? If this happened to you, you might have a Zithromax legal claim. Read more at the Zithromax Lawsuit: Z-Pak Zithromax Azithromycin Heart Attack Class Action Lawsuit Settlement Investigation today. Once you submit your information, an attorney will contact you if you have a case for a free Zithromax claim review.

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10 thoughts onForum Dedicated to Zithromax Side Effects Brimming with Complaints

  1. Heather says:

    Finished the z-pack April 6th and have had a racing heart and palpitations ever since along with no sleep. I would like to hear from others who have had similar experiences to find out if this has eventually went away on it’s own or if you needed treatment. My email is [email protected]

  2. Vani Narayanan says:

    I was prescribed amoxicillin for 2 weeks and azithromycin for 5 days. After that my heart has been racing even when resting to 130 bpm. It’s been 2 weeks after my last dose. Doctors don’t think its azithromycin or amoxicillin. But only after that I have a raising heart. Body is shaking with pain was hospitalized for a week. took ECG, Echo, No cure. Does anyone know when do the side side effects stop? Please contact me: [email protected] I’m scared to death

  3. Penny says:

    The zpac was one of the worst reactions I have ever had to a med. Crushing tightness in chest when lying down, Insomnia the entire time and when I finally slept for a couple of hours night terrors, painful joints and muscles, sweating and red in the face then freezing and chills, dry and cracked skin, feeling of fullness and indigestion, agitation, anxiety, and depression. Never again, I had no idea.

  4. Patricia LANE says:

    I took Zithromax yesterday – a three day course. After taking one tablet after lunch I felt about an hour later a few annoying odd pains in the tummy. Not soon after I had to go to the toilet. I went super hot and I started going numb down my arms and my legs, plus my body cleaned right out completely. I then became jittery and it was scary as I was home alone. I managed to wash my face and get myself back to bed and put myself in recovery position as my heart felt racing too. I did calm down but I have never reacted to medication like that and it was scary. Needless to say not taking anymore.

  5. Megan says:

    I took the Z-pak last December and I still feel like I want to jump out of my skin and my heart still has problems. I’ve been to the heart doctor but they couldn’t find anything wrong. I just don’t know what to do. Any advice would be helpful thank you

    1. MARA JADE says:

      Hi Megan. I went through that too – December 2017 – zithromax caused me to have heart palpitations, anxiety, panic, ocd type symptoms – and I never had experienced anything like that before. What worked for me:
      I eventually saw a naturopath and he set me on the right course to feel better. I take Stress B complex by Thorne; rhodiola 100mg; NAC, magnesium, and vitamin D daily. And for awhile, when my nerves were really agitated the first few months, he had me on a herbal tincture consisting of motherwort, scullcap and tilia calm. I am okay now, and have been since the spring overall. I highly recommend a naturopathic doctor – it helped me far more than anything else. I hope you feel better soon. You can find your way back to wellness, I believe it.

      1. Megan says:

        Thank you so much, this means alot to me. I feel so helpless sometimes and just want to feel normal again. Thank you

        1. Emily says:

          Hi,
          I took the zpack back in August 2019 and now it’s February and I still have symptoms of severe anxiety which often causes me to be depressed. It also caused me to have panic symptoms and ocd as well. It’s been going on for six months and I just feel like I’m never going to get better! I had anxiety before I took the medicine but it was manageable. Now it is unbearable. How are you feeling now and what would you recommend? Please help. I’m in college and feel so lost because of taking this medicine.

        2. Michelle says:

          Im crying writting this ive took two pills out of that pack three days ago and i still feel like a nervous reack ive never had anxiety of any kind i went in for a uti and they gave me that zpack please guys this is the worst feeling ever i cant even fuction with ky kids do you guys think thy can pump this crap outta my system i just wanna feel better please

  6. John says:

    Thank you for this article!

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