People on Reddit Describe The Weirdest Side Effect They’ve Ever Experienced From Medication

While medication has made some incredible contributions to people’s quality of life, sometimes it causes people to question if they’re even worth taking. They have contraindications with other prescriptions and supplements and can often have undesirable side effects. As such, a Reddit user posed an important question and got some interesting, if not terrifying, answers. In response, other users disclosed some of the weirdest medication side effects they’ve ever experienced.

1. Allergic to the Cure

One user shared they had a “near-death experience” from the antibiotic Levaquin. After ingesting the prescription they quickly learned they were allergic. “Twenty minutes after I ingested it, cut to me, being stabbed with an EpiPen. Be ready people. Don’t swallow everything.” Tarkus_Edge wrote.

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2. Medication Side Effects for Aiding Sleep

Another user shared that taking Zoloft caused frequent, and eventually painful, yawns. “I stopped taking it and informed my doc. Who then told me it can’t cause that. Oh well. A year or two later I tried Zoloft again and it started up within two days.” rebel1031 shared.

3. Medication Side Effects like Waking in the Nude

Zoloft didn’t do the trick so they tried Ambien instead. However, a severe adverse effect put the user in a vulnerable position. “And well taking Ambien resulted in me waking up in the front yard completely naked.” They added. “Not going to be taking that again anytime soon. Haha.”

4. Trazadone May Cause Memory Loss

Although forgetfulness is an inevitable part of aging, certain conditions are alarming. So when a younger person starts experiencing severe memory loss, it can be equally, if not more, terrifying. One user shared that they were taking Trazadone to help treat “pretty relentless insomnia following trauma.” However, it negatively affected their memory. “[I] could not remember words for various things. Scary as a young ish person.” jaonan disclosed.

In response, another person concurred. “I also take that sleep medication for severe insomnia and yeah it definitely is affecting my memory too… also I occasionally have mild hallucinations, but that coincided with an increase in my Zoloft soooo not sure which one is causing that.” HermesCat shared.

5. Codeine May Also Cause Memory Loss

JoeTheBartender786 has some experience with forgetfulness after taking any medication with codeine.

“Whenever I take coding, either cough syrup or Tylenol with codine, my brain just stops recording. I operate normally, act normally, but I have no memory.” He wrote, adding: “I have worked full shifts at work, exercised done everything normally but I have no memory of anything that takes place like 15 minutes after I ingest codine”

6. A Medication Side Effect Like Zapping

Although VeganFinderFinder didn’t share what medication caused the bizarre side effect, they shared the weirdest medication side effect they experienced was “brain zapping”.

“Describing it to someone who doesn’t understand makes me feel like I’m making something up, too. How do you tell someone you feel like your brain is being shocked by static electricity?” They questioned.

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7. Medication Side Effects like Vomiting

Keflex is an antibiotic that hit the market in the late 60s to treat ailments like respiratory and ear infections. However, one Redditor shared that it caused a side effect that many hate, fear, or avoid at all costs. “I was prescribed Keflex as a teen. Took it on an empty stomach, vomited. My Mom called the doctors office and they said, oh you have to take it with food. So she stopped at McDonald’s and got me a chicken sandwich. I ate the sandwich, took another Keflex and vomited everywhere. I couldn’t eat McDonald’s chicken sandwiches for ten years.” mst3k_42 wrote. “I just say I’m allergic now, easier than putting up with that, and no other antibiotics have ever caused me any issues.”

8. Uncontrollable Chewing and Weird Dreams

“Melatonin gives me incredibly weird dreams and I’m pretty sure I start chewing on my tongue in my sleep because it hurts the next day.” Explained Jolkien-RR-Tolkien.

9. Medication Side Effects like Cravings

I had an awesome one! Going through the roller coaster hell of medications to treat depression, I started REALLY liking triscuits. Also buying those big shredded wheat flavorless biscuits someone eats for breakfast.”scrubjays wrote. “I was up to 3 boxes of triscuits and one of the big shredded wheat brillo pads a day when I mentioned this to my psychiatrist, who said one of the possible side effects of that medication was craving wheat. And how.“

10. Prone to Sunburns

It’s common for doctors to warn about the dangers of sun exposure when using medicated topical treatments. However, spicegrl17 shared that her medication side effect is seemingly permanent. “Was in antibiotics for a gnarly sty (Doxycycline). Didn’t help my sty at all. Now I get sun burns realllllly easy. I’m latin, so I never used to burn before. I regret taking them sooo much.” She wrote.

11. Ghosts, Bugs, or Hallucinations

As previously mentioned, one Redditor experienced hallucinations but they can’t pinpoint the cause. However, user David-Diron had what some would call hallucinations, while others would call it otherworldly. “I was shot back in the ’70’s, it tore up my shoulder. They shot me full of pain killer (to cut down on my screaming I imagine). I never lost consciousness, but I could see ghosts of people who had died in the hospital, or whose bodies were brought to the hospital.” He said. “I knew they were ghosts, because the nurses walked right through them. They (the ghosts) told me all sort of important things, none of which I could remember later.”

Meanwhile, Sadlycoris explained: “My mom gave me some sort of medicine for the flu when I was 4 which suddenly triggered hallucinations. I started seeing bugs everywhere, eating me, so I began screaming my lungs out. Apparently it was an allergic reaction.”

12. A Positive Medication Side Effect

While many previously mentioned medication side effects have been unpleasant, to say the least, Xiao_Qinggui had a unique experience. One that might be appreciated by those who enjoy having their senses stimulated. “Baclofen, it’s a muscle relaxer for everyone else but for me, it gives me a super sense of smell. I’m not joking, my sense of smell gets so sensitive that I could probably put a blindfold on and navigate with smell alone.” They shared. “I’ve asked anyone I know who’s taken it and a few doctors – None of them have ever had or heard of anyone else having this side effect.”

Consult with Professionals

Medication side effects can be fascinating or terrifying, if not both. However, they impact people differently. Be sure to speak with your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about your medication. Do not discontinue any prescribed medication unless your doctor advises you to do so.

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