I have something wrong with my bladder for sure. Ever since I was sixteen and I'm twenty now I have had bladder problems. They may think it's interstitial cystitis. I'm still waiting to see a urologist... it's been a year and a half now. I usually test negative for any urine tests... but I always seem to "self medicate" by drinking cranberry juice at the first sign of pain or pressure. On monday, I went to the doctor at 11:20 am. Ididn't self medicate and actually tested positive for a bladder infection! My doctor prescribed me Macrobid for 7 days, 1 pill twice a day. I took my fifth pill this morning and I don't have the horrible urgency anymore or as much of the pain. But I still have a bit of urgency and pressure and a tiny bit of pain. Should I go back and ask for something else, like cipro?
Should I go back to the doctors? I'm on my third day of macrobid and it hasn't cleared up my uti?
Question posted by Leahmurr on 1 Aug 2012
Last updated on 7 September 2020 by Rosiebird
14 Answers
Hello hope it is going better for you..
If not I have been on heavy antibiotics 4 years ago and after 3 lots i still had that horrible pressure ... so as I always take 1-2 Aged garlic tablets everyday I decided to take another 4 before bed... next day I felt pretty good!!
So i took 2 more and 2 at lunch and 2 at night... and finally it was totally gone!
Now if I feel any presure i take the exstra garlic and it helps me everytime!
Give it a try please!
I am a Sweet tooth i know that for me sugar is a problem...
I have the same thing I’ve suffered since I was a kid
I only had one in December I was given Macrobid (nitrofurantoin) and it cleared up this time round it’ started to clear up but now on day 4 and the burning is coming back it’s like the worst thing ever
@Tori1981 did you get any relief ..if yes then.how
If your UTI is with hematuria, Cipro might be very effective. Since you are on Macrobid, my thinking is you suffer from cystitis (bladder infection). Macrobid cannot be used for kidney infection at all. Have your doctor ordered cultures for you? Macrobid can be used to treat ESBL E. Coli which is different from the regular E. Coli. Since you have this condition for quite some time, it's not safe to self-mediate by drinking cranberry juice. I seriously think that you should see an urologist right away and he might ultrasound for your bladder and cultures as well.
Yes gurly,you should probably go back to your doctor,maybe you know,maybe you don't,I'm not gonna make jump to conclusions,BUT,interstitial cistitis is an immunitory malfunction of your bladder I do believe I read n.n,let's see,it says here it's a chronic bladder problem that resembles a uti and get's worse with one..it also says symptoms range from mild to severe,and might also suffer ibs,fibromyalgia,or other pain problems,oh dear :c I hope it's not that bad for you,do see your doctor! Silly me,of course you know what it is,you have it,my apologies n.n;
Yes gurly,you should probably go back to your doctor,maybe you know,maybe you don't,I'm not gonna make jump to conclusions,BUT,interstitial cistitis is an immunitory malfunction of your bladder I do believe I read n.n,let's see,it says here it's a chronic bladder problem that resembles a uti and get's worse with one..it also says symptoms range from mild to severe,and might also suffer ibs,fibromyalgia,or other pain problems,oh dear :c I hope it's not that bad for you,do see your doctor!
I just wanted to give support, if you are still having troubles with this... mine got so bad (and Ive had the prob since i was age 4, my mom had said!) at 55 yo, I had so many cytoscopies, they "rehung" y bladder and it didnt help at all... be careful before you try any surgical methods... good luck, and ppl, stop lecturing her
Look into D- Mannose. D-Mannose is a nutritional supplement that can be found in cranberries, peaches, apples, other berries, and some plants. This supplement helps to latch onto bad bacteria in your urinary tract. I take it at FIRST onset of UTI and find that it never progresses so bad that I need to get antibiotics.
E. coli doesn't cause 99% of uti's, maybe 50-75%. You also have Klebsiella, Proteus, among many other Enterobacteriacea, yeast, staphs, streps, enterococcus and the list goes on. E. coli generally comes from wiping the wrong way, and is lost abundant in the gut. I read urine cultures every day, and perform identification and susceptibility testing.
I have Been having issues for the last 9 weeks. Pelvic pain, vaginal burning, burning when I pee, back and side pain. My dr put me on vaginal valium, antidepressant meds and nerve meds. My systoms are starting to get better but when i pee I can feel it burning my skin of my vagina and it takes a while for it to calm down. If it calms down at all. I start getting acupuncture to see if that will help because I want to nip this in the bud. I don't feel that it is IC for the fact that I don't have to pee a lot. I've been tested for a lot of things and they all come back negative. This has been running my life as well my bf. I've been out of work for two months because all I do is cry. Is there some thing else I should be looking for?
Cipro is a great antibiotic and kills many infections , you do sound like you just might have I.C cause your symptoms are similar to mine. The medication elmiron didn't work for me after taking it for 2 years but doesn't mean it won't work for you... If your in discomfort you can by azo over the counter to freeze your bladder until you can get to this urologist. Its very important that you see one because they will be able to diagnose you properly. Trying the azo when you feel discomfort turns your urine orange so u need to wear a panty liner or your under clothes will stain. The more you go pee the more you release the medicine and that's when you take another dosage.
One Nitrofurantoin (Furadantin) pill (an antibiotic) after sex helps prevent infections. Has changed the life of myself and many of my patients with sex-induced- utis.
I always take it a few hours before sex if I know I'm having it. This works best for me. Otherwise, 2 directly afterwards.
I would finish your full presc. of microbid and then see how you feel. Keep doctor posted.
Good luck,
Last dosage is today. Not feeling better. I'll call my fixture Tuesday seeing aw tomorrow is a holiday
If you do have IC then cranberry juice as well as the pills will more then likely irritate your bladder. Any drink or food that has a high acidic amount will irritate the IC bladder. That's the reason your told not to drink it.
But you are responding. It is getting better. Let me ask you something-did you become sexually active at age 16? If yes, then likely your problems are stemming from sex. They used to call this "honeymoon cystitis" I have had bladder trouble and infections since I was two years old. Once I became sexually active it got worse 10 fold! I learned many things about sex and bladder health. I always try to drink a full glass of water prior to sexual activity, if I can. This helps me to be able to void after sex and this helps to clear the urethra of all the "gunk" forced into the urethra by the friction of sex. For some women, the way your urinary meatus or the opening where urine comes from, is situated in such a way to the vagina that sex tends to force fluids, skin cells and bacterias from the genital areas (and mouth in the event of oral sex) right up into that opening, up the urethra and into the bladder.
If you dont void (or pee) right after sex to flush this out, it will set up shop and bring on a massive UTI. You may also find that you need to bathe prior to sex whenever you can to reduce the amount of bacteria in the genital/anal area. 99% of UTI's are caused by e.coli. E.coli is from the digestive tract and tends to populate around the anal area which then can be dragged to the urinary meatus then up into the bladder by sex and also by wiping after using the bathroom.Be sure that you ALWAYS wipe from front to back and NEVER from back to front. Never allow your partner to enter the anal area then re-enter the vagina-it is asking for trouble. The best thing you can do though is to always get up and void right after sex to flush out the urethra. This will help head off those infections. I know if I have sex then fall asleep withoud voiding I will wake the very next day with a raging UTI so I speak from experience! I know it is TMI but I do this for educational purposes! UTI's are miserable. Be sure that you always stay well hydrated and it doesnt have to be cranberry juice. Water works just fine. Vitamin C can sometimes help because it acidifies urine making it less hospitable for bacterias (this is basically what cranberry juice does) As for your current infection, just continue the course of antibiotics. You are showing improvement so it is working. Keep taking them for the full course.
Hello! Thanks for the comment.
Yes, my lame bladder started when I was 16, and that was also the same age I lost my virginity. Sex definitely does bother me alot, but I also chug so much water before and after and I always pee after sex. ALWAYS! I take cranberry pills as well. I'm waiting to see a urologist, but my doctor thinks I have interstitial cystitis, so I'm on amitryptaline for that. I do all the preventative measures for preventing a bladder infection/uti.But yes, I think I will see how I feel friday and if I don't feel much better, I'll call. But yes, there has been improvement :)
Also, if it is interstitial cystitis, I'm not supposed to have cranberry pills or juice. But since I have a bladder infection, I will definitely drink cranberry juice and take the pills cause that helps. It's just frustrating..because my Interstitial Cystitis diet says "don't have cranberry pills or juice " and bladder infections and uti diet must consist of cranberry pills. Sucks :(
I had my urethra dilated when I was in my 20's and that helped to reduce the frequency of infections. I have read in many medical articles about cranberry and cranberry juice. Some say there is lack of evidence that it helps, as far as the juice-some articles say the sugar in the juice negates any good the cranberry does, some say it is just the Vitamin C that helps by acidifying the urine and making the bladder wall slippery so that bacteria do not adhere. Then other articles say there is evidence that it helps. It is confusing. I think just any fluid will help. You need to dilute the urine and flush the urinary tract often by urinating frequently. I try to never be in a situation where I have to hold it too long because that causes infections too.
I used to be miserable all the time when I worked in the operating room because it was so hard to get time to pee! If they are leaning toward interstitial cystitis perhaps try a time without the cranberry juice and pills-see what happens. I find when I start getting burning and frequency sometimes if I take Azo Standard for the pain (I keep that stuff on hand at all times!) and just really drink a LOT of water, I can flush it all out and be okay without antibiotics. Sex is a big aggravator for me though. I have had to teach my husband a lot so he doesnt do something to bring on infection. It is harder to take precautions that I do when you are not married or in a steady relationship. We usually both bathe before sex, I keep my water at the bedside and now he knows when and where he can be to keep from transferring bacteria but it still sometimes happens. It sucks to have a tempermental bladder!
:) I'm in a steady relationship and I just recently got engaged :) I've told him everything I know about this kind of stuff and supports me. I'm in canada. Do you know if that AZO standard is sold here? I'm at work being sneaky and answering this haha I would search it up but my boss could pop in at any time.
Also, I'm on my fourth day of Macrobid. Urine was cloudy when I woke up this morning... I'll still continue. I take my last dose of Macrobid on Sunday. I will call my doctor monday if my symptoms worsen or don't get any better! Sex is OFF LIMITS this weekend..and probably next..Whatever it takes.
Water is my best friend haha
Hi just wanted to comment that I hve had Interstitial cystitis for yrs and was diagnosed by a urologist... sometimes a int cys mimics a UTI Infection. If you have a UTI through a urinalysis test but also suffer from IC dont take cranberry pills or juice because anything acidic will agravate IC. I have taken a lot of antibiotics through the yrs for UTI's but also was suffering from IC and didn't know it at an early age. For IC my urologist gave me elmiron, neorontin and elavil. Most of all change diet... hope this hels. Oh, macrobid was given to me but the generic doesnt work for me... take care to all the IC and UTI patients.
Your absolutely right cranberry juice bothers the bladder when you would think its the best thing for you. Um chocolate, smoking cigarettes, pop the list goes on, its a horrible disease to live with as I do myself. You just can't give up and try to find what works for you and tell your urologist also.. If you Dont have one I suggest you get one asap
Its an antibiotic, not a miracle pill. The reason they order antibiotics for a length of time, is that it takes that long to clear the infection. Take it for 7 days, then see how you feel.
My doctor told me to call in two days.
I know it's not a miracle pill. I've been on this medication before when I was 16 or 17 and it hurt my stomach very badly and I don't remember how well it helped my infection. But yes, I will finish the medication.
Well no s*** sherlock!! Who said it was a miracle pill?? I really can't stand people like you who force stupidity on people!
Related topics
macrobid, urinary tract infection, bladder infection, interstitial cystitis, doctor, bladder
Further information
- Macrobid uses and safety info
- Macrobid prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Macrobid (detailed)
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