Nitrofurantoin for Urinary Tract Infection User Reviews (Page 4)

• Hap...
• May 24, 2015

"Rx paperwork does not say take with food, even though it is very important to do so. My UTI symptoms were gone after taking the first pill. I only have to take it for 3 days, but I am experiencing some side effects. I feel achy and very sleepy. Just have no energy in general. I had diarrhea after the first dose, but not terrible. I just don't want to get out of bed. I still rated this med a 10 because it did take away my UTI symptoms almost immediately. Just remember to eat a full meal before each dose, and it makes all the difference in the side effects. Two pills to go, I can do this."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 25, 2019

"This medicine was absolutely horrible for me. I had extreme diarrhea, with nausea and vomiting every time I took it, and I had to take it 2x a day. The abdominal pain it caused, no matter how much food or water I took with it, was the sharpest pain I’ve ever felt, like 7/10 on the pain scale. I lost weight and was severely dehydrated."

• Oli...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 1, 2024

"I was prescribed Bactrim for a UTI, but 4 days later, I was not getting any better. When the urine culture came back 5 days after I started the Bactrim, it showed that I had E. Coli which was resistant to Bactrim and was put on Macrobid 2x/day for 7 days. I can’t tolerate many antibiotics like Augmentin and doxycycline, so I was incredibly nervous. I took my doses with a meal, but I did end up mildly nauseous anyway. But then I started to feel better after only 2 doses, about 12 hrs. I ordered Culturelle Probiotics on the second day and also took an acidophilus supplement, and that helped a lot with the nausea. I didn’t get my typical cramps or diarrhea. I think it was the supplements that allowed me to stay on this med for so long (my gut was already shot after 4 days of Bactrim.) The nausea did catch up with me again on the 7th day (today, so I didn’t take my last pill,) but I have been symptom-free for 3-4 days. This medication works very well if you can avoid the side effects."

• Mis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 8, 2019

"I felt the medication would have worked, my symptoms of UTI were easing. Unfortunately, after just 1 day of taking Macrodantin, I had the most awful sudden reaction: cough, uncontrollable shaking, chills, high temperature, body aches, and chest tightness. I didn't have enough energy to shower or leave my bed. I decided to stop and felt I was getting better from the side effects. Twenty-four hours later, I started the medication again. After the 2nd dose, I woke up during the night with the same symptoms. I had pneumonia years ago, these symptoms felt the same. I know I can never take this medication again."

• Pun...
• January 24, 2017

"After reading all of the horrible reviews on this site, I was terrified to take Macrobid. I waited two days, hoping that the symptoms would clear and I wouldn't have to take this 'awful poison.' Everything I read talked about flu-like symptoms and high fevers. Scary stuff. I finally gave in and took my first dose around 9:00 a.m. By around 1:00 p.m., I had a bit of a headache, which was mostly controlled with Advil. Same side effect with the second and third doses. By day three, I was side effect-free and nearly symptom-free too. I would take this again in a heartbeat. Don't let the reviews scare you. Everyone reacts differently, and you can't base what your experience will be off of the bad experiences others had."

• Ang...
• September 11, 2013

"I've never had a reaction to any antibiotics, but this one brought me to the ER. After 24 hours, I began feeling flu-like symptoms, 48 hours later, I had symptoms of bronchitis. After 4 days, I was covered in hives. I had assumed that I picked up a virus from the clinic when I went in for the urinary tract infection, so I didn't correlate all my symptoms to reactions from the Macrobid. When I broke out into hives, I finally realized something was going on. After a visit to the ER and steroids, I'm feeling better. It's been 24 hours off the Macrobid, and I can breathe again, flu symptoms gone, and I have my energy back. That was a rough 6 days in bed."

• Stu...
• March 31, 2016

"Took 2 pills... TWO PILLS!! Spent 3 hours in the ER with rapid heartbeats (over 100), chest tightness, anxiousness, and the shakes. The hospital did an array of tests and told me to stop taking... No sheet. Now the bad news... Another doctor told me it can take up to a week to get the drug out of the system... My advice... Take one and wait a day or so to see how the body responds... In my case, this pill was garbage and dangerous... I have never had a reaction to a medicine like this... Stay away from this antibiotic..."

• chr...
• July 23, 2014

"I am 11 wks pregnant, and after my first OB/GYN appointment, they called me with results that I had a urinary tract infection. I was shocked because I didn't have any symptoms other than pressure by my bladder, which I was relating to the pregnancy. I was prescribed 100 mg of Macrobid x 3 days, taking 1 capsule every 12 hrs. The first night I took it a couple of hours after dinner and went to sleep. BIG MISTAKE! I woke up vomiting, ate a bagel right away, and took the second pill. I felt nauseated all day, tired, and had a mild headache. The remaining pills I took directly after a full meal and felt a little better. If it wasn't for the medicine only being for 3 days, I don't think I could've taken it any longer. I just kept telling myself that if I don't finish it, a UTI can be much more serious."

• Hbs...
• April 5, 2017

"I was experiencing back-to-back UTIs for 8-9 months. After trying some alternative approaches with my doctor, considering surgery, she decided to put me on a daily low-dose antibiotic: Macrodantin. It has been over three plus months and it works. I honestly am not comfortable taking a daily antibiotic, but I am far more uncomfortable having a UTI. No side effects for me."

• Gig...
• February 26, 2012

"I took Macrobid for 7 days, and it alleviated my urinary tract infection (very happy about that). Four days after finishing the Macrobid, I started to itch all over my body, from the top of my head to the soles of my feet. There's no rash present, but my skin gets very sensitive and red even before I scratch (super red). Five days after taking the medication, I am experiencing tightness in my esophagus and burning; as if I had a bad case of acid reflux (I have a minor level of acid reflux)."

• Anonymous
• April 28, 2015

"Prescribed Macrobid for a UTI. I took my first pill last night with rice and bread, felt fine. Woke up this morning to get ready for work and had to sit down in the shower, I got so nauseous. Couldn't even finish washing out my shampoo and had to lean over the toilet because I thought I would throw up. Held it in and almost passed out walking back to my bed. Slept another three hours, then got up to try to make toast and got too nauseous and dizzy to even wait on the toaster. The UTI already feels much better after one pill, but I have never felt so miserable, am missing work, and have called my doctor to try to get off this medication."

• Joo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 1, 2019

"Prescribed for 7 days, my first time taking them. Didn't read reviews until day 2 as I started feeling odd. I felt as though I was coming off antidepressants, my anxiety levels went into overdrive. Headaches, pain in joints/muscles. It was fine day 1, but as days went by, I felt unsafe to drive. But after 2 hours of taking meds, it hits you. Heart races with shakes. Abdominal cramps, feeling sick as well, feel jittery and impending doom feeling. I have continued to finish the course as my last day today... I am so poorly that I couldn't tell you if my UTI is gone. It was a blessing off work this week as I doubt I could have gone in. Won't be using them again."

• Anonymous
• November 15, 2011

"I had a severe reaction to this medication. Chills, very high fever, bright redness on both legs from ankles to knees, and red blotches on upper legs. Also, red blotches and hives on both arms. Fatigue."

• beb...
• March 10, 2012

"I have had a urinary tract infection since January, and it is now March. First, I was put on a Z-pak with no relief. Then I was put on Cipro. The test came back as if I hadn't taken anything. Now I am on nitrofurantoin, and the symptoms have subsided. I have a headache and am tired, but so what, they will go away when I finish taking this. It worked great for me."

• moo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 3, 2015

"I have recurring UTIs every couple of months, and I have taken every antibiotic. Cipro and Keflex did not work for me, and Bactrim I had horrible side effects. Macrobid is the only one to cure my UTIs every time! Of course, it depends on which bacteria is causing yours."

• Cay...
• December 19, 2016

"Macrobid cleared up my UTI in only 4 days. I was afraid to use it based on the comments on this site, but keep in mind, most people who take time out to comment are those with negative experiences. Usually, people with great experiences, like myself, don't take time out to talk about how well a medication works-they use it and go on with their daily lives. It's been over a year now and no recurrence of UTI. I had zero side effects."

• Mlm...
• August 31, 2017

"Prescribed this after recurrent UTI. I am very prone to them, and if you are too, try to listen to your body and know your triggers. I know it sucks to not be able to drink soda or having to jump up after sex to pee, but it's well worth it in the long run. Macrobid, like sulfa and cipro, makes me feel uneasy, but there's no getting around that, I would rather feel a little uneasy than peeing what feels like fire and sitting on the toilet for hours, crying, thinking how unfair it is to be born with a short urethra. I'm shocked how many people would rather have a UTI than the uneasiness of an antibiotic. Not for me. Obviously, my symptoms of painful urinating make it so worth just a little tummy ache to feel better. Take with food. Take all reviews with a grain of salt."

• Mic...
• October 29, 2016

"Ok, gotta make a long story short. My doctor gave me Bactrim for a UTI, and usually it works, but this time it didn't. I was miserable, so I went to urgent care. They prescribed me Macrobid 100 mg 2× daily. I read all the awful reviews, and since my stomach is very sensitive and easily nauseated, I immediately was discouraged. I asked the pharmacist, and she told me she had taken it, and as long as you follow the instructions on the bottle that say take with food or milk, I would be fine, and she didn't have any symptoms. So I have been eating a good meal before I take it, and it's been 3 days now, and I woke up on the 3rd day, and it's like it's gone, and I could tell after the 1st day I was getting better. I was in pain for 6 days, and this med was a blessing!!!"

• Rob...
• January 3, 2017

"I had a UTI, and my Dr. prescribed Macrobid. I'm allergic to most antibiotics and usually experience all the side effects possible, so I read the reviews here and was so scared to take it that I waited a week to see if my symptoms would somehow go away on their own (they didn't). I finally said a prayer and started the Macrobid. The only side effect I had at all was a pretty good headache on days 1 and 2, which was relieved with Advil. I wish I had started sooner! Just remember that usually, the only people coming to these sites are people who have had bad reactions. My pharmacist said that she's been prescribing it for 35 years and never heard of anyone having really bad reactions to it."

• Cea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 2, 2019

"I experienced every single side effect in this blog. After day five, I drove myself to the emergency room. My organs almost shut down. I’m at home, can’t work, and now have to see a lung specialist this week. It’s been weeks, and I still feel like I’m dying. I wish the people that had no problems would list their age. And great - I’m glad it worked for you if you had no problems, but don’t ever, EVER tell anyone not to be afraid to take it. Be afraid, be very afraid. This med is no joke. I’m 49, and this is the worst thing that’s ever happened to me, and I’m still so sick I can barely get up or breathe, and my last dose was almost 4 weeks ago."

• Asd...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 29, 2020

"I didn't appreciate the fact that you need to eat a proper meal or a sandwich when taking them. I had half a banana with the first dose, and throughout the day, I thought I felt so sick. Sick 5 times, chills, sweats, stiffness, dizziness, tiredness, and many other things. I called the surgery as I thought I might be allergic to them, but they told me I hadn't eaten enough. Relief!!!"

• Mir...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 13, 2016

"After reading the reviews for this antibiotic, I was terrified to even take it. I went to urgent care in Orlando because I had gotten a UTI during my vacation in Disney World, so it wasn't even my own doctor prescribing me the medication. I was prescribed 100 mg to take 2 times a day for 7 days. The majority of people claimed to have horrible side effects, but I did not have any, besides small stomach cramps a couple hours after taking the pill. Do not let the reviews scare you. Everyone is different! My only complaint is that it worked so slowly. It took 6 days for all of my symptoms to completely clear up. Now I have to wait and see if the infection comes back."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 7, 2017

"Worst medicine ever!!! Went to the ER & was diagnosed with a UTI, so this med was prescribed! I've been in bed now 2 days straight! The headaches & body aches are just ridiculous! Not to mention I don't have an appetite, but I've been throwing up off & on! This medicine made me worse than I was in the beginning! This is my first & last time taking this, that's for sure!"

• App...
• April 27, 2016

"Took Macrobid for five days. It caused constant nervousness/jitteriness, and I could not sleep. Two days after the Macrobid regime was done, my UTI started up again. So much pain and suffering for nothing. What upsets me the most is that I had told the nurse at the clinic that Cipro works for me, and she prescribed Macrobid instead! Some people are worse than useless."

• Tig...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 1, 2019

"I read these reviews and was terrified to take this. I have anxiety; so even if I didn’t have the physical side effects, I was pretty sure I would have psychosomatic ones after reading all the negative experiences. I’m also scared of antibiotic resistance and hate taking them to begin with. I procrastinated for a week because I didn’t want it to make me feel terrible. Also, my UTI wasn’t bad; I didn’t have many symptoms. But I knew it wasn’t going away, so down the hatch the Macrobid went. Well, I didn’t feel terrible. Absolutely no side effects. I know everybody is different, but if you have an Rx for this, don’t be afraid to try it because chances are you’ll be fine. It’ll do its job (which it is)."