Macrobid and Nausea: What Users Say (Page 2)
Reviews for Macrobid
- Lil...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- February 27, 2017
For Urinary Tract Infection "Please don't be scared to take this medication. I read the reviews and was horrified, but honestly, the drug was very tolerable. I went through two other medications for UTI before I was prescribed this one. First, it was Bactrim, which a few hours after taking the third dose I got hives. Second was Ciprofloxacin HCl 500 mg, and I ended up with tendinitis in both legs. Thirdly is Macrobid 100 mg 2x a day for 7 days. My advice is to take it with a full meal. The only side effects I get are slight drowsiness and nausea close to the 12 hours mark of my next dose. Eat large meals before taking Macrobid, and then snack throughout the day and drink lots of fluids. You'll be okay."
- Wha...
- July 30, 2014
For Bladder Infection "I was prescribed Macrobid for a bladder infection on a Friday. I took the first dose that evening after dinner. I woke up Saturday morning feeling fine, took another dose, and it went downhill from there. We went out for breakfast, and the fun began: nausea, chills, etc. I had to go home and get in bed for the remainder of the day. I had a fever of 101.3. I had a terrible headache, joint pain, etc. On Sunday, I was so freaked out that my husband took me to an urgent care clinic. I was told that it wasn't the Macrobid, but that my bladder infection had become systemic. Baloney. I would wake up and feel fine, take the medication with milk, and whammo! Down for the count. I am now on day five and finally went to work today. I totally felt hungover."
Frequently asked questions
- What is "dual release" nitrofurantoin?
- Is meloxicam a sulfa drug?
- Does Macrobid make birth control pills less effective?
- What antibiotics are used to treat UTI?
- Fla...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- May 27, 2020
For Urinary Tract Infection "I took this for a UTI. I found relief the next day. The only side effects I experienced were: dark brown urine, nausea, and upset stomach. It was very annoying to have to deal with, especially after being at the hospital and enduring horrible pain from the UTI itself. I try to avoid taking this, but I am glad I have it if I ever desperately need it."
- sol...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- September 25, 2013
For Urinary Tract Infection "I took this medication for 2 days and I'm calling the doctor this morning. I will not be taking the next pill. I feel worse than before, as if I have the flu. I cannot sleep, and I'm sweating hot and cold. I have headaches and feel nauseous even after taking the pill with food. This isn't for me at all."
Are you taking this medicine?
Your review helps others make informed decisions.- mer...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- June 24, 2012
For Urinary Tract Infection "I have taken this medication twice. I started feeling unwell after 4 days the first time around. The second time, I thought I had the flu as well as a urinary tract infection. The last pill of the day was taken at supper time. By bedtime, I was feeling ill, and then by midnight I felt very ill, delirious, with nausea, chills, and a rapid heartbeat. I went to the doctor and was told to discontinue the medication."
- Can...
- October 13, 2013
For Urinary Tract Infection "My urinary tract infection symptoms were not nearly as painful as the side effects of this medicine. It cleared up the UTI in a day, but by the second day, it was nausea, extreme fatigue, no appetite, joint and muscle pain, stomach pain, complete weakness, chills, and fever. The pharmacist said it was probably the UTI. Now it's day 5, and I'm in agony. Stopping Macrobid and calling the doctor in the morning."
- Anonymous
- Taken for less than 1 month
- July 17, 2013
For Bladder Infection "I was peeing like crazy, approximately every 10 minutes. I decided to see my doctor, she prescribed Macrobid, and within a day I could already notice results! I do feel a little queasy after taking this pill, but more food always helps. This is the best thing ever! I now don't have to worry if my coworkers would notice my frequent trips to the washroom, and I don't hurt anymore."
- GCa...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- October 6, 2019
For Urinary Tract Infection "I was prescribed Macrobid for a UTI. I know medications affect everyone in a different way. But this antibiotic made me so sick. I had severe headaches, nausea, and weakness. I was unable to go to work. I took the entire 7-day treatment even though it was making me feel so terrible. I thought it would be worth it if it cleared up my infection. But it didn’t clear it up! I still had the same symptoms, so I had to go back to the doctor. This time I was prescribed Cephalexin. It worked and with no side effects."
- Anonymous
- May 8, 2012
For Urinary Tract Infection "This medicine worked really well. It did take about 3 days to kick in and make me feel 100% better, though. I took it as directed and did not have any problems. I did have nausea about 8 hours after taking the pill, but I would eat something and the nausea would go away. Make sure to drink lots of fluids in order to get rid of the infection and continue to drink lots of fluids to prevent the infection! I took the medication twice daily for seven days."
- Anonymous
- August 2, 2009
For Bladder Infection "I have been on Macrobid for a urinary tract infection for 4 days and still do not have relief. I have called my doctor, and he has now prescribed me a sulfa drug. I have used the sulfa drug in the past, and it works quickly. I am miserable on the Macrobid, exhausted, irritable, weepy, nauseous, and have a headache."
- LDa...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- November 5, 2019
For Bladder Infection "I was prescribed Macrobid after phoning my GP with symptoms of cystitis. I sent a sample in for testing and was given a 7-day course. I hadn’t been given this drug before, but as I am 7 weeks pregnant, the options are more limited. My cystitis symptoms did clear up quickly on Macrobid, but I would never take this medication again due to the horrible side effects! I was extremely nauseous constantly, physically sick, lost my appetite, had no energy, and had aching pains in my lower back, abdomen, and thighs. I also suffered with constipation and severe bloating. I understand that drugs have side effects, but I found them worse than the actual water infection, and we all know how awful they can be, so that says it all! I’ve never reacted to an antibiotic before and will be asking for an alternative if I have another water infection."
- Ale...
- August 8, 2016
For Bladder Infection "I got a pretty bad bladder infection and got prescribed this medicine. I didn't bother to check reviews, as my infection was so bad that all I wanted to do was be able to pee. I'm on day 3. Symptoms barely better. On top of that, I now have bad pain in my lower back, a swollen stomach that hurts really bad, gas, constipation, and worst of all, I can barely stay awake. I'm exhausted. I have zero energy, and I've been bedridden since the first dose. My joints hurt, my shoulders hurt, I am dizzy and nauseous. And I take the dose with a decent meal to prevent stomach upset, but it doesn't work. The worst part is that I keep having bouts of diarrhea, but nothing comes out. I don't know if the medicine is worse than the disease, but I'm miserable."
- Kat...
- August 5, 2014
For Bladder Infection "I took Macrobid for two days. By day three I was nauseous, dizzy, and had diarrhea. I felt weak and dizzy and almost passed out. My doctor told me to stop the medication. It turned out that my culture was normal, and I didn't need antibiotics! I am now without the meds, and I feel like I have a virus!"
- Anonymous
- Taken for less than 1 month
- December 25, 2019
For Urinary Tract Infection "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."
- chr...
- July 23, 2014
For Urinary Tract Infection "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."
- Anonymous
- April 11, 2012
For Prevention of Bladder infection "I was 20 weeks pregnant when I had to go to the hospital because I had a bladder infection and kidney stones. The doctor ordered me to take this twice a day for 7 days, and it helped greatly. When I went in two weeks later for a follow-up with my ob/gyn, he said the infection was gone, but just to be safe, he put me on this for the rest of my pregnancy to prevent me from getting another infection since I'm predisposed to getting them. After three weeks of taking this once a day, I had to take myself off of it. I was nauseous all morning and night, tired to the point of lethargy, and just not feeling well at all in general. As soon as I stopped taking it, all the horribleness went away."
- Anonymous
- April 28, 2015
For Urinary Tract Infection "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."
- Oli...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- June 1, 2024
For Urinary Tract Infection "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."
- Hei...
- July 18, 2016
For Bladder Infection "I'm on day 2, so I have taken 4 pills and I feel absolutely horrible nausea. I have aches all over like the flu and pains in my stomach, sharp ones. I can barely keep my head up. I am stopping them and going back to the doctor tomorrow. I have never felt so bad, also very explosive diarrhea. I'm thinking of going to the hospital. I feel as if I have been poisoned."
- Mic...
- October 29, 2016
For Urinary Tract Infection "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!!!"
- Hip...
- March 1, 2019
For Bladder Infection "I have taken several antibiotics for UTI for the past years. Bactrim does not work at all for me. I have had no side effects on Macrobid, which I have taken twice. I was never tired, nauseous, had diarrhea, or anything. No flu-like symptoms or headache. I guess it just depends on the individual. I would definitely use it again."
- Anonymous
- April 3, 2009
For Bladder Infection "I hated taking this medicine. My doctor gave it to me because I'm 10 weeks pregnant, and it's a safe antibiotic, but it makes me extremely exhausted and have nausea. I didn't even know I had a urinary tract infection until the routine test came up positive, and the medicine made me feel worse."
- Anonymous
- Taken for less than 1 month
- December 29, 2016
For Bladder Infection "I have a history of UTIs and kidney infections because my urethra is abnormal. However, with every UTI, I have been prescribed several different antibiotics. None that are accompanied by side effects, but every person is different. With every UTI I have had, I have always experienced headache, nausea, body aches, and fever. All went away with the UTI. When I asked my doctor, he said the antibiotics take between 48 and 72 hours to start taking effect on your body. You may be experiencing some effects of your infection."
- ele...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- June 15, 2019
For Urinary Tract Infection "I have taken several antibiotics for UTI, and Macrobid is the only one where I felt the need to write a review and also search for one, as I was praying the EXTREME side effects I have been experiencing were not uncommon. I took Macrobid for three days, and each day the symptoms got worse. I have been completely nauseous ever since I started taking it, and my heart rate has been scary high. Yesterday, my heart rate got so high my whole body was shaking, and I got blurred vision as I was driving and had to pull over on the side of the road and have someone come pick me up because I was too unwell to drive. The vaginal irritation got worse on day 2, and I’m still waiting for that to subside. I would so much rather have a UTI than feel like I am literally about to die. This has been one of the scariest weeks of my life, as I thought something was seriously wrong with me until I read some of these reviews. If your doctor wants to prescribe you this medicine, you may want to ask for an alternative."
See also:
Augmentin
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Bactrim
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Cipro
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Cefixime
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Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim
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Amoxicillin/clavulanate
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Levofloxacin
Levofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic used to treat serious bacterial infections and prevent ...
Ceftriaxone
Ceftriaxone is used for bacteremia, bacterial endocarditis prevention, bacterial infection, bone ...
Ciprofloxacin
Ciprofloxacin is an antibiotic belong to a group of drugs called fluoroquinolones. Learn about side ...
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Your review helps others make informed decisions.More about Macrobid (nitrofurantoin)
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For Urinary Tract Infection "I've never done a review but wanted to on it because of so many bad reviews. The Macrobid is working great, no side effects that I’ve noticed from the meds. But before starting the meds, I did have a severe UTI with severe pain in my stomach and back, as well as nausea, dizziness, cramps, muscle weakness, headache, and flu-like symptoms all from the UTI infection. I felt like death. Which has all subsided since taking this medicine. I’ve read a lot of bad reviews but I think everyone fails to realize that UTI and bladder infections cause a lot of symptoms plus everyone reacts differently. I would take this again!"