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Nitrofurantoin and Tiredness: What Users Say (Page 4)

Brand names: Macrobid, Macrodantin, Furadantin

Reviews for Nitrofurantoin

Commonly mentioned side effects
  • Cee...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • December 8, 2020

Nitrofurantoin for Urinary Tract Infection "I was prescribed Macrobid for a very painful UTI. I had taken it once before for the same reason but couldn’t remember how it made me feel. I was prescribed it twice a day for 7 days. This time it took a few days to begin working, and I was thankful to have also been given an analgesic to help with the pain since this didn’t resolve that. It made me feel incredibly bloated, tired, dizzy, and gave me awful stomach cramping and diarrhea. Somehow, all of this was still better than the UTI, though, and I am now 2 days after finishing the round of medication and feeling better. Overall, it seems to have its side effects, but if you’re able to tolerate them, it should be beneficial for infections."

6 / 10
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  • The...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • December 28, 2015

For Bladder Infection "I do not take any form of medication and am not allergic to anything at all, but prescribed this drug for a UTI, 4 x 100 mg for 7 days. After taking the tablets for 2 days, the headaches started along with an intolerance to light. Then I started to feel like I was having flu-like symptoms, chilly with aching joints. I felt lethargic and began to feel quite weak, with a feeling of not being able to focus properly and feeling dizzy. So much so, I did not feel comfortable driving. I spoke to my doctor and said I would not take any more (I was up to 5 days by then). The symptoms of my UTI are still there, and I'm going back for another antibiotic, will never take this drug again."

2 / 10
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  • Lis...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • July 18, 2018

Nitrofurantoin for Bladder Infection "Macrobid was by far my worst experience with a medicine. It was prescribed for my UTI. But after taking 2 pills only, I started feeling worse than before. My UTI symptoms were improving (which was great), but I felt sick. Extremely nauseated (I couldn't even drink water); had diarrhea episodes, it also lowered my blood pressure, so I felt weak and tired. I'll never take this thing again. I felt like I had been poisoned."

4 / 10
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Frequently asked questions

  • Clo...
  • October 9, 2016

Nitrofurantoin for Urinary Tract Infection "I had a minor UTI. I just couldn't seem to clear it out of my system, so I got prescribed Macrobid. The first day I took it, I felt a little drowsy, but nothing major. The second day, dose two, I began to feel very drained and had no energy. I thought maybe I just needed sleep, so I tried to nap, but I just lay there in discomfort and exhaustion. I began to have cold/flu symptoms. I became very dizzy and nauseous. I felt like I was spinning. I was bedridden and cried from how bad I was feeling. It did help my UTI symptoms, but I am not sure if it's worth it."

3 / 10
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  • Clo...
  • October 9, 2016

Nitrofurantoin for Urinary Tract Infection "I had a minor UTI. I just couldn't seem to clear it out of my system, so I got prescribed Macrobid. The first day I took it, I felt a little drowsy, but nothing major. The second day, dose two, I began to feel very drained and had no energy. I thought maybe I just needed sleep, so I tried to nap, but I just lay there in discomfort and exhaustion. I began to have cold/flu symptoms. I became very dizzy and nauseous. I felt like I was spinning. I was bedridden and cried from how bad I was feeling. It did help my UTI symptoms, but I am not sure if it's worth it."

3 / 10
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  • Cur...
  • October 3, 2016

Nitrofurantoin for Urinary Tract Infection "I'm allergic to sulfa and penicillin, so my doc prescribed Macrobid. The first time I took this medicine, I felt fine besides some nasty nausea. I didn't take the last 3 pills because of it, but my UTI went away almost immediately. This time, I feel horrible. I felt good after the first 2-3 doses, but now after I take it (3rd day), I am weak, I feel like it's hard to breathe, and my stomach burns/hurts so bad I can't stand it. It also makes me very tired and out of it/woozy. The burning during urination has gone away, but I feel worse than what I did with the UTI. I hate to stop it early, but I fear I may end up in the hospital if I don't. It's not a bad med, just hit or miss side effects. I say try it out though. It's worth that much at least."

5 / 10
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  • Min...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • August 10, 2019

For Bladder Infection "My experience is pretty much the same as others have described. Only taken 3, and I have had fever, chills, pounding head, neck pains, and extreme tiredness. They are all listed as serious side effects, so I am not taking any more. Taken on a previous occasion and didn’t have any problems like this. Just feels like the flu."

1 / 10
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  • Sab...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • September 13, 2018

Nitrofurantoin for Urinary Tract Infection "I was prescribed this for a UTI because I have a high sulfa allergy. I took one pill and was fine with no problems, took it with food as prescribed and went to bed about 5 hours later. Woke up in the morning with my body aching so bad I felt like I had the flu. I was really spaced out, depressed, had diarrhea. It cleared up the symptoms for the UTI very fast, but I have to go to get a different prescription. I’ve had body aches all day and feeling so lethargic. I don’t recommend."

3 / 10
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  • SF_...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • January 13, 2017

For Bladder Infection "I've never reacted to any antibiotic, so I had no idea what I was in for with this. I made the mistake this morning (day 3) of taking pill 5. I had no appetite yesterday and was very lethargic and agitated. Really out of sorts, but 1/2 functioning. Today has been a nightmare of nausea, chills, body aches, and joint pain, exhaustion, headache, ear and jaw pain, etc. That's not the full list. The doctor pulled me off and moved me to Augmentin, but I have a lot going on in the next 4 days, and I came here hoping to figure out how long it will be before the side effects are gone. I can't get anything down; nothing helps the pain; I'm essentially useless. Also: hasn't anyone heard of Pyridium? You don't need to suffer! OTC and numbs the urinary tract!"

4 / 10
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  • sar...
  • January 22, 2016

For Bladder Infection "I've had a UTI for 2 weeks, treated with two other antibiotics, which did not really work. Last night, I suddenly developed fever, chills, and body aches, 5 days after the last antibiotic dose. I went to the ER, and I was given a Nitrofurantoin pill as soon as blood and urine tests were completed. By this morning, not only had the fever gone, but for the first time in two weeks, I have no pain, and the urine test is totally clear. I hope to avoid side effects, as I need to take it for another 6 days. All I can report is mild tiredness, but I have been tired for the past two weeks, so I cannot attribute this to Nitrofurantoin."

10 / 10
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  • Spa...
  • September 9, 2010

Nitrofurantoin for Bladder Infection "I didn't even know I had a bladder infection, showed up in a urine test. So I guess it's working. I do feel tired after working out and exhausted later on in the day. On it for a week, twice a day, 100 mg."

8 / 10
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  • Spa...
  • September 9, 2010

Nitrofurantoin for Bladder Infection "I didn't even know I had a bladder infection, showed up in a urine test. So I guess it's working. I do feel tired after working out and exhausted later on in the day. On it for a week, twice a day, 100 mg."

8 / 10
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  • Che...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • January 26, 2020

For Bladder Infection "I'm on day 5 of a course of nitrofurantoin, my dose being 100 mg x 4 daily, and I feel okay. I haven't had the majority of symptoms listed, but the tiredness has been extreme. I'd say give this a chance if it's prescribed. A lot of the more serious side effects people are listing are stated on the box as ones that require you to stop the medication immediately and seek advice, so maybe read the leaflet rather than pushing through with the course of medication if you feel particularly bad. My only complaint is that, although I was told I had a very bad UTI and the medication did help symptoms fairly quickly, I don't feel like the infection has fully cleared. I'm still slightly burning after I urinate."

8 / 10
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  • cha...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • November 18, 2017

Nitrofurantoin for Urinary Tract Infection "I was prescribed this to be taken 4 times daily for 3 days. My UTI symptoms were gone by the first day. I have now finished the course, and my UTI is gone. This medication worked great for the infection. I did not experience any serious side effects except some tiredness, a 'spaced out' feeling, and on the 2nd day, I did feel very 'down', not sure if that was because of the medication. However, on the third day, I feel fine."

9 / 10
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  • Mar...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • February 1, 2019

For Bladder Infection "I don't know why everyone says this drug is so awful, it worked well for me! I get bladder infections constantly, and it takes them away very quickly. It did make me a bit tired and groggy, but that's much better than having bladder infection symptoms."

9 / 10
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  • nev...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • November 25, 2019

For Urinary Tract Infection "Recently prescribed this antibiotic for a UTI. I'm on day 3 1/2, so I'm 1/2 way there. UTI seems to be clearing up, which I'm thankful for, but the side effects will make you wanna stay in bed and cry. I have had a severe headache since starting it, and it won't go away. Diarrhea, foggy brain, extreme tiredness, stomachache, to name a few. There has got to be something better out there. I feel like I'm in a bad drug commercial where I gave up one ailment to gain 10 side effects. I'm really hoping I can make it through the 7 days. Definitely something I will put on the NEVER TAKE AGAIN list."

1 / 10
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  • BCA...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • May 1, 2017

For Urinary Tract Infection "I took this medication for a UTI. Started on a Friday. It's now Monday, and I was told by my gyno office to stop. They told me the side effects I was experiencing were not normal for the medication. Have to head to the hospital to see what's up. Here is what I experienced: 1. Constant nausea 2. Headaches 3. Weak muscles and stiff joints 4. Blurry vision. Made it hard to walk up and down stairs, started to gag if I moved too quickly 5. Tired. Oh, so tired. If it is the medication, then this is awful. The side effects are worse than the UTI. I've never had a problem with any other antibiotic medication."

1 / 10
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  • AJa...
  • May 29, 2016

For Bladder Infection "This medication landed me in the ER twice this week. I developed a fever that went as high as 102.6, shaking chills, the worst headache of my life (they thought it might be meningitis), and body aches and tiredness. Within a few days later, difficulty breathing, tingling hands and feet, and severe abdominal pain led to vomiting. This is not worth what it was prescribed for!!"

3 / 10
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  • Ash...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • October 22, 2019

For Bladder Infection "Have taken Macrobid/Nitrofurantoin in the past for frequent UTIs. I also occasionally take it after sex to help prevent a UTI. I seem to not experience any side effects when I take one after intercourse. But currently taking a 10-day course of 100 mg twice a day for a UTI. I took a dose yesterday morning, and within two hours, I was extremely tired, and then got one of the worst headaches of my life. The pain went from my head down my neck and my shoulders. Nothing but going to sleep helped. I also get swollen joints. Have diarrhea a few times a day, but that is a side effect of most antibiotics. It definitely works, as long as you don't mind and can handle the side effects. I also get hot flashes on this medication."

7 / 10
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  • Leo...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • May 11, 2019

For Bladder Infection "I've taken this drug before and don't remember any side effects. Boy, was this time different. After my second dose of nitrofurantoin for a UTI, I started feeling unusually exhausted and achy and started getting the chills, and if I'd had any coughing or sneezing, I'd have been convinced that it was the flu. I had to skip a family dinner. Overnight it got much, much worse. Everything hurt, and I started running a fever. I had such a bad headache that I feared it was meningitis. I suffered through all of this on the day of my son's graduation. Horrible symptoms. That night, I fell asleep and missed my dose. Now feeling much better, and I'm realizing it was a reaction to this drug. I came very, very close to missing a big life event because of this drug."

1 / 10
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  • Fri...
  • October 15, 2015

For Bladder Infection "Will never put another pill in my mouth. Painful muscle aches, fatigue, nausea, fever, chills, night sweats, tired, the list goes on. I have been off it for 3 days and the muscle aches and fatigue are still here. Never, never again."

1 / 10
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  • Joj...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • August 23, 2020

For Bladder Infection "Prescribed a course of nitrofurantoin for initially 3 days, 2 slow-release tablets a day, 12 hours apart. Still felt quite rotten by day 3, so I was prescribed another 4 days' worth. I'm on day 5 now, and I believe the bladder infection has cleared up, and the plumbing is back to normal. But I have a persistent strong ache in my lower back and a medium ache over my whole pelvis. Bloated stomach as well, feeling like I have a combination of food poisoning and period pains. I'm taking a tablet tonight and then stopping. 5 days is an often-prescribed period for this drug, and I don't feel it's the illness that's incapacitating me anymore but the cure. Also experienced lethargy and sudden drowsiness in the day, night sweats, but these could be the result of fighting the infection."

4 / 10
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  • Gin...
  • July 23, 2015

For Urinary Tract Infection "I have been taking 4 a day for the last 6 days, 2 tablets to go. My UTI seems better, but I have never been so tired, aching all over and very thirsty. Also, a bit depressed and tearful. None of these seem bad enough to tell the doctor about. Just hoping that when I finish the course, all these symptoms will disappear."

5 / 10
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  • Lou...
  • November 17, 2015

For Bladder Infection "I suffer from recurrent UTIs. This is by far the worst one. I have had 3 weeks of antibiotics and still have the infection. I hate nitrofurantoin. It makes me feel sick, tired, lack of energy, and at the moment, I have loss of appetite, a headache, and loose and frequent bowel movements. I personally feel I can develop a tolerance for the antibiotics. Even though my symptoms go away for a few days, I don't feel any better within myself as the antibiotics pose more problems."

4 / 10
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  • Emi...
  • March 20, 2016

For Urinary Tract Infection "I got prescribed this to take every 6 hours for a week after getting my second ever UTI, 2 weeks after trimethoprim cleared up my first. About an hour after taking it, I get a bit nauseous, have a bit of a headache, and feel a bit tired, but it's 100 times better than having a UTI. Would take it again."

8 / 10
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Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or remove inappropriate content. Reviews appearing to come from parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any medication and should not replace the expertise and judgment of healthcare professionals.