I’m on Nitrofurantoin and feeling so sick.

I used Nitrofurantoin successfully for years and relied on it. Suddenly it stopped working, I was no longer sensitive to it. UTI’s are a dreadful affliction. When flying I have to drink water all the way to the airport and on the plane or I immediately start with a bladder infection as I get off the plane. Doctors abroad are reluctant to give more than two days of antibiotic which is useless to me as it comes back even worse but it’s difficult to explain in a foreign country.

Interesting.
My husband took antibiotics for a chest infection last week and has had to go back to GP this morning with symptoms of a UTI.

It seems that a lot of medication contributes to bladder infections because they not only kill unwanted bacteria but also the protective ones that look after bladders. If I get really sick on tablets I just stop taking them and tell the GP who usually support you and prescribe something else. Exception being chemotherapy drugs of course.

It’s Monday evening and my bladder isn’t right. Kept feeling as if my bladder was uncomfortable and wanted to wee and yet not much came out. So finished antibiotics Friday evening. First day experiencing of signs of a distressed bladder so just hoped it was trying to recover. Nerve pain and trying to wee came on but lasted about an hour or two and then stopped.Began to feel better on Sunday and this morning the bladder felt better .Then the feeling of discomfort as if I needed to wee but couldn’t produce much. I took a Cystopurin just to ease the discomfort. Drank more. Eventually went to sleep only to be woken up by a high pitched nerve pain. Did a wee but discomfort went on.

Must admit I was so ill on that drug my husband started to get really worried. Didn't want to eat or drink and literally couldn't sit up straight. Like you I persevered and finished the course but would never take it again.Hope after all that it has worked on your UTI.

MT62

valdali

I couldn't tolerate nitrofurantoin, I was on a crowded train from London & sat on the floor by the doors as I had to keep being sick in the toilet. I only took one tablet - never again! I'm fine with penicillin & trimethoprim.

Oh no I can’t take trimethoprim or septrim (actually are they the same drug?)
Anyway they caused huge blood filled blisters between my fingers 😩

Yes they're the same

I ended up in A&E on this antibiotic,I suddenly felt freezing cold and had to go to bed with a hot water bottle, and heating on I rang 111 and was told to go in at 12 the following day I felt so ill ,it has now been banned from my record

I can tolerate this antibiotic if my stomach is full so better in evening worse in morning. I’ve now been told by email I dont have an infection but to continue the treatment which confuses me! Anyway I’ve done 5 days so that’s it…..

Do you know what bacteria is causing your UTI? It is just that I had a uti a few years ago and when they tested for the bacteria, it turned out to be one that only caused 3% of uts. They put me on a special antibiotic which made me feel nauseous and depressed for one week but it cleared the infection up. I hope you find relief very soon.

*Nitrofurantoin - not furantoin!

Hiprex worked for me after months and months of cycles with furantoin which also made me feel awful. However, Hiprex didn't work straight away for me. In desperation, I took D-Mannose as well (on its own D-Mannose, didn't help me). Since then, no UTIs now for 2 years while taking the combination.
I was offered further help if Hiprex hadn't worked so don't give up.

I’ve been under several urologists but none have ever prescribed Hiprex. I never heard of it tbh.

I think working in a diy store as a student, which was always freezing cold. Found I needed to wee a lot.
Over prescribed antibiotics which I didn’t really need, didn’t help, they caused thrush which made the problem worse.

DD and I both found the side effect horrible .

On one occasion with a uti I developed a fungal infection whilst on meds can’t remember what Apparently it not uncommon. Bacteria an opportunist.

valdali

I couldn't tolerate nitrofurantoin, I was on a crowded train from London & sat on the floor by the doors as I had to keep being sick in the toilet. I only took one tablet - never again! I'm fine with penicillin & trimethoprim.

Oh no I can’t take trimethoprim or septrim (actually are they the same drug?)
Anyway they caused huge blood filled blisters between my fingers 😩

Lovetopaint037

I’ve not heard of hiprex so will look it up. Thank you. Poor you Oreo. How awful. How annoying eddiecat. At least you didn’t have one. Since finishing them last night I have a zinging feeling as if I still had one.. sSo fed up. I’m hoping I’m wrong and will take a test again

Hiprex is an antiseptic, its been around over 100 years ....it kills floating bacteria in your bladder....so if you take 2 a day as prescribed...it kills off bacteria every 2 hours ....it used to be urology prescribed only....but new NICE guidance in 2024 allows GPS to prescribe....its been my life saver

I’ve not heard of hiprex so will look it up. Thank you. Poor you Oreo. How awful. How annoying eddiecat. At least you didn’t have one. Since finishing them last night I have a zinging feeling as if I still had one.. sSo fed up. I’m hoping I’m wrong and will take a test again

I was prescribed this for a suspected urine infection and it caused terrible diarrhoea which persisted after the course was completed. The annoying thing was that when the urine test came back it showed that I hadn't had an infection!

Ask your gp for hiprex....I had recurrent utis for 2 years ....since starting on vaginal estrogen and hiprex I've been symptom free for 2 years years years years

DamaskRose

I had to stop taking Nitrofurantoin as I was sick immediately after taking them so they were doing no good. My GP prescribed something else but it took four months of “something elses” before the infection cleared up. I really hope you are ok, I know how horrible it is.

I actually threw up in M&S when first taking N tablets😩 and when I rang the surgery a different GP said ‘yep, that would do it!’ A different one was then prescribed.I daren’t go back in that store for ages.

I too felt really unwell on the medication. Was presribed Selexid and it was a game changer. I think the generic name is pivmecillinam. How are you feeling today?

I feel your pain, I had to take these for 9 months but I had an excellent GP who monitored me closely.
They are very effective but that comes at a price, read the leaflet carefully and be aware of the dangerous side effects.

If D Mannose is no longer working up the dose, it really cannot do you any harm.
Never take the D Mannose that comes with cranberry too, as cranberry can irritate the bladder.

I have become a bit of an expert on all this as I only have one fully functioning kidney and I am very prone to UTI’s.

Avoid all caffeine, citrus, pineapple, raw tomatoes, alcohol, carbonated drinks and artificial sweeteners, these are also bladder irritants and will exacerbate the symptoms.

I hope you feel better soon.

One of my worser days - but I made it home safely.

Vadaili that sound awful.

Well I won't ask the obvious.

💧