Generic Name: Macrobid for Bladder Infection (nitrofurantoin)
"MOST reviews on the internet are going to be more negative than positive. If you had a bad experience, you're more likely to share than if the experience was fine. There are thousands of people using these meds every day and they are fine, so you never read about it. Let me reassure you it worked just fine. I always ate food WITH it and drank lots of water and took a daily probiotic. I had a mild headache on the 2nd day and a little stomach cramps/loose stools by the 4th day, but nothing that major. It took 4 days for my UTI symptoms to go away, and by the last day, day 7, back to normal. Some of the negative symptoms people describe are also the same symptoms you get when your UTI gets advanced or worse... not every antibiotic will work for every infection. Not necessarily a bad reaction, just not working. This med has been around for 50+ years and targets your urinary tract. It gets filtered through your kidneys and gets right to the source. Don't be afraid, if your doc thinks you need it."
"I was genuinely terrified to take these tablets after reading the reviews and having an extreme phobia of being sick. I have just completed my course and I wish I never read them as I was absolutely fine and was worried over nothing the entire time. Within a day, I felt so much better with my infection! Whenever I took a tablet, I drank 2 pints of water, just to be safe, and ate a couple of slices of bread which seemed to work. The only side effect I had was slightly loose stool for the first day or so. I had to take 2 slow-releasing tablets a day for 7 days. Don't pay attention to the reviews as it'll be different for everyone!"
"I am finding it VERY hard to believe these bad reviews of Macrobid. I'm thinking these are the apple cider vinegar, D-Mannose, and cranberry juice people, NONE of which cure UTIs. I have been battling recurrent and/or relapsing UTIs for a few years, despite being celibate. Up until now, Bactrim worked. Yes, it gave me a headache and made my heart race, but it worked. Then I tried Monurol, worked a few times, expensive beyond, then stopped. Yesterday I tried Macrobid for the first time, no side effects. Had I listened to these reviews, I would have killed myself before taking it. It seems to be working. It doesn't kill your gut flora. It's considered one of the SAFEST of the UTI drugs. All I can say is do not be afraid to try it!"
"Just taken four Macrobid tablets over two days. Had a headache yesterday and felt sick this morning. Worst issue is it’s made me pee more and I’m having to rush to the loo at the last minute as the urge comes on suddenly. Good news is the strange tingling feeling has gone when I pee and it’s no longer painful."
"I have taken Macrobid many times. I have never had any side effects, and it clears up immediately. Mind you, I take myself to the clinic the moment I know I have a UTI, which is typically cramping and pressure in my lower abdomen followed by issues urinating. I only ever get these symptoms after intercourse when I do not relieve myself almost immediately. I've never gone over 24 hours with symptoms and not had Macrobid prescribed. It's a lifesaver."
"I was prescribed 5 days' worth of 100mg Macrobid for a UTI. It was working, but very slowly. It did not clear up my UTI, and it got worse again. I talked to a friend who had been prescribed it multiple times, and it never works for her and caused a kidney infection due to its impotency. I read online that it doesn't work for older women, but we are in our early 20s, so it's not just older women. I do not recommend Macrobid especially after reading all of these other reviews. If you get prescribed it, do yourself a favor and ask for something else."
"This medicine caused severe lung problems after taking 2 doses. I became septic and was hospitalized for 4 days. I am a nurse and have never been sick in my life. It did clear up my UTI, but the respiratory complications nearly killed me! I wish they would pull this dangerous drug off the market."
"The first three days I took 100 mg of generic Macrobid twice a day with large meals because it was causing mild queasiness. UTI symptoms subsided. On the fourth day, I took it with a small breakfast and experienced dizziness and heart pressure. I called the doctor, who said that I had been on it long enough and advised me to stop. A decade or more ago, I took Cipro with no side effects for UTI, but now they say Macrobid is better due to antibiotic resistance and targeting UTIs specifically. The dizziness and heart pressure side effects were enough to make me stop and reconsider ever using this medicine in the future."
"I had a pretty bad UTI, so I went to urgent care to get some relief. They prescribed this drug, Macrobid 100 mg x 2 for 5 days. I’m very sensitive to medications. Within 2 doses, my constant urge to pee was gone. By the 3rd dose, the burning was gone. I’m ending out my 4th day and 8th dose feeling completely better. The drug does cause some drowsiness, and I have been dizzy as well, which I got after my first dose. I’ve also had some diarrhea, but not too much. After my 8th dose tonight, I do feel a little bit queasy, but all antibiotics have some side effects. I’ll keep taking it. Cipro and Bactrim made me feel way worse."
"I have taken this medication tons of times and every time without side effects. It is the only thing I can take to take care of my UTIs. I took it off and on in the past for UTIs due to having 4 ureter instead of two. Then I had to take it for 9 months while I was pregnant (one a day for prevention), never had a problem. Now years later, just had a hysterectomy and had a UTI again. Asked for Macrobid and within two days the pain is gone and I am getting better. Couldn't live without this medicine. I don't know what these people are talking about."
"The first few days after taking Macrobid, the symptoms weren’t too bad. I was experiencing a little stomach problems, diarrhea mainly. About day three on, I got really sick, really bad nausea and upper belly ache, pounding headaches, felt lightheaded. I couldn’t function, had to lay down and rest all of the time. I realized I was halfway through the dosage and thought I could tough it out, but had to stop at day six (7 day dosage). This is now day 7, and I haven’t taken any medication but still have strong symptoms, hopefully, will reside soon. I will never take this medication again, I felt like my body was being poisoned."
"Macrobid does help a lot of people with no issues at all. I happened to be one of the people who had a bad reaction, but that’s my experience. I had to stop taking the medication after the second dose because I quickly had severe pain and burning in my legs. It was so severe it lasted for weeks. I was scared it would never go away. But it did. I was put on a different antibiotic, and I was fine. I probably had a rare allergic reaction to it since the severe pain and burning happened so quickly after starting the medication. Don’t let the rare reactions keep you from taking a medication you need because most people are fine on this."
"Both extremes of Macrobid are accurate. I've had a lot of UTIs - to the point of having Macrobid prescribed with refills as needed. I never experienced any symptoms, and this stuff was like a miracle. It took 24 hours to kick in, and I felt great. I didn't get a UTI for 2 years and then just got one. I took Macrobid, and it has made me feel horrible! I feel weak, have no energy, am always dizzy, have headaches, diarrhea, bad pain around my lymph nodes, and always feel like I need to throw up. Fortunately, I'm a SAHM (stay-at-home mom), so I'm able to deal with it at home, but I had to have someone take my child to school because I couldn't get out of bed! Also, it feels like it hasn't completely started working. So it can be great and horrible, even with the same person!"
"After being prescribed Monurol (a single dose, powder sachet antibiotic) for a pretty nasty bladder infection, I had to go back to the doctor because I was still in serious pain. My family doctor prescribed Macrobid, and after taking one dose, I started to have relief. I'm pretty sensitive to medications, I usually get the full list of side effects; headache, nausea, diarrhea, but with Macrobid, absolutely nothing - not even the weird possible 'darkening of urine'. Believe me, I'm a big baby, I'd whine about anything, this medication was amazing."
"If I could give macorbid a score of a negative 1 million I would! Because of this antibiotic I have been sick for 4 days. Had to take a trip to the ER and had 2 bags of IV fluids put in me and a chest x ray. All for a simple bladder infection. As soon as I took the first pill I was instantly sick. I ended up taking 3 of my doses and stopped. I have chest pain, nausea, headaches and very tired. Bladder infection gone in 24 hours but I’m sick as a dog. I’m so angry this pill was prescribed to me. By the looks of it I don't think it should be on the market!!! Do not take! Drink some cranberry juice."
"I am on day 2 of the medication nitrofurantoin for a bladder infection. Bactrim never works for my UTIs, Cipro makes me hallucinate, so the doctor prescribed Macrobid. All symptoms of UTI are gone. I do have some nausea, bloating, loose stool, even with probiotics, but all the side effects are so much better than having a UTI. I hope the rest of my treatment course stays like this. Bottom line, this medication has been effective and I would take it again for my UTIs."
"I was prescribed this based on my symptoms and prior to the lab results coming back. My first dose was at 7 pm and the second at 7 am. By lunch, the blood in my urine was gone, and the pains were subsiding. I took as scheduled with no side effects, and when my cultures came back, it was confirmed a bladder infection. This medicine is fantastic."
"I was prescribed this medication due to a kidney infection. I must say by the second day of taking the medication, I was able to void (pee). The lower back pains subside a little, I was elated that I was able to move. I advise to always eat first before taking any antibiotics, it could be a little harsh on your stomach. I will definitely take this medication again. Keep in mind that every medication has a side effect, everyone tolerates medication very differently. Give the medication some time to work, you can also take two Tylenol with your antibiotics to avoid headaches. Feel better soon, everyone."
"After reading the reviews of Macrobid, I was terrified to take it. As a person with severe acid reflux and irritable bowel syndrome, I was scared that I would have all these terrible experiences that people were describing. However, all of my doses were taken with a COMPLETE meal and I did not suffer from any side effects except for a slight headache."
"This is the second time I've used Macrobid, and I've concluded it does not work for me. With other antibiotics, I've gotten relief from UTIs within hours. Not with this stuff. I'm on day 3, and my symptoms keep returning, along with nausea and diarrhea. I can't wait to get some Bactrim."
"I am on my seventh day on Macrobid and still having UTI symptoms. I have nausea, headache, abdominal cramping, irritability, loss of appetite, weakness, joint aches, and tiredness. This is the most ridiculous antibiotic that I've ever taken! It makes me feel like I've been hit by a bus and still doesn't seem like the UTI is better."
"Prescribed for a UTI. Long story short, I thought there was something seriously wrong with me. Severe body aches, joint pain, back pain, chest pain, fever up to 101.7, major chills, headache, feeling anxious, feeling depressed, crying, feeling irritable, fatigue, weakness, night sweats, tight jaw. This medication is dangerous, and I'm glad I stumbled across this site because I thought I was going crazy. I have one more day of this horrible medication, and I'll stick it out because I don't want to have to take any more antibiotics. 100mg twice a day for seven days."
"Please, please, please don't use this drug! Was put on it for a bladder infection that I didn't even know I had and have been nothing but miserable. When I first started taking it, 100 mg twice a day, I noticed that I had severe nausea, even though I took it with food. Then body pains and head pains came. My head would feel so heavy that I could barely hold it up, and my ears felt as if they were full of fluid. Then came the vision problems and trouble balancing and basically walking. I had to take time off work because I have been having a mental breakdown because of this drug. I am constantly crying or in full-on panic attacks. I feel like any day could be my last. Please don't take this pill, it's not worth it! I'm praying this won't be forever."
"Macrobid (100 mg, 1 capsule twice daily for 5 days). I have had a recurring bladder infection since June, and it is now August 15. The doctor had told me that I am having recurring bladder infections so I shouldn't have sex during treatment, another reason being that I have a new partner. My urethra is getting all stressed out, and all I need to do is give it a rest and let the antibiotics do their work, and later wait at least a week after finishing the antibiotics to have sex. This way I give it enough time for the urethra to strengthen. Anyhow, I am on my third day of this medication, and I noticed it affects my nervous system - I get a lot of panic/anxiety attacks, fatigue, and weakness."
"Had a severe bladder infection, passing blood clots in my urine, pain, bladder spasms, and urinating every 5 minutes. I am allergic to sulfur drugs, penicillin, cipro, and levaquin, so Macrobid is really my only alternative. This is the second time I have taken it, the first time I remember no real side effects, this time I have experienced a severe headache after the first 3 pills, then that subsided. Now, on my 12th pill out of 14, I have mild nausea, dizziness, and drowsiness... nothing unbearable and definitely better than the pain of the bladder infection. Hopefully, I won't get another bladder infection, but that's wishful thinking, but I won't hesitate to use Macrobid again."
Macrodantin, Furadantin
Macrodantin, Furadantin
