Anyone been prescribed Nitrofurantoin?
Posted , 5 users are following.
I went to the nurse on Monday and my urine tested positive for white blood cells, red blood cells and protein. She prescribed Trimethroprim. I saw the doctor today and as I still have back pain she tested my urine again..it still had white blood cells, red blood cells and protein so she prescribed Nitrofurantoin. I've never had this before. Just wondering how other people have found it when they have taken it
0 likes, 12 replies
jade09513 holly75952
Posted
I've been prescribed this once before and had. I problems with it. It cleared the infection quickly
jade09513
Posted
Guest holly75952
Posted
Nitrofurantoin is generic Macrobid and is an excellent antibiotic for UTI's since it targets *just* urinary tract infections. It works better for me than any other antibiotic I've ever been prescribed for a UTI.
katejo11 holly75952
Posted
Last time i had it, it didn't work for me. I have just taken Trimethroprim ( has worked before but not this time).now have to wait and have another urine test done on Monday. Perhaps there is another cause and not an infection. Test a week ago found nothing but i had all the symptoms.
holly75952 katejo11
Posted
Oh I see, I think antibiotics sort of work in the following way so:
?antibiotic A works on infection A but not on infection B or C.
?So if antibiotic A (eg Trimethroprim) is prescribed when you have infection B then it wouldnt work. Where as if you were given antibiotic B (Nitrofurantoin) then it would work.
Sorry if i've just confused you haha
?It is strange that you are having symptoms but your test came back negative. Was it the first sample of the day or?
?Sometimes I think the more dilute the urine then the harder it is for tests to pick up infection.
?However, the last sample i provided was clear (no colour whatsoever) and it was the fourth time i'd urinated that day but it still showed up positive for wbc,rbc and protein.
katejo11 holly75952
Posted
My symptoms have now much improved. I am going to have another urine test done on tuesday to confirm. It is possible though that my symptoms had been caused by vaginal atrophy. Someone on the Menopause Matters Forum tried to get me to try a local Oestrogen and i was reluctant but I did have a prescription for this which i obtained in 2015 and didn't use. I decided that there was nothing to lose in trying it. now. I have been applying it the past 4 evenings and now think that it may be working. I will see the GP again after my next urine test results and discuss this with her. I don't know how old you are but could this be a possible cause for you? I am 53 and have been period free for 2.5 years.
No you hadn't confused me by the way.
holly75952 katejo11
Posted
Glad to hear that your symptoms are improving!
?I haven't heard of vaginal atrophy before. I am 21 and have been using the contraceptive injection so have not had a period since the end of 2014.
?Is vaginal atrophy age related or?
maggie41268 holly75952
Posted
Hi Holly. The best thing to do would be to ask your doctor to do a urine culture before you've had any antibiotics (so it would've been ideal before you started taking Trimethroprim). Otherwise they say to to be clean on antibiotics for at least four days before doing a culture. If they had done a culture they would know what bacteria you have and therefore which antibiotic to give you. My UTI started nine weeks ago now and I had exactly the same as you - doctor gave me trimethroprim for 3 days. The week after I ran to A&E as I was peeing blood and in so much pain - it hadn't cleared. They gave me nitrofurantoin again for 3 days. For me it didn't work (imagine 9 weeks on I still have some pain left). But it might work for you - it just depends on the bacteria you have and whether it's sensitive to that antibiotic. Ideally you should take a longer course to avoid any being left around alive.. Good luck
holly75952 maggie41268
Posted
Hi Maggie.
?I think that because I am taking other medications (around 10/11 in total) then maybe they dont want to prescribe me a long course of antibiotics.
?I'm not sure because the doctors avoid telling me too much information!
?You were peeing blood? is that just from an UTI?
maggie41268 holly75952
Posted
If you're taking other medications sometimes it's hard to tell what may be causing the problem and if you try too many things to resolve it, it's hard to know what really worked when you do feel better.. personally, I'm not on anything at all (other than birth control) and have always been healthy only having some UTIs in the past that cleared straight away.
This one is not going though.. I do think the blood was from the UTI because I've had ultrasounds and everything looks normal. Have also had a cystoscopy and been told my bladder and urethra are normal, no inflammation. In recent urine tests, no WBC, no RBC no infection. It's a little frustrating.
In terms of the original question, I have taken nitrofurantoin with no side effects whatsoever / no problems. It just didn't cure me this time (or something is still left). Good luck
katejo11 holly75952
Posted
Hi Holly
Then it won't be relevant to you. It only applies to older women who lose oestrogen after the periods stop. I didn't have my first UTI until I was about 45.
holly75952 katejo11
Posted
Oh I see.
?Well at least that's one condition I don't have to worry about for a few years