Scared to take nitrofurantoin for UTI

[Daisiesandgrass]

I've been prescribed nitrofurantoin for a UTI after my sample was sent to the lab. I have an extreme aversion to medication after a bad experience 6 years ago. I've been reading online (stupid I know) and all the side effects have terrified me - they're all the side effects I experienced years ago and it took me years to get back to some sort of normality. I don't want to go through that again. I don't know what to do!! The only UTI symptom I've has is smelly wee for months, I thought it was supplements or dehydration.
Has anyone else experienced side effects?
Is there a natural was I can get rid of this?

I can’t take nitrofurantoin as I have awful flu-like reactions to it. I’m prescribed a different antibiotic for UTIs (sorry, can’t remember the name) BUT if you’re not keen to take an antibiotic and haven’t already tried it, I’d highly recommend D Manosse. You can buy it in tablet form on Amazon. I call it the ‘magic pills’.

D Mannose does not cure UTIs. Please do not spread this information. Not taking antibiotics can lead to sepsis.

D mannose will help bacteria not stick to the uterine walls so can keep utis at bay but they won’t help with an active infection. They aren’t antibiotics and they aren’t a replacement for antibiotics. Utis can go south quickly

Just finished a course. No reaction, no problems

Sorry, PP are correct and my post was ill-considered. To be clear, if I have an active UTI, I take the alternative antibiotic prescribed by the GP. To stave off (previously repeated) UTIs, I take D Manosse regularly and have far fewer issues than previously. You should take what GP has prescribed, and maybe consider D Manosse in future.

I’ve taken it literally dozens of times over the years. It made my wee a bright yellow but other than that no worries at all.

Same for me, I've made sure it's in my medical notes. I can't take sulfa drugs either. BUT I have had many other medicines over the years without a single side effect. There will be a different antibiotic they can use, please just ask.

I had an allergic reaction to nitrofurantoin & needed ambulance/A&E.

I was then given fosfomycin which was a one dose sachet in water. It worked quickly and no side effects.

Please don't leave a UTI untreated as it can lead to sepsis.

Thank you!
I have an active infection, my leucocytes are 241 and the sample was sent off to the lab for cultures.
I should have never gone to Google. I just got told off by my partner for stressing.

I'm currently on nitrofurantoin for a UTI. No side effects bar bright yellow wee. UTIs can be nasty (I've had 3 kidney infections) so please do take the antibiotics. In future d mannose can help keep them at bay, as can hiprex.

Kindly, you need to take them. Untreated UTIs can become chronic as the bacteria bury into your bladder. Make sure you finish the course. I have had about 100 infections in my life so I know what I’m talking about!

Dd just finished a course of that, she said it made her wee dark for a bit and she felt nauseous occasionally, but was not actually ill with it. Cleared up her uti really quickly.

You don’t get a UTI in the uterine walls. The clue is in the acronym - UTI means urinary tract infection and can be in any part of the urinary tract - urethra, bladder, ureters, kidneys.

I had nitro for a uti a couple of years ago. It was fine.

The one that initially presented like you - no symptom but smelly urine for months eventually ended up with a kidney infection which I got sepsis from really quickly. Which led to a lot of drugs (and more infection over the next few years tbh). I cannot recommend taking the nitro enough.

I have taken it with no issues, and it's really effective for UTI's - something to do with it being concentrated in your urine and not really being absorbed by other parts of your body, so effective in a short time

As others have said, an untreated uti can lead to a kidney infection, which can cause long term damage

If you read the leaflet in a paracetamol packet you probably wouldn't take it with the list of potential side effects, it's important to focus on the fact that these are incredibly rare

I’ve had it maybe 30 times and no issues at all

@Daisiesandgrass untreated UTIs can cause kidney issues and kidney failure later in life.

You would be stupid not to take antibiotics to get rid of it. They don't go away on their own.

I had it 3 or 4 times but then reacted really badly to it. If you are going to react, you'll know within 2 doses. I'd rather risk it than get sepsis...

@Victorius19 @Kate0726 @Harrumphhhh @TeaAndStrumpets how long did it take you to recover from the side effects?

Several days, maybe a week? It was like a really bad dose of flu.

You should definitely take something, though. Ask your GP.

Ive taken nitrofurantoin loads of times and took a low dose for 6 months for a long term UTI ,no issues with it at all .

When asked about allergic reactions, I have to declare nitrofurantoin (which I’ve been prescribed for UTIs) and am met with the response that increasing numbers of people are - the NHS is aware of this.

The dangers of leaving the infection to develop surely outweigh the rare risks and side effects

Ive just taken my first one, im absolutely terrified but I just keep looking at my children and thinking if I end up with sepsis it'll be so much worse!

Ask for a ‘simpler’ antibiotic like amoxicillin instead.