trimethroprime for uti at 20 weeks

[spandau1980]

Hi has anyone else had this?
I can't take penicillin as allergic
.as in can't breath lips swell
was firstly given cefalexin but that has ten percent chance id have a similar reaction to penicillin
so doc said trimethoprim three day course

just need some reassurance pls

never had to take anything in pregnancies before so worried silly

oh and i tried flushing through and got really bad constipation and it returned worse

been two weeks holding onto prescription hoping i could do without ...but in pain now :(

I had 2 UTIs in my last pregnancy and took it both times. No problems.

You really should take the anti-bs instead of suffering with an infection; apart from anything else you could end up going into early labour if it gets really bad. I was told to completely rest for 3-4 days when I had one at 23 weeks.

Take the tablets!

Hi

I'm not a doctor. But I was told that trimethoprim is not allowed in pregnancy. I've had it for a uti when not pregnant. When I got a uti in the second trimester of my pregnancy I was prescribed cefalexin as trimethroprim is a no - no.

I too am allergic to penicillin.

I'm sure your doctor knows what they're doing. But seeing as I'm not a medical professional, why not double check with another Doctor, then a pharmacist? Just to put your mind at rest.

Also importantly, do make sure you get your uti sorted out as I don't think it's good to have a uti for a long time, especially not whilst pregnant.

When you do get sorted with either this medication or another type and it's safety for pregnancy has been confirmed by one or more medical professional, just to reassure you I had to take a range of medications during my first pregnancy and baby was fine. I just always checked (and double checked) with doctors and pharmacists first.

Hope it's sorted soon and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy xx

Uh oh doubting my memory now... Was it that trimethroprim was a no no, or that I was allergic to that too?

Ignore me and just check with pharmacist or a different doctor as it's important your uti doesn't linger on. Sorry for my confusion x

Ouchy I understood it is the only one to take during pregnancy? Obviously neither of us is 100% sure though.

It's definitely not safe in the first trimester and cefalexime is the drug of choice. It's very difficult to treat anything (!) in pregnancy. I presume at 20 weeks your GP knows you're pregnant and thinks this is the best available drug to treat if it's down to a choice between treating with trimethoprim and not treating. From what I've read it affects the absorption of folic acid hence why it's especially high risk in the first trimester.

I would take the prescription to a pharmacist and ask to have a private consultation with them. Left untreated there can be risks to your pregnancy but clearly you're not 100% happy so talk it through with a professional to put your mind at ease!

my 16month old has been on this since birth to prevent urinary infections as she has a duplex kidney, she will be on it till at least 3 years old. she was also born at 32weeks so if its ok to give to a prem baby I'm sure it's fine for you :)

My dd 2 was also given this for six months from the age of ten days so would assume if it's ok for a new born then would be ok. :)

I have had bad cystitis for years now and I've had loads of tests done.
I havent had it in this pregnancy (yet!) but I did have it with my first one.
I usually have trimethoprim as it's the only thing that helps me.

I start weeing blood almost straight away which is horrendously painful, but the consultant can't find out why so far.

No amount of water I drink touches it. Only the trimethoprim.

When I got UTI with DD1 the GP gave me penicillin first as preference but it didnt do anything (like it never does) so I had to go back and get usual stuff.

GP said it was OK in 2nd trimester (older and experienced) and that the risks to baby where very low and that ANY treatment given in pregnancy is given on the basis of benefit to mother/risk to baby ratio.

Spoke to pharmacist who said I shouldn't have been having it until 3rd trimester (young and newly qualified).
I wasn't sure who to trust but I was in so much pain I took them.
No problems at all with DD, although unfortunatley she seems to be prone to getting it too like me and my sister.

If I had it again this time round I wouldn't hesitate in taking again.

Trimethoprim interferes with frolic acid metabolism and so can lead to increased neural tube defects in the first trimester. Second and third trimesters are fine. Please take the medicines, untreated uti in pregnancy can be quite dangerous. If you don't want to take that particular drug then go and see your gp and ask for an alternative.

Frolic! =folic, stupid iPad!!

Hi there - I'm a GP, and while I am usually hesitant about offering medical advice that might contradict another GP's management (and one who has access to patient medical records and therefore more information), I also have a diploma in Obstetrics so this is my specialist area. Personally, I would not give trimethoprim at all in pregnancy unless it were the only option left. As per above thread, it is a folate antagonist, which can prevent absorption of folic acid. It is the first trimester in particular where it must definitely not be used, but the manufacturer advises avoid in pregnancy as a whole. If you've already taken it, please don't panic - a 3 day course when you are no longer in first trimester is still unlikely to cause harm, it is just that we don't have any research on it to confirm its safety. Nitrofurantoin is probably your safest option - it cannot be given at full term, but has been used widely in pregnancy and not been found to have caused any problems. Make sure your GP sends a sample of your urine off to the lab to confirm infection and antibiotic sensitivities - ideally putting on the form that you're pregnant and allergic to penicillin / can't take cephalosporins so the lab know to test with other antibiotics. Hope that helps and you feel better soon. And drink lots of water :) x

It was nitrofurantoin that I was given for my persistent UTIs at the start of the pregnancy. But it didn't work with the blood pressure meds I was put on in the 2nd trimester - the combination seemed to make me incredibly nauseous so that I couldn't keep down food, drink, or medication - so the obstetrician told me to stop taking it. She said it wasn't personally her first choice in pregnancy but I know opinions differ on such things. It was certainly effective for me earlier in pregnancy.

Im half way through and the urge to urinate and funny tickling annoying gotta pee straight after toilet is awful can't sleep...
No pain on weeing just after i finish...
the gp sent off a sample should hear back tomoz ...
Hope iv done right by taking these now...so worried x

I took Monoril, which apparently is ok after 12 weeks I think.

Worked a treat, plus its a one-shot thing, so you don't have to remember to keep taking tablets.

Doc now said stop as urine sample cane bak negative :(
Said i felt rough still she said to wait and see argh!
Wat do i do now?

Hospital have put me on nitrofurition ...

Well that sounds better. You know it's safe and hopefully it'll knock your symptoms on the head!